Zeh's Fnk
November 15th 2008
I usually don't blog about other people's work, but Zeh Fernando's (read Tweener) work always creates in me the urge of sharing with everyone. His latest work is, in my opinion, his best work so far and is something I've been silently following since he started. Fnk is, basically, a vvvv done in actionscript.
In a few weeks, if I came up with an effect I want to try, I can tell you that the first thing I'll try is to prototype it in Fnk and if it's good enough then I can try to code it myself for getting the fastest speed. But think about Fnk for prototyping by now as it's a bit slow at the moment. I'm sure it will be optimized at some point.
It's always admirable how the man can spend so much time on his projects until they take the desired shape. Fnk is still in alpha version, and as a matter of fact, mouse interactivity output from the Display node has been just added, but now that he is on the actual development phase the project is improving at a impressive speed.
Here you have a couple of videos to see what's all the buzz about:
In a few weeks, if I came up with an effect I want to try, I can tell you that the first thing I'll try is to prototype it in Fnk and if it's good enough then I can try to code it myself for getting the fastest speed. But think about Fnk for prototyping by now as it's a bit slow at the moment. I'm sure it will be optimized at some point.
It's always admirable how the man can spend so much time on his projects until they take the desired shape. Fnk is still in alpha version, and as a matter of fact, mouse interactivity output from the Display node has been just added, but now that he is on the actual development phase the project is improving at a impressive speed.
Here you have a couple of videos to see what's all the buzz about:
Rules for making the internet a better place
October 21st 2008
I navigate quite a lot, and for years I've seen all these annoyances that I always think we should all punish their authors by leaving instantly the page.
You should leave the site when...
It modified the size of your browser.
They want to catch your attention, and as the content isn't good enough that's the last resource they have. And the excuse that they want to make sure the user has the browser big enough is just not valid.
It takes ages to load
And they weren't clever enough to make the loading time entertaining. Websites are supposed to be for more than 1 visit. If your loading takes ages, people will have the experience just once. I think you are missing the point.
You need to register before entering the site.
No way! That is so 1999. If you want to catch users/emails, be creative and find a way so the people wants to know more about you/the product and invite them to subscribe at some part of the experience, but if you make then register first thing you'll get a lot of a@a.com, if any.
The page is all full of ADs.
Specially in blogs. Good content creates money/opportunities in the end. If you have ADs around from the start you're creating a money pressure to yourself that is likely distort the quality of your content.
You have to watch a unrelated AD first.
That is very common on flash games. You have to see that AD before playing (supposedly while it loads). I find it very annoying and it makes the game lose a lot of its value and character. As in the previous point, your games are designed to earn money to yourself and not to provide a good gaming experience, which is what should be.
Am I missing any?
I could put a example of every case, but they don't deserve the publicity ;) Unfortunately, I don't think this will change anything, but somebody had to expose it.
no comments
You should leave the site when...
It modified the size of your browser.
They want to catch your attention, and as the content isn't good enough that's the last resource they have. And the excuse that they want to make sure the user has the browser big enough is just not valid.
It takes ages to load
And they weren't clever enough to make the loading time entertaining. Websites are supposed to be for more than 1 visit. If your loading takes ages, people will have the experience just once. I think you are missing the point.
You need to register before entering the site.
No way! That is so 1999. If you want to catch users/emails, be creative and find a way so the people wants to know more about you/the product and invite them to subscribe at some part of the experience, but if you make then register first thing you'll get a lot of a@a.com, if any.
The page is all full of ADs.
Specially in blogs. Good content creates money/opportunities in the end. If you have ADs around from the start you're creating a money pressure to yourself that is likely distort the quality of your content.
You have to watch a unrelated AD first.
That is very common on flash games. You have to see that AD before playing (supposedly while it loads). I find it very annoying and it makes the game lose a lot of its value and character. As in the previous point, your games are designed to earn money to yourself and not to provide a good gaming experience, which is what should be.
Am I missing any?
I could put a example of every case, but they don't deserve the publicity ;) Unfortunately, I don't think this will change anything, but somebody had to expose it.
no comments
Jonathan Harris: Beyond Flash, an addendum
October 6th 2008
Yet another year I decided not to attend FOTB. Even being a couple of hours from where I live, I have always find it very expensive for what it looks. However, I was very tempted this year when I heard that Jonathan Harris was going there. I really admire his work and how he uses creatively the technology to execute nice ideas. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to see this
After the event, seems like everyone is mainly talking about his speech and how arrogant he was and daba daba. But, from what I was able to read on blogs, you could include me on the "He is right" group.
He has written an article illustrating his points here and, definitely, he is spot on, and what matters most, inspiring. In fact, to me it's quite on the same level as Ken Robinson message.
I guess I'm the perfect example of what he means, a lot of experimentation but no ideas on them. Well, this is something I've been trying to work on for a while already, and hopefully will have some impact on my work in the future. I'm still learning the language I think.
Anyway... Thanks Jonathan! Once again.
no comments
After the event, seems like everyone is mainly talking about his speech and how arrogant he was and daba daba. But, from what I was able to read on blogs, you could include me on the "He is right" group.
He has written an article illustrating his points here and, definitely, he is spot on, and what matters most, inspiring. In fact, to me it's quite on the same level as Ken Robinson message.
I guess I'm the perfect example of what he means, a lot of experimentation but no ideas on them. Well, this is something I've been trying to work on for a while already, and hopefully will have some impact on my work in the future. I'm still learning the language I think.
Anyway... Thanks Jonathan! Once again.
no comments
Youtube, now in Super HD!
September 30th 2008
Some months(?) ago Youtube released the HD version of their videos. Well, that's nice, but take a look at this... now we have Super HD!
:P
7 comments
:P
7 comments
Adobe AIR for Linux - Beta
September 28th 2008
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air/
Another step for being Windows/MacOS free! The alpha version was out for a couple of months already, but wasn't working too well. The beta runs pretty well the app I'm working on at work :)
no comments
Another step for being Windows/MacOS free! The alpha version was out for a couple of months already, but wasn't working too well. The beta runs pretty well the app I'm working on at work :)
no comments
What does the Google Chrome logo inspire you?
September 28th 2008
Román's idea seemed good excuse for me to start playing around with flash game development... you know, logic, timing, addiction, scores and all that.
It also was a nice little project for try gTween out, which seemed a bit weird in some cases, but was very easy to use.
And, this time the bug in flash player seemed to have random delays when playing sounds. It is only on the Linux version tho, on the other platforms everything was perfect.
Have fun!
no comments
Some new Flash 10 Shaders for realtime effects... and maybe a Shader bug?
September 1st 2008
Another thing I can get rid from my to-do list. My introduction to the Pixel Bender/Flash10 Shaders world. Yesterday afternoon I decided to give it a try and see how all this worked
First thing was setting up FDT to compile Flash10 movies, something that ended up being quite easy thanks to this post. By the way, in case you're wondering... FDT on Ubuntu seems to be doing very well, no problems so far. Unfortunately I had to go to Windows in order to do the Pixel Bender part.
Dealing with Pixel Bender was kind of fun, although I was missing a timer (incremental) value, something to easily test my filter moving. Maybe there is something for it already but I just didn't find it on the few hours I played with it.
Once the filters were done I tried them with Flash10, and then that Tinic post popped into my mind and realised how slow it was (compared to the Pixel Bender). I'm sure the filters can be optimised but I just left them easier to understand so whoever feels like can start playing with the values. However, they are fast enough for 512x512 action or for fullscreen single frame distortion.
Ok, show time...
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
If you're wondering how I managed to do that many effects in just a couple of hours, here it's a hint... iq.
All the .as, textures and compiled shaders are here.
What to do now? Well, I would suggest you to download Pixel Bender load any of those .pbk files, find the line where it says // This is where the magic happens and play with the formulas there and make your own ones.
Have fun! :)
15 comments
First thing was setting up FDT to compile Flash10 movies, something that ended up being quite easy thanks to this post. By the way, in case you're wondering... FDT on Ubuntu seems to be doing very well, no problems so far. Unfortunately I had to go to Windows in order to do the Pixel Bender part.
Dealing with Pixel Bender was kind of fun, although I was missing a timer (incremental) value, something to easily test my filter moving. Maybe there is something for it already but I just didn't find it on the few hours I played with it.
Once the filters were done I tried them with Flash10, and then that Tinic post popped into my mind and realised how slow it was (compared to the Pixel Bender). I'm sure the filters can be optimised but I just left them easier to understand so whoever feels like can start playing with the values. However, they are fast enough for 512x512 action or for fullscreen single frame distortion.
Ok, show time...
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
.pbk (Pixel Bender file)
If you're wondering how I managed to do that many effects in just a couple of hours, here it's a hint... iq.
All the .as, textures and compiled shaders are here.
What to do now? Well, I would suggest you to download Pixel Bender load any of those .pbk files, find the line where it says // This is where the magic happens and play with the formulas there and make your own ones.
Have fun! :)
15 comments
FDT does work in Linux
August 19th 2008
Seeing that FlexBuilder Alpha 4 still didn't have refactoring I had to search once again for a solution with FDT on Linux. And well, seems that a solution for my problem has been out there for months!
I managed to register it without problems, but when I was creating a class I had this:
Maxim Zaks posted the solution here.
you can check this by going to Menu: "Window/Preferences/General/Workspace" and than in the "New text file line delimiter" Panel change from "Default" to "Other: Unix"
Big Pheeew!!!! Having to swap between FDT and FlexBuilder in some projects were driving me nuts... this really looks like the final "Bye bye Windows!".
no comments
I managed to register it without problems, but when I was creating a class I had this:
package com {nullimport flash.display.Sprite;/**null * @author Mr.doob */nullpublic class Main extends Sprite {nullpublic function Main(){null}}null}nullMaxim Zaks posted the solution here.
you can check this by going to Menu: "Window/Preferences/General/Workspace" and than in the "New text file line delimiter" Panel change from "Default" to "Other: Unix"
Big Pheeew!!!! Having to swap between FDT and FlexBuilder in some projects were driving me nuts... this really looks like the final "Bye bye Windows!".
no comments
Sorry for the delay...
August 19th 2008
Well, that was the first line in some emails I decided to answer today. There used to be a time I answered everything and helped everyone that asked for help, but seems like these days are over.
Well, not really, I still reply, only 6 months later ;) But... if I don't reply, please accept my apologies, blame to however invented time! :)
no comments
Well, not really, I still reply, only 6 months later ;) But... if I don't reply, please accept my apologies, blame to however invented time! :)
no comments
Hi-ReS! Stats
August 11th 2008
I've recently seen the class being used in the wild so I guess it was time to properly publish it.
Since the beginnings I've always had a FPS meter class, really basic, but had to be there. Then Carlos came along with one with a nice visualizer of the performance and then I saw Alternativa's one and I though that was the best approach. However, it had some issues, the speed of the graph seemed a bit pointless as the history was of 1 second or so.
Anyway... if you need a tiny and easy FPS/MS/MEM control panel, feel free to use it :)
http://github.com/mrdoob/Hi-ReS-Stats
10 comments
Since the beginnings I've always had a FPS meter class, really basic, but had to be there. Then Carlos came along with one with a nice visualizer of the performance and then I saw Alternativa's one and I though that was the best approach. However, it had some issues, the speed of the graph seemed a bit pointless as the history was of 1 second or so.
Anyway... if you need a tiny and easy FPS/MS/MEM control panel, feel free to use it :)
http://github.com/mrdoob/Hi-ReS-Stats
10 comments
Some of the projects that I worked on.
Some of the HTML5 and Actionscript experiments I've done.
