Optimaze Initial Observations

**1a2b3c4d** · 10-03-2002, 01:49 AM

I know this is the Swift3D forum but it seemed like the best place to post this.

I just received my Swift3D / Optimaze bundle today. As usual, the Swift3D packaging and manual are first rate! However, I was disappointed to find Optimaze has no printed manual or getting started guide or anything. After installation you can access a PDF manual.

I know erain probably does not control this but after the nice Swift3D manual, the lack of any printed material in Optimaze is a letdown.

I have just begun to use Optimaze and so far it seems to be a very cool product. For vector stuff it really shines. However, I tried it on our corporate presentation (which includes a lot of large bitmaps) and it did nothing useful there but I guess that's because the bulk of the SWF is bitmaps.

While I'm "observing" I would also like to point out that Optimaze uses its own windowing & menu system rather than using the standard OS ones. This is a mild annoyance because you must learn a new system but it becomes MAJOR for things like the file open dialog since they failed to include OS standard features like sorting the file list, a feature I use a lot when trying to locate my latest work, etc.

I'll post more observations as I observe them!

**RUSHVision** · 10-03-2002, 03:52 AM

I agree that it was a little annoying at first to get used to the file open dialogues. I've since come to grips with it, though. People complain about everything looking the same, but then you go and give them something different, and look what happens!

I do think it's pretty cool that it's actually a Flash program itself, though.

**butter4butter** · 10-03-2002, 09:33 AM

How much file size can the Opitmaze reduce?

**Pope de Flash** · 10-03-2002, 09:47 AM

upwards of 60 percent on some files but for the most part I have seen only 35% reduction that stays clean and consistant. It also does not like long animations that have been hand optimized already. It dies when I try to load the Navy animation I had in the Flash Film Festival or the StickMan movie Matrix and I did. It cant handel the file sizes for some reason. They were 7 and 9 megs but you would think that it could handel it. Oh well. Its a great product but like all products has its limitations. Just my two cents. Regards, Bill

**1a2b3c4d** · 10-03-2002, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by RUSHVision
I agree that it was a little annoying at first to get used to the file open dialogues. I've since come to grips with it, though. People complain about everything looking the same, but then you go and give them something different, and look what happens!

I do think it's pretty cool that it's actually a Flash program itself, though.

Deciding to break with standards means assuming the responsibility to deliver something as good or better in my opinion. I'll never "get used" to a file open dialog window with reduced functionality. Oh, I admit I'll get by if the tool is worth using. But it will always be annoying that I cannot list files by date to be able to grab the latest version of what I'm working on.

I respectfully disagree that its cool they did it in Flash. Just because you have a hammer... I wish they'd chosen standards rather than trying to impress us with their interface design skills. I hope this is not a trend (Wildform's SWFX also has an annoying, non-standard interface!)

Open Message To Flash Tool Vendors: Use Standards! I care about what your tool does and how easy it is to use. I don't care about your vision of how the OS interface/windows/dialogs etc. should behave! Bill G already won that war!

Just my opinions but I do have money and I do (or don't) buy your products!

**Vatcher** · 10-03-2002, 02:08 PM

first off it doesn't take a smart person to know how to work optimaze! so why put an instruction booklet when you can open it and learn it in just a few minutes, besides, most people open a program up first and get to know it before reading up about it in the manual, once they get familiar they look in the booklet for additional help, with optimaze! after getting familiar with the interface there i nothing else to learn, its very simple like swift 3d

**1a2b3c4d** · 10-03-2002, 02:18 PM

Originally posted by Vatcher
first off it doesn't take a smart person to know how to work optimaze! so why put an instruction booklet when you can open it and learn it in just a few minutes, besides, most people open a program up first and get to know it before reading up about it in the manual, once they get familiar they look in the booklet for additional help, with optimaze! after getting familiar with the interface there i nothing else to learn, its very simple like swift 3d

Nor does it take a smart person to read my post correctly!

Optimaze DOES include a manual as I stated before. It is 77 pages and is provided as a PDF. My complaint was that they did not provide a printed version. Obviously they felt there was enough useful information to fill 77 pages.

But I realize printed manuals vs. PDFs on the CD borders on a religious issue so I'll drop the topic except to add that I am of the view that products you buy should include printed instructions. And, a big THANK YOU to erain for including the nice printed manual with Swift3D (even though Vatcher doesn't need it)!

**cubedflash** · 10-03-2002, 03:56 PM

Sorry, nothing we can do about a printed Optimaze! manual. We are only the distributor. More and more companies are going away from printed manuals to save money...bummer. The good news is the Optimaze! pdf manual provided is very thorough.

I agree with the interface comments. The standard Win interface makes for an easy transition to any product. Overall I think they did a good job in UI design and functionality. I can navigate through the product features with ease. I would still prefer the Win menu system.

My file size reduction results are mixed. Optimaze! works really well with Swift 3D and pure vector files. I avg around 45% reduction on my Swift 3D and Flash projects without quality loss. The product does not work well with complete Flash websites, text, bitmaps and sound. It is a pure vector cruncher.

Pope - strange you could not get your Navy and Stickman movies to work in the program. I compressed several multi meg files without problems. You should contact Ideaworks about your problems.

-CubedFlash

Team Erain

**theMatrix** · 10-03-2002, 04:56 PM

Someone e-mailed me about this thread, so perhaps I can clarify from my own experience. The stickman movie was over 9MB in Flash 5 format. It was extensively hand-optimized before Optimaze was released. Because of the extensive use of multi-layer compositing, all the symbols were laid out on the timeline with the graphic behavior.

Optimaze was able to load the .SWF, however, even a 2% reduction in file size resulted in a noticeable loss of quality.

Optimize seems to work best on large movies when the movie is developed with Optimaze in mind. If I were to create another long stickman movie, I would convert all the individual animations (shots) to movie-clip behavior (with named instances). Then, optimization could be applied on a clip-by-clip basis, adjusting the level of optimization to suit the motion graphics and complexity in each clip.

I just didn't have time to redo the existing movie (there were well over 100 shots in the storyboard), so I loaded it into MX and compressed on export - an instant 600K in savings.

Overall, Optimize has proven to be a valuable tool. Like any other tool it has a preferred workflow. Large movies (several MB) need to be handled in a very specific manner.

hth!

**Vatcher** · 10-03-2002, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by 1a2b3c4d
Nor does it take a smart person to read my post correctly!

Optimaze DOES include a manual as I stated before. It is 77 pages and is provided as a PDF. My complaint was that they did not provide a printed version. Obviously they felt there was enough useful information to fill 77 pages.

But I realize printed manuals vs. PDFs on the CD borders on a religious issue so I'll drop the topic except to add that I am of the view that products you buy should include printed instructions. And, a big THANK YOU to erain for including the nice printed manual with Swift3D (even though Vatcher doesn't need it)!

theres a fine line from being funny and being a smart ass, i simply implyed a printed one, sorry you didn't catch that, next time i'll make sure i explain it to you fully..you know maybe i'll print out a manual for you to understand that

**butter4butter** · 10-03-2002, 07:37 PM

Does anyone know how to add the SWF files into the Symbol
Browser? I see it when I open the universe.swf. I can't
add any of my .swf on the browser. The manual is does not
tell you how to either.

**eberth_mq** · 10-04-2002, 12:08 AM

Originally posted by butter4butter
How much file size can the Opitmaze reduce?

in my experience , nothing without loosing a lot of quality!!

**1a2b3c4d** · 10-04-2002, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by Vatcher
theres a fine line from being funny and being a smart ass, i simply implyed a printed one, sorry you didn't catch that, next time i'll make sure i explain it to you fully..you know maybe i'll print out a manual for you to understand that

You crossed the line of which you speak with your "doesn't take a smart person" comment; I simply joined you on the dark side of the line momentarily!

And from your latest comment, "maybe i'll print out a manual for you to understand" sounds like you are still on the other side of the line. This time however, I'll stay on this side!

And, I stand by my comments; they are legitimate criticisms that I would like to hear had I not yet purchased the product.

**1a2b3c4d** · 10-04-2002, 12:48 AM

Originally posted by cubedflash
Sorry, nothing we can do about a printed Optimaze! manual.

I agree with the interface comments. The standard Win interface makes for an easy transition to any product. Overall I think they did a good job in UI design and functionality.

-CubedFlash

Team Erain

I understand your position on the Optimaze manual. As I've said several times in here, erain has done an outstanding job on the Swift3D manual; it is awesome!

And, I just wanted to note that I do agree they did an very clean job on the Optimaze interface. I know how difficult it is to create a complete interface. They just left out some important functionality.

**agent vivid** · 10-05-2002, 06:37 PM

Originally posted by butter4butter
Does anyone know how to add the SWF files into the Symbol
Browser? I see it when I open the universe.swf. I can't
add any of my .swf on the browser. The manual is does not
tell you how to either.

are you talking about the library symbols?

**butter4butter** · 10-05-2002, 07:50 PM

I think I was trying to open a SWF file that was a vector
rendering in Swift3d and expected to see each part of the
object in the Symbol Browser. I think this only works for
SWF movies and actual elements,( buttons, graphic, and movie).
Hmm..I'll try it again.

**agent vivid** · 10-08-2002, 07:25 PM

o i c

yep... it needs to be in a movieclip

**Martin Wood** · 10-11-2002, 06:11 AM

Originally posted by 1a2b3c4d
And, I just wanted to note that I do agree they did an very clean job on the Optimaze interface. I know how difficult it is to create a complete interface. They just left out some important functionality.

Your comment has been noted.

I welcome any suggestions about improvements to the Optimaze! interface.

If theres any more you would like to add feel free to drop me a mail with details.

thanks

Martin.

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