Flash or Anmated Gifs

[superace]

Hi everyone, this is my first thread on the community and I am hoping someone out there can help. Our current live website is V7 and I am in process of developing a new one on version 8.5 business. Our front page we are hoping to have a buckle image that splits into two parts it could be the gateway to our online shop that would open and close. I have been told that this can be done in flash or animated gifs (?!!!!!!!!!!) Could anyone tell me how i go about getting this done if we choose to go with this type of design.

Any suggestion would be gratefully recieved.

[leehack]

Needs to be in flash IMO for a professional look, animated gifs just do not cut it on that type of effect. You need to contact a 'flash' designer and provide him/her with the sizes that you want the file to be. Once finished you just incorporate this into your site. Expect to pay £200-£500 depending on what exactly you want done.

[OllyBug]

I agree with Lee, Flash looks so much better and the compression of the animation with Flash is so good, the files don't have to be large to look clean and not pixelated (They can do with gifs). Advice would be why not have a go yourself with a the trial version from http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/ It is a very expensive tool but why not design a rough animation then take it to a professional. It is daunting at first but the help files with Flash provide a good grounds to animating.

[gabrielcrowe]

i'm afraid i ahve to disagree.

i love animated gifs. everything about them makes me tingle.

the flashy red and yellow ones are amazing! WOOT! and the way they really make me want to click.... oooooh, clicky clicky.

and the best part is the lack of interactions, who wants to have something that you click on and interact with?

and what about that cool 'looping' thing they do. right back from the start all the time.

hey, the 80's called, they want their 'Graphics Interchange Format' back.

its flash everytime for me, FOR I AM THE SARCASTERTRON.

[TraceyHand]

and what about that cool 'looping' thing they do. .

you forgot "seamless"


you crack me up, Gabe!

[leehack]

He's worse than a sheila at times, 250 words and 10 minutes to say one word - flash. FREAK!

[superace]

Flash or animated Gifs

Thanks for all replies folks. Will certainly take you comments on board.

[pinbrook]

To be honest if I see a flash or any other presentation as a introductory page to a website my first reaction is to look for the skip flash link.

Its a waste of time, I'd rather go to a website and see what there is to buy.

When you go shopping do you expect to ring a bell to gain entry to the shop or do you walk in the door and start browsing?

[completerookie]

the quickest way to turn people off a site is to insist they download the latest (bloated) download of xyz just to see what your'e offering. - get rid of it !

I personally downloaded "flashblock" (FF2 addin) and use that repeatedly until I get rid of all the "flash content" on almost every site I visit, to leave the uncluttered site I need to look out without having distracting animations going on.

its no different to that bloomin google earth who cares about a spinning globe, bring back the flat-earth-society

[Mark H]

I personally downloaded "flashblock" (FF2 addin) and use that repeatedly until I get rid of all the "flash content" on almost every site I visit, to leave the uncluttered site I need to look out without having distracting animations going on.

That would leave a completely white page on some of the best sites I've seen around. Move on people (those who still think email should still be in plain text only are excused)