Difference between revisions of "Flash"

From Emulation General Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Comparisons)
(Implementations)
Line 22: Line 22:
 
! scope="col"|Platform(s)
 
! scope="col"|Platform(s)
 
! scope="col"|Latest version
 
! scope="col"|Latest version
 +
! scope="col"|Accuracy
 
! scope="col"|<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>
 
! scope="col"|<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>
 
! scope="col"|Active
 
! scope="col"|Active
Line 29: Line 30:
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}
 
|[https://github.com/ruffle-rs/ruffle/releases Nightly builds]
 
|[https://github.com/ruffle-rs/ruffle/releases Nightly builds]
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
+
|Mid ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[https://lightspark.github.io/ Lightspark]
 
|[https://lightspark.github.io/ Lightspark]
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}<ref group=N name=plugin>Web version is not OS-agnostic and requires a browser with support for Flash plugins.</ref>
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}<ref group=N name=plugin>Web version is not OS-agnostic and requires a browser with support for Flash plugins.</ref>
 
|[https://github.com/lightspark/lightspark/releases 0.8.3]
 
|[https://github.com/lightspark/lightspark/releases 0.8.3]
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
+
|Mid ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{~}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[https://swf2js.com/en/ swf2js]
 
|[https://swf2js.com/en/ swf2js]
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|[https://github.com/swf2js/swf2js JavaScript file download]
 
|[https://github.com/swf2js/swf2js JavaScript file download]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
+
|{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{~}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Adobe Flash Player
 
|Adobe Flash Player
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}<ref group=N name=plugin />
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|Web}}<ref group=N name=plugin />
 
|[https://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/debug_downloads.html 32.0.0.465]
 
|[https://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/debug_downloads.html 32.0.0.465]
|{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
|Reference ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[https://gnu.org/software/gnash GNU Gnash]
 
|[https://gnu.org/software/gnash GNU Gnash]
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
 
|[https://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/download.html 0.8.10]
 
|[https://www.gnu.org/software/gnash/download.html 0.8.10]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
|Low ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[https://open-flash.github.io/ Open Flash / Doμ Player]
 
|[https://open-flash.github.io/ Open Flash / Doμ Player]
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|[https://github.com/open-flash/domu-player Git]
 
|[https://github.com/open-flash/domu-player Git]
|{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
+
|{{?}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}}
 
|-
 
|-
|[https://mozilla.github.io/shumway/ Shumway]
+
|Shumway
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|align=left|{{Icon|Web}}
 
|[https://github.com/mozilla/shumway Git]
 
|[https://github.com/mozilla/shumway Git]
|{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
+
|Low ||{{✓}} ||{{✗}} ||{{✗}}
 
|}
 
|}
 
<references group=N />
 
<references group=N />
Line 65: Line 66:
 
===Comparisons===
 
===Comparisons===
 
;Ruffle
 
;Ruffle
:A Rust implementation that compiles to, among other systems, WebAssembly. The devs state it has ActionScript 1 and 2 support, with AS3 support coming later, estimated to be several months. Being sponsored by Newgrounds, it has progressed to the point where it can play the original Flash version of [https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/59593/format/flash?emulate=flash Alien Hominid], many early Flash games, and the vast majority of [https://old.homestarrunner.com Homestar Runner] toons.
+
:A Rust implementation that easily compiles to several platforms, but mainly targets HTML5. The devs are planning to focus on ActionScript 1 and 2 support first, with AS3 support coming later. Development of Ruffle is sponsored by multiple veteran Flash game archives, most notably Newgrounds. It's progressed to the point where it can run many early Flash games, including the original Flash version of [https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/59593/format/flash?emulate=flash Alien Hominid], as well as playing vast majority of [https://old.homestarrunner.com Homestar Runner] toons.
  
 
;Lightspark
 
;Lightspark
Line 80: Line 81:
  
 
;Shumway
 
;Shumway
:An HTML5 implementation. It was sponsored by Mozilla but later abandoned.
+
:An HTML5 implementation. Developed rather actively for a few years, under Mozilla sponsorship, but ultimately abandoned in 2016.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 06:50, 2 November 2021

Adobe Flash
Developer Adobe
Release date 1996
Discontinued 2020
Emulated

Flash (previously FutureSplash Animator, before that SmartSketch) is a software platform created by FutureWave Software, and currently owned by Adobe (previously Macromedia). Originally a drawing program for PenPoint OS, later ported to Windows and Macintosh when pen computing failed to take off, frame-by-frame animation features were added to it in a new program called FutureSplash Animator. The company was acquired by Macromedia in December 1996, rebranding FutureSplash Animator to Flash, an amalgamation of "Future" and "Splash". In turn, Macromedia was acquired by Adobe on December 3, 2005. Their operations, networks, and customer care organizations were merged shortly after.

Used by an overwhelming majority of websites in the early 2000s to the mid-2010s, Flash has been the go-to platform for multimedia and animation, being utilised for streaming video providers such as YouTube, children's websites due to its rich content, and has spawned a subculture of animators as exemplified by the likes of Newgrounds. A number of popular animated series were also animated using Flash, most notably My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Phineas and Ferb and Happy Tree Friends to name a few.

Flash's popularity declined in the late 2010s due to the rise of alternative (and open) web standards such as HTML5 and mobile device manufacturers dropping support for the platform, a prominent example being Apple who publicly stated that iOS will never support Flash. Google followed suit when it dropped support for the platform in subsequent Android releases, and it didn't help that a series of security issues, coupled with Flash itself being a closed standard, has led Adobe to wind down on Flash and retire it in 2020.

Implementations

Name Platform(s) Latest version Accuracy FLOSS Active Recommended
Ruffle Windows Linux macOS Web Nightly builds Mid
Lightspark Windows Linux Web [N 1] 0.8.3 Mid ~
swf2js Web JavaScript file download ? ~
Adobe Flash Player Windows Linux macOS Web [N 1] 32.0.0.465 Reference
GNU Gnash Windows Linux 0.8.10 Low
Open Flash / Doμ Player Web Git ?
Shumway Web Git Low
  1. 1.0 1.1 Web version is not OS-agnostic and requires a browser with support for Flash plugins.

Comparisons

Ruffle
A Rust implementation that easily compiles to several platforms, but mainly targets HTML5. The devs are planning to focus on ActionScript 1 and 2 support first, with AS3 support coming later. Development of Ruffle is sponsored by multiple veteran Flash game archives, most notably Newgrounds. It's progressed to the point where it can run many early Flash games, including the original Flash version of Alien Hominid, as well as playing vast majority of Homestar Runner toons.
Lightspark
A C++ implementation. Says it has 78% of the APIs covered.
swf2js
An open-core HTML5 implementation that uses a dynamic recompiler. The open-source "Free Version" supports limited features, such as AS1, AS2 and ZLIB compression, whereas the payware "Production Version" supports further features, such as AS3 and LZMA compression.
Adobe Flash Player
The official closed-source implementation by Adobe. It was discontinued in 2020.
Gnash
Another C++ implementation. Focuses on older versions of Flash that Lightspark is less likely to support properly, hence why Lightspark can use Gnash as an automatic fallback if both are installed simultaneously.
Shumway
An HTML5 implementation. Developed rather actively for a few years, under Mozilla sponsorship, but ultimately abandoned in 2016.

See also

  • Flashpoint - preservation effort for games designed in commercial web frameworks (not just Flash).