CompuServe Messages

Hi Mike, pmji… the animation engine in Macromedia Director is based upon "sprites". A sprite is a single graphic from the media database (called the "Cast Window", up to 32K castmembers per movie), which is on the screen at a certain point in time. We can layer up to 48 sprites on-screen at any one frame of the movie. This layering and sequencing is controlled by the Score, a timeline similar to an animator's chart. This is very different from a prerendered animation, such as a FLC. Compression ratios with sprites are much higher; editability is retained through all stages; and — critically — we can assign different behaviors to different sprites, laying the groundwork for interactive animations. So, yes, you can create artwork in Director's own Paint Window, which can later be animated upon the Stage. You can also import art sequences from other sources, such as 3D animations. These can be set up in the timeline with music, digital video, text, and transitions and other effects. Director 4.0 is available for Mac and Windows. Right now we're working in Windows at 8-bit, just as Microsoft's WinG is, because 8-bit is the only practical colordepth for sprite-based work on Windows today. And Thomas: the save-disabled demo version of Director for Windows will be on the Macromedia Showcase III CD-ROM. This hybrid disc is in the final stages of production and should be available within a few weeks… thanks for your patience in the interim.