New Flash 8 Studio

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:01 PM

Click on pen tool and draw. Does it matter though... I open flash and that's what it's set to.

Also for static stuff or anything more complex I use Freehand. I don't think Flash has the power for well designed drawings. Maybe this version will help that some.

When you do that in Flash MX the default setting is snap to object. I took MX2004 off my machine so I can't check that right now.

Take a look at my portfolio on Scooter's World and see if I need to switch over.

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:04 PM

I'm not sure of your target audience but each release comes with some pretty hefty performance improvements. You would benefit just by publishing with MX04+; even more so if you targeted the latest player. With F8 you could probably get a nice boost with the new bitmap caching feature.

I work mostly in vector so not sure that would apply. I also understand the Flash Player 5 has the highest infilitration rate and since I am not using the new components or actionscript why should I make my viewers download a huge player that requires rebooting.

**gSOLO_01** · 08-09-2005, 07:13 PM

Do you draw for each frame of your animation or do you have a library of items that you move/reuse on the screen? Bitmap caching is in part for taking vectors and allowing the Player to not have to redraw what is on the screen every frame. Take a look at some of the examples posted earlier and notice the dramatic playback fps changes when bitmap caching is used.

Originally Posted by phacker

why should I make my viewers download a huge player that requires rebooting.

It would, in conjunction with publishing for the later players, help alleviate some of the issues you seem to be having ("the player drops graphic frames when it overloads").

**FlashGuru** · 08-09-2005, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by phacker

I think the biggest headache I've had with Flash as an animator is that the player drops graphic frames when it overloads...not sure there's an easy solution to that, but I've fought it for ever.

The new performance features such as Bitmap Caching and movieclip.opaqueBackground will more than likely solve this problem for you.

But as gSolo said, they cant make everybody happy. Guess your just one of the forgotten ones. Regardless, there is no point in ranting about what it doesnt do for you, send requests to the wishlist and if you dont like the new version, dont buy it! Simple. You dont have to go and tell everybody that your not going to buy it.

**admedia** · 08-09-2005, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by phacker

Take a look at my portfolio on Scooter's World and see if I need to switch over.

Those looks cool. I am going to have to go through these a bit later for entertainment.

although it looks like they could use some bevels and dropshadows though. :|

j/k

**PAlexC** · 08-09-2005, 07:17 PM

Sounds like you're frustrated with Flash growing up past being an animation tool. Valid, but it shouldn't be surprising. People developing RIA's don't need or want to learn how to animate, they want to create slick UI's, so having effects in there without having to do them all by hand is welcome. There's a whole other audience being catered to.

What else could they add to help animators, but add animation specific tools? I don't think that's their priority. Nothing is stopping animators from doing what they've been doing.

As far as bloat, I haven't seen it. Yeah, the Flash Application is bigger and eats more, but that would've happened anyway. The new 8 player installs right through the existing one, same hooks that Central uses. I'm scratching my head to think of the last time I had to reboot when updating the Player. 6?

Really, what I think you're asking is for Macromedia to cater to an audience that's not their core anymore, and who aren't going to use the product in the way they want to position it. It still works just fine for that purpose though, you don't need to publish to 8, they're not cutting you off.

I don't get why you're so peeved about it.

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:17 PM

I am using the vector capabilities of Flash. No I don't draw every frame, I do reuse symbols, but bitmap caching would have to be explained to me in more detail, before I would require my viewers to download a new player. Since I am not using bitmaps.

**gSOLO_01** · 08-09-2005, 07:21 PM

Ya, I'm saying bitmap caching, sorry. To be more clear, I mean caching as bitmap.

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by PAlexC

Really, what I think you're asking is for Macromedia to cater to an audience that's not their core anymore, and who aren't going to use the product in the way they want to position it. It still works just fine for that purpose though, you don't need to publish to 8, they're not cutting you off.

I don't get why you're so peeved about it.

I am not asking them to do that, but don't ask me to force them to download a bloated player just to make my stuff run right. I am not doing video or other cpu intensive stuff. I don't make them gasp, or swoon I just want to do my little animations. I am not peeved. I just really loved Flash and Macromedia in the beginning. I am not going to ask my little old ladies to upgrade for nothing. And that's my market.

What the hey.

Pat

**FlashGuru** · 08-09-2005, 07:28 PM

Bitmap Caching:

Turn it on in the IDE in the Properties Inspector for individual movieclips that contain complex vector data or using actionscript: mc.cacheAsBitmap=true

The player uses the vector renderer to blit a bitmap representation into memory, that represents the visual state of the movieclip. From then on, until the contents of the movieclip change, or the transformation matrix of a movieclip changes, or the bounds of the movie clip change, the vector renderer no longer has to update anything inside that movieclip. It simply copies the bitmap from memory straight to the stage, reducing the amount of work the renderer has to do each frame.

This will greatly improve the framerate of complex animations. There are also other things you can do to increase the performance even more, such as downgrading the internal bitmap representation oif Bitmap Caching from 32 bit(ARGB) to 24 bit (RGB) using movieclip.opaqueBackground, by removing the alpha channel that shows movieclips underneat the current movieclip and replacing it with a solid background color.

You should also note that Bitmap Caching makes your Flash Movie use more memory, so use it wisely.

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:29 PM

What is Macromedia's core now, I'd be interested, have any stats?

**phacker** · 08-09-2005, 07:31 PM

I rarely use bitmaps. I design in Vector.....VECTOR.

**PAlexC** · 08-09-2005, 07:32 PM

Go to their site and read the spin on Flash and poke through the developer's center. Go look at Flex, Captivate, Central, Breeze, FlashPaper and Flash forms in CF 7. I'm not saying they're abandoning animators, but it's been pretty damn obvious for awhile that they're pushing Flash in a certain direction, namely RIA's to compete with Ajax and Applets for server-side interaction, as well as video deployment.

( Cache as bitmap CACHES vector data (what you draw) as a BITMAP in the player, making it run faster, it DOES effect you, greatly. )

Really, go find a 3rd party tool like Toon-Boom if you're that annoyed.

**indivision** · 08-09-2005, 07:39 PM

Phacker, it sounds like you'll be fine to just stick with the version you have and keep going. The features you have downplayed (like the filters) aren't intended to dumb down the application, they allow developers to create dynamic content with those effects. This is going to be huge. Just one example, glows on text seem to be a designers favorite thing to do, but it's currently difficult to recreate that look without importing it as a graphic. Then, the client wants to change the word and you have to go through the whole import process again. Flash 8 will eliminate that.

Within the context of flash as an application becoming more powerful, 8 looks awesome. I can't wait to get it. Within maybe the smaller context of an animator who uses it for very limited things, it might not be a big deal (but hopefully runs more smoothly). I don't think you can complain if what MM has done make leaps and bounds less work for most of the people in the way that they are using it.

Anyway, Phacker, your animations are hilarious. Keep using whatever version you are using. Good work!

**FlashGuru** · 08-09-2005, 07:39 PM

*lol*, yes i know. Most people do, that is what Flash Player is good at - VECTORS!

Read my explanation of Bitmap Caching above. It doesnt affect the visual display of your movie at all, other than pixel snapping.

All you have to do is when you have finished your design. Turn bitmap caching on for movie clips that contain complex vector data and trust me, you will see an improvement.

***gerbick*** · 08-09-2005, 07:40 PM

PAlexC, et al. I didn't get Phacker to expound on his grievances to make him a target. It's just that the second a person posts something other than the honeymoon of bliss that Flash 8 proposes, he's going to get attacked?

I mean... I've ranted ad nauseum about how Flash MX 2004 uses XML in the most odd way... and limited as hell. I just find it's workflow - of the program - so odd at times, and never has it been something where I think they did their homework or listened to people like me. But I'm not their core audience.

I got Photoshop for my bliss sessions.

But Flash... I just wear it's just too clunky for my needs/uses, but it's a necessary evil to maintain.

Don't get me started on Director. That's something that I regretted every time I used it, but hey... clients pay the bills.

**admedia** · 08-09-2005, 08:11 PM

WTF?

This isn't a help thread.
This is a discussion.
Bring us back to the Lounge!

**FlashGuru** · 08-09-2005, 08:13 PM

It's a Flash 8 related discussion. Hence it's in the flash 8 forum.

**stevietat** · 08-09-2005, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by PAlexC

What else could they add to help animators, but add animation specific tools? I don't think that's their priority. Nothing is stopping animators from doing what they've been doing.

I'm wondering the same thing

Most of the improvements I've seen have been towards adressing animation possibilities (or at least ease of implementation with regards to some of the filters) and animation performance.

I hardly find the new player bloated. I had it downloaded and installed faster than the time it takes to load up your average flash website. Nice thing is a lot of these new animation features should also help to reduce filesize. You won't need to bloat your file with extra blurred bitmaps for one example.

If you won't make use of these features, I agree, don't waste your money. For doing logos, illustrations and layouts, I don't really see any point. Although I'm curious as to why you wouldn't want to use illustrator or photoshop, or the macromedia equivalents for that sort of work.

**admedia** · 08-09-2005, 11:40 PM

ok, just a thought... since Adobe and Macromedia merged could this be part of the reason we are seeing all of these Photoshopesque features in the new version?

or am I crazy to think that?

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