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Paranoia
Programmer / indie games developer from the UK.

Eddy Larkin @Paranoia

Age 33, Male

Belfast

Joined on 4/22/05

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Paranoia's News

Posted by Paranoia - May 3rd, 2008


This is a spur of the moment, ill-thought out and almost certainly unfair rant

First off, I'm plugging my new release like crazy - kind of pointless since it should still be somewhere to the left of this post on the front page but whatever :P

Now that that bit of self-indulgence is out of the way, time to bitch.

I started working on a new project a while back, only to essentially run into a brick wall. Figuratively, of course, but from where I'm standing I can't think of a better way to describe what's been done to my creative process. And it's all Adobe's fault :(

First, let's describe the wall. It's a bit of an error in the software. A glitch, or bug, if you want to be technical :) Personally, I don't find the term suitable in this case. It doesn't really do justice to what literally makes progress impossible. This isn't something which you can code your way around, or jump through some hoop or other to get past. This bug is, quite simply, the project killer.

BORING CODER SPEAK BEGINS HERE

I'm not an expert, but from what a few other people have said the error seems to crop up when you use too many classes. For the non-OOPers of you, classes are basically AS3's skeleton. It's possible to code without them, but what you end up with is a sloppy mess of skin and muscles with the odd eye poking out, blinking occasionally. I'm going back into metaphors here, but you get the idea. With classes, you can order your project into a load of neat, sensible objects, with methods and properties passed on from parents to children, instances which can have their behaviour changed en masse instead of as individuals, and order everything into neat, stackable files.

When it comes to large, complex projects (such as the RPG type affair in which the error occurred), utilising classes makes an engine which would drive any coder insane with its complexity and unpredictability into one nice, streamlined, easy to tweak collection of files. I've not even approached the subject of attached sounds and objects yet - AS3 requires you to give any library item you want to attach via script a class. This is great, since it makes sense in relation to the rest of the language, and allows you to set base-classes for objects so that they inherit their properties and methods from external files (for example, you could have a load of different looking enemies with MovieClips in the library, all of which inherit their behaviour from the same template file).

Now, everything's good so far. Unfortunately, all of this inheritance and whatnot leads to a large collection of classes. This shouldn't be a problem. Really. For an object based on OOP, as AS3 most definitely is, having a big pool of classes and sub-classes should be expected, if not encouraged. Unfortunately... Flash doesn't seem to realise that.

All of which brings me hurtling back to the error in question. In summary, it seems to be this:

If you use too many classes, or classes in a way which Flash doesn't like, it will stop running code

Seems simple, doesn't it? This is the project-killer. It can strike at any time, stopping it would generally require you to re-work an entire engine, and code is mandatory for any real game. There is no internal way of working around it - I've heard some talk about exporting and importing into Flex and messing around... Which as a Flash kid just goes way over my head.

BORING CODER SPEAK ENDS HERE

If you want another metaphor, this glitch is equivalent to something which is built around accommodating an object falling apart if you use too much of that object. It's equivalent to building a crematorium out of petrol. There is no way that a piece of software with a scripting language specifically designed for OOP should fall apart if you use more than a certain amount of OOP.

I'm a developer, so being limited by something or other is a fairly common experience. You start making something and realise you don't have the time, or resources, or drawing ability for it, and you have to stop. Having a great idea, knowing you can make it work and then being stopped at an early stage by an unforeseeable bug is profoundly annoying.

I always figured that serious coders who claimed that AS3 was removed from normal development were just, you know, unwilling to change old habits, and that if they'd give it a go they'd see how neat and clean and shiny a new language can be, allowing projects to be set up like never before. This whole thing is just a kick in the teeth to people who've supported Flash's moving forward as a serious bit of software.

NOW, obviously just bitching isn't going to get anyone anywhere, so I thought I'd head over to Adobe's site and make a report about the error. I had a slightly bigger look around today, and some of the stuff over there is just silly.

Here's something which caught my eye. The latest error: "ActionScript 3.0 movie clips and components exported by Adobe Flash CS3 Professional incorrectly play through their timeline when ActionScript is used to prevent the timeline from playing. ActionScript 3.0 components will appear to flicker between their normal state and their skin settings." - so essentially Flash ignores specific instructions not to play by (ahem) playing.

Have no fear, though! "This issue only occurs in specific circumstances where a movie clip or component is placed on the stage on a keyframe other than the first keyframe, or if the object is removed later in the timeline." It's funny - I've never though of using any frame whatsoever other than the very first on as a 'specific circumstance'. Still, only crazy people would want to remove stuff from the timeline, right? I mean, they put it there in the first place! Do you want it there or not? Make your mind up!

Time was when you only needed to update your player every major update, and most Flash viewing regulars could keep track of what was being released and when. Apparently, though, this issue is present in 'Flash Player 9.0.28.0 and earlier' (yup - we're up to four separate version identifiers).

Not only that, but to rub salt into the wound, Adobe points out that "Flash CS3 Professional ships with the updated player, and developers will not encounter the behaviour when testing with this version or later." Good idea? Let's just clarify - if you're a developer, and you're testing your game, the version you see on the screen isn't the same as the version a great portion of the non-developing public will see. Who's idea was it to upgrade players for people making Flash separately to those for people viewing it? It's like that old joke about the UK moving from the left-hand lane to the right, and to ease the transition we're doing lorries and busses on Saturday and smaller vehicles on Sunday. It makes no sense for somebody who's making something to see a better version than the thousands of people who are going to be looking at it afterwards.

Now, updating software is good and all, but with something like Flash which is spread so widely, surely it's reasonable to expect that updates should be so big, loud and significant that almost all of the viewing public will know that they're supposed to update their players. Sneaking stuff like this under the radar is just going to confuse people, and penalise developers who don't have the mind-reading skills to realise that their work is buggy in a different version of Flash Player 9.

On a personal note, I've got a strong feeling that this is the reason behind the submission I'm currently plugging being glitchy with a few reviewers. Back when Flash 8 came out, it was easy to blame people for not having updated from Flash Player 7 - I mean - the site had great big disclaimers and everything. At the moment, though, you can't really hold it against the viewer for having Flash Player 9.0.28.0 when what they should have is Flash Player 9.0.45.0 (actually, as I write this, the latest version is 9.0.124.0). Remember simplicity? Remember when Flash was that one bit of software which you didn't need to constantly download 'The Latest Version!' for?

I don't like admitting that I'm wrong, but I can't help but get the impression that Adobe is completely out of touch with everyone who isn't a corporate management arsehole. It's taken long enough, but I'm finally beginning to see Flash as more and more as a faceless bit of money-making, run by people whos sales-pitch consists of bombarding people with versions and jargon until they're suitably impressed to make a purchase. I miss Macromedia :(

Also cocks.

Why I currently hate Adobe like no other entiy (also play my new game)


Posted by Paranoia - April 18th, 2008


It still needs a comments system, but all of the essentials are there:

BrainFlay

Since my old domain was misplaced, all of the links in my submissions are pointing to an annoying squat page :(

Anyway, my new game should be released pretty soon. It's all there - I'm just negotiating around for the best sponsor deal, so Kayn - you can have your $55 back pretty soon :P

Let me set a shocking precedent by not using this post to spam a video through Rob's new system :P Bye!


Posted by Paranoia - April 10th, 2008


Heya!

Some of the more observant viewers might have noticed that the game I promised around New Year is still not out. Trust me on this one - I've been working my bollocks off for it.

Right now I'm about half way through making the final boss (which still leaves all the secrets and super-secret-final boss to make), and getting this finished is my top priority. I've set myself a target for at least one screen or cut-scene a day, and I'm bloody well sticking to it, if not exceeding it. It's ahead of coursework and revision as far as commitment to getting it done is concerned, not to mention completely butchering my social life. I'm determined to get it done before my birthday, at which point I'll probably spend the remainder of the year drunk to make up for all the effort I'm putting it in now.

I don't like to quote statistics, but here's an idea of how big this project is: It's got over 90 screens at this point (including about 20 cut-scenes), and I want to give it at least ten more. There are currently 9 bosses (though a few of those have several stages), 15 secrets, and I'm sticking a couple more in too. I've managed to keep the library less than 1,000 items large by creative use of graphics, but it's still just shy of 800, and my class folder looks like the neatest paper-factory explosion in human history.

Just for the curious of you, here's a plot summary: You're the uncharacteristically altruistic vampire lord of a large land. Some younger guys decide to take over your kingdom. You have to go on two seperate chains of levels to take out the main guy's underlings (a bit like the second disk of Oddworld:Abe's Exodus if anyone played that), before you can head back to your castle and take out the big man himself.

On another note, due to a kerfuffle with my hosts involving several changes of hand, I've lost my old domain name. My new site is at brainflay.net, and that should be up at the same time as I release my game.

Anyway, I'm using up my Front Page post for this ego-trip. Just to demonstrate my commitment, I'm pulling a Tom as of last weekend and not shaving, or indeed washing my hair in the morning, until I've got this, my site, and all coursework finished. Observe:

Progress and websites


Posted by Paranoia - December 31st, 2007


Well, I've not submitted anything for a good long while (while inexplicably being still able to make Front Page posts) so some kind of status update is probably in order. I've been falling behind a little as far as making stuff goes, but I do have a project under way and have been working on it for several months now.

It's a ridiculously over-ambitious platform-adventure game which is going to have tonnes of levels, even more secrets, and more bosses than you can shake a decompiler at. It is also a sequel to my disappointingly rushed and inefficient Halloween Game of 2006 - since vampires and Gothic themes are always cool, I figured I'd make a much better job of it this time around. Eventually. It's completely new, fast, AS3, and pretty satisfying to be working on.

So, I'm just shy of half way through making that (or a third if you count all the extra stuff I want to cram in), and probably will be working a lot harder on it from now on, so expect that within the next few months. Some time before summer, at any rate.

For the time being, though, I've still got a decent selection of games and movies - some good; others not so good. If you've got a couple of hours to kill, I suggest playing my last over-ambitious platformer, which also took a bit of time to make, and really picks up in terms of awesomeness in the last level and a half.

I'm aware that I'm stroking my own ego quite violently here, but sod it; this is my news post. Since I've got no real previews, I leave you with this collection of screenshots from what is looking to be a most excellent game.

Laters.

On why I've done bugger all lately and what else to expect


Posted by Paranoia - August 15th, 2007


Appreciate it, Luis :)

In other news, I'm working on a mega AS3 game, so prepare your faces to be rocked off and then surgically reattached by the power of awesomeness sometime in quite a few months. Hopefully by Halloween, but that's probably not too realistic a deadline considering how much work I want to get done for it.

Thanks for the drawing!


Posted by Paranoia - July 21st, 2007


I folded and got an account yesterday just so people would stop bugging me about it... Feel free to add me if you're a reasonably accomplished artist or anything, or just someone I might conceivably recognise from around the site...

And yes; it is a fucking popularity contest >:|

http://www.myspace.com/eddyparanoia


Posted by Paranoia - July 17th, 2007


Just like to wish Tom an awesome future for NG, and hope that things die down a little so things can get moving at maximum smoothness. Ciao.