Welcome to the mTropolis v1.0 Sampler CD-ROM! This disc can be mounted on both Macintosh and Windows systems. This file describes installation and contents of the Macintosh partition. Windows installation notes and the contents of the Windows partition are described in the file README.WRI, visible when this disc is mounted on a PC.
Introduction
mFactory would like to welcome you to a self-guided tour of mTropolis. Before starting, some background information may help orient you to what you can learn on this tour.
mTropolis is an authoring environment that enables you to build sophisticated, interactive multimedia applications that incorporate video, sound, image, animation, and text elements. mTropolis provides several powerful capabilities that improve the authoring and distribution of multimedia applications, as described below.
• Object Orientation: mTropolis applications consist of media elements that are "self-behaving". These media elements can be endowed with complex capabilities by simply double-clicking on them to set properties or by dragging and-dropping built-in "modifiers" that add complex behaviors, such as collision detection and path motion. mTropolis is a paradigm-free, event-driven system where objects communicate in a conversation of system and author-defined messages. The mTropolis object oriented approach increases productivity because complex objects can be built largely without programming, applications can be quickly built by assembling groups of reusable objects, and changes to applications can be easily made without rewriting code.
• High Performance: While other high-level, object-oriented languages and tools enable you to build complex applications, they tend to suffer from poor performance. mFactory is committed to providing developers with the best of two worlds: high productivity and high performance. mTropolis employs patent-pending technology that enables an object-oriented system to deliver performance approaching that of compiled C code. mFactory’s objective is to take advantage of the native performance capabilities of each deployment system and to extend those systems' performance boundaries. This is achieved via a multithreaded kernel and a small memory footprint that reconciles the tradeoff between memory conservation and acute responsiveness. The result is an authoring platform that enables you to build complex, responsive multimedia applications on modest consumer and user platforms.
• Complete Portability: mTropolis enables you to build one version of an application that plays faithfully on multiple deployment platforms, including Macintosh 68K, Power Macintosh, Microsoft Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and other planned platforms. Not only does the programming carry over, but mTropolis automatically converts media for optimal playback on each supported platform.
• Total Extensibility: When building a novel multimedia experience, mFactory recognizes that new capabilities are the rule rather than the exception. An authoring environment must be completely open to enable developers to extend its capabilities, rather than set up roadblocks that force unproductive workarounds. mTropolis is built on a totally extensible and scaleable technology that can be accessed via the mFactory Object Model (MOM). MOM is an API that enables mTropolis development and playback capabilities to be enhanced and replaced. An overview of MOM is included as part of the online documentation on this CD.
• Artist/Programmer Collaboration: mTropolis minimizes the technical problems that often prevent artists and programmers from productive cooperation. mTropolis’ object-oriented approach and ease-of-use enables artists to do the things they do best, such as content creation, conceptualizing creative ideas, and laying out and assembling media elements. At the same time, mTropolis enables developers to program an application and to extend the capabilities of mTropolis in a manner that is transparent to artists. The result is an environment that allows artists to leverage the work of programmers, while enabling programmers to see what artists are trying to do, making them more productive.
What’s on this CD?
This product sampler is based on version 1.0 of mTropolis. It is a fully-functional, but save-disabled version of mTropolis (i.e., you cannot save your work on a mTropolis project because the File Save and Save As menu selections are disabled). Even so, the sampler enables you to work extensively with mTropolis and to see its potential.
This sampler includes the following mTropolis components:
• mTropolis authoring environments (editors) for any Macintosh, Macintosh (68k), and Power Macintosh
• mTropolis runtime environments (players) for any Macintosh, Macintosh (68k), Power Macintosh, Microsoft Windows 3.1, and Microsoft Windows 95
• Online documentation in Adobe Acrobat PDF format (the Acrobat readers are included on the CD)
• mTropolis Object Model (MOM) software development kit examples
The sampler also includes a number of examples of mTropolis authoring:
• the mTropolis examples ("mExamples") project, and a ready-to-run mExamples title
• the mTutorial "puzzle" project
Instructions for using these tutorials and samples can be found in the mTropolis Developer Guide. Reading this guide and following its tutorials is an excellent way to explore the power of mTropolis.
The following mTropolis components are not found on the sampler CD, but are included when you purchase mTropolis:
• the save-enabled mTropolis editor
• the MovieTrax™ editor for creating multi-track QuickTime movies
• the complete MOM software development kit, including headers, libraries, and reference documentation
Installing the mTropolis Sampler
To install the mTropolis Sampler on your Macintosh:
• Double-click on Install mTropolis Sampler and follow the prompts.
• By default, the complete mTropolis sampler, including editing environment and examples, is installed.
• To only install the ready-to-run mExamples Title (built with mTropolis) click the "Custom" button and select mExamples Title only (play from CD) or mExamples Title only (play from hard disk).
To view the online mTropolis documentation, you will also need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. To install this software:
• Double-click on Install Acrobat Reader and follow the prompts.
Manual Installation
All files via the install program are also available directly from this CD. Any of the files can also be "installed" by simply dragging them to your local disk. The folders described below are located in the mTropolis Sampler Files top-level folder:
mTropolis Sampler Editors — save-disabled mTropolis editors for any Macintosh, 68K Macintosh, and Power Macintosh
mTropolis Players — mTropolis players for any Macintosh, 68K Macintosh, Power Macintosh, Windows 3.1, and Windows 95
MovieTrax™ (BETA) — The beta release of the MovieTrax track editor for QuickTime movies, for any Macintosh, 68K Macintosh, and Power Macintosh
Documentation — Adobe Acrobat PDF files of the mTropolis Developer Guide and mTropolis Reference Guide
mTutorial — Files required for the mTropolis tutorial ("mTutorial"), as described in Chapter 7 of the mTropolis Developer Guide
mExamples — The mExamples project (containing The Basics, Modifier Examples, mTutorial, and Sample Projects), the Experimental Modifier Examples project, media files and fonts used by these projects, a built mExamples title for Macintosh, and a mTropolis player for this title
Experimental Modifiers — New, "experimental" modifiers that must be installed manually to be used with mTropolis—see the "About Experimental Modifiers" file in this folder for details
For System Folder — QuickTime 2.1, Sound Manager 3.1, and ObjectSupportLib
mFactory Object Model Examples — Examples for the beta release of the mFactory Object Model interface
Player Licensing — The mTropolis run-time distribution agreement, "Built with mFactory" logo softcopy, and logo usage guidelines
Contacting mFactory
For more information, check out the mFactory web site at:
