Short:    MPEG showing Hollywood's functionality
Author:   andreas@airsoftsoftwair.de (Andreas Falkenhahn)
Uploader: andreas airsoftsoftwair de (Andreas Falkenhahn)
Type:     pix/mpg

This MPEG video shows some of the over 35 examples that come with the
Hollywood 1.5 distribution. If you have never seen Hollywood in
action before, this is certainly what you want to download.
Architecture: generic

If you have questions please e-mail me or visit http://www.airsoftsoftwair.com/.
You can order Hollywood at this homepage too.

What is Hollywood?
==================

Hollywood is the Multimedia Application Layer for Amiga(tm) and compatible
operating systems. This means that it offers you a script language together
with advanced functions that allow you to create your own multimedia applications
which range from a simple slideshow to a complex game. Hollywood is distributed
on CD-ROM in a AmigaOS 3 (68k) version and a native MorphOS (PowerPC) version.
An AmigaOS 4 version will follow as soon as it is available. 

The big advantage of Hollywood is, that it does all the framework for you. You do
not have to care for example, if your application is going to run on a ECS, OCS,
AGA or RTG system. You do not have to care if the Workbench screen your application
runs on has 16 or 16.7 million colors. You can concentrate yourself on the important
thing which is your application and not its enviroment. 

Hollywood is fully 24 bit enhanced which means that you do not have to mess
around with palettes, remapping and so on. Additionally it is fully integrated
into AmigaOS(tm) and does not rely on a specific custom hardware. Therefore
Hollywood does also run on emulations like Amithlon or WinUAE with amazing speed.
Hollywood comes with a GUI that allows to control the program efficiently and easily. 

Using the Hollywood script language, the possibilities are almost unlimited. The
basic version of Hollywood comes with over 230 functions that range from disk
operating system (DOS) functions to functions that allow you to smoothly scroll
animations and graphics on your display. There are also many functions that allow
you to display objects, pictures and texts with over 50 cool transition effects or
scale graphics and animations. You can also 24-bit fade objects, text and pictures
smoothly. With the new Hollywood layers nothing is impossible: You have full control
over the position, transparency and light settings of every layer which allows you
to realise almost everything! 

Hollywood uses the datatypes system to load all graphics, animations and sounds which
allows you to use all formats you have datatypes for. Additionally it supports unique
things like transparent windows which enhance the look-and-feel of your Workbench
screen amazingly. You can use true type fonts, intellifonts, standard bitmap fonts
and even the cool Amiga color fonts with Hollywood. 

Hollywood has an integrated image processor which offers many possibilities to
manipulate graphics in an easy and effective way. You can apply the following
operations to images: Rotate, scale, stretch, lighten, darken, mirror, scale to
gray level, texture, invert, tint, replace colors and mix pictures. With this
extensive scale of operations, Hollywood supports you with everything you need
for modern image processing. 

The integrated sound system is fully retargetable through AHI and allows you to
play music modules and sound samples. The sound system includes support of full
channel mixing and master volume effect. You can play virtually an unlimited
number of sounds of any length at the same time. In 16-bit and with 44.1 kHz
of course. 

Hollywood is a high-end application that needs some memory to work best. It uses
a special preload system so that all data is immediately accessible and the
play back is incredibly fast. Therefore it is advised that you have lots of
memory (16 megabytes+) and also run a RTG system like Picasso96 or CyberGraphX. 

Hollywood is the absolutely number one choice in Amiga(tm) Multimedia nowadays
and brings the Amiga back to its roots...Multimedia! It comes with a compiler
which can save your applications as stand alone Amiga executables which may be
freely distributed. Additionally you can use your 68k-version of Hollywood to
create real MorphOS executables and vice versa! So you can publish also
MorphOS versions of your projects without having MorphOS running! And MorphOS
users can create 68k executables with their version too. 

Hollywood is delivered on CD-ROM with over 30 examples that show the power of it.
Additionally there is over 350 kilobyte of documentation which covers every field
of application of Hollywood. To prevent Hollywood from being pirated, it is not
available through resellers. You have to order it directly from me. 
Thanks for your understanding. 

Although all this may sound a bit complicated to you, it is very easy. Programming
skills are not necessary. They are only of use if you want to create complex
applications but for the normal Hollywood usage, you do not need them because
Hollywood is really easy to handle. 


Features
========

Graphics: 
 
* Fully 24bit enhanced! 
* Support for multiple graphics layers 
* Support for layer transparency and light correction 
* Transparent windows are possible 
* Over 100 transition effects for objects, pictures and texts 
* Graphics can be scrolled smoothly 
* Has an integrated image-processor that supports: Rotation, color inverting, gray
  scaling, axis flipping, texturing, mixing and tinting 
* Smooth and fast animation play back 
* Support for transparent graphics and animations 
* Functions for using textures 
* Support for datatypes 
* Easy animation of objects 
* Support for true type, intelli, bitmap and color fonts 
* Scaling of graphics is possible 
* Off-screen rendering is supported 
* Application can open on Workbench or own screen 
* Integrated easy Undo system 
* Frames per second can be limited 
* Fully independent from the enviroment e.g. does not matter if user runs Picasso96 or
  CyberGraphX or AGA or ECS/OCS 

Sound:

* Support for audio samples 
* Full channel mixing 
* Support for music modules 
* Volume and pitch of samples can be modified during playback 
* Sample size is not limited 
* Full Stereo playback in 8 or 16-bit 
* Master volume effect 
* Absolutely retargetable through AHI 

Script language: 

* Variables, arrays and different data types (integer, float, string) 
* Conditions and loops can be used 
* Easy handling of variables (no initialization, declaration) 
* Functions for manipulating strings and doing math operations 
* Compiler and linker to convert your script to an executable 
* Compiler can create MorphOS-native and normal executables 
* Inbuilt error handler that does all the error handling work for you 
* Functions for debugging your script 
* Labels that are fully integrated into the user interaction mode 
* Plugins can be used to enhance Hollywood's functionality 

User interaction: 
  
* Buttons can be defined 
* Joystick can be queried 
* Hollywood buttons support mouse click and mouse over events 
* Keyboard input can be monitored 
* System keys can be monitored 
* Window events (window is moved, sized, closed etc.) can be monitored with ease 
* Easily read whole strings from keyboard 
* GUI to control the program with ease 

System functions: 

* Read from and write to files 
* Easily read whole directories into an array 
* Various file operations 
* Timers can be used (accuracy in milli-seconds!) 
* Many functions to handle files and work with them 
* Query the Amiga system for information 
* Retrieve information about hard disks, memory... 
* Enhance your program to use different languages by using Hollywood's locale.library support 
* Many time and date functions 


Requirements
============
   
* Kickstart 3.0 or better 
* 68020 CPU 
* Graphics board recommended 
* 16 megabyte memory recommended