Macromedia Flash 8

The Bottom Line

While Flash 8 is a great program that continues the tradition of excellence begun by its previous incarnations, upgrading from Flash MX isn't really essential to continue animating and developing effectively. The only major change that really stands out is the addition to Flash's video capabilities. If you're looking to try Flash for the first time, then I would recommend Flash 8 Basic--but if you're comfortable with MX, you may want to avoid the rather heavy upgrade costs.

Pros

* Easy to adjust to from Flash MX.
* Improves on minor flaws in previous versions.
* Intensive focus on developer functionality.
* Additional one-click effects.

Cons

* Even more cluttered than Flash MX.
* Some "new" features are frivolous and useless.
* The price tag is hefty for both Basic and Professional.

Description

* Flash 8 offers more advanced controls, streamlining once-complex actions and effects into one click.
* Enhanced video options offer a wide range of codecs and output options previously unavailable.
* Expanded functionality turns Flash 8 into a full-featured graphics editing program.
* Animation and drawing are easier than ever with new visualization tools.
* Actionscripting has new script assists; even beginners can program on an easy learning curve.

Guide Review - Flash Professional 8

At first glance, Flash Professional 8 looks like Flash MX wrapped up in a prettier package--but that's reassuring when making the transition from MX to 8. Moving up to Flash 8 is like coming home to a familiar house that's been spruced up with a new coat of paint and a few renovations--still the same comfortable rooms, but with a clean, fresh new feel.

My first impression, after trying out the program, was that a great deal of the struggle had been removed from certain functions. Filter effects that were once a "jerry-rig" process are now accomplished automatically with a single click; the Library is now a static panel with improved object tracking. Fonts look crisp without degradation; graphic transitions are now standard; line and fill controls now have more options, and Flash's video capabilities have undergone a complete revolution to turn the program into a full-featured video publishing suite. Even Actionscripting is easier, for developers--with an assist mode that practically completes the scripts for you.

Flash 8 still has a few of the problems of MX. It's still a memory-hog, for one, and although Macromedia touts an improved interface I still find it to be a bit too cluttered and overstuffed. Some of the improvements are just "fluff" that don't really matter, but they're still nice to have. While I would recommend an upgrade to Flash 8 (Professional or Basic) to anyone seeking enhanced video capability, I find that I'm just as comfortable sticking with Flash MX.