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Flash 8 Is Out !!!

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Flash 8 Is Out !!!

Under Features, animation was mentioned once and that had something to do with embedded cuepoints in .FLVs...

Bah! I'm not holding my breath for them to acknowledge a user base that has been growing in numbers and requesting the same fixes/features since version 4. Very few software developers ever do. That would hint of open source movement. And if you give the end user what they're actually asking for what then! You've lost control. Why do you think Microsoft comes up with pointless add-ons and doesn't fix its bugs, and Apple took so long to officially create a multi-button mouse? A tight leash, people. Gotta keep a thumb on the commoners or they may start thinking they own the place.

Actually, I imagine one of the biggest problems of getting creative tools put in over techy tools and additional scriptability, is that it's techs programming the software and they don't have much need or understanding of the creative tools. So, there isn't much motivation (or understanding of the need) on their part to do it. They work on what they know how to do.

But, you never know. Maybe those new tools aren't listed yet. The big money is in advertising and IMHO that's primarily who all the developments since 4 have been aimed at. They've only put in token changes to the design tools. Perhaps Adobe will take it in a new direction.

Or perhaps Toon Boom, The Tab, and the others will gradually whittle away Flash's hold on the vector animation market and they'll either give up on animation all together or wake up and realize that they aren't the only game on the block any more.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

On closer look, they did add some things that will be pretty nifty.

In particular they mention a graphical easing tool that can access different properties. Something I've been asking for for years.

Filters and blending modes could provide some nifty fx, too. Some of the other tools like bitmap caching may help projects synch up better when played back online.

It isn't the all new animation tool we were all hoping for, but it doesn't look too bad.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

I can't believe the price for Flash alone, I think the first version I bought was under 150.00.

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

Flashmagazine had some chatter about it too, guess I'll wait until I get a new puter. I think Adobe was more interested in the video capabilities, trying to fend off Microsoft's new media player.

http://www.flashmagazine.com/1134.htm

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

Things like the advanced gradient control you could do already if you knew the tools.

Stroke properties I've been waiting for, but I can wait a little longer.

Drop shadows and sh*t like that I learn to do early on. I don't need your stinking filters, thanks.

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

I am thinking I am going to be watching Swish, it's not just for text anymore. Little different interface, but for animation, they seem to be making some gains.

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

For anyone that wants to download a trial and see what it can do now. And it's a hell of lot cheaper.

http://www.swishzone.com/index.php?area=products&product=max

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

Filters can be useful at times. Like using a drop shadow with a hard edge and no angle to give a character an extra thick outline.

But yeah, I'd rather save the filter/compositing work for After Effects, and have the guys/girls at Flash be working on incorporating more of the tools that other cheaper competitors already have.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

For anyone that wants to download a trial and see what it can do now. And it's a hell of lot cheaper.

http://www.swishzone.com/index.php?area=products&product=max

Pheacker, swish is a text based program . nothing like flash even though its cheap. SInce Macromedia had been developing on Flash 8 Ball, I guess we shall just wait for that to come out (or is Flash 8 Pro. the same as Flash Ball 8). Dropping development of a package even after going public is not something the people at Macromedia would do , when they alwasy had their ears open to customers. So heres hoping for the best !

On the other hand swist , neat package , and if you get the hand of it you can really tweak that for your effect. I had come across an swf that had been passed around where this person had used only swish , and god , it was such a funny anim. cant find it anywhere though :|

The original version of Swish was certainly text based, but that's no longer true, games, animations and full webpages can be developed in it now. There is large community of Swish developers at Flashkit that can do virtually everything that a Flash developer can do.

Here's a screenshot of it, showing that the timeline is virtually the same as Flash's:

http://www.swishzone.com/index.php?dir=products/max/features/images&file=advanceddrawingtools.gif

and a little walk cycle that was made in it:

http://www.swishzone.com/movies.php?do=page&action=detailed&link_id=199

Pat Hacker, Visit Scooter's World.

Found this online today in an article regarding the pricing for Flash 8:

"The Flash authoring software will cost $699 for a full commercial license and $299 for an upgrade. A basic version, meant for simple-motion graphics and animation, will cost $399."

So the basic version (non-professional) should be less than the $700 price we keep seeing.

Flash Character Packs, Video Tutorials and more: www.CartoonSolutions.com