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hiya all,
i had a quick search of the forums and couldn't find anything about Open LGX, has anyone in here been beta testing?? is it as good as everything i've been hearing about it?
and how long if it gets realeased on july 1 do you think it will take macromedia to swallow up or stop the guys that are creating this piece of software?
i can't imagine that they're too happy about it especially having the ability to directly import 3ds files.
i'd be interested to hear what you guys think.
if your not sure what it is i'm talking about go to
http://www.openlgx.org/

Pretty cool looking piece of software, get wait to try it out...!

openlgx.org is not going anywhere. We have all our own techniques and code and offer our source to any company who thinks otherwise. we also have legal support now and have really been good about protecting our code while keeping it open. The flash community deserves this tool and we will deliver it. Special thanks to our linux alpha testers, i'll have the windows version real soon.

Arthur Stevens
openlgx.org team leader

Quote:

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Originally posted by Trakko
openlgx.org is not going anywhere. We have all our own techniques and code and offer our source to any company who thinks otherwise. we also have legal support now and have really been good about protecting our code while keeping it open. The flash community deserves this tool and we will deliver it. Special thanks to our linux alpha testers, i'll have the windows version real soon.

Arthur Stevens
openlgx.org team leader

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Good.

I can't wait to test it, will there be just as cool actions just like flash?

When I looked at screen shots it looked - boring (just like Photoshop) all black and white! I love Flash because it is easy in use and not just black and white!

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Originally posted by DNA of FLASH
When I looked at screen shots it looked - boring (just like Photoshop) all black and white! I love Flash because it is easy in use and not just black and white!

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Funny to see how people are focusing on the little crap like b&w menu's. We are in Alpha, we will have pretty toolbars later this week but have been focusing on the serious stuff, like a z-axis, real xml tools, an open source player, and advanced audio tracking. The end product will be skinnable so you can make it look as colorful as you like or leave it simple and focus the creativity in your work, not depend on your toolbars for color. This kind of comment just cracks me up.

Oh and of course we have scripting, and not just the actionscript (which is really bastardized javascript) but also python and perl support. We also have our own programming syntax we are introducing. This is what we have beenworking on, not the toolbar. Anyone who knows application development knows how easy it is to give an application a facelift, especially a modular menu.

that really does sound excellent!
shame I don't have a linux box flying around to test on!!

built-in support for 3ds and avi? that is great too. and it has generator style capabilities!

would be great to have a Windows GUI though with little icons and things...

can't wait - n.

I think its more important how a tool works (and IF it works :) ) rather then how it looks..Or isn't that true ?

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Originally posted by DaPurno
I think its more important how a tool works (and IF it works :) ) rather then how it looks..Or isn't that true ?

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No, that's only partly true. While it IS important that a tool works, if you can't easily identify the particular components of the tool, its usability is greatly diminished.

A great example... a Technical Illustration tool called "AutoTrol Tech Illustrator" was absolutely the most advanced, powerful tool in its arena. Its price was even competetive in the market. However, because their interface was nothing but buttons with descriptive words on them, people found it clumsy to use and didn't want to take the time to learn. Not only this, but people had to be able to read/speak english in order to use the tool.
AutoTrol realized they were losing much of the market, and soon re-designed their Unux-based software into a Windows-based interface. This new program included Icons instead of "text buttons", which enhanced usability for non-English majors, and also provided quick familiarity with "graphical" navigation. Suddenly, AutoTrol's leading software actually became profitable and is now the best in its field.

If OpenLGX hopes to take part in this motion-graphics revolution, they really need to change their Interface. If not, it'll just be a nice idea that "could-have-been".
[Edited by JabezStone on 06-18-2001 at 03:14 PM]

Quote:

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Originally posted by JabezStone

Quote:

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Originally posted by DaPurno
I think its more important how a tool works (and IF it works :) ) rather then how it looks..Or isn't that true ?

---

No, that's only partly true. While it IS important that a tool works, if you can't easily identify the particular components of the tool, its usability is greatly diminished.

A great example... a Technical Illustration tool called "AutoTrol Tech Illustrator" was absolutely the most advanced, powerful tool in its arena. Its price was even competetive in the market. However, because their interface was nothing but buttons with descriptive words on them, people found it clumsy to use and didn't want to take the time to learn. Not only this, but people had to be able to read/speak english in order to use the tool.
AutoTrol realized they were losing much of the market, and soon re-designed their Unux-based software into a Windows-based interface. This new program included Icons instead of "text buttons", which enhanced usability for non-English majors, and also provided quick familiarity with "graphical" navigation. Suddenly, AutoTrol's leading software actually became profitable and is now the best in its field.

If OpenLGX hopes to take part in this motion-graphics revolution, they really need to change their Interface. If not, it'll just be a nice idea that "could-have-been".
[Edited by JabezStone on 06-18-2001 at 03:14 PM]

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What part of the 'it IS skinnable' part do people not understand? hehehe I give up. OpenLGX will let you edit the UI from within itself, skinnable means you can change the appearance of the application to suite your needs. Once we are in production, users will be able to send their skins in and share them. Most people look at their development tools all day, we feel they should be able to tweak them. We even give you the source so you can tweak how the toolbars work, not just look.

A major thing to remember here is it IS an open soource project, and it is free. I'm not here to buy another BMW, i'm happy with my Volvo :), i'm not here to hurt Macromedias market, I am here however to put togeather a tool with the features people have been asking for, and I am here to give it away for free.

As for multilingual, we have 6 languages planned and more when we get the support. We will support any language where we can find someone to help with the translations. we will however only have an english available at first. Gotta walk before we can fly...

Thanks for all the support and input.

Arthur
OpenLGX.org code slave

Chill out, kiddo! :) Just trying to offer a little advice here!
I haven't said anything degrading about your project(product)!
You guys have way more programming knowledge than I'll ever hope to have (or care to have), and you're doing a great job! More power to ya! Seriously!

Looking forward to the Windows version...

Regards,

Jabez

Sounds all great.

Three Questions:

1. Is a Mac version planed and when?
2. How do you make money out of it?
3. There's no new plug needed, yes?

Can't wait to test it, Fredi

Ha- Just the other day I said, Gee there needs to be a Linux SWF creation tool and lol and behol;d there it is.


Couple of Questions....

1. Did you Use the Open SWF SDK or write your own?

2. I assume that you will port it to other OS's. what is the ETA on those ports?

3. Is this program going to go into any of the other Linux Distributions? That would be cool to get this with lets say... Red Hat or Mandrake?

Quote:

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Originally posted by Subway
Sounds all great.

Three Questions:

1. Is a Mac version planed and when?
2. How do you make money out of it?
3. There's no new plug needed, yes?

Can't wait to test it, Fredi

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1) yes, it is in the works, eta August.
2) Who cares about money, we all have plenty already, lets do smething fun :)
3) you can export a swf and use the existing flash player, or you can export a lgx that requires the new player we have developed. The new player has several enhanced features that improve xml, security, scripting, etc, as well as being open source and fully modular (you can add features we haven't even thought up yet. Be limited by your imagination, not our player.

Quote:

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Originally posted by JabezStone
Chill out, kiddo! :) Just trying to offer a little advice here!
I haven't said anything degrading about your project(product)!
You guys have way more programming knowledge than I'll ever hope to have (or care to have), and you're doing a great job! More power to ya! Seriously!

Looking forward to the Windows version...

Regards,

Jabez

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Sorry mate, just a bit twitchy on the ui complaints. I guess i need to put a disclaimer up about it. No worries :)

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Originally posted by johnie
Ha- Just the other day I said, Gee there needs to be a Linux SWF creation tool and lol and behol;d there it is.


Couple of Questions....

1. Did you Use the Open SWF SDK or write your own?

2. I assume that you will port it to other OS's. what is the ETA on those ports?

3. Is this program going to go into any of the other Linux Distributions? That would be cool to get this with lets say... Red Hat or Mandrake?

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1) Grown fresh in our organic gardens :) We will be making it available shortly.

2) Windows July 2001, Mac August 2001, Java October 2001

3) We have talked to a couple and will offer packages to any distro that ask (as long as they offer a downloadable version of their distro - sorry SuSE). We run Gravity/OS, SlackWare, and Mandrake on our development test machines so you should at least be able to find RPM's and .tgz's of what you need off the site itself, but yes hopefully it will be included in the future linux distro's if we can help it. We are here to empower, and whats more empowering than having high end multimedia development abilities included with your distro? Would be a great boost for Linux as I hear everyday that Flash is all that ties alot of people to windows. hehe

Take care..

Trakko,

1) Damn openlgx looks good!
2) I do not care about the GUI being b/w (not one bit).
3) Keep up the good work
4) Damn openlgx looks good!

Later

Devoto

Trakko,
Have you (I'm sure you have) given thought to creating a versatile standalone projector for the LGX format?

CDrom creation is a very large part of my line of work, and I could see the scalability of LGX being a tremendous competitor to some of the larger CD authoring tools that exist <*cough*director*cough*>.

The macromedia flash projector is very limited with its FSCommand capabilities, and has forced its developers to use other 3rd party options, such as Northcode.com 's SWFstudio and such. While Northcode is doing a <i>tremendous</i> job developing and supporting his program, I would love to see that versatility native in an authoring environment.

Just a wee suggestion! <g>

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Originally posted by JabezStone
Trakko,
Have you (I'm sure you have) given thought to creating a versatile standalone projector for the LGX format?

CDrom creation is a very large part of my line of work, and I could see the scalability of LGX being a tremendous competitor to some of the larger CD authoring tools that exist <*cough*director*cough*>.

The macromedia flash projector is very limited with its FSCommand capabilities, and has forced its developers to use other 3rd party options, such as Northcode.com 's SWFstudio and such. While Northcode is doing a <i>tremendous</i> job developing and supporting his program, I would love to see that versatility native in an authoring environment.

Just a wee suggestion! <g>

---

Our stand-alone generator (projector creator) will have more advanced functionality than Flash and other tools since our player is modular, you can export say advanced scripting, or take advantage of our built in p2p support. You could also have a real advanced powerful search engine on rom, or a game, or a spreadsheet application, etc. We wanted to also fill the opening that was never truely fulfilled by Java. So because of these features, you could ship say a full groupware suite and even a file server that boots off a cd or the web. We have lots of plans, including a VB style application builder scheduled for the end of the year so business apps become a reality, not just a novelty.

Thanks so much for the input, i'll be staying up yet another night debugging, heheh

Maybe we should have an openLgx section here at flashkit? Sounds too great not to be here surely??

I went over to motiongraphics.com or wherever it was that the openLGX forum lives and it is a very new forum, about 10 posts total in 20 or so internet tech related subject groups. I would think anybody who's interested in flash would stop off here from time to time at least and this subject has already caused lots and lots of interest, so...

flashkit bods - how about it?
trakko - would you mind? maybe you have some sort of agreement with the motion graphics people?

just a thought - n.

It looks too good to pass.

I would like to know about action scripting. Is there any way to do that kind of interaction in openLGX?

I am more of a programmer than a designer when it comes to flash!

Still, I think it will be a great software.

Trakko,

Any links to pieces that were made with LGX?
I'd love to see some examples.

Keep up the great work!

Quote:

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Originally posted by JabezStone
Trakko,

Any links to pieces that were made with LGX?
I'd love to see some examples.

Keep up the great work!

---

We have had some alpha testers come up with some wicked stuff so we will be tossing up a gallery of some stuff made with LGX.

I'll post the links here as well as on the site once we toss them up. We have been spending the past few days giving it a facelift and should have a site update by the weekend.

Thanks,

Arthur

@Arthur: I had a discusion about a Flash Player issue last week.

You can find it here: http://board.flashkit.com/board/show...5&pagenumber=2

So here's my question: Is it possible to save a high resolution screenshot out of the player? The problem is, if you do a print into a file on the regular player, all the duplicated mc's are ignored. If your openLGX player can print this duplicated mc's, too, then I'm trully happy, cause then I can save my generated "fractal art" with a very high resolution to use it later in photoshop or to print it for big posters.

Do you see the problem? Is it possible to add this feature?

Thx in advance, Fredi

Quote:

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Originally posted by Subway
@Arthur: I had a discusion about a Flash Player issue last week.

You can find it here: http://board.flashkit.com/board/show...5&pagenumber=2

So here's my question: Is it possible to save a high resolution screenshot out of the player? The problem is, if you do a print into a file on the regular player, all the duplicated mc's are ignored. If your openLGX player can print this duplicated mc's, too, then I'm trully happy, cause then I can save my generated "fractal art" with a very high resolution to use it later in photoshop or to print it for big posters.

Do you see the problem? Is it possible to add this feature?

Thx in advance, Fredi

---

We have a save for Print feature we are working on. We want you to eventually be able to use LGX for print material as well. For instance you can create a graphical element and use it in your logo, business cards, t-shirst and do all the graphical work in LGX. We are working with a few places so that you can even purchase your business cards through the application with a click of a button. Right now, if you want to use your graphic created in Flash in another app, you have to export an ai file, bring it into photoshop as a rastor, or some other bastardizing work around, instead of just setting canvas size, dpi, and clicking export to print.

We are also working with places like soundshopper.com to offer co-branded product within LGX, for instance if you are using the music tracker and decide you need a new group of sounds(it comes with a bunch of goods already, courtesy of places like soundshopper.com), but you can also go to the commerce menu and buy a pack of sounds designed for LGX right from the app itself and start using them right away. Same for Clip-Art and Fonts as well.

Our goal is one interface to produce all media, be it print, web, audio, or even video. Once their is a true, standardized tool, and standardized file formats, that are easy to use and easy to modify, you will start seeing a flood of creativity on the net, and elsewhere.

Latest LGX News : Macromedia is supposedly starting a blacklist, we feel so special, hehe. They never retuned my mails before, what are they going to do now, ban my IP's from their site as well? Talk about immaturity. Just had an e-mail from a major book publisher saying they had to remove themselved from the beta as they could not afford getting blacklisted by Macromedia after working so hard to build their relationship with them. What kind or relationship is that? That is like a jealous boyfriend who will kick your ass if you talk to the guy in the cubicle next to you. To all the LGX beta testers, 'Test what you want, we will never try to own you like cattle. Free your source, and the rest will follow'.
[Edited by Trakko on 06-21-2001 at 12:24 PM]

soo, is there a windows version??? Kinda confused here.

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Originally posted by Trakker
soo, is there a windows version??? Kinda confused here.

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Yeah, there is a Windows version coming... in July I think... Check out there website where they give details.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Trakko

Quote:

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Originally posted by Subway
@Arthur: I had a discusion about a Flash Player issue last week.

You can find it here: http://board.flashkit.com/board/show...5&pagenumber=2

So here's my question: Is it possible to save a high resolution screenshot out of the player? The problem is, if you do a print into a file on the regular player, all the duplicated mc's are ignored. If your openLGX player can print this duplicated mc's, too, then I'm trully happy, cause then I can save my generated "fractal art" with a very high resolution to use it later in photoshop or to print it for big posters.

Do you see the problem? Is it possible to add this feature?

Thx in advance, Fredi

---

We have a save for Print feature we are working on. We want you to eventually be able to use LGX for print material as well. For instance you can create a graphical element and use it in your logo, business cards, t-shirst and do all the graphical work in LGX. We are working with a few places so that you can even purchase your business cards through the application with a click of a button. Right now, if you want to use your graphic created in Flash in another app, you have to export an ai file, bring it into photoshop as a rastor, or some other bastardizing work around, instead of just setting canvas size, dpi, and clicking export to print.

---

Sorry Arthur, this is very interesting and nice to know, but my main question is: Do the print function print - by actionscript duplicated movieclips - too or only movieclips without a actionscript defined "z" level.

In my "fractal machine" example, I have one movieclip that I duplicate many many times to achieve that effect. When I print that generated image in the Flash 5 or 4 player (or plugin), only the first (the master) movieclip will be printed and not all the duplicated movieclips.

So if your player prints the duplicated movieclips, I give you a big kiss, cause this will make my tool really usefull for print design. (A faster drawing of the many 1000 lines would be nice, too)

I hope you can see now the real problem. :)

Best, Fredi

PS: What's with the interview, still waiting for your next mail. Thx.

Man!!! U guys are bustin ure ass on this thing!! Although I know u work hard, I hope u include actionscript too, because I don't wanna learn another language(unless it's easy to learn!!)

Snip[/QUOTE]
As for multilingual, we have 6 languages planned and more when we get the support. We will support any language where we can find someone to help with the translations. we will however only have an english available at first. Gotta walk before we can fly...

Thanks for all the support and input.

Arthur
OpenLGX.org code slave

[/QUOTE]

Try going to your local Universty and find some bilingual students for the languages you need.If money is tight on your end,suggest that they can use your firm on their resume as internship or part of the developement team.

Is there a Mailing list we can join to be notified when Win98 version comes out?

If you have software marketing needs,email me.

Thanks,
Joseph

Quote:

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Originally posted by Subway

Quote:

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Originally posted by Trakko

Quote:

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Originally posted by Subway
@Arthur: I had a discusion about a Flash Player issue last week.

You can find it here: http://board.flashkit.com/board/show...5&pagenumber=2

So here's my question: Is it possible to save a high resolution screenshot out of the player? The problem is, if you do a print into a file on the regular player, all the duplicated mc's are ignored. If your openLGX player can print this duplicated mc's, too, then I'm trully happy, cause then I can save my generated "fractal art" with a very high resolution to use it later in photoshop or to print it for big posters.

Do you see the problem? Is it possible to add this feature?

Thx in advance, Fredi

---

We have a save for Print feature we are working on. We want you to eventually be able to use LGX for print material as well. For instance you can create a graphical element and use it in your logo, business cards, t-shirst and do all the graphical work in LGX. We are working with a few places so that you can even purchase your business cards through the application with a click of a button. Right now, if you want to use your graphic created in Flash in another app, you have to export an ai file, bring it into photoshop as a rastor, or some other bastardizing work around, instead of just setting canvas size, dpi, and clicking export to print.

---

Sorry Arthur, this is very interesting and nice to know, but my main question is: Do the print function print - by actionscript duplicated movieclips - too or only movieclips without a actionscript defined "z" level.

In my "fractal machine" example, I have one movieclip that I duplicate many many times to achieve that effect. When I print that generated image in the Flash 5 or 4 player (or plugin), only the first (the master) movieclip will be printed and not all the duplicated movieclips.

So if your player prints the duplicated movieclips, I give you a big kiss, cause this will make my tool really usefull for print design. (A faster drawing of the many 1000 lines would be nice, too)

I hope you can see now the real problem. :)

Best, Fredi

PS: What's with the interview, still waiting for your next mail. Thx.

---

What you could do is play your movie in the preview system, when it gets to the pint you want to print, pause it (yes we support pause) then go to print export and select the size and dpi of the export. It's a bit wiggy still but will get smoothed out soon enough. We want to be able to print at any time, we see our cababilities getting used for steaming sporting events, and other fun media you would want to print since good color printers are so cheap these days.

PS: About the interview, just send the full thing over and i'll get it right back to you.

Thanks everyone!! You rock!!

Quote:

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Originally posted by josephp
Snip

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As for multilingual, we have 6 languages planned and more when we get the support. We will support any language where we can find someone to help with the translations. we will however only have an english available at first. Gotta walk before we can fly...

Thanks for all the support and input.

Arthur
OpenLGX.org code slave

[/QUOTE]

Try going to your local Universty and find some bilingual students for the languages you need.If money is tight on your end,suggest that they can use your firm on their resume as internship or part of the developement team.

Is there a Mailing list we can join to be notified when Win98 version comes out?

If you have software marketing needs,email me.

Thanks,
Joseph [/QUOTE]

Wonderful idea Joseph, thanks :)

Quote:

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Originally posted by DarkMagicHacker
Man!!! U guys are bustin ure ass on this thing!! Although I know u work hard, I hope u include actionscript too, because I don't wanna learn another language(unless it's easy to learn!!)

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Thanks :) We have actionscript (javascript++ as we call it, hehe).

It is so refreshing to see people that are truly interested in the quality and overall value of their software. There always seems to be all kinds of infuriating shortsights in programs and environments that you take the time to learn. And then the company seems to care almost nothing about their users, and even blacklist(!*!*!) the people who step in with the requested improvements. Sometimes it makes me so ill that I don't even want to look at the industry anymore. If you guys can pull this off, I will be behind you the whole way. If you need any help in anything, please contact me or just reply to this post with info. Also, a few questions:

Will the program be as small and easy to access and use for web browsers?

Will we be able to get at least the same kind of flexability from our programs and imported file types as say Director and Flash?

Please say that you will focus on coding tools that follow intelligent standards!!

Well, thanks again for you efforts, and I will be eagerly awaiting the full release of your product.

More and more people are expecting more and more out of the developers for less money and learning curve.

To me there are 3 kinds of software for .swf's

• connect the dot software low end, FireStarter
• connect the dot software middle,Swish 1.51 and 2.0
• connect the dot software high end,where the hell are those dots,Macromedia.

hiya trakko,
sitting here ant-ti-ci-pa-ting the realease of the windows version :oP
2 questions will you be implementing a basic 3d engine into lgx?
also will you be fixing the problem that we are all having with flash in regards to using sounds etc in a library via the linkage properties ie: not loading on the first frame stopping us using a preloader of having to use a workaround?

godzilla

Quote:

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Originally posted by josephp
More and more people are expecting more and more out of the developers for less money and learning curve.

To me there are 3 kinds of software for .swf's

• connect the dot software low end, FireStarter
• connect the dot software middle,Swish 1.51 and 2.0
• connect the dot software high end,where the hell are those dots,Macromedia.

---

There is a much lower end then Firestarter and the Midle is larger but I agree with ya there on your analysis of the SWF tool Market.

Lowest end MiX FX and Text effects generators.

Then up 1 step higher is your Template Flash design tools like Chrom-OS LE (Freeware BTW http://www.ramraver.de ) and the online incarnations of it.

Then You have Your Swish 1.5X and Flare Works like tools. Tools that can make SWFS but have no internal drawing tools and you are stuck with a handful of effects. The new Powerpoint esque SWF tools like Vista fit here.

Then you have your Swift 3D and other Drawing tools that have added SWF Export.

Then you have your Live Motion and Corel Rave esque tools that can do Flash Animations but little else except get a URL or goto such and such a frame.

Then You have your Swish 2.0, Insane Flash Animator 2.5n (IFA is actually a little more advanced than the other 2 tools when it comes to scripting but has a some problems) and Kool Moves 2.20- Next release Somtime within next Week- (Kool Moves is starting to drastically diverge from becoming a Live Motion/ Flash Clone. 2.20 has bones and the next release will introduce the Score- errr Timeline into the frame editing which is the first foundation for advanced AS. Improvements to the Bone system and other drawing tool improvements are also being made in the next version along with support for vector Drawing Export.) which are suitable replacements for Flash 3 and/or 4 (In the case of IFA 2).

Then You have your Higher End which is Flash and Probably this Open LGX product

And then You have your Highest End which is Your Program Libraries that let you code the Flash into PHP or Java like Ming and the Java SDK 2.

Excellent points made, I tried to dumb it down in its simplest form.

Thanks for bringing it up the ladder.

hiya trakko,

just wondered if everything was still on track for a july release??

godzilla is here

Being in the CD Rom biz, the most annoying thing I have to do is make pretty interfaces in flash and then go to Director to have video. I saw AVI support. How about Quicktime?
A few other questions...
Does it support .wav?
How about midi? Maybe that seems lame (midi) but it'd be great for creating some music writing programs.
Another thing that I would LOVE to be able to do is animate flash titling and stuff OVER video. Director is not into this at all.
Finally, what will the export sizes be like in comparison to Flash or Director?

OK, there is one more. It may have been answered, but I'm very tired and reading is out... Please forgive my likely redundant question...

It exports projectors as well, yes? *.exe files that is...


Regards,