Leveraging useful resources

I have a tendency to always want to create everything myself, not relying on any other potentially useful code or classes. It's a little easier to reuse code in PHP, but in Flash I normally feel I'd be better off creating (or recreating) something myself.

We have a project we're currently working on that required a Flash movie to preload a number of FLV files since users would be required to disconnect their internet connection at some point during the process. I began searching for some example code similar to my needs so that, once again, I could reinvent the wheel.

However, I stumbled upon a fantastic class from Jack Doyle at Greensock.com. It was easy to implement, and exactly met the needs of the project. You can use it to preload any assets (flv, swf, jpg) for use later.

Well played, Jack. Well played.

Flash Preload Asset Class: http://blog.greensock.com/preloadassetmanageras2/

The Proof is in the Details

We get many clients that have a hard time understanding what sets a great website apart from a good one.

While many good websites deliver the same functionality and information as great ones, they usually lack the attention to detail that would make a good website a possible work of art.

Good Site: http://www.fourthmeal.com - This is Taco Bell's attempt to cash-in on the interactive flash craze. They attempt to create a fun video interactive site (ala ShaveEverywhere) and you think they may just pull it off. You start with some decent video of a cab driver (decent actor) and a nicely designed taxi setting. However, once you select a location, the cab drives through some poorly animated 3-d city scenes. Head downtown and you'll find a tired implementation of a user-driven character mini-site. The attempt to be kitchy with some funky graphics and animation come off tired and sloppy (see image below).


Great Site: http://www.gettheglass.com - This Goodby-led site for Milk (seriously) uses some amazing 3-d work. The intro leading from the board game to the 3-d world is particularly impressive. Everything, from the textures in the game to the cards at the bottom, oozes polish and an intense attention to detail. I'm not sure it compels me to go buy a couple gallons of milk, but the site is impressive enough to lure novice and expert internet tube* users alike.

* Like Al Gore.

What is Creativity?

I once heard that creativity is simply a new combination of old ideas.* I just saw a perfect example of this in the new UFC website done by Red Interactive Agency (fellow SLCers). Choose your country, and click on the middle 'Light Heavyweight Division' section in the middle.

What you'll see is a rotating list of the contenders for the UFC vs. Pride light heavyweight championship. You can see rotating lists and menus all over the 'net, but the polish and unique take by Red sets it apart.

Makes me want to stop by the Price is Right to spin for the Showcase Showdown.

* Handbook of Creativity - By John A. Glover

It is the distant future ... the year 2000!

Yeah, so it's 2007 and blogs have been around since before 2000.

I'm such a trendsetter.

I had an old domain name lying around that I had previously used for another venture (as you can tell it was a rousing success) and figured I might as well put it to use.

GetStonered.com now features my scintillating commentary on interactive web media/development currently on the Internet as well as what I'm currently working on with my job at Decade. And maybe some funny videos too.

Our latest project: Keefa

For those interested in the distant future...Episode 1: Sally > Robots