Random MC cycling - like random letter cycling

[flatline damnation]

Anyone knows how to do that?

What I'm talking about is that instead of randomly cycling letters (random variable that's being displayed in a dynamic text box), I want to cycle between random Movie Clips, i.e. I have one movieclip in display and it cycles between random other movieclips (replacing itself with a random MC) until it shows a specific MovieClip that I specify.

The reason I need this is because I wanted this special font that uses unique characters but I couldn't find it anywhere... However I found images of it, so I've imported the image into Flash and created vector shapes that correspond to the font in the image. (I'm feeling that I'm sweerling this a bit too much...)

OK! OK!!! I ADMIT IT!!! I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT GOOD ENOUGH WITHOUT TELLING THAT I WANT TO CREATE THE MATRIX EFFECT!!! YES!!!! I'M A HUGE FAN OF MATRIX! SUE ME!!! I WANT TO CREATE THAT CODE! I WANT THAT FONT! I DON'T HAVE THAT FONT! I WANT TO MANUALY CREATE THE FONT! HELP ME TO MANUALY CREATE THE FONT!!!!!!!!!!

[flatline damnation]

P.S.

<font color=darkgreen>I leik green.</font>

[kitiara30]

I've got about a million of the dratted things, so I might well have the one you're after. That would save the hassle of doing the random movie clips. :)

[Iammontoya]

you may want to try WildformFX..they have that Matrix effect pre-built, unless you're looking to create it from scratch..

[flatline damnation]

1. I don't the name of the font, if I knew I guess I would find it. But I know that the Matrix code is in an old Japanese language named KATAKANA.

2. I downloaded the trial of WildformFX (which name is actualy SWfX), and I couldn't find there the Matrix effect pre-built, nor on their site.

3. Besides, what I need is the GENUINE code that's seen in the movie, I don't want some sort of random letters and symbols, I want THE code!

4. I've seen a site that uses a very similar font to the Matrix code www.believetheunbelievable.com (http://www.believetheunbelievable.com) in their intro. I sent an e-mail to the webmaster but he still didn't answer...

[kitiara30]

I've just had a look at that Matrix fan site and I see what you're getting at. Their Japanese characters aren't randomised though, they just scroll down the screen, and I presume you want them to change between characters while they scroll...

Getting the genuine thing might be a little on the difficult side...

Oh, and have you tried 1001freefonts.com for the Katakana?

[flatline damnation]

I tried every font site I know, I even tried searching for it on google and on altavista. But all I keep finding is Katakana learning sites and books. AAAAARRGHHH!!!!

There has to be someone who knows where to get that font/effect!

[I am not Jubba]

The reason you can't find a Japanese font is because the Japanese Katakana isn't an alphabet, its a language composed of wordsigns...so there it is unlikely that you would be able to find a font like that because I am sure they don't exist. My roommate has the ability to type in Japanese on his computer, but he uses XP Professional and it allows that, and its not a font... And the matrix code is backwards numbers, letters AND Japanese katakana...

[flatline damnation]

I doubt that you right about that.

I DID find sites where you CAN download Katakana True Type Fonts. The problem was, that it wasn't free :( .

However here's an interesting fact:
Almost everywhere I look, Katakana comes together with Hiragana. It's always Hiragana-Katakana or Katakana-Hiragana. However when I look at example images, the two languages seem very different from each other. The Hiragana seems to have a lot more curves and complex shapes unlike the simple and almost greek-like Katakana.

I managed to properly "Trace Bitmap" of an image that showed all the Katakana characters. And even more, I made a short flick showing that font/character set.

Download this flick: www25.brinkster.com/****a...ixcode.swf (http://www25.brinkster.com/****ationhq/experimental/matrixcode.swf)

As you can see there, I didn't make a randomizer. Just plain symbols running down the screen. Also note that all the columns are running at the same speed. That's because everything is a single tweened symbol.

The short was copied from the opening of the The Matrix. Pretty cool huh? :)
Couldn't find any sfx for the code tough :( .

[I am not Jubba]

I edited this because it didnt' make sense to me. Well if you can't find a free katakana font, then you're probly going to have to manually create the characters as movieclips and then randomly tween them down the screen...

[flatline damnation]

HUH?!?!?!!?

I already did!!! Read my previous post!

Oh and the webmaster finally answered and he sent me that font, it rocks! Tough it's not the Katakana one, but it's close enough! :D

[thoriphes]

uh, i have the katakana font so i'll try and post it up. i'm not at home right now, but when i am, i'll get back to you all.

[I am not Jubba]

Sorry Flatline, I don't pay attention..its finals week and I have been stressed. Thats good that they sent you that font, let us know how it turns out..

[flatline damnation]

OK, here's how I think I'll do this effect:

1. Create a MC that contains all the symbols on different frames with different labels (kat1, kat2, kat3 etc...). Every frame has a Stop action.

2. On every frame I'll put an empty MC with these actions:

onClipEvent(enterframe){
shift = random(2); // Whether to change the char or not
katnum = random(47); // The total characters of the Katakana
if (shift==1){
gotoAndStop("kat"+katnum);
}
}

3. I'll put lots of the MC that I just created all over the stage.

4. Create a layer that will mask over the MC's.

5. Tween the mask downward.

I also thought about creating several layers with several masks so the characters won't appear all at once and in the same row.


So what do you think?

[I am not Jubba]

I don't really think that is the best or easiest way to do it. I am trying to think of a better way, but I won't be able to make something until this coming weekend...

[flatline damnation]

Hmmm... I also thouht about instead of creating many layers, I will create one MC that contains one layer with a column of symbols (the randomizers) and a mask layer that tweens down.

Then in the main movie I will put keyframes in different places when every keyframe "spawns" another MC with the tweening mask...