The Flash community needs a complete reboot
This is a cross-post from my Google Plus account. Join in the original discussion on there.
But of course this isn't true. For many applications, such as casual/social games, media players and online advertising, Flash is still the dominant force. And the good news for Adobe is that new talent is entering the Flash world all the time. There has never been a better time to start-up as a game developer, and Flash can claim many of the hottest developers such as Zynga, Vlambeer and Bezerk Studios amongst its users. And while WebGL is having its moment in the sun right now, the bigger reach of Flash Stage3D will surely steal the browser 3D crown when Flash Player 11 is finally released.
What can Adobe do to fix the perception problem? Well for a start they need to reach out and embrace the new generation of Flash users. Why aren't framework developers like Adam (Atomic) Saltsman or Chevy Ray Johnston invited to talk at MAX? They are doing way more for Flash than an old guard who have clearly lost the faith.
The other thing Adobe need to do is start supporting the amazing open-source Flash community with some hard cash. Flash Develop, Away3D, Box2D, TweenMax, Flixel, FlashPunk and many more fine projects all deserve some financial support from the mothership. The Flash open-source community is strong, but how much more could it achieve with the resources it deserves?
Comments
I honestly think that its sign of Flash maturing. All those guys who left were people who liked to learn and try new things, to play with their toys etc. And in last years it seems to me that Flash ecosystem kind of exhausted on that side. There isn't much new to learn and try in a for fun way. Just sit down and do projects.
On other hand HTML5 is a new hype and there is much new and fun to try there for those who did not learn it before. So those who like to learn and try something new and "play" with technology went there.
On Adobe side, honestly to me Adobe is just another big corporation in its attitudes. Their forums, tutorials, newsletters always were kind of uptight and formal. Not playful community driven/supporting/embracing atmosphere there. Its actually outside of Adobe Flash community that always was fun and inviting.
In all that sense sadly feel like Flash is going the way of Java, becomes a serious business tools to do certain types of projects, not a lightweight toy for media/programming/web enthusiast.
Ours is one of the shops leaving Flash for greener pastures. We set aside a week to see what we could do in Unity, because all our clients are asking for iOS versions (and let's face it, the Flash iOS exporter is a joke). Frankly, we were blown away. It's bittersweet - I'm leaving behind a solid Flash-based game framework we've been using for two years to make some really fun products - but there's no denying that this is the right move for our unit.
Good luck on your efforts to self-organize and evangelize. After putting years into Flash, I'd be sad to see it drop into obscurity alongside Director.
I love Flash, Flex, Flash Develop, and even Flex Builder. I can build something in Flash and make both a Mac and PC projector file for it in 1 hour. (or do it in Air). There is NOTHING else like it.
Plus, animators love Flash and time-line coding to get their stuff to ork in As3 is simply not anywhere near as difficult as people would have you believe. Try adding code to an After Effects movie... I gotta go write my own blog about this, but in essence, Flash kicks ass and always wil.
Regarding Adobe, don't expect too much. It took 10 years to Macromedia/Adobe to realize that gaming was important.