FLASH: Re: flasher-digest V1 #849

[alex burrows]

Phillip,


This is a very interesting thread you have started. As a team that

specialises in Flash applications involving complex interactivity (e.g.

games) we find that many people rely on external scripting (e.g. Javascript)

to achieve this.


Granted that Flash has a *very* limited command set but it is possible to

create very complex interactivity (e.g. inventory control, object location

tracking, and collision detection) required in game creation without relying

on Javascript. Our problem with Javascript (besides the variance across

platform and browser) is that we cannot wrap Javascript up with our

standalone Flash projectors...


I do not mean to beat the evangelical Flash drum here - simply I wish more

folk would acknowledge the extreme flexibility of Flash and work towards

mastering it - we are currently searching for another accomplished and

creative (not graphically) senior Flash programmer to join our team and are

finding it quite a task as most people still focus on the limitations of

Flash rather than the potential in terms of complex interactive pieces.


Believe it or not it *is* possible to create a full blown multipathed cdrom

style adventure game with Flash alone. Evidence of this can be found at

http://194.130.67.6/bt if you have the time to investigate (64k and p166Mhz

or mac equivalent recommended).


On a separate but related note - your demo is neat wrt to relational movie

control as one navigates the pages. What I do not understand is your

reference to the limitations of Flash against Director and Authorware.


Are you implying that it would be possible to achieve the same results using

either Director or Authorware *without* relying on Javascript as well? If

not surely the same limitations (of HTML framest navigation) apply to all

three applications??


Best,


Alex

_____________

Alex Burrows

Creative Director

Think New Ideas

12 Theobalds Road

London

WC1X 8PF

(+44) 171 242 3300

www.spookyandthebandit.com

www.thinkinc.com






>Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 08:29:47 -0800

>

From: "Phillip Kerman" <phillipteleport [dot] com>

>Subject: FLASH: RE: Flash's Limits

>

>I'm glad my statements have caused such reactions.  I'm still quite

>confident this example can not be replicated without javaScript.

>http://www.teleport.com/~phillip/pnca/javascript/

>

>A few things in particular:

>

>- --You can navigate (with regular "h ref"'s in the page) and the Flash

movie

>updates (is in-sync with whichever page you've navigated to).

>- --You can use the browser's "back" button and the Flash movie updates.

>- --You CAN'T book mark sub-pages (alas, these are frames).

>

>

>So, don't get me wrong--it's not like I'm super  proud of the graphics or

>anything... it's just having a background in Director and Authorware, I

>notice what you CAN'T do with Flash.

>




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