F.A.Q.

The first multi-platform stick figure animation program

If you have any other questions you think should be added to this FAQ, email us at stykzman AT stykz.net.

Q: How does Stykz compare with Pivot Stickfigure Animator (Pivot)?
A: Stykz was designed to be a superset of Pivot, attempting to incorporate all (or most) of the features that Pivot has to offer, plus adding additional features and making it available on multiple platforms. Pivot has not been upgraded for several years, and our understanding is that the author has been busy with other endeavors and hasn't had any time to upgrade it. Combine that with the fact that many Mac users who have been using Parallels or Boot Camp to run Pivot have been looking for a way to create stick figure animations with a native Mac application, and can you see why Stykz was developed.
Q: Does Stykz open or save Pivot files?
A: No, not at the moment. We're currently in contact with Pivot’s author to see if he might be willing to support the Stykz development roadmap. Regardless of whether or not this can happen, animating in Stykz is similar to animating in Pivot, so it won’t take long to get used to working with Stykz.
Correction: Stykz 1.0 when it is released will import Pivot 2 .stk files. We are still looking at whether to import Pivot 2 .piv files (or whether to import any Pivot 3 beta files), and if we do so, it won't be until after the 1.0 release for all platforms.
Q: Can Stykz import Flash SWFs, or export to SWF format?
A: No. Stykz supports exporting animations in QuickTime Movie and Animated GIF formats. Exporting to SWF is on the list of features we’d like to add to Stykz, but it probably won’t happen until we add sound support to Stykz.
Q: Is Stykz built with Java?
A: That is a common question posed to applications that deploy to multiple platforms. The answer is “no”; Stykz was developed using Revolution, a cross-platform rapid application development tool.
Q: Can I add sound to animations?
A: Not at present. This feature is planned for a future version of Stykz; currently targeted for Stykz 2.0.
Q: Can I fill enclosed spaces in figures with a color?
A: Yes! Using the PolyFill tool, you can create filled regions in a figure by clicking on the desired nodes until you have created an enclosed polygon; set the color, and you’re done!
Q: Is there some way to do “static”-type transitions between frames?
A: No, but transitions and sound are planned for Stykz 2.0.
Q: Will Stykz remain free when 1.0 is officially released?
A: Absolutely!
Q: When will the Mac version of 1.0 be released? How about Windows 1.0? Or Linux 1.0?
A: We are currently targeting the official release of Stykz for Mac 1.0 to match that of Stykz for Windows 1.0, which will be at the end of Q2 or early Q3 2009 (June/July). Stykz for Linux 1.0 should be in public beta around the time of the Windows 1.0 release and officially released near the end of Q3 2009 (September). Of course, we all know how time schedules work, so we can’t promise these dates, but we will work hard to hit them (or at least come close).
Q: What do you plan to have in future versions of Stykz?
A: Wow... that’s a good question. Here’s a small sampling of what we have on our “To Do List”:

As you can see, we have a lot of ideas for Stykz and are looking for suggestions, so send ‘em in!

❖Sound effects / Background sound
❖Transitions / Visual effects
❖Sprites (imported images)
❖Merging figures (useful for creating figures that are vertically symmetrical - for example creating one side of a sword, copy it, flip it, and merge it to make a full sword)
❖Inbetweening
❖Draw objects (polygons, ovals, arrows, etc.)
❖Text boxes / word balloons
❖Drag-reordering of frames
❖Grouping of frames into “clips”
❖Automatic uploading/downloading of .styk files to/from the Forum (or other sharing area for Stykz files)

F.A.Q.

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