Stand-alone Flash Optimizers can be useful too

[RASH]

I guess most of you Flash addicts use Flash MX, but I don't, because I can't afford it yet (have a tight budget). This means that the Mohoptimizer script is pretty useless for me at this moment, alas

I tried two affordable shareware stand-alone Flash optimizers for the PC (I still have an old Win98SE PC) on my first ever Moho animation, SWF Optimizer Pro and Flash Optimizer.
Here are the files:
Moho original 133 kB
Optimized after Flash Optimizer 75 kB
after SWF Optimizer Pro 83 kB

Mohoptimize claims 50% reduction. In my little test, these optimizers deliver about the same (compression was only moderate, better is possible). Of course, my animation isn't a real test, nor are my Moho skills well enough developed for a real test. The compressed SWF files display visible flutter (as does the original from Moho, but less visible).

It is also possible that these artefacts are caused by the fact that these compressors weren't optimized for SWF files created by Moho. The SWF Optimizer Pro has a lot of options, so it might be possible to tweak it for use with Moho output.

I think stand-alone Flash optimizers can be useful for the occasional webanimation, if you tweak both your animation and SWF compressor so, that the fluttering and other display faults are less visible.

I also have a question: Does anyone know if a stand-alone Macintosh OS X flash optimizer exists?

[cribble]

I guess most of you Flash addicts use Flash MX, but I don't, because I can't afford it yet (have a tight budget).

Go onto eBay and search for flash or macromedia, people are selling Flash MX 2004 for like £150 or something like that. Thats how i got my copy.

[Yooperville]

I'm not aware of anything for OS X right now. Cribble's right about eBay. Took me a couple months, but finally picked up NIB copy of Flash MX for pretty reasonable price.

FYI (for perspective): Opened your original SWF in Flash MX, exported Flash 6, file size 54 KB.

Best -- Greg.

[bupaje]

Budget shoppers will want to keep an eye on magazines like DIGIT, ComputerArts, 3DWorld and some of the Photoshop and otherr design mags that have CD's. I have gotten full versions of older software which then allows you to buy the upgrade, or even a competetive upgrade of another companies product, at a special price.

[RASH]

I will take your advice into account, although most software offered on auction sites and magazines is PC-based, which will not run directly on a Macintosh computer.

For me, the 96.13 Euros for the registration of Moho is a lot of money. This means that at the moment I have no money left to spend on computer stuff, unless I skip breakfast and lunch for a couple of weeks. My budget is that tight.

[cribble]

I agree with Bupaje, buy mags with free CD's... thats how i got a version of Cararra.... those gods. As for your budget... live off beans on toast!

[spasmodic_cheese]

hey, i wrote mohoptimize, if you want a better solution(and can afford the money) get Optimaze
its ridiculous how well it works!

[RASH]

hey, i wrote mohoptimize, if you want a better solution(and can afford the money) get Optimaze
its ridiculous how well it works!

Don't get me wrong, I think you are doing a darn good job. However, it requires Flash MX, which I don't have. In that sense, it is "useless" for me. I didn't mean it was a useless piece of programming, by no means!!!

[RASH]

BTW In another thread, I discussed my efforts to create a lip synch Flash animation and then compressing it with Flash MX and Flash Optimizer. I've used both an 2D and an 3D version to optimize.

[spasmodic_cheese]

eh? im not taking offence, im saying get this
http://www.vecta3d.com/ OPTIMAZE.

[RASH]

eh? im not taking offence, im saying get this
http://www.vecta3d.com/ OPTIMAZE.

Sorry, I misunderstood. English is not my native language.

What is this site supposed to do, because I only get an empty orange screen after entering the site?

[LittleFenris]

I think stand-alone Flash optimizers can be useful for the occasional webanimation, if you tweak both your animation and SWF compressor so, that the fluttering and other display faults are less visible.

As bad as that fluttering is in both optimized versions of your original, I wouldn't use either one. I watched your animation once and noticed the flickering of the optimized versions immediately.