This is the first definitive and authoritative book available on ActionScript 3 animation techniques. ActionScript animation is a very popular discipline for Flash developers to learn. The essential skill set has been learned by many Flash developers through the first edition of this book. This has now been updated to ActionScript 3, Adobe's new and improved scripting language. All of the code has been updated, and some new techniques have been added to take advantage of ActionScript 3's new features, including the display list and new event architecture. The code can be used with the Flash 9 IDE, Flex Builder 2, or the free Flex 2 SDK.

This book is a compilation of advanced ActionScript 3.0 animation techniques for any user creating games, user interaction, or motion control with ActionScript. It's an anthology of topics that follow from the author's earlier book, Foundation ActionScript 3.0 Animation: Making Things Move, and things that became possible in version 10 of Flash Player. This book covers a diverse selection of topics that don't necessarily lead one into the other. You don't need to start with Chapter 1 and read it cover to cover. Just start with any chapter that looks interesting and jump around as you see fit. In this book, you'll find chapters on advanced collision detection, artificial intelligence and steering behaviors, isometric projection, using the camera and microphone for input, 3D, and much, much more. AdvancED ActionScript 3.0 Animation is also more experimental in nature. The techniques shown here might not be the best way to do things, but they should work well and get you started in your own efforts to achieve a perfect implementation. In fact, many of the chapters can be seen as introductions to very complex topics that could fill a whole book by themselves. Many of these subjects have been extensively covered elsewhere, but not necessarily targeted for Flash or ActionScript 3.0. So it took a fair amount of work to pull the data together and get it all working and explain it all clearly in ActionScript. This book will inspire you to find out about subjects that you might not have considered before, acting as a springboard into your own research into the possibilities of ActionScript 3.0.

Foundation ActionScript 3.0 Image Effects discusses the ins and outs of graphical manipulation through code of all the different elements available in a Flash project, from vectors to bitmaps to videos, from animated text effects to dynamic video filters. Flash 8 introduced a vast array of image features, such as blend modes and filters as well as ActionScript's powerful BitmapData object, and this book covers all those effects in their CS4 form, as well as the graphical options that are available, such as the Pixel Bender Toolkit. It also details the many possible effects that can be achieved and the associated practical applications, with a focus on strong object-oriented programming methodologies to make the code more modular and reusable across projects. Gives detailed information on all of the image manipulation abilities of Flash CS4 Covers complex technology, such as the Pixel Bender Toolkit There is no other book like it, covering the same topics in as much depth

ActionScript 3 is a full-fledged programming language, with complete object-oriented capabilities, event handling, sound and video support, drawing capabilities, support for regular expressions, and much more. Whether you are just starting out on the road to computer programming and animation or an experienced developer who wants to learn a new language, you’ll find all you need to know in Foundation ActionScript 3. Starting with the fundamentals, you’ll learn how to add interactivity to your Flash movies by using ActionScript objects, manipulating sound and video, and harnessing the power of regular expressions and XML. The book concludes with two case studies to consolidate what you’ve learned and introduce some additional advanced techniques. You’ll gain a solid understanding of the exciting world of ActionScript 3 and see how everything fits together, so you’ll be able to build your own professional applications. The sensible layout of the book makes it easy to find information about specific techniques. It focuses on the essential skills that will enable you to get up and running quickly. With this book as your guide, you’ll be creating killer Flash applications before you know it.

Adobe Flash Professional is the most popular software available for creating animations for the Web. Most people start using Flash to create vector-based animations that output small file sizes perfect for the Web. Later they want to branch out into creating rich interactive experiences for websites and mobile devices, and for that they need to learn ActionScript. Doug Winnie draws on the experience he’s gained from his years as an educator to teach not only what ActionScript can do, but also to show how the code works. This gives the reader a deeper understanding of how ActionScript functions, and gives them the power to come up with original solutions when creating their own projects. Doug’s book dives right into the concepts of manipulating Flash objects and the fundamentals of functions and mathematical operators. After presenting events and using scripts to control the Flash timeline, classes and conditionals are covered in depth. The final part of the book covers creating desktop applications with Adobe AIR, developing mobile applications, and working with external code libraries. Real-world projects are sprinkled generously throughout the book and Appendices include information on debugging, deciphering documentation, and using Adobe Flash Builder as an ActionScript development environment.

ActionScript 3.0, the latest version of the Flash Platform's scripting language, offers many new and powerful features. ActionScript is now a full-fledged programming language, with complete object-oriented capabilities, improved event handling, sound and video support, drawing capabilities, support for regular expressions, and much more. Whether you are a Flash designer wishing to add to your skill set or an experienced ActionScript developer who wants to get up to speed with the latest version, you'll find all you need to know in Foundation ActionScript 3.0 for Flash and Flex. Starting with the fundamentals, you'll learn how to add interactivity to your Flash movies by using ActionScript objects, manipulating sound and video, and harnessing the power of regular expressions and XML. The book concludes with two case studies to consolidate what you've learned and introduce some additional advanced techniques. You'll gain a solid understanding of the new and exciting world of ActionScript 3.0 and see how everything fits together to form complete applications, so you'll be able to build your own professional sites. The sensible layout of the book makes it easy to find information about specific techniques. It focuses on the essential skills that will enable you to get up and running quick. With this book as your guide, you'll be creating killer Flash applications before you know it.

Supports Flash 8, due later this year; will be a huge market Provides professional best practices—strong emphasis on planning, documentation, and adhering to strict and clean coding from the outset Teaches you to create dynamic, reusable rich-client web applications and services

In response to the success of the first edition of Foundation Game Design with Flash, Rex van der Spuy has revised and updated all the code to meet current programming best practices, and the focus is now on accurate ActionScript 3.0, regardless of the IDE that you use. We’ve all sneaked the odd five minutes here or there playing the latest Flash game that someone sent around the office, but creating those games is trickier than it looks. The aim of Foundation Game Design with ActionScript 3.0 is to take you, even if you’ve minimal multimedia or programming experience, through a series of step-by-step examples and detailed case studies—to the point where you'll have the skills to independently design any conceivable 2D game using Flash and ActionScript. Foundation Game Design with ActionScript 3.0 is a non-technical one-stop shop for all the most important skills and techniques a beginning game designer needs to build games with Flash from scratch. Whether you're creating quick blasts of viral amusement, or more in-depth action or adventure titles, this is the book for you. Focused and friendly introduction to designing games with Flash and ActionScript Detailed case studies of Flash games Essential techniques for building games, with each chapter gently building on the skills of preceding chapters Modern best practices and new content on ActionScript 3.0 Also covers asset creation in Photoshop and Illustrator

Apply universally accepted cinematic techniques to your Flash projects to improve the storytelling quotient in your entertainment, advertising (branding), and educational media. A defined focus on the concepts and techniques for production from story reels to the final project delivers valuable insights, time-saving practical tips, and hands-on techniques for great visual stories. Extensive illustration, step-by-step instruction, and practical exercises provide a hands-on perspective. Explore the concepts and principles of visual components used in stories so you are fluent in the use of space, line, color, and movement in communicating emotion and meaning. Apply traditional cinematography techniques into the Flash workspace with virtual camera movements, simulated 3d spaces, lighting techniques, and character animation. Add interactivity using ActionScript to enhance audience participation.

* New edition of the best selling and very well respected beginner’s Flash book. Sham Bhangal is very well known in the Flash community as a world class teacher, and beginners have even contacted him about personal tuition, as well as buying his books. * Provides easy-to-follow tutorials ideal for beginner market - it is slimmer and more concise than the competition, and concentrates on the essentials that beginners need to know. * Flash X is going to be a huge market – it is the most widely-anticipated release of Flash since 5, because of exciting new features. It is the release that MX 2004 should have been.