Starling

Starling is a very complex and advanced tool on which professional Flash games can be created on.

Starling is actually the game engine on which the widely successful Angry Birds game has been coded (the Flash version).

The engine focuses mainly on performance and on a light size, taking full advantage of Flash's Stage3D feature.

What is new in this release:

• Added 'Sprite3D' class for simple 3D transformations
• Added 3D transformation methods to DisplayObject, RenderSupport and MatrixUtil classes
• Added 3D camera properties to Stage class ('fieldOfView', 'focalLength', 'projectionOffset')
• Added 'is3D' property to DisplayObject class
• Added parallel asset loading to AssetManager class (via 'numConnections' property)
• Added build scripts for Gradle and Maven (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added automatic TravisCI integration tests (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added 'RenderTexture.optimizePersistentBuffers' to enable single-buffered render textures
• Added support for nested filters (thanks to AIR 15)
• Added support for drawing filtered objects to render textures
• Added support for HTML text to 'TextField' class (TrueType fonts only)
• Added 'color' property to Button class
• Added 'over' and 'disabled' states to Button class
• Added 'overlay' property to Button class
• Added 'readjustSize' method to Button class
• Added 'hasChars' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'getCharIDs' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'texture' property to BitmapFont class
• Added 'textureFormat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'isLoading' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'textureRepeat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'IO_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (when loading from URLLoader fails)
• Added 'PARSE_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Thomas Lefevre)
• Added 'SECURITY_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Honza Brecka)
• Added some 'protected' qualifiers to AssetManager methods, for better extensibility
• Added 'FATAL_ERROR' event to Starling class (thanks to Andras Csizmadia)
• Added 'stopWithFatalError' method to Starling class
• Added 'backBufferPixelsPerPoint' property to Starling class
• Added 'ignoreChildOrder' parameter to 'Sprite.flatten()' (thanks to vync79)
• Added 'cleanMasterString' utility method (thanks to Jackson Dunstan)
• Added ByteArray-fallback if AssetManager can't parse XML or JSON
• Added ability to chain ColorMatrixFilter functions (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• Added 'standard' profile to automatic profile selection
• Added 'supportsRelaxedTargetClearRequirement' property to SystemUtil class
• Added 'format' and 'repeat' arguments to RenderTexture constructor
• Added 'soundTransform' property to MovieClip class (thanks to Kawika Heftel)
• Added 'setQuad' method to QuadBatch class
• Added MathUtil class
• Added project and module files for IntelliJ IDEA
• Added helper script 'copy_resources.rb' for IntelliJ IDEA
• Optimized: persistent render textures no longer require double buffering (thanks to AIR 15)
• Optimized all internal XML parsing (thanks to JohnHeart & Andrew Pellerano)
• Optimized BitmapFont composition - now pooling all temporary objects
• Optimized memory management for some internally used BitmapData (TextField, MiniBitmapFont)
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getNames' by caching sorted list of names
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getTexture' by always returning the same SubTexture instances
• Optimized 'DisplayObject.removeEventListeners' (thanks to Fraggle)
• Optimized 'AssetManager.loadQueue' by processing font/atlas XMLs in separate steps
• Optimized 'advanceTime' method in MovieClip class
• Optimized 'execute' function by avoiding 'Array.slice'
• Optimized handling of pass textures in FragmentFilter (avoiding chance of null reference)
• Optimized AOT performance by avoiding 'Array.push' in several places
• Optimized Scaffold and Demo projects so that they no longer need an embedded background texture

What is new in version 1.6 / 1.7 RC:

• Added 'Sprite3D' class for simple 3D transformations
• Added 3D transformation methods to DisplayObject, RenderSupport and MatrixUtil classes
• Added 3D camera properties to Stage class ('fieldOfView', 'focalLength', 'projectionOffset')
• Added 'is3D' property to DisplayObject class
• Added parallel asset loading to AssetManager class (via 'numConnections' property)
• Added build scripts for Gradle and Maven (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added automatic TravisCI integration tests (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added 'RenderTexture.optimizePersistentBuffers' to enable single-buffered render textures
• Added support for nested filters (thanks to AIR 15)
• Added support for drawing filtered objects to render textures
• Added support for HTML text to 'TextField' class (TrueType fonts only)
• Added 'color' property to Button class
• Added 'over' and 'disabled' states to Button class
• Added 'overlay' property to Button class
• Added 'readjustSize' method to Button class
• Added 'hasChars' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'getCharIDs' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'texture' property to BitmapFont class
• Added 'textureFormat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'isLoading' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'textureRepeat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'IO_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (when loading from URLLoader fails)
• Added 'PARSE_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Thomas Lefevre)
• Added 'SECURITY_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Honza Brecka)
• Added some 'protected' qualifiers to AssetManager methods, for better extensibility
• Added 'FATAL_ERROR' event to Starling class (thanks to Andras Csizmadia)
• Added 'stopWithFatalError' method to Starling class
• Added 'backBufferPixelsPerPoint' property to Starling class
• Added 'ignoreChildOrder' parameter to 'Sprite.flatten()' (thanks to vync79)
• Added 'cleanMasterString' utility method (thanks to Jackson Dunstan)
• Added ByteArray-fallback if AssetManager can't parse XML or JSON
• Added ability to chain ColorMatrixFilter functions (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• Added 'standard' profile to automatic profile selection
• Added 'supportsRelaxedTargetClearRequirement' property to SystemUtil class
• Added 'format' and 'repeat' arguments to RenderTexture constructor
• Added 'soundTransform' property to MovieClip class (thanks to Kawika Heftel)
• Added 'setQuad' method to QuadBatch class
• Added MathUtil class
• Added project and module files for IntelliJ IDEA
• Added helper script 'copy_resources.rb' for IntelliJ IDEA
• Optimized: persistent render textures no longer require double buffering (thanks to AIR 15)
• Optimized all internal XML parsing (thanks to JohnHeart & Andrew Pellerano)
• Optimized BitmapFont composition - now pooling all temporary objects
• Optimized memory management for some internally used BitmapData (TextField, MiniBitmapFont)
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getNames' by caching sorted list of names
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getTexture' by always returning the same SubTexture instances
• Optimized 'DisplayObject.removeEventListeners' (thanks to Fraggle)
• Optimized 'AssetManager.loadQueue' by processing font/atlas XMLs in separate steps
• Optimized 'advanceTime' method in MovieClip class
• Optimized 'execute' function by avoiding 'Array.slice'
• Optimized handling of pass textures in FragmentFilter (avoiding chance of null reference)
• Optimized AOT performance by avoiding 'Array.push' in several places
• Optimized Scaffold and Demo projects so that they no longer need an embedded background texture

What is new in version 1.6:

• Added 'Sprite3D' class for simple 3D transformations
• Added 3D transformation methods to DisplayObject, RenderSupport and MatrixUtil classes
• Added 3D camera properties to Stage class ('fieldOfView', 'focalLength', 'projectionOffset')
• Added 'is3D' property to DisplayObject class
• Added parallel asset loading to AssetManager class (via 'numConnections' property)
• Added build scripts for Gradle and Maven (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added automatic TravisCI integration tests (thanks to Andras Csizmadia & Honza Brecka)
• Added 'RenderTexture.optimizePersistentBuffers' to enable single-buffered render textures
• Added support for nested filters (thanks to AIR 15)
• Added support for drawing filtered objects to render textures
• Added support for HTML text to 'TextField' class (TrueType fonts only)
• Added 'color' property to Button class
• Added 'over' and 'disabled' states to Button class
• Added 'overlay' property to Button class
• Added 'readjustSize' method to Button class
• Added 'hasChars' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'getCharIDs' utility method to BitmapFont class
• Added 'texture' property to BitmapFont class
• Added 'textureFormat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'isLoading' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'textureRepeat' property to AssetManager class
• Added 'IO_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (when loading from URLLoader fails)
• Added 'PARSE_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Thomas Lefevre)
• Added 'SECURITY_ERROR' event to AssetManager class (thanks to Honza Brecka)
• Added some 'protected' qualifiers to AssetManager methods, for better extensibility
• Added 'FATAL_ERROR' event to Starling class (thanks to Andras Csizmadia)
• Added 'stopWithFatalError' method to Starling class
• Added 'backBufferPixelsPerPoint' property to Starling class
• Added 'ignoreChildOrder' parameter to 'Sprite.flatten()' (thanks to vync79)
• Added 'cleanMasterString' utility method (thanks to Jackson Dunstan)
• Added ByteArray-fallback if AssetManager can't parse XML or JSON
• Added ability to chain ColorMatrixFilter functions (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• Added 'standard' profile to automatic profile selection
• Added 'supportsRelaxedTargetClearRequirement' property to SystemUtil class
• Added 'format' and 'repeat' arguments to RenderTexture constructor
• Added 'soundTransform' property to MovieClip class (thanks to Kawika Heftel)
• Added 'setQuad' method to QuadBatch class
• Added MathUtil class
• Added project and module files for IntelliJ IDEA
• Added helper script 'copy_resources.rb' for IntelliJ IDEA
• Optimized: persistent render textures no longer require double buffering (thanks to AIR 15)
• Optimized all internal XML parsing (thanks to JohnHeart & Andrew Pellerano)
• Optimized BitmapFont composition - now pooling all temporary objects
• Optimized memory management for some internally used BitmapData (TextField, MiniBitmapFont)
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getNames' by caching sorted list of names
• Optimized 'TextureAtlas.getTexture' by always returning the same SubTexture instances
• Optimized 'DisplayObject.removeEventListeners' (thanks to Fraggle)
• Optimized 'AssetManager.loadQueue' by processing font/atlas XMLs in separate steps
• Optimized 'advanceTime' method in MovieClip class
• Optimized 'execute' function by avoiding 'Array.slice'
• Optimized handling of pass textures in FragmentFilter (avoiding chance of null reference)
• Optimized AOT performance by avoiding 'Array.push' in several places
• Optimized Scaffold and Demo projects so that they no longer need an embedded background texture

What is new in version 1.5.1:

• Exchanged references to 'HTTPStatusEvent.HTTP_RESPONSE_STATUS' with custom constant, to avoid problems in pure Flash projects.

What is new in version 1.5:

• Added:
• Support for automatic Context3D profile selection
• Automatic usage of RectangleTextures when possible, to save memory
• Support for rotated SubTextures (for tools like 'TexturePacker')
• Support for 'File' instances to 'AssetManager.enqueueWithName'
• Support for per-texture options to 'AssetManager.enqueueWithName'
• Support for multiple Starling instances when using AssetManager
• Support for 'background execution' to AssetManager
• Support for latest ATF file format
• Support for Antialiasing in RenderTextures (coming with AIR 13)
• Automatic pooling of delayed calls in 'Juggler.delayCall'
• 'repeatCall' convenience function to Juggler
• 'touchGroup' property to containers, similar to 'mouseChildren' in classic Flash
• 'SystemUtil' class to simplify platform-dependent tasks
• 'offsetX/Y' properties to BitmapFont
• 'transparent' parameter to 'Stage.drawToBitmapData'
• 'Texture.fromData' method
• Optimized:
• Start-up time immensely by lazily creating AGAL programs (thanks to ajwfrost)
• Performance of 'DisplayObject.rotation' setter by avoiding loop (thanks to zeh)
• Bitmap Font rendering by reducing object allocations massively (thanks to Jeff)
• 'Quad.setColor' (thanks to IonSwitz)
• 'DisplayObject.transformationMatrix' setter
• Capacity change of QuadBatch instance
• 'removeEventListener'
• 'Texture.frame' getter by avoiding allocation
• Fixed:
• Parsing of filename and extension of AssetManager object
• Null reference on lost context after changing a font from TrueType to BMP
• Compiler warning in Flash CC
• Multiple dispatching of 'addedTo'- and 'removedFromStage' events
• RenderTexture closure allocations (thanks to Jonathan Hart)
• Timing issues when calling 'purgeQueue' and 'loadQueue' in succession
• That 'advanceTime' was called after context was lost
• Occasional null reference within TextField class after context loss
• Maximum size of QuadBatch

What is new in version 1.4.1:

• Added public 'AssetManager.numQueuedAssets' property.
• Added protected 'AssetManager.queue' property.
• Added 'Starling.registerProgramFromSource' method.
• Optimized text rendering on buttons by enabling their 'batchable' property.
• Optimized fragment filter construction by caching shader programs.
• Optimized 'VertexData.numVertices' setter.
• Fixed erroneous 'clipRect' when it was completely outside the stage bounds.
• Fixed error in 'AssetManager.loadQueue' when 'purgeQueue' was called during active timout.
• Fixed anonymous function for FDT compatibility of Scaffold project.

What is new in version 1.4:

• Added 'Sprite.clipRect' property for simple rectangular masking
• Added 'DisplacementMapFilter'
• Added support for 'HiDPI' (i.e. retina MacBooks)
• Added support for RectangleTextures introduced in AIR 3.8
• Added support for updated ATF file format
• Added 'Texture.root.onRestore()' for manual texture restoration on context loss
• Added 'Texture.fromEmbeddedAsset()'
• Added 'TextField.autoSize' (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• Added 'AssetManager.enqueueWithName()' for custom naming of assets
• Added protected 'AssetManager.getName()' for custom naming rules in subclasses
• Added protected 'TextField.formatText()' for subclassing
• Added support for generic XML, ByteArrays and JSON data to AssetManager
• Added 'Stage.drawToBitmapData()' method for game screenshots
• Added 'TextureAtlas.texture' property
• Added 'Tween.getEndValue()'
• Added 'Tween.getProgress()'
• Added 'Quad.premultipliedAlpha' (for consistency)
• Added 'AssetManager.checkPolicyFile'
• Added 'AssetManager.purgeQueue()' method: empties the queue & stops all pending load operations

What is new in version 1.4 RC:

• Added:
• 'Sprite.clipRect' property for simple rectangular masking (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• 'DisplacementMapFilter'
• Support for 'HiDPI' (i.e. retina MacBooks)
• Support for RectangleTextures introduced in AIR 3.8
• Support for updated ATF file format
• 'Texture.root.onRestore()' for manual texture restoration on context loss
• 'Texture.fromEmbeddedAsset()'
• 'TextField.autoSize' (thanks to Tim Conkling)
• 'AssetManager.enqueueWithName()' for custom naming of assets
• Protected 'AssetManager.getName()' for custom naming rules in subclasses
• Protected 'TextField.formatText()' for subclassing (thanks to Grant Mathews)
• Support for generic XML, ByteArrays and JSON data to AssetManager
• 'Stage.drawToBitmapData()' method for game screenshots
• 'TextureAtlas.texture' property
• 'Tween.getEndValue()' (thanks to Josh Tynjala)
• 'Tween.getProgress()'
• 'Quad.premultipliedAlpha' (for consistency)
• 'AssetManager.checkPolicyFile'
• 'TextField.redraw()' method to force immediate drawing of contents
• Optimized:
• Hidden object allocations on iOS (thanks to Nisse Bryngfors & Adobe Scout)
• Handling of texture recreation in case of a context loss (requires much less memory)
• Broadcast of ENTER_FRAME event
• 'DisplayObject.transformationMatrix' calculations (thanks to Ville Koskela)
• Usage of QuadBatches used during rendering (now trimming them)
• 'Button' by removing TextField when text is empty String
• 'DisplayObjectContainer.setChildIndex()' (thanks to Josh Tynjala)
• Updated:
• Filename / URL parsing of AssetManager to be more robust (thanks to peerobo)
• Keyboard events: they are now broadcasted to all display objects
• 'transporter_chief.rb' to use 'iOS-deploy' instead of 'fruitstrap'
• The region a filter draws into (now limited to object bounds + margin)
• Bitmap font registration to be case insensitive
• AssetManager to use texture file name as name for bitmap font
• Fixed:
• Multitouch support on devices with both mouse and touch screen
• That AssetManager sometimes never finished loading the queue
• 'MovieClip.totalTime' calculations to avoid floating point errors
• Some problems with special cases within 'MovieClip.advanceTime()'
• Layout of monospace bitmap fonts
• Unwanted context3D-recreation in 'Starling.dispose()' (thanks to Sebastian Marketsmuller)
• Various errors in VertexData (thanks to hamidhomatash)
• Missing pivotX/Y-updates in 'DisplayObject.transformationMatrix' setter
• Native TextField padding value

What is new in version 1.3:

• Added support for asynchronous loading of ATF textures
• Added 'renderTarget' property to RenderSupport class
• Added 'scissorRect' property to RenderSupport class
• Added 'nativeWidth' & 'nativeHeight' properties to Texture classes
• Added 'Juggler.contains' method (thanks to Josh Tynjala)
• Added support for directly modifying Starling viewPort rectangle (without re-assigning)
• Added option to ignore mip maps of ATF textures
• Added 'reset' method to 'DelayedCall' class
• Added support for infinite 'DelayedCall' repetitions
• Added 'pressure' and 'size' properties to Touch
• Added optional 'result' argument to 'Touch.getTouches'
• Added optional 'result' argument to 'TextureAtlas.getTextures/getNames'
• Added support for carriage return char in BitmapFont
• Added arguments for mipmaps and scale to 'fromBitmap' method
• Added preloader to demo project
• Added scale parameter to 'Starling.showStatsAt'
• Added support for Event.MOUSE_LEAVE on native stage
• Added support for Maven builds
• Added 'contextData' property on Starling instance
• Added 'RenderSupport.assembleAgal'
• Updated mobile scaffold and demo projects, now using the same startup class for Android & iOS
• Updated methods in 'Transitions' class to be protected
• Updated 'DisplayObject.hasVisibleArea' method to be public
• Updated MovieClip.fps setter for better performance
• Updated handling of shared context situations (now also supporting context loss)
• Removed embedded assets to avoid dependency on 'mx.core' library
• Fixed display list rendering when Starling is stopped
• Fixed 'DisplayObject.transformationMatrix' setter
• Fixed skewing to work just like in Flash Pro