Here is a brief overview of the history and evolution of Director from its inception to version 12.
| Feature | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Vector Animations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Videoworks Interactive | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| Score Interface | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Sprites | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bitmap Images Import | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Sound Import | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Lingo Scripting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Support for Video and Full-color Bitmaps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| XObjects | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Cross-platform Projector Files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Shockwave Player | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Basic 3D Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Advanced 3D Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Google SketchUp Support | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| JavaScript Support in Lingo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| Flash MX Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
| Hardware-accelerated Rendering | ✓ | ✓ |
Macromind Videoworks Director Version 1.0 (1985)[edit | edit source]
The first version of Macromind Videoworks Director was released in 1985 as a program for the original Apple Macintosh. It provided a solid foundation for the multimedia authoring tool it was destined to become.
Initial Features
- Basic Vector Animations
- Videoworks Interactive
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromind Director 2.0 (1987)[edit | edit source]
The second version of Director, released in 1987, introduced the iconic "Score" interface which allowed users to manage and synchronize multiple multimedia assets across different channels.
Introduced Features
- Score Interface
- Sprites
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- VWSC
- todo
Macromind Director 3.0 (1989)[edit | edit source]
Director 3.0 made significant strides towards a more robust multimedia experience, introducing bitmap images and sound import functionalities, along with the Lingo scripting language for creating interactivity.
Introduced Features
- Bitmap Images Import
- Sound Import
- Lingo Scripting Language
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
- Lnam (Lingo)
Macromind Director 4.0 (1991)[edit | edit source]
Director 4.0 expanded the software's capabilities, enabling the import of full-color bitmap and video files. It also introduced XObjects, plugins that extended the functionality of Director.
Introduced Features
- Support for Video and Full-color Bitmaps
- XObjects
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director 5.0 (1995)[edit | edit source]
Director 5.0 saw the creation of cross-platform projector files, making it possible to run Director projects on both Mac and Windows platforms without the need for the Director software.
Introduced Features
- Cross-platform Projector Files
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director 6.0 (1996)[edit | edit source]
Director 6.0 brought Director content to the web with the introduction of the Shockwave player, a plugin for web browsers.
Introduced Features
- Shockwave Player
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director 7.0 (1998)[edit | edit source]
Director 7.0 brought 3D capabilities to the table, allowing for simple 3D models and transformations to be integrated into projects.
Introduced Features
- Basic 3D Support
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director 8.0 (2000)[edit | edit source]
Director 8.0 built on the scripting capabilities of Director, introducing support for JavaScript syntax in Lingo.
Introduced Features
- JavaScript Support in Lingo
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director 8.5 (2001)[edit | edit source]
Director 8.5 enhanced the 3D capabilities of Director, providing advanced features such as shading and texture mapping.
Introduced Features
- Advanced 3D Support
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Macromedia Director MX (2002)[edit | edit source]
Director MX saw tighter integration with the Macromedia suite, with support for Flash MX files and resources.
Introduced Features
- Flash MX Support
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo
Adobe Director 11.0 (2008)[edit | edit source]
With Adobe's acquisition of Macromedia, Director 11.0 saw more feature integrations, such as support for 3D models created with Google SketchUp, and hardware-accelerated rendering for speed improvements in 3D content.
Introduced Features
- Google SketchUp Support
- Hardware-accelerated Rendering
Likely Affected/Introduced Chunks
- todo..
Adobe Director 12.0 (2013)[edit | edit source]
The final version of Director, 12.0, didn't introduce new features but rather focused on improving existing features and performance.