Flash development

[kaos78414]

So seeing as how I don't have the resources to create the massive PBBG of my dreams, I've decided to delve into some flash/AS3 work and see what I can learn/come up with.

I've been working on this for the past few days, and I'm thinking it's going to be a somewhat decent shoot'em up. Check it out:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG_QMHaiz8s[/youtube]

So that was made following a tutorial over at ASgamer.com, which btw, if you are getting into AS3 development, is a really helpful tutorial.

Anyway I was thinking about how WoW came about the other day, and how it had followed a line of predecessor games (the Warcraft series led up to Blizzard producing WoW). So I thought, I don't have the resources to create an MMORPG, or a great PBBG for that matter, so why not start small, and keep a common theme? So what I think I'm going to do is just start with a few small flash games, platformers, iPhone stuff etc. And in them I'll build a storyline, and potentially along the way create new ideas and features that my dream-game can exploit.

Anyway, the one in the video is just for me to practice with. But hopefully as I get to know AS3 I can start to release games in the series. And I'll definitely keep you guys posted.

[Jackolantern]

Very nice! I am actually working on learning AS3 as well, but I am working with Flex first. After coming to grips with that I will likely work with Flash directly some more.

[SpiritWebb]

Very nice!! I am learning AC2 at the moment. Well was until the laptop internal fan died...

[Jackolantern]

Do you mean AS2? If not, I am not sure what AC2 is

I would definitely suggest to learn AS3, however. It is sooo much better for OO than AS2. The interpreter is also much more efficient, and AS3 opens up Flex as well for RIA development. You also get many nice new features for games, such as the new text engine, inverse kinematics (bone-based animation), and many other things. If you are starting from scratch, why not start off with the most current language?

[kaos78414]

Oh yeah. Gotta love the dynamic text. I have a little engine going that handles all the floating dynamic text that pops up when you pick up money, get a power up etc. I like how simple the code is to implement. For instance, I have the text initiate a loop on ENTER_FRAME, and all it does is this:

Code: Select all

      private function loop(e:Event) : void
		{
			y -= .5;
			alpha -= .05;
			
			if (alpha <= 0)
				removeSelf();
		}
		
		private function removeSelf() : void
		{
			removeEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, loop);
			
			if (stageRef.contains(this))
				stageRef.removeChild(this);
		}

[SpiritWebb]

Do you mean AS2? If not, I am not sure what AC2 is

I would definitely suggest to learn AS3, however. It is sooo much better for OO than AS2. The interpreter is also much more efficient, and AS3 opens up Flex as well for RIA development. You also get many nice new features for games, such as the new text engine, inverse kinematics (bone-based animation), and many other things. If you are starting from scratch, why not start off with the most current language?

Yeah, I meant AS2. I have Macromedia Flash MX Pro at home...and cannot afford to "upgrade" it right now.

[Jackolantern]

You could check out FlashDevelop! While it is missing a lot of the graphic editing tools of the Flash Authoring Environment, ActionScript game development doesn't really use a lot of them. While different people will have different opinions, I would likely give up Flash and use FlashDevelop to learn and use AS3. It is the future, and it has so many more features and much better performance (which Flash is hard-up for anyway).

Just an idea. There are solid reasons for you to not change and stay within Flash MX, and there are some solid reasons for jumping on AS3 with FlashDevelop.

[Kada]

Kaos, I am so inspired by this. I hope you are still working with Flash! Give us some updates on your current projects.

Did you learn Flash game creation from ASgamer.com from scratch, or did you learn from a book too? If yes, what tutorials on the site did you use?

I want to be able to make a game just like you did, so I'd love it if you shared all the resources you used to learn!

Thanks kaos, talk to you soon.

[kaos78414]

No problem Kada. Yeah it was actually just the tutorial over at asgamer, and a few snippets I may have found around the web. I've been programming for a long time though so it was a little fast for me to pick it up and sort of put my own spin on it. My advice is just not to be intimidated, just dive right in. Getting your hands dirty is going to be the best, and maybe the fastest, way to learn these things. Here is the link to the tutorial series: http://asgamer.com/2009/flash-game-desi ... e-with-as3

Also, don't be afraid to ask lots of questions around here. Plenty of people around here are undoubtedly more experienced with AS3 then me and can answer your questions and help you if need be.

I haven't worked on this project for a looooong time, and I don't have any plans to finish it (currently). But maybe I'll come back to it one day

[Kada]

Well I left this out, but I have programming experience for years with Python, PHP, HTML, Java etc as well, so I should be able to pick it up as well!

Do you think after doing a few tutorials, plus adding new features and getting practice, you would be able to make a game of another genre with the knowledge you have now?