Multimedia fusion

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Multimedia Fusion (MMF) is object-oriented multimedia development software for creating software applications such as tools, games, screen savers or presentations for personal computers with Windows operating systems. MMF has been produced and sold by the manufacturer Clickteam (CT) since 1998 .

history

MMF is the successor to the programming tools Klik and Play (KNP, published 1994), The Games Factory (TGF, published 1996) and Click and Create (C&C, published 1996). Like all of its predecessors, MMF is also characterized by its special programming system , which even enables non-programmers to quickly program applications.

The first version of MMF was published by CT in 1998 under pressure from the publisher IMSI. This version contained some bugs , which could only be fixed gradually with updates . MMF was sold in the stable version 1.5 until the release of MMF 2.

The successor product Multimedia Fusion 2 was released on June 30, 2006. 100% compatibility with old MMF projects is promised; Extension objects must be recompiled, however.

Area of ​​application / programming

MMF is mainly used in game design, whereby it is particularly popular with hobby programming because of the easy-to-learn programming concept. MMF is used by companies almost exclusively for rapid prototyping purposes, since the range of functions of MMF is very limited compared to a programming language. MMF is now increasingly used by professional developers to develop casual games .

The special thing about the programming is that no command has to be written, but only selected with the mouse . This practically eliminates syntax errors. In addition, Multimedia-Fusion is already equipped with a complete basic engine, as well as numerous editors, which enable extremely fast software development.

The main editors used at MMF are the so-called storyboard editor, the level editor and the event editor.

The respective frame can be designed in the level editor. These are the programmer various objects (including extensions (Engl. Extensions) called) are available. Each of these objects provides its own functions that Conditions (conditions), actions (actions) and Expressions allow (expressions). After the objects have been positioned and set up in the level editor, they can be programmed in the event editor. The If control structure is used for this, which is linked to the various functions of the objects. The objects can then be put into perspective using functions. While or For loops can be simulated by so-called FastLoops. Furthermore there is the possibility to combine objects and commands into groups, which are reminiscent of the programming language C ++, with which MMF itself was programmed in large parts.

It is possible to program and add your own objects, so that MMF can theoretically be expanded to include any number of functions. At the moment we are even working on the implementation of the Irrlicht 3D engine, which is known from C ++ circles. For the programming of such objects, however, a thorough knowledge of VC ++ and MMF is required.

In order to examine your own application for logic errors, you compile the program, whereby it is only possible to compile and check individual sections (frames) of the application.

If a bug has been found, it is relatively easy to identify the error in MMF applications, as the event editor shows the commands clearly in a matrix and in this the commands can be easily moved and sorted using drag and drop.

This type of programming considerably simplifies the development process, but it also has many disadvantages. MMF is not very efficient because various commands are combined in so-called extensions that can only be used with the integration of the entire object. This consumes memory unnecessarily. It is the same with the commands of the objects, which often use the variables preset by the programmer of the extension, which may not be used at all. So it happens that even applications that do not have an "independent code" of the programmer already occupy a lot of memory, when compiled, consume a lot of hard disk space and can even use up the computer.

Ultimately, it is up to the programmer himself whether he opts for the simple, relatively limited and uneconomical way of the WYSIWYG programming tool or the universal, very time-consuming way of the programming languages.

For casual or hobby programmers, MMF offers the opportunity to implement their own ideas relatively quickly and creatively.

MMF applications

As already mentioned, MMF is mainly used to create games, although, as the name suggests, all areas of multimedia applications are covered. For example, different objects can interact with web servers, databases and media files. This provides the programmer with a variety of options that allow the creation of sophisticated applications.

MMF projects can be compiled as Java applets and integrated into websites in this way. Since March 2010, Clickteam has also been offering a chargeable extension that enables export to Flash format, and thus another option for publishing projects created with MMF on websites. The website publication platform is therefore of central importance in the further development of MMF.

Oddities

The possibility of artificial intelligence was already announced at Klik @ Play (the quasi great grandfather of MMF), but not yet implemented up to version MMF2.

Example applications that have been programmed with MMF:

Games

  • EternalDaughter (RPG)
  • Entrance Gate (Action)
  • Arunderan (RPG)
  • I wanna be the guy (platforming)
  • Death Cargo (Beat 'em Up)
  • Five Nights At Freddy's (Survival Horror)
  • Freedom Planet (platformer)

Community

MMF is the content of many international communities . The best known and most visited is "The Daily Click". This is characterized by daily updates and extensive functions. Another interesting community is Klick-Me, which is primarily dedicated to advanced users. The only German community is Clickzone.de.

Web links

International (English)