Flash Do you think Flash is ever coming back?

[MaxTheDark]

Okay, that is a silly way to title a post, but that's essentially what I'd like to know. I was working on a game just before the end of support, and really, really enjoyed working with Flash 8. I don't see a point in continuing development if Flash is dead for good, however I've heard many people are trying various ways to get it to work again.

So I was wondering, do you guys know if it's actually possible that one day SWF games are going to work again, or is it never going to work and it's a waste of time?

Also, please, keep your comments about Flash's security issues etc to yourselves, I've heard them a million times and I don't give a fuck. I like Flash regardless of those issues.

 

[Dicks McKenzie]

Official support from Adobe? Never coming back.
But you can run .swf's using something like an official (or unofficial)

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or

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.

There'll probably be enthusiasts keeping flash "alive" by making content in it for the foreseeable future. I know people still post on /f/ so the soul still burns!

Addendum: if you're making a game in Flash, it is worth remembering that you are limiting your potential audience by using it, so that's something to consider.

 

[DiviDreamer]

No,
but i have archive of my fav games and standalone flashplayer from adobe
and quite happy with them.

 

[MaxTheDark]

Official support from Adobe? Never coming back.
But you can run .swf's using something like an official (or unofficial)

You must be registered to see the links

or

You must be registered to see the links

.

There'll probably be enthusiasts keeping flash "alive" by making content in it for the foreseeable future. I know people still post on /f/ so the soul still burns!

Addendum: if you're making a game in Flash, it is worth remembering that you are limiting your potential audience by using it, so that's something to consider.

Oh yeah, I know Adobe will never come around to it. Im mostly wondering if it will ever work in browsers again, or if we need to use standalone players instead.

And yes, I know re: addendum, Im mostly developing the game for fun. I tried learning Unity and HTML5, annoying thing is I was studying Interactive Media Design at a university a decade ago, and had an excellent opportunity to learn Unity from specialists... but decided to stick with Flash, and now I find it difficult to learn from tutorials, where I can't ask questions etc. I was originally planning to ask for recommendation, but realized most would suggest Unity, HTML5 or (if they're cruel) Java.

 

[oldboggy]

I take it that it was the development environment of Flash you enjoyed (I certainly did). Have you looked at Adobe Animate? It is the direct descendant of Flash (the original version was just Adobe Flash Professional version 15.1) but outputs in HTML5 (with SVG) instead of .swf. You just have to put with Adobe's subscription scheme (something I am strongly disinclined to do despite my fondness for Flash and Photoshop) as well as the jump in generations.

But Flash working in browsers? Nope, the browser makers have been putting more restrictions on plug-ins for some time now for security (or, with Chrome, ad revenue protection), full Flash requires too much. If you want to run something in a browser you are talking HTML5 and SVG.

 

[scrumbles]

Oh yeah, I know Adobe will never come around to it. Im mostly wondering if it will ever work in browsers again

Well, Dicks McKenzie mentioned Ruffle: it's an emulator that (among other things) lets you play a .SWF file in any modern browser.
Try any game hosted on

You must be registered to see the links

. Press F12 before opening the game page, open the tab "Network" and see how your browser downloads: first the Ruffle library, then the WebAssembly files, and finally the .SWF file.
Your players don't need to install anything: it's up to the web administrator to upload the required libraries to the game server.

The real problem is if Ruffle (or the software of your choice) supports all the features your game needs.

 

[MaxTheDark]

I take it that it was the development environment of Flash you enjoyed (I certainly did). Have you looked at Adobe Animate? It is the direct descendant of Flash (the original version was just Adobe Flash Professional version 15.1) but outputs in HTML5 (with SVG) instead of .swf. You just have to put with Adobe's subscription scheme (something I am strongly disinclined to do despite my fondness for Flash and Photoshop) as well as the jump in generations.

But Flash working in browsers? Nope, the browser makers have been putting more restrictions on plug-ins for some time now for security (or, with Chrome, ad revenue protection), full Flash requires too much. If you want to run something in a browser you are talking HTML5 and SVG.

That sounds interesting! Will check if it's on TPB. Fuck Adobe, seriously. Someone should make a RenPy game about fucking Adobe.

Well, Dicks McKenzie mentioned Ruffle: it's an emulator that (among other things) lets you play a .SWF file in any modern browser.
Try any game hosted on

You must be registered to see the links

. Press F12 before opening the game page, open the tab "Network" and see how your browser downloads: first the Ruffle library, then the WebAssembly files, and finally the .SWF file.
Your players don't need to install anything: it's up to the web administrator to upload the required libraries to the game server.

The real problem is if Ruffle (or the software of your choice) supports all the features your game needs.

Ooh I use Archive for MSDOS games. But the problem here is not 'what obscure ways are there to get flash to work', but 'will my potential audience have easy access to what I make?'. Thanks for letting me know tho.

 

[Meaning Less]

We certainly will keep seeing some flash projects being worked on like Behind the Dune.

So it can still be considered for new projects and if you already had enough game made you certainly could continue developing it with flash. I wouldn't recommend it for fresh new projects since there are more optimized and free tools to develop games in the market right now like unity.

Flash optimization was a nightmare and even the simplest games would barely reach a decent framerate so it is something to consider, in case you were planning to add more complex mechanics to your game maybe switching from flash to something else would be worthwhile.

 

[MaxTheDark]

We certainly will keep seeing some flash projects being worked on like Behind the Dune.

So it can still be considered for new projects and if you already had enough game made you certainly could continue developing it with flash. I wouldn't recommend it for fresh new projects since there are more optimized and free tools to develop games in the market right now like unity.

Flash optimization was a nightmare and even the simplest games would barely reach a decent framerate so it is something to consider, in case you were planning to add more complex mechanics to your game maybe switching from flash to something else would be worthwhile.

Hmm... I gotta admit, I am pretty proud of the system I have built, even tho it didn't seem to light anyone's pubes on fire.

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if you have a minute. It is kinda fun to work with Flash, maybe Adobe Animate will be fun too, would really like to get to know HTML5.

 

[Meaning Less]

Hmm... I gotta admit, I am pretty proud of the system I have built, even tho it didn't seem to light anyone's pubes on fire.

You must be registered to see the links

if you have a minute. It is kinda fun to work with Flash, maybe Adobe Animate will be fun too, would really like to get to know HTML5.

Fun prototype, very interactive. But seeing how modular you are planning the game to be I can bet you will start running into optimization issues once you start to add more objects and characters into a scene.

But it really is on you if you want to keep expanding it or take what you have and move it to another engine, both can work depending on what your goals are with it.

 

[F4C430]

Flash is a terrible platform. Really easy to create stuff, sure, but the performance was just always bad no matter how good your machine was. I say good riddance to it.

 

[Rafster]

I don't know...maybe, if Warner channel decides to do another season

Spoiler: don't read unless you want to spoil the bad joke

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[MaxTheDark]

Fun prototype, very interactive. But seeing how modular you are planning the game to be I can bet you will start running into optimization issues once you start to add more objects and characters into a scene.

But it really is on you if you want to keep expanding it or take what you have and move it to another engine, both can work depending on what your goals are with it.

Thanks. I didn't really consider this before at all. Remember Bowmaster 2 had terrible performance issues because the Dragons were super detailed.

No that I think about it, all the complaints about Flash were always about security, nobody really mentioned performance before, but yeah, I see how that's a problem. Damn, will have to just learn HTML5 I guess...

I don't know...maybe, if Warner channel decides to do another season

Spoiler: don't read unless you want to spoil the bad joke

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I am going to murder you