Animation library

[Terry Judd]

> From: Troy Rollins <troy at rpsystems.net>
> Date: 2 August 2004 2:59:51 PM
> To: How to use Revolution <use-revolution at lists.runrev.com>
> Subject: Animation library
> Reply-To: How to use Revolution <use-revolution at lists.runrev.com>

I for one have never used the animation library (although someone who 
did some Rev development for me tried it – to not very great effect) so 
won't be particularly sad at its passing (if it is indeed being phased 
out).  However, the lack of serious animation capabilities does not 
necessarily diminish Rev's value as a multimedia development tool.  I 
too use Director on a daily basis to develop rich multimedia projects 
yet rarely use its animation capabilities (which tend to be favoured by 
graphic designers but not educational designers in my experience). If I 
need animation it generally gets done in Flash and imported into 
Director, which works well given that Director and Flash are so well 
integrated.

While the same level of integration with Rev and Flash clearly isn't 
available, you can play Flash within QuickTime and with the help  of 
Trevore Devore's QT external 
(http://www.mangomultimedia.com/developer/revolution/enhancedqt.html) 
even pass messages from Flash to Rev using FSCommand.  If the reverse 
were also true...

Perhaps if the Rev team provided some support in that direction?

Cheers,

Terry...

> It seems that with 2.5b RunRev is opting to phase out the animation 
> library. I can understand this... I've played with it, but never used 
> it for real. Mostly because it wasn't all that great - though it did 
> have some really nice concepts.
>
> Pretty much anybody who has paid any attention to my posts, knows that 
> I come from a heavy Director background, and in fact still use 
> Director daily, still more than Revolution except when I am deep in a 
> Rev-based project.
>
> At this stage, Rev and Director are moving father apart, with Rev more 
> in line with tools like RealBasic, for "application building" rather 
> than "multimedia building." Though, it is getting to the stage where 
> while Director can make a credible application, Rev will have a harder 
> time making credible multimedia.
>
> So, I ask this... was anyone using the animation library? If so or 
> not, why, or why not? Should it be replaced? If so, with what? What 
> might it look like or do differently than the old library did?
>
> One thought I had is just some sort of time-driven callback list with 
> a graphical interface for setting it up, editing, etc. Then I 
> realized, well that's about what the animation library was...
>
> Hate to see a feature, even a little used one, pass without any 
> discussion at all - especially since, in a certain regard, it changes 
> the development landscape of Rev, and modifies development approach 
> options.
>
> Any thoughts at all?
> --
> Troy
> RPSystems, Ltd.
> http://www.rpsystems.net
>
Dr Terry Judd
Lecturer in Educational Technology (Design)
Biomedical Multimedia Unit
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences
The University of Melbourne