Clickteam

Multimedia Fusion (MMF ) is an object-oriented multimedia development software for creating software applications, such as tools, games, screensavers and presentations for personal computers with Windows operating system. Produced and distributed for MMF since 1998 by the manufacturer Clickteam (CT).

• 6.1 International ( English )
• 6.2 National ( German )

History

MMF is the successor of the programming tools Klik and Play ( KNP, published in 1994 ), The Games Factory (TGF, published in 1996 ) and Click and Create ( C & C, released in 1996 ). Like all his predecessors, also MMF is characterized by the particular programming system that allows even layman programming, fast to program applications.

The first version of MMF was published under the pressure of the Publishers IMSI of CT in 1998. This version had some bugs that could be resolved by upgrading only gradually. MMF was driven up to the release of MMF 2 in the stable version 1.5.

The successor Multimedia Fusion 2 was published on 30 June 2006. It is promised 100 % compatibility with old MMF projects; However, extension objects must be recompiled.

Application / Programming

MMF is used especially in game design, and it is particularly popular with hobby programming because of the easy -to-learn programming concept. From corporate MMF is used almost exclusively for rapid prototyping purposes, since the functionality of MMF compared to a programming language is very limited. Meanwhile MMF is used by professional developers increasingly to the development of casual games.

The special feature of the program is that no command itself must be written, but is only selected by mouse. Thus, syntax errors are virtually eliminated. Furthermore, multimedia fusion already with a complete base engine, as well as numerous editors equipped, enabling extremely rapid development of software.

The main editors that are finding use in MMF called the Storyboard Editor, the level editor and the Event Editor.

In the level editor, the respective frame can be designed. These are the programmer various objects (including Extensions ( engl. extensions) called ) are available. Each of these objects represents your own functions that enable Conditions (conditions), Actions ( Actions ) and expressions (expressions). After the objects have been positioned and decorated in the level editor, they can be programmed in the Event Editor. For the If control structure is used, which is linked to the different functions of the objects. Then, the objects can be put into perspective by functions to each other. While or For loops can be simulated by so-called fast loops. Furthermore, there is the possibility of objects and commands together into groups, which is reminiscent of the programming language C has been programmed with the MMF itself in many parts.

There is the possibility to program your own objects and add so that MMF is theoretically extendable to arbitrary functions. At present, even at the implementation of the Irrlicht 3D engine, which is known from C circles, worked. However, in-depth knowledge in VC and MMF are needed for the programming of such objects.

In order to examine your own application to logic error check compile the program, and it is possible only individual sections (frames) to compile the application and consider.

If a bug is found, it falls relatively easy to identify the error in MMF applications because the Event Editor represents the commands laid out in a matrix, and in this, the commands can be easily moved and sorted using drag and drop.

This type of programming simplifies the development process significantly, but also brings many disadvantages. So MMF is bad performance, since different commands are grouped in so-called extensions, which can be used only with the involvement of the entire object. This consumes unnecessary memory. The same is true with the commands of the objects, which often use the preset by the programmer of the extension variables that are possibly not at all stressed. It so happens that even applications that do not have a " stand-alone code" of the programmer already use a lot of memory, compiled consume and the computer can even utilize a lot of disk space.

Ultimately, it is left to the programmer even if he opts for the simple, relatively limited and uneconomical way of WYSIWYG programming tool or the universal, very time-consuming way of programming languages.

For casual or hobby programmers MMF provides the opportunity to realize their own ideas relatively quickly and creatively.

MMF applications

MMF As already mentioned, mainly used for the creation of games, though, as it can already announced the name, actually all areas of multimedia applications are covered. Thus, different objects can interact with, for example, Web servers, databases, and media files. This gives the programmer is provided with a variety options available which allow the creation of sophisticated applications.

MMF projects can be compiled as Java applets and involved in this way in websites. Since March 2010 Clickteam also offers a fee-based extension that allows you to export in Flash format, and thus a further possibility, created with MMF projects on websites to publish. The publication Website platform thus decreases the further development of MMF a central role.

Curiosities

Even at Klik @ Play ( the quasi- great-grandfather of MMF ) the possibility of artificial intelligence has been announced but not yet implemented until version MMF2.

Example applications that were programmed with MMF:

Games

• Eternal Daughter ( RPG)
• Entrance Gate (Action)
• Arunderan ( RPG)
• I wanna be the guy ( platformer )

Community

MMF is the content of many international communities. The most famous and most visited is "The Daily Click". This is characterized by daily updates and extensive features. An equally interesting community is click- Me, which is devoted primarily for advanced users. The only German community is Clickzone.de.