The AMT Accelerator version 2.5.1 allows you to speed up titles build with Apple Media Tool or Apple Media Tool Programming Environment. We currently support version 2.0, 2.1.1, XMedia 2.0.1+ and 2.5d10. The load time of your AMT screens will be reduced between 2 to 8 times on the MacOS Platform and 1.5 to 5 times on Windows Platform both measured on a 4x speed CD-ROM.
Apple Media Tool (AMT) is one of the most exiting new Multimedia Authoring tools on the market. One of the biggest advantage of AMT is the way it stores the media. It uses the MacOS folder as container for its media and the media itself is stored in standard formats like QuickTime Movies, PICT, WAVE and RTF. This makes it very easy for the designer to change a media.
But this big advantage also reflects some disadvantages:1. By using the standard MacOS (or Windows) folder as container it becomes terrible slow on CD-ROM. You will notice this as soon as you have 8 or more different media on one screen. Why is this? The CD-ROM is in fact a fast storage device as long as it doesn't have to change the position of its reading head during reading. When you store files in a folder you don't have the guarantee that the files are stored sequentially. When you open an AMT screen with 8 media it is possible that the CD-ROM reading head has to be moved 8 times (or more). Also another factor that slows down the reading of the media is the MacOS File System, because it is very slow in the opening of files. All the 8 media are stored in 8 different files, so this slows down the opening of your AMT screen yet again. ( Developers of cross platform AMT titles may have noticed that on Windows this is less of a problem.)
2. Another disadvantage in using a standard MacOS folder as container, is that it is easier for other people to steal your media. Some designers solves this problem by hiding their media folder but this trick is in the mean time well known and there are a lot of third party tools on the market that allows you to copy those kind of folders.
3. Developers of cross platform titles also have to use the standard 8.3 DOS naming convention.Solution:
For all these problems there is now a solution: AMT Accelerator. By storing all the media in one big Media database file you will notice speed increments in the range of 2 to 8 times on the MacOS platform and 1.5 to 5 times on Windows platform (measured with a 4x speed CD-ROM). Because the media is stored in a database format that is unknown to other developers it is very difficult to steal your media. All your files can have a standard MacOS file name, this means 31 characters long.
- It works cross-platform.
- Easy to use.
- Completely automatic.
- On a hard disk your title takes up less space and copies faster from one hard disk to another.
- It works with Runtime Maker and AMTPE.
- Doesn't change your work process. You can still use the standard media folder and combine it with the media database.
- Small memory footprint.
- It works with SwitchMedia or ChangeMedia techniques,
- For AMTPE developers it gives you maximum control to fine-tune your media on CD-ROM.
- Can be used as final step in your development process or can be used during development.
- Easier to build cross-platform titles (because more choices for your file names)
- Your media is better protected because it is stored in unknown database format.
- AMT 2.0
- AMT 2.1
- AMT 2.1.1
- XMeDIA 2.0+
- AMT 1.2 (special request)
The "GearHead" title which you can find on the Demo CD of AMT 1.2 was done in about 15 minutes without any human intervention. Afterwards we saw speed enhancements of 2 to 8 times.
The price for the internet online version is $695 this price includes:
- Free support by e-mail
- One developer license
- Invoice
- Free of royalties, (you can build as many titles as you want).
For those of you that that want a mail package: you have to add $100. This price includes:
- 2 floppies
- Printed documentation
Marc Van Olmen
Vaartstraat 92
2520 RANST
Belgium
Tel: +32 3 475 19 98 (Please try to use e-mail)
e-mail: Marc.Van.Olmen@Sky4Studios.Be
