Finding up to date tutorials

Software: Away3D 4.x

seanClusta, Jr. Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 12:06 PM   Total Posts: 38

Hi,

I hope this is taken in the right way, I really appreciate all of the time and effort everyone’s put into this framework to give it away for free, but i do find that it’s painfully hard to find solid material that works for people getting started. I think this is because a lot of the example tutorials and source files are no longer compatible with the framework.

For example, I’m trying to find a tutorial on using the AssetLibrary class to load, parse and display an AWD file (exported from Max) which will work with the latest version of the build (4.1.0)

I have searched the away3D site and google but both of the options available on this subject have problems either compiling or crashing (see below)

The tutorial at http://away3d.com/tutorials/3DS_Max_Workflow wont compile with the 4_1_0_alpha.swc (the framework must have been updated and some classes, e.g. SkeletonAnimationState are no longer available)

The packaged example source, found at http://away3d.com/download/ will compile but quite a few of the example files display but then quickly crash the flash player with no stack trace (e.g. Intermediate_OnkbaAWDAnimation.as which crashes FP with the following: “Adobe Flash Player 11.5 r502 has stopped working”, no stack trace to explain why. A lot of the examples dow work but there are several others which instantly crash the player in this way

I’m using the example source from the site with the latest version of the framework (4.1.0) and the latest version of flash player and compiler (AIR 3.5 & Flex 4.6)

I know the framework’s developing rapidly which is a great thing but i think the lack of working examples might be a barrier to entry for a lot of new users?

Or am i just looking in the wrong place?

Regards,
Sean

   

Rasterizer, Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 01:44 PM   Total Posts: 69   [ # 1 ]

Download it all again from the DEV branch on GitHub.

   

seanClusta, Jr. Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 02:57 PM   Total Posts: 38   [ # 2 ]

I’ve just downloaded the examples from GitHub (at https://github.com/away3d/away3d-examples-fp11/tree/master/src ) and tried to compile the ‘Intermediate_CharacterAnimation’ example which has an example of using the AssetLibrary to load, parse and display an .awd file smile

Unfortunately - same problem! The compiler can’t find a class called CrossfadeStateTransition, searching for this returns the package name away3d.animators.transitions.CrossfadeStateTransition so it should be part of the away3d library/compiled swc.
But it isn’t.

A quick look in the latest swc shows a class called away3d.animators.transitions.CrossfadeTransitionState but not
away3d.animators.transitions.CrossfadeStateTransition (very similar!)

Hence my point, I love Away3D but find it very frustrating that the build gets updated but makes most examples and tutorials out there pretty hard to pick through and re-work for the new versions.

I’m not complaining that the framework keeps improving and getting new features, just that it doesn’t seem to be backward compatible with the resources out there. Anyway, i’ll figure it out smile

   

Rasterizer, Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 03:17 PM   Total Posts: 69   [ # 3 ]

As I said, download newest CORE from the DEV branch, NOT the MASTER branch.

You can download examples how many times you only want, if your core is old, it won’t compile properly.

   

medellin, Newbie
Posted: 13 December 2012 03:23 PM   Total Posts: 8   [ # 4 ]

I’ve been having the same issue. It’s difficult finding examples that actually work…

   

seanClusta, Jr. Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 03:29 PM   Total Posts: 38   [ # 5 ]

Hmm. This may be part of the confusion. If you search GitHub for away3d you will get to the examples I posted the link to above. Many people won’t realise why these examples don’t work with the official version of the framework.

It’s probably just an education issue, but it’s certainly not well enough explained anywhere that i can find (apart from you pointing it out to me here) and unfortunately could be deterring a lot of developers and dare i say it the future success of this framework if people are turned away cause they can’t get the basics working.

As i say, i’m a big fan but just though this should be pointed out in case others are finding it a problem too

   

Rasterizer, Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 04:06 PM   Total Posts: 69   [ # 6 ]

Boys calm down.

Most (I’m not saying all, because I haven’t tried them all) of the examples work, but to get them to work, delete that .swc and download the away3d core from the DEV branch - https://github.com/away3d/away3d-core-fp11/tree/dev .

Then put that stuff into your sources folder and voila, most of the stuff should work rightaway.

   

seanClusta, Jr. Member
Posted: 13 December 2012 04:33 PM   Total Posts: 38   [ # 7 ]

Cool, done it already. Cheers Rasterizer, the core build and examples from GitHub are compatible (at this time of writing)

It just seems to get fragmented quite quickly (I’ve been trying to get my teeth stuck into Away3D since the ‘broomstick’ release and since there has been at least 2 major updates which render a lot of the info & tutorials obsolete.

I know using any software has a learning curve but i just hope it’s not a barrier to entry for ‘newbies’ because i want to see gaming on the Flash/AIR platform survive and it’s crucial that we have not only the right tooling but also the docs & tutorials to back it up.

Anyway, enough ranting & cheers for your help!

   

woodhouse3d, Newbie
Posted: 27 March 2013 08:36 PM   Total Posts: 5   [ # 8 ]

I stumbled across this thread while trying to work out how to use parse a AWD file.
I agree with the previous comments entirely, its so hard to find any really good learning material for newbies.
I think there is a great need for some well written tutorials that start really basic like… setting the stage,
then use that scene to load a basic geometric object,
and then the same scene to load an AWD file
and then use the same scene again to load an animated AWD
all the time building on the previous one so it is clear to see the extra parts required.

   

woodhouse3d, Newbie
Posted: 27 March 2013 08:41 PM   Total Posts: 5   [ # 9 ]

Oh… and while i’m here if anyone can help i’m really struggling with trying to find the correct way of loading an AWD into the basic scene.
i’ve tried taking the basic cube scene and adding in what i though was correct and also tried stripping back the animated example to just a simple model but get too many errors.

If anyone’s got an example of the correct as file to check against it would be greatly appreciated.

   
   

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