Re: FLASH: Flash3, Toy or serious designer tool?

[ed]

hmmm- wel i feel that most applications that try and be too much, too 'all

purpose' end up watering down their real strengths. I would far rather see

macromedia put their efforts towards the real benefits to the user as far as

professional use is concerned (download time, interaction with databases and

the users environment etc..etc..) and that seems to be the way they are

going.


Flash is still a tool just as any other application is, and at the end of

the day it is always the idea that counts not the skill behind implementing

it (although there are plenty of 'hats-off occasions about -  i do admit')

If you wanted to create a comlpex gradient or chrome effect then

applications like Corel Xara will do all the Photoshop type effects within a

vector environment and illustrator 8 now has some sort of mesh-gradient

thing i belive. If anything should be done to the flash drawing tools it

should be to improve  their general useablity maybe more in line with other

packages that deal heavily in vector (freehand, illustrator and even

fireworks i guess)


It does allways seems unfair in having to get a whole suite of tools rather

tan one great big super-tool but then thats nearly allways the way if you

use the best-man-for-the-job method of working. As far as you question

goes - toy or serious designer tool? -then I think that should be referring

more to the workman not his tools. Just look at all the fantastic work thats

been developed using Director - have you ever used the drawing tools in

that?


ed


-----Original Message-----

From: David Gary <

dgarystudiosnetwide [dot] net

>

To:

flashershocker [dot] com

 <

flashershocker [dot] com

>

Date: 28 October 1998 09:46

Subject: FLASH: Flash3, Toy or serious designer tool?



>THis post is directed toward MM, but Id thought I'd throw it up on the list

>to see if it would get some response and input from professional designers.

>

>I think theres been a huge change in effectiveness from FLash2 to FLash3.

>With the introduction of MC(movie clips), this has somewhat provided

Flash's

>own Lingo. Also with great addition, is Load movie features. This can keep

the

>designer with loading only one HTML doc, with designing an "All Flash" site

>without the viewer waiting for the entire site to load at once or have to

skip

>and load

>other time consuming HTML.

>

>Also transparencies and animated buttons is a major improvement of the 2.

>

>However I think a few things might need to be pointed out. For one: most

FLash3

>sites still have that that sore "vector vs. jpg" thumb. THis means when

tying in

>

>Vector images with imported jpgs, they usually dont complement one another

>since Vector is so crisp and images exported in Flash have awful "banding"

>habits.

>Lossless is a optional feature, but impractical in a 28.8 world.

>

>Another main problem is the limitations of gradients in FLash3's tools.

>THis is one of its major downfalls and keeps it very limited for the

designer.

>With only Linear and radial gradients, Flash is greatly limited and is

starting

>to

>become the "newbie" cartoon proggy for the net, instead of a serious

interfae

>creator.

>

>Most Flash sites that take advantage of gradients tend to be ether, Square

or

>round,

>i.e. the eye sore 3D ball or Cube. Without more gradient power, i.e.

Airbrush

>like

>tool that directs the soft edges, we will see more of these "havent I been

here"

>sites.

>

>Also without 3D support, Flash will be in contention to battle larger

company

>products

>that have bigger budgets to push them to the forefront. "Chrome effects"

come to

>

>mind from Microsoft. 3D is in big demand an would greatly improve Flash's

future

>

>existence.

>

>Flash3 has some nice powerful new features, but only in the interactive

>implement

>area. The "Tool" area is still very limited to the artist and tends to

mirror

>shareware,

>dimpy graphic proggys. Ive seen more options in Win95 paint.

>

>And 98% of Flash sites you see will still remain to look the same, until

the

>"Tool" area

>is revised.

>

>Of course this is my 2, but I thought it would stir up some conversation of

the

>real

>needs of developers. I believe these things should not sparingly be placed

on a

>"wish

>list", but seriously discussed by developers to help the proggers at MM

really

>etch our

>future in stone. This is "our" future. Macromedia has developed one helluva

>"eyebrow" lifter, but at this point, it is still an "eyebrow" lifter and

not

>much else. If we all spend our time in using this new technology then I

think

>its about time to join in and help these guys keep creating the "new"

standard.

>

>

>-DG-




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