max2003.rr.com - Fantasy Interfaces

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11-21-2003, 04:18 AM
FI

Quote:

Originally posted by annexion
Did anyone else notice that FI was referred to as Fantasy Interactive in the Macromedia Breeze presentation?

Official Info:
FI have undergone some dramatic changes and developments, one of which is our name. Fantasy Interfaces is now Fantasy Interactive : www.fantasy-interactive.com or www.f--i.com , FI. The fantasyinterfaces.com site will be removed in due time.

Road Runner http://max2003.rr.com is receiving outstanding feedback and critical response as well as the odd bug report here and there. We very much appreciate the time you have taken to express your views and opinions on the release candidate. We look forward to the official release of the Road Runner site and what is to come from the next generation FI, Fantasy Interactive.

For further information regarding Road Runner http://max2003.rr.com I strongly urge you to visit http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia...re/roadrunner/ for an extensive behind the scenes presentation by Chris Marsh, Director of Web Applications at Road Runner/Time Warner

David Martin
President | CD
FI
11-21-2003, 04:43 AM
akroll

Ooo. Do we get to see a new site soon then?

By the way.. that link is http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia...re/roadrunner/ It was broken in your post, FI
11-21-2003, 05:48 AM
optical

Having watched the macromedia presentation it finally becomes clear what propod is all about - basically a platform for manipulating/generating/serving dynamic xml feeds and driving dynamic content in tandom with reducing outbound server traffic by expoiting client-side caching.

It would be nice to hear David Martin elloborate on the new direction FI is moving in, with regards the name change and this new platform.

It's the first time I've been truely impressed by the use of flash technology, and to those sceptical about the hype surrounding propod - there can be no doubt that FI have delivered.
11-21-2003, 06:07 AM
anott

extremely impressive. but a lot of people would say why?

what are the advantages of making a full dynamic flash site over a dynamic html site?

don't flame me for asking, but certain flash haters where i work just don't get it?
11-21-2003, 06:55 AM
bvgroote

Quote:

Originally posted by anott
extremely impressive. but a lot of people would say why?

what are the advantages of making a full dynamic flash site over a dynamic html site?

don't flame me for asking, but certain flash haters where i work just don't get it?

watch the presentation on MM
11-21-2003, 06:55 AM
annexion

Thanks for addressing that. And I can understand the name change. When the depth and breadth of your offerings grew, I can see why you'd try to get away from typecasting yourself into one specific facet of the industry.

Good work and congratulations. More than the work you produce is the direction you've been able to take yourself in the business world that inspires me. Good luck to you.
11-21-2003, 07:59 AM
anott

i've already watched the presentation. but because its short it doesn't go into the real reasons and justifications of using a full flash site.

"to date the web has been quite limiting with html and stuff"

again i personally think the way that FI are pushing flash is excellent and can only be a good thing, but there are always these people that will say that it can be done in html, asp, PHP or whatever and they've been doing that for years. Also there always going to be those people how say, what about accessibility?

:confused:
11-21-2003, 10:10 AM
Grifter730

Quote:

extremely impressive. but a lot of people would say why?
what are the advantages of making a full dynamic flash site over a dynamic html site?
don't flame me for asking, but certain flash haters where i work just don't get it?

I wonder the same thing myself. I dig the advancement and all, but I really don't get how this has an advantage over using something like asp and php. Or maybe it's just to bring Flash into the fray? It just seems like Flash still has a disadvantage, because not every browser can view it still. Still, it's extremely impressive work David, congrats!
11-21-2003, 10:52 AM
DigitalOne

Re: nic

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeay
its a great site, incredible site.

I`m just wondering what 2a people would say abou this, they almost never post about anything accept to deffend there own creation.

so how about it 2a?

Why in the hell should 2A have to say anything about this? I'm sure they agree that it's a nice site. Sheesh.

:rolleyes:
11-21-2003, 11:02 AM
Josiah

Let's see if I can answer the question, "WHY DID THEY USE FLASH?"

Well from one standpoint...Flash is really cool!
From another standpoint...because THEY CAN.
and from another...FI are flash developers, so why would they use something else?

And to answer the statement, "NOT EVERY BROWSER CAN VIEW IT"

This really isn't a concern anymore, not with Flash detection kits and auto updates of the flash player...

PLUS...they probably assumed that customers subscribing to ROADRUNNER (high speed internet access) are probably savvy enough to have the latest plugins, and if they don't, not afraid to install them.

AND TO ANSWER THE COMMENT, "WHY SHOULD 2A HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY?"

Because 2A is just as respected as FI, and their opinion would be highly regarded on this matter.
11-21-2003, 11:27 AM
felix_man

Well From what I gathered from the breeze presentation, some of the benefits would be...

The fact that in most cases the main interface will reside in the users cache, talk about reducing server traffic. I believe .swf files live in the off-line portion of the browser cache, which means by default it hangs around alot longer. So once a user has accesed the site the first time when they return, the only files that need to be sent from the server are the text for the stories and the story specific images. That means every other image in the interface would normally only be downloaded once.

As for the comment that not every browser can view it. Well according to MM flash 6 player has an 86% penetration. I don't think any other plugin can claim any where near that number.

Now for the important point. Why not flash? Everyon has dealt with the problems that arise from html... design limitations, cross browser differences (Can you say netscape is the devil?), Interface graphic slicing, spacer images, nested tables... the list goes on. In flash you design things the way you want them and don't have to fight with things like the way DHTML positions you drop down menu in Netscape 4.75a. The flash player works the same no matter what browser you are using. Not to mention you can design things that would never fly in html. Try getting the story pod transistions on the RR site to work in html with out being a javaScript programmer.

The argument may be "It can be done is ASP, HTML and PHP". But I think the question is why? Why spend all the extra time build something that you could do in minutes with flash? I think a lot of the naysayers are scared. MM is making the programming portion of web design (most of the highest paying jobs in web dev) much easier and require less expertise. But hey resistance is futile! Jump on the train or get left behind!

Well I feel better now, hehe. You see I constantly have to prove the flash platform here, where I work... but I can honestly say I have never lost the battle to build something in flash, once all the benefits are on the table the old school web guys just can't argue with the facts.

hopefully this will give you a little ammunition when standing up to the heavy hand of the old school HTML mafia.
11-21-2003, 11:32 AM
Josiah

Very well said.
11-21-2003, 11:39 AM
anott

thats the relpy i was looking for thanks.

"naysayers are scared. MM is making the programming portion of web design (most of the highest paying jobs in web dev) much easier and require less expertise."

i think more than anything thats it in a nutshell.
11-21-2003, 09:23 PM
76ers

OHHH MY FREEEAKIN GOOONNESSS!!!! *jaw drops!*
:eek: Oh my I can't believe I'm shedding tears! Gawd I have no words strong enough to express this level of skill! This is insane
11-21-2003, 11:55 PM
ClydeTheGlyde

First let me gather myself and stop laughting at these airhead designers and their REVOLUTION, PROPHECY and other pompous mythical crap posted all over.

Ok, that's better.

RR site is the same old corporate crap wrapped up in a nicer package.

Don't be surprised when it gets taken off line and replaced with another HTML site within a year like a few other high profile FI and 2AD. projects ( because technology behind it doesn't really work as well as they say it does ).
11-21-2003, 11:57 PM
avwebmedia

Quote:

Originally posted by ClydeTheGlyde
First let me gather myself and stop laughting at these airhead designers and their REVOLUTION, PROPHECY and other pompous mythical crap posted all over.

Ok, that's better.

RR site is the same old corporate crap wrapped up in a nicer package.

Don't be surprised when it gets taken off line and replaced with another HTML site within a year like a few other high profile FI and 2AD. projects ( because technology behind it doesn't really work as well as they say it does ).

I guess I just don't see why you have so much animosity towards this site and these companies. They are awesome, get it? These companies are attempting to utilize Flash in new and improved ways, so that the technology does not fizzle out and all you can do is insult them? Again, what gives man? Props are definitely due here, and I think most everyone would agree.

Can I please see one of your websites? PLEASE?!?
11-22-2003, 01:08 AM
akroll

If I may, I think ClydeTheGlyde was getting at the fact that quite a few of the really high-profile sites that have been developed by these high-profile companies have been taken offline. I won't try to say the sites wern't impressive, because they most certainly were. But the long-term success rate of such sites has been less than ideal. Look, for example, at conspiracy games and starbreeze entertainment from FI, and FirestormPC, RealityBid, Pittsburg Penguins and Higher Source Music (which now seems to take you to 2A's site) from 2Advanced.

While I wouldn't go so far as to call them "airhead designers", I do question the reality of such endevors.

Just my $.02
11-22-2003, 02:18 AM
Grifter730

Starbreeze is still up, and still one of my most favorite site. The others are, as you stated, down now. I dig what the RR site is doing for the Flash community, as well as for how Flash is being represented, which really has nothing to do with past websites. We're just outsiders after all, there's no way to know what goes on behind the scenes. Maybe they just couldn't afford the upkeep of getting so much traffic or something, <shrug>, it could've been anything, which means it could also be that these guys aren't holding up their end, but the point is, no one but them knows.
11-23-2003, 12:08 AM
mikecoutermarsh

Most amazing flash site I've seen.

Great work.

-Mike
11-24-2003, 01:42 AM
asun2art

Nice work David. These types of sites are the ones that push flash developers to attemp these types of sites in the future. Truely Revolutionary.

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