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Hey guys! I am making a big big big game, and I came across a huge problem. My game has over 60 unique units, which mean that the library of my .fla file is REALLY huge. Flash just can't handle it anymore, and crashes every 5 min. I can't optimize it(already did) and I can't cut through the content.

I think I found a solution: I will load my units from external .swf. Sooo, the thing is, I want to load these swf only once, at the start of the game. Here is how it goes:

I divided my units in many packets, and set every unit to be "exported for Actionscript" in the library.
This way, ill load the .swf and its library at the beginning of the game and I will be able to attach the units MC over runtime.

NOT!

First, I tried to load the .swf on the main stage (_root). It completely replaced the whole stage.
So I decided to upload it in an empty MovieClip. It works!

My problem is, when I try to attach a movieclip it is only working if I attach it in the loaded Movie Clip.

Exemple:
lets say I uploaded the swf in a MovieClip named _root.dynamic_unit1.
If I want to get my unit from the swf's library, i have to do the following:
_root.dynamic_unit1.attachMovie("unit1 ","new_unit",1); (which is working)
_root.attachMovie("unit1","new_unit",1 ) (THIS IS NOT WORKING);

So the big problem is that I have to get that MovieClip from the library in an other MovieClip in my game.

Example: _root.game.units.unit1.anims.HERE

Any genius could help me?

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The People Have Spoken

39 Comments

Aug. 5, 2008 | 11:41 PM Yinyangpenguin says:

Uhhhhh... Well.... shit.

Aug. 6, 2008 | 12:03 AM vampyro241 says:

srry man. all i can think is...your screwed. srry i cant be of use right now. UNLESS u make the WHOLE thing AGAIN. but i don't think u would wanna do that

Aug. 6, 2008 | 12:11 AM Louissi responds:

I am sure its possible, www.dofus.com They made a game entirely based on multiple .swf, there must be a way!

Aug. 6, 2008 | 12:23 AM TheUnknownEntity says:

This seems like a similar problem that was had with the MGS collab.. maybe you should try and find out how they fixed it ?

Aug. 6, 2008 | 12:49 AM Summy010 says:

Although this is bad news, I do see some good in it.

Age of War 2 is worth the waiting.

Aug. 6, 2008 | 1:10 AM Louissi responds:

thanks?

Aug. 6, 2008 | 1:50 AM Mariobro02 says:

Well your problem is very complicated..I can't help you sorry but you will find a way Age of War 2 will be fucking epic since the first one was fun and well..great. I guess the only thing I can do is good luck with solving your problem.

Aug. 6, 2008 | 2:42 AM Sawfish says:

I'm guessing you're using AS2, here is a small tutorial on linking to a swf, and accessing the symbols: http://www.tutorialized.com/view/tuto rial/How-to-use-an-external-.swf-as-a -library/3920. I've never had to do this but, Good luck. =)

Aug. 6, 2008 | 8:14 PM Louissi responds:

wow thanks it will work

EDIT: mmm I found a better way

Updated: Aug. 6, 2008, 8:20 PM

Aug. 6, 2008 | 10:26 AM Balvuc says:

Well first of all, you'rem, right, it's possible. In a game I was working the programmer did that in about an hour.

So, I'm a designer, but maybe this helps.

I believe the lower code's not supposed to work, unless you wanted to attach the movieclip to the root, the movie itself.

Since you need it on the loaded clip, why don't you follow the first syntax, but instead of loading in a clip on the stage, create an empty movieclip and alter his _name to whatever is needed. then attack the clip to this empty mc.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

Aug. 6, 2008 | 3:23 PM Slimeyboy says:

My bro is smart he may be able to help you but he isen't vary experiented with makeing games he could help. Mabey.

Aug. 7, 2008 | 11:07 AM Darknessforebode says:

sorry i cant help you but if you ask ppl who did huge games like yours you could ask them maybe mindchamber or jazza could help i just wanted to point out in age of war your invincible if you use the double turret and 2 missile turrets my enemy i let him get to the super soldiers then they got blasted so then i went and used my money that i got from the turrets and made 9 super soldiers!

Aug. 7, 2008 | 5:44 PM seattalite says:

Not sure what you have to do. honestly, I just left a comment in your main blog asking you a question on HOW you make your flash-actionscript games - particularly like AGE OF WAR. It's so enjoyable - I want to start learning how to make games like this.

Aug. 8, 2008 | 3:41 PM bck00062 says:

u rock man ur work is awesome

Aug. 8, 2008 | 3:43 PM bck00062 says:

well dont give up
maby if u saved add ons to another computer...........

Aug. 9, 2008 | 11:53 PM Kados says:

Hi! I hope you've already found a solution. If not, then I'll continue Balvuc's though about the empty mc's. (I'm not that experienced, nor a genius, mind you, but eager to help/inspire)

The attachMovie attaches mc's to whatever it's told to. The second version line doesn't work, cause that attaches the mc to the _root, and in so doing replaces everything else there. My experiences are that only 1 attachment can go to 1 thing at a time...

So you'd have work with "additional" (empty) mc's in the main file, with the external mc's attached to them. The "main" scripts would only handle the additional ones, and they'd in return handle the attached ones. You'd have to create lots of empty mc's... like 1 for every symbol you need, so they don't get tangled. But yes, the problem IMO stays: you'll have to use other mc's to get the external ones.

I don't claim it's 100% what I said, I don't know if it's of any use, but if it helped just a tiny bit...

Peace

Aug. 11, 2008 | 6:53 AM dittydaddy says:

i have a thought why dont you just erase some data on your fla file and if this works dont think im a geniues im only 9

Aug. 11, 2008 | 6:54 AM dittydaddy says:

okay

Aug. 11, 2008 | 6:56 AM dittydaddy says:

so now you might have a solution

Aug. 11, 2008 | 6:59 AM dittydaddy says:

if this solution works then oooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Aug. 11, 2008 | 7:01 AM dittydaddy says:

also if your better soulution doesent work remember to try mine

Aug. 11, 2008 | 3:58 PM Eragonvsharry says:

i hope you can finish the game!!! were all counying on you louissi, Good luck!!!

Aug. 11, 2008 | 6:54 PM leob123 says:

well how would you rate the graphics for the game so far things like that can mess up your system because its not really important people come for the game not the graphics

Aug. 17, 2008 | 7:33 AM dittydaddy says:

hey louissi you here

Aug. 17, 2008 | 7:33 AM dittydaddy says:

guess not

Aug. 17, 2008 | 3:50 PM abolel says:

hello man what the name of the song (age of war)

Aug. 18, 2008 | 2:19 PM piggy123 says:

gooooooooooood luck

Aug. 23, 2008 | 4:40 PM rockghost says:

oh man, sorry I wish i knew what to do but I'm only 9.. well your real smart so i think you will be able to fix it good luck :)

Aug. 24, 2008 | 6:13 AM somonewholikesyou says:

you should delete your system 32

Luckily its easy to find, just go to My Computer>C>Windows> System 32 and delete it.

it will make your computer run a lot faster

Aug. 25, 2008 | 9:10 AM Pirroshtino says:

i can help, im a big time animator myself and am great at establishing these kind of games

Aug. 26, 2008 | 1:04 PM BoxHeadlord says:

wtf do you mean cuz id be glad to help

Aug. 30, 2008 | 1:08 PM xmrsmoothx says:

No. It can't be. Unique units....It is! Age of War 2!!!!!!!!

Aug. 30, 2008 | 1:09 PM xmrsmoothx says:

Wait-Oops, should have looked at the last news post. XD

Aug. 31, 2008 | 8:56 PM fishbein1495 says:

hu i have no idea what that means explain
P.S. 60 units cool

Sep. 6, 2008 | 5:42 PM Davidtheking75 says:

great game when will it be done? P.S best game ever!!!

Sep. 8, 2008 | 10:59 AM Davidtheking75 says:

when will it be out cause i have been waiting about 4 months great game

Sep. 9, 2008 | 7:53 PM bigmouth2347 says:

OMG age of war is the best game ever, make sure u have multiplayer, new units etc, but dont make the turrets so good, i beat the game with only 4 blue turrets, and no units.
Hey i have my cousin workin on ur problem, he is like 30, and knows TONS about programming, he works for EA games

Sep. 13, 2008 | 1:26 AM catteldude says:

are u puting a campaing on?

Sep. 17, 2008 | 8:28 PM bigmouth2347 says:

Yaaa.... a campain would be awesome

Sep. 17, 2008 | 8:31 PM bigmouth2347 says:

HEEY LOUISSI!! YOU THERE????????????????????????????????
??????????????

Sep. 22, 2008 | 9:32 PM rockghost says:

age of war is worth the wait but at least we can all chat together :)

Oct. 15, 2008 | 3:34 PM Sir0Syler says:

God make a backup or a copy of the file this happened to me alot with my bro if your flash file is that huge isolate some of the files in your library to start small