( best viewed with a 9-point monospaced font ) ***************************************************************** PhotoCaster v1.2 README 10/01/97 1-800-282-5361 Media Lab,Inc. ***************************************************************** 1. What is PhotoCaster? 2. PhotoCaster Features 3. What Does This Archive Include? 4. Pricing 5. Ordering And Unlocking 6. Version History 7. Other Media Lab Xtras **************** 1. WHAT IS PHOTOCASTER? ***************** PhotoCaster is an Xtra for Director that imports Photoshop 3.0 and 4.0 files directly into the Director cast. Each of your Photoshop layers is brought in as its own castmember. Photocaster preserves the registration, name, and anti-aliasing of each layer, making the transfer of your Photoshop files into Director as painlessas possible. It will save you hours of development time. Free updates and other software demos and offers in the future are availbale on our Web page. http://www.medialab.com/software/ **************** 2. PHOTOCASTER FEATURES ***************** * imports Photoshop 3 and 4 files directly into your Director cast * creates individual cast members from layers * optionally flattens the image on import to make just one cast member * controls color mapping: 24 bit, current palette, or custom palette * integrated into Director's interface - just pull down a menu * generates a super-palette derived from the layers in your Photoshop file * keeps layer registration * preserves anti-aliasing between layers * flattens linked layers into single cast members * optionally ignores hidden layers * saves time and money * reduces frustration * no Lingo required **************** 3. WHAT DOES THIS ARCHIVE INCLUDE? ***************** This archive includes the unlocking demo of PhotoCaster version 1.2. It is a fully functional version. However, it defaces any castmembers created with red lines. Try it out! If you think you'd like the full version give us a call at 800-282-5361, and we'll give you an unlock code with which you can be up and running in a matter of minutes. See the following sections for more ordering information. Along with this READ ME file, you should have received the following files: PhotoCaster.x32 The Xtra. Place it in the Xtras folder. PhotoCaster v1.2.hlp The PhotoCaster documentation in WinHelp format. Order.txt An e-mail or fax order form for Windows. ********************** 4. PRICING ************************ ******************* * ELECTRONIC * $199 for the electronic-only version ******************* (which you have in your hands right now!) ******************* * PACKAGED * $249 for the packaged version. ******************* PhotoCaster v1.2 costs (US) $249 plus shipping. But there is a special electronic-only offer of $199 if you simply need an unlock code and no printed documentation or packaging. The electronic version has the same documentation that comes in printed form with the packaged version. **************** 5. ORDERING AND UNLOCKING *************** ****** ELECTRONIC Before ordering your unlock code, you will need your product ID. ****** 1. install and launch PhotoCaster 2. open the 'Advanced' options. 3. Click 'About' In the About box for PhotoCaster you will find the 7 digit PhotoCaster product ID. Simply phone, fax, or e-mail that number to us with your order and we'll give you your product unlock code. Enter that unlock code into the 'unlock' field in the About box and you're done! Keep that code safe somewhere in case you have to re-install PhotoCaster or Director for any reason. PhotoCaster locks itself to the copy of Director in which it is installed. It *** IMPORTANT ** cannot be moved to a different copy of Director with a different serial number. So make sure you are getting your product code while using the copy of Director you expect to be using with PhotoCaster. ****** PACKAGED Though not required, you may want to have the last 10 digits of ****** your Director serial # when you call in to order a packaged version. This will save you from having to call back later to get an unlock code when you receive the packaged version. ********** HOW TO ORDER ********** * Automated Just connect to our web page and you can quickly order unlock codes from our automated commerce server. * Phone In the U.S: 1-800-282-5361 - If ordering an electronic unlock code International: +1.303.499.5411 be sure to have your product ID ready. Phone orders can be taken Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Mountain Standard Time. * E-Mail xtra-sales@medialab.com - There is an e-mail order form (ORDER.TXT) provided with the electronic download. Fill in all the information it requests, and e-mail back. **************** 6. VERSION HISTORY ***************** v1.2 (MacOS & Win) Supports multi-layer importing with AlphaMania 2!!!!!! Fixed the 'gray compositing' bug when importing layers into AlphaMania. Fixed the when-mask-doesn't-intersect-anything bug. v1.1.2 (MacOS & Win) Fixed crash associated with certain Photoshop files when used with AlphaMania. More stable in general Now supports Photoshop files created with Adobe After Effects v1.1.1 (MacOS & Win) Released September 1996 Fixed small AM connection glitch. Mac now can 'see' Photoshop files created on the PC. v1.1 (MacOS & Win) Released September 1996 Tons of new features and improvements in this free upgrade. The big ones include vastly improved dithering, the ability to select individual layers for import, and the ability to work with AlphaMania. v1.02 (MacOS & Win) Released June 19, 1996 Eliminates crashes caused by an undocumented perversity in the Photoshop 3.0 file format. (This bug was better known as the "rename the problem layer and now it works" bug.) Also plugs a small Mac memory leak. v1.01 (MacOS) Released April 16, 1996 Fixed bug that sometimes crashed 68k Macs when creating super-palette. Corrected phone number listed in MacOS PhotoCaster About box v1.0 (MacOS & Win) Released April 8, 1996. Whoohoo!! **************** 7. OTHER MEDIA LAB XTRAS ***************** ALPHAMANIA 2!!! =============== AlphaMania 2, an Xtra for Director, provides authors with a bitmap cast member which supports live alpha channel rendering. This means that your graphics can now dynamically anti-alias to anything behind them, just like Director's rich text. AlphaMania can also use an alpha channel to support transparency to achieve myriad never-before-possible effects. Glass buttons! True dynamically feathered shadows and glows! All effects are independent of sprite location, color depth, and changing backgrounds. AlphaMania imports PICT, TGA, and, in conjunction with Media LabÕs PhotoCaster Xtra, Photoshop layers complete with their alpha channel information. o Dynamic anti-aliasing bitmaps o True shadows & glows o Live transparency for glass and highlight effects EFFECTOR SET I!!! ================= Effector Set I is an Xtra for Director that produces live special effects on AlphaMania 2 castmembers. Nine special effects are included in Effector Set I. Effects can be combined on an AlphaMania sprite, and will work with other Media Lab Effector Sets or third party effects for AlphaMania 2. Effector Set I effects are visually stunning, very cool, and easy to use. Effector Set I includes these effects, as well as five more: Rotate Live rotation of sprites - fast and looks great Swirl Swirl like a drain Magnify Fully interpolated, works at any percentage. HSB Colorize VERY Powerful colorizing tool. Even seeing is not believing.