The list of features that follows here are just the basic features that must be changed in order to make AMT a more valued product for the latest trends in multimedia. We are aware that this list could be much longer, but with this list of features, we are asking for enhancements that make changes to the fundamental AMT architecture. Since these are architectural changes, they cannot be done by AMT Developers. The biggest problem is that once you have started developing your title in AMT PE, you can't easily go back to working in AMT. But the proposition we have made here, allows you to work more efficiently in AMT and reducing the need to write code in AMT PE.
AMT plug-in mechanism
With the current version of AMT, you can extend it with new features if you are familiar with the AMT PE. Unfortunally not many multimedia companies have the budgets or access to an AMT PE developer to add these extra features. They are dependent on third party extensions (Engine is the terminology in AMT). The difficulty with current system is that you can use only one Engine at a time, there is no real modular plug-in system. AMT would be of much greater value if you could chose from multiple plug-ins instead a single engine as is the situation now.
AML coding inside AMT
AMT is certainly the easiest to use authoring tool on the market, but it is missing a scripting component within the AMT itself.
Arguments:
- Easier to help out small AMT developers because giving him a small script is certainly easier then teaching him how to compile a project in MPW. The Runtime Maker isn't really useful because it compiles a whole project all at once and you can't see the result in AMT tool as you progress. Further, every time you build your title you have to add that script again.
- Makes AML programming language more popular because it is easier to use.
- Makes it easier to do string manipulation inside AMT.This can't be done at all now in the AMT environment. This would make AMT better for text oriented titles.
- Conditional branching ('if then'). It is very frustrating to add this and test in the AMT PE, while this kind of coding is very easy and should be added by the title designer.
- Every time when you do Save as text... you have to add your classes or code into the exported sources. If most of the code was already added inside in AMT it would bring AMT and AMT PE closer together.
- Animation control is difficult to do without scripting.
- More variations in user experience. Instead of adding a dozens of commands to simulate a whole set of different interactions, you could support them all by integrated AML scripting.
- When you have a Database Engine inside AMT, you certainly need scripting.
- Save time. Instead of creating a whole bunch of commands sometimes this can be replaced by a few lines of code.
- Even for those developers that are capable of creating their own AMT engines, they will certainly gain some time when there is less need for creating new Engines.
Background Layers
When you create a title with lots of screens, there will be certainly some screens that have a common user interaction. Currently you have to code this twice, because AMT can't share common screen code. Titles with hundreds of screens can therefore use a lot of memory. If AMT would support Backgrounds or templates this could be avoided. This would also make the creation of an AMT title quicker. It also makes large titles easier to manage; changing something in the background layer will automatically update the other screens.
Only Load Media when needed
AMT is sometimes considered as being slow. This problem is mostly caused by poorly designed titles. Current screen loading could be enhanced by only loading the media that is immediately needed rather than loading all of the objects in the container. Unloading media that is not needed anymore, would be another improvement.
Ftp and http Access
Now internet is becoming more important in our lives, it is certainly time that AMT have more support for the internet.
Examples:
- A title could be updated, by downloading the latest media from the internet. For example, this could be one picture that contains the latest price list.
- A catalog database title could download new product descriptions from the internet.
32-bit version for Windows 95 and NT
Most of our customers are asking exclusively titles that are 32-bit, because the latest OS from Microsoft and latest hardware for Intel is optimized for these applications. Also the latest API's from Microsoft are only available for 32-bit applications, for Example Direct Draw, Direct Draw. Also the upcoming version of QuickTime For Windows and QuickTime VR will only be available for 32 -bit applications. By switch to 32-bit we will can build titles that are many times faster than the current titles and make AMT a more competitive product against the other authoring tools.