Preloader size guidelines

Question

Hi guys,

I'm working on a high-end flash site (AS3) with lots of video, hi-res graphics, and sound effects; needless to say, the initial preloader's got a lot of work to do (just to get the site to a point where additional assets can be loaded on the fly as needed). Because it'll be displayed for a while on most connection speeds, it's pretty intricately designed, with lots of animation, sound effects, etc, and weighs in at a hefty 300k. I'm sure I'll be able to knock it down with further asset optimization, but I'm not sure what my target should be. What's the biggest file size for a preloader swf that you might reasonably expect a user to download?

On the other hand, I'm not blind to the multiple ironies of having a preloader for my preloader, but I'm not entirely opposed to it, either, especially if it's something lightweight like a logo or small image. Is this a ludicrous proposition, or do people actually do this sort of thing? If so, what guidelines might you recommend?

Thanks!

Justin

Answer 1

-1 for even considering having a preloader for the preloader :P... then again, I know some web art directors often don't think of the user, so it's probably not your fault ^^.

Try thinking of the preloader more as an indicator of a process than an entity by itself. Maybe the preloader streams, and animates itself while it loads (consider the timeline ;) ), or think of something creative to make it smaller, or to load it progressively... I would say that a good preloader is never over 20kbs, no matter how pretty it is.