After today’s news, and because I will probably be getting junk directed at me, I’m writing this to explain what this means for my work, and what I will be doing…
First of all, if you want to read more about what this means for AIR (the runtime teams have given their commitment to keep supporting it) then visit these links:
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2362234
https://forum.starling-framework.org/topic/air-roadmap-update
I have been moving all my stuff to AIR for quite a while now. Tetrageddon has fully transitioned to a desktop app. The games will be playable in the browser for as long as browsers support the plugin. I won’t be making many changes to the web project, but the desktop version will continue to receive support.
I will be finishing “Everything is going to be OK”, and have one more project to complete.
I will be making games for 3 more years!
I am sure if you have been following my posts, and have read this one about how it’s been for me professionally (please do), it will not come as a surprise that I don’t have the stomach to be part of tech anymore.
I haven’t considered myself a part of it for a long time, but today’s news sets that in stone.
I’m really tired. I’ve been working with the web since I was 16 (making stuff, and then pursued that professionally). Yes, that includes javascript (php, C#, python…). I’m very well versed in web development (not only Flash), but at every conference I will have javascript (or Haxe, or openFL, or…) mansplained to me when they hear that my game is done in AS3/AIR/Flash. All my knowhow and background and insights into what is really happening with the technology, or what I know about the web ecosystem doesn’t mean anything. Literally never. It gets exhausting to be seen as a perpetual amateur. Especially when it’s from people that don’t even know how to code (use drag-and-drop game maker software).
That coupled with too many angry messages about my work, is a bit much. I’ve received a lot of hate over the many years that I’ve done this. That includes my share of death/rape threats, stalking, hacking, etc…, and to be honest it’s come to a point where I’m not sure why I do this anymore. Or if what I’m doing is even worth doing.
I’ve been trying to stay optimistic, but seeing this news today confirms that I don’t have the stomach to keep it up.
I’m also not looking forward to snide remarks about how amazing this news is from colleagues and other devs. This is not good news. This proves a point to an ongoing trend in browsers that is not good for creative content at all. It’s not good for the web.
I love the AS3/AIR/Animate ecosystem. As long as the runtime teams support it, and the Animate team supports AIR, I will continue to make stuff. At least there is a concrete date for when I should get out.
* I will not be participating in conferences, and events anymore.
* I will be distancing myself from games.
* I do not like Unity and have no intention of making games in it.
On another note, I know most devs have been expecting this for a long time. There is too much stigma associated with being a Flash dev.
Browsers have pushed this out for a lot of reasons, and not necessarily good ones. I’m not exactly in the mood to elaborate on this because that will be opening myself up to more angry emails, and mansplaining about how I don’t know anything, so I’ll leave it at that.
Again, if you want to read more about what this means for AIR (the runtime teams have given their commitment to keep supporting it) then visit these links (this comes directly from Adobe, and not another washed out tech journalist):
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2362234
https://forum.starling-framework.org/topic/air-roadmap-update
