Feature request - Compressed SWF files

Postality · Post by **Postality** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:53 pm

I was just using flash to add sound to my animation and I used the COMPRESSION checkmark when I was rendering the file. is there any way that you can add a compression option in moho?

the reslting flash movie rendered with flash was MUCH smaller even with sound.

http://postality-knights.no-ip.org/MoHo/ragdoll.html

Post by **Lost Marble** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:19 pm

Moho does use some compression, but when you export from Flash, they're doing more than compression, they're creating a more optimal file. It's Macromedia's file format - they're just going to be better at optimizing file size than Moho will ever be.

BTW, Moho can add sound to an exported SWF movie itself. The sound file must be in MP3 format. Going through Flash is not a bad idea anyway, since it will shrink the file down too.

Postality · Post by **Postality** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:17 am

Lost Marble wrote:BTW, Moho can add sound to an exported SWF movie itself. The sound file must be in MP3 format. Going through Flash is not a bad idea anyway, since it will shrink the file down too.

The only reason why I use flash for the audio is because I can add diffrent sound effects at whatever point in the timeline as I desire. I requested a feature like this a while ago but nothing happened about it. Maybe in a future release?

in flash (Not sure how familiar you are with it, I'm quite new, BUT) you can add a "layer" and add sound files (wav etc) where you want them to be played in the timeline. you can add another layer and such in case there are to be more then one sound effect playing at that given time.

This is one of the few dreams of mine that moho will have one day.

Post by **Lost Marble** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:54 am

We've been really reluctant to add in extra audio functions, just because it would never be enough. Once we added the ability to insert sound files at arbitrary points, I know we'd be flooded with feature requests. Here's a few:

Adjust the volume of each sound
Animate the volume/envelope of each sound
Pan a sound from left to right
Add effects (echo, noise reduction, etc.)

Any time we spend writing an audio editor takes away from animation features, and as much time as we could spend, Moho would never be anywhere as nice to use as a real audio editor.

Video editors can also be used to add sound effects, and for most projects with more than one scene you will definitely want to use a video editor anyway.

kdiddy13 · Post by **kdiddy13** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:07 am

I agree. I see a lot of requests for things that just aren't related to the actual production of the visual element of animation. I don't really know of any animation software (with possibly the exception of Flash and that's a huge mess of "no focus" if you ask me) that offers a complete system of working on sound, editing your shots, and outputing a final movie. It's just not feasible. No single program would be able to do any one part well. No one asks for Maya to render out a final comped image with fully mixed sounds, all edited together in a movie. You use a sound program, an animation program, a compositing program, an editing program. It really does give you the best control over your medium. No one ever said animation was easy (or cheap for that matter).

No one program will ever be able to do everything as well as several specialized programs, and I shudder to think of the interface and mess of one that tries to.

I suggest that if audio editors are your concern look into the free ones listed in the alternate software part of the forum, or invest in one. I prefer Audition Audition (was Cool Edit Pro). You'll have much better results and your animations will actually look much better because of the better sound. At best I view the audio in Moho only as a temp stand-in for the real sound track.
________
How To Make A Vaporizer

Postality · Post by **Postality** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:26 am

kdiddy13, I think you're missing my point here.

I don't want an audio editor. and I know about adobe audition, audicity, kenetics, cakewalk, fruityloops, cubase, I'm an audio composer myself that likes animation.

but trying to string together a complete audio file and sync it up with the animation is hell when moho uses a single file.

What my request was is for moho have the ability to input soundeffects etc in the timeline. Obviously if you want to tweak it and get the most out of that sound effect you'll want to alter it in another audio program. but the ability to add-in sounds would be great.

it would be like moho's lip-sync tool, it works well if you want simple lip-sync (I use it), but it you want it perfect you have to use another program.

that's what I mean =)

Post by **Lost Marble** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:35 am

Postality, even if you're not asking for a full editor, you are asking Moho to take the first step down that road. Even if you would be happy with that single feature, I'm sure lots of people would wonder why they couldn't do the other things I listed - it's just not the route we want to take with Moho.