Re: FLASH: Blurred words

[Marc Hoffman, Poison Dart Frog Media]

I'd like to point out that while the methods that involve breaking text 

apart may give superiour visual results, they will surely increase file 

size. So if you use them, pay attention to your Size Report to see the 

effects on size for the affected frames. If, on the other hand, you use 

instances of text-based symbols that are not broken apart, there will be 

very little overhead added in byte size, because the letter shapes are 

stored only once per character.


Especially if this is for a splash page or navigation page, I would be very 

cautious about increasing file size. Always test streaming at 28k baude to 

see the real-world effects of file size. If you ask me, the greatest 

challenge in creating Flash is to keep things compact. Although Flash is 

capable of being more compact than straight HTML that contains a few gifs 

or jpegs, it's also incredibly tempting to add effects that make Flash slow 

and "stunningly boring."


Also note that although test cannot have a gradient fill, it can be made 

into a text-based symbol which can be set to different alpha levels without 

breaking the text apart.


-Marc


At 05:27 AM 2/28/00 , you wrote:


>You have much more control.  You aan change colors with each line draw, set

>line thickness,  and control the alpha settings.   Soften Edged uses a lot

>of memory. It can freeze the machine.

>t

>

om: "Phil Ward" <phil [dot] wardcwcom [dot] net>

> > Organization: Crescent Graphics

>

> Reply-To: flasherchinwag [dot] com

> > Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 10:21:55 -0000

>

> To: <flasherchinwag [dot] com>

> > Subject: Re: FLASH: Blurred words

> >

> > Sorry, I don't see the point, this is what 'Soften Edges' command

> > achieves...automatically.

> >

> >

> > ----- Original Message -----

>

> From: David Schell <dbschellmindspring [dot] com>

>

> To: <flasherchinwag [dot] com>

> > Sent: Monday, February 28, 2000 1:34 AM

> > Subject: Re: FLASH: Blurred words

> >

> >

> >> A better bit tedious way to blur words is to create consecutive outlines.

> >> First break apart the letters using the break apart option. Next, select a

> >> color and change the alpha setting, and  use the  ink bottle to create an

> >> outline of this color around the letters. Next convert the outline to  a

> >> fill using modify:curves:lines to fill. Repeat this process, trying

> >> different shades and alpha settings.

> >>

>

>>> From: "Phil Ward" <phil-wcrescent-graphics [dot] co [dot] uk>

> >>> Organization: Crescent Graphics

>

>>> Reply-To: flasherchinwag [dot] com

> >>> Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 00:56:57 -0000

>

>>> To: <flasherchinwag [dot] com>

> >>> Subject: Re: FLASH: Blurred words

> >>>

> >>> Since it's Blured words you're looking for you will have tho break apart

> > the

> >>> text fist as text can't have a gradient fill.

> >>>

> >>> If you require a blur why not break apart the text ctrl b then got to

> >>> Modify>Curves>Soften edges, just change how many steps and the distance

> > for

> >>> varying degrees of blur, works for me.

> >>>

> >>> The other way is with using images see a demo I produced a while ago for

> >>> blured text http://www.crescent-graphics.co.uk/blurtext/

> >>>



Marc Hoffman


Poison Dart Frog Media: Specializing in Flash Animation and Digital Audio 

Production

Our latest Flash job is on display at <http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/rickfrnd>

See our Flash portfolio at <http://www.dartfrogmedia.com/portfolio>

(featured in Flash 3 Web Animation, by Ken Milburn)



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