Tag: Flash

What is AR?

“AR” is an acronym for “augmented reality.” For those who don’t know AR is adding digital images, text or information to a real-time image/video of the real world. Take the photo to the left, for example. The iPhone user is pointing the camera on his phone at a building. The application then provides the rest … Continue reading “What is AR?”

“AR” is an acronym for “augmented reality.” For those who don’t know AR is adding digital images, text or information to a real-time image/video of the real world.

Take the photo to the left, for example. The iPhone user is pointing the camera on his phone at a building. The application then provides the rest of the information and overlays it on a visual layer.

Take a look at this video, it’s a more fun application of AR:

Virtual Ribbons from James Alliban on Vimeo.

I know it seems like this technology is WAY beyond anything you can do at this point, but it’s not. You can do it in Flash. Check out this tutorial from Adobe and learn just how easy it can be to create amazing AR applications.

Interactive Media: Flash, pt 5 – Getting Started with Action Script

Action Script 3.0 (AS3) is Adobe’s programming language. It is used in the applications Flash and Flex to develop interactive web applications, interactive animations and games. AS3 is a complete and fully functional object-oriented programming language which can handle a vast array of interactivity-related tasks such as handling key stroke and mouse click events to … Continue reading “Interactive Media: Flash, pt 5 – Getting Started with Action Script”

Action Script 3.0 (AS3) is Adobe’s programming language. It is used in the applications Flash and Flex to develop interactive web applications, interactive animations and games.

AS3 is a complete and fully functional object-oriented programming language which can handle a vast array of interactivity-related tasks such as handling key stroke and mouse click events to playing video and audio to handling AR input via a webcam. Moreover, since AS3 is part of the Flash platform it is fully integrated with Flash’s drawing and animating capabilities and therefore allows referencing pre-made art and objects in your very simple.

So what’s the catch, you ask? The catch is that AS3 is not the easiest programming language to learn. But never fear, Adobe is here for you.

One of the very best places to begin learning AS3 is a series of videos presented on Adobe TV: Actionscript 1:1 with Doug Winnie. In nearly 50 short videos, Doug takes you through AS3 programming step-by-step. By the time you’re half way through you’ll know enough to begin developing your own games. Check out Doug’s videos and start creating your own interactive media.

Interactive Media: Flash, pt 4 – Getting Started with Animation

Once you get to the point where you can draw in Flash with some competency you need to learn how to animate. For those of you who are AU students, the best place to go for this type of training is Lynda.com. But, if you’re not or you just want to learn how to do … Continue reading “Interactive Media: Flash, pt 4 – Getting Started with Animation”

Once you get to the point where you can draw in Flash with some competency you need to learn how to animate.

For those of you who are AU students, the best place to go for this type of training is Lynda.com. But, if you’re not or you just want to learn how to do some pretty amazing stuff with Flash animation (such as 3D graphics or even augmented reality), Adobe’s Developer Connection website has a large number of tutorials on animating in Flash. Most of these tutorials are text tutorials, though there are a few videos, but don’t let that dissuade you. You can learn some REALLY amazing things from these tutorials.

So check out the listing and learn to make some amazing animations and more.

Interactive Media: Flash, pt 3 – Get Started with Flash

Once you’ve found yourself a place to work with Flash, either here in the DMS or at home on your brand new copy of Flash, you need to learn how to use it. Before you can animate or make games, you need to learn how to draw in Flash. Games and animation require characters and … Continue reading “Interactive Media: Flash, pt 3 – Get Started with Flash”

Once you’ve found yourself a place to work with Flash, either here in the DMS or at home on your brand new copy of Flash, you need to learn how to use it.

Before you can animate or make games, you need to learn how to draw in Flash. Games and animation require characters and backgrounds.

As it happens there’s an excellent hour-long tutorial on just this subject.

Most of the tutorials on CartoonSmart cost money, but not this most basic one on drawing in Flash. Watch it and you’ll be ready to roll for the next step in no time.

Interactive Media: Flash, pt 2 – Get Flash

In order to do some work on Flash you’ll actually need Flash. Unfortunately it’s a very expensive program. However, I have a few ways around that for you. All 8 computers in the DMS have Flash installed on them. So you can, of course, come here and use Flash. Not only that, I’m a bit … Continue reading “Interactive Media: Flash, pt 2 – Get Flash”

In order to do some work on Flash you’ll actually need Flash. Unfortunately it’s a very expensive program. However, I have a few ways around that for you.

All 8 computers in the DMS have Flash installed on them. So you can, of course, come here and use Flash. Not only that, I’m a bit of a Flash guru and I can offer you expert assistance.

You can download a trial version of Flash on your Mac or PC from Adobe’s website. The trial lasts for 30 days. The downside to this is the fact that Adobe is wise to folks downloading the trial over and over. Unless you know how to change your IP address you can only do this once. Oh, did I say that out loud…?

Your last option is to buy Flash. It normally retails for $700. But, if you are an AU student (or a student at many other universities) you can buy Flash from JourneyEd for $178. Not a bad price reduction.

Once you’ve got some Flash, come back and learn how to use it.

Interactive Media: Flash, pt. 1 – Introduction

If you’ve been on the internet at all in the past five years, you’ve used flash. Most of the time it manifests itself as the Flash Player, a plugin for your browser which allows you to view Flash content online. But what if you’re not just interested in viewing Flash content, what if you’re interested … Continue reading “Interactive Media: Flash, pt. 1 – Introduction”

If you’ve been on the internet at all in the past five years, you’ve used flash. Most of the time it manifests itself as the Flash Player, a plugin for your browser which allows you to view Flash content online.

But what if you’re not just interested in viewing Flash content, what if you’re interested in creating it? If that’s the case you’re in the right place.

For starters it’s important to understand what Flash is and what it can do.

Flash is a development environment acquired by Adobe when they bought Macromedia. It allows users to do two distinct things: animate and create interactive media (usually games). Flash is also the basis for many popular websites, YouTube, most notably.

But there are a lot of other websites out there that feature Flash content. For animation it’s worth looking at Newgrounds. There is a HUGE amount of Flash animation on this site and most of it is fairly well done.

As for games the best place to see a lot of excellent Flash games is Addicting Games.

Stay tuned to learn how you can start churning out some animation or Flash games.

DMS Help – Action Script 3.0 Tutorials for Flash

One of the most difficult things about using Flash can be adding interactivity. Animation is easy, more so in Flash than After Effects. But when it comes in interactivity in Flash users often find themselves quickly mired in Action Script. Adobe’s latest iteration of Action Script, 3.0, is nearly a misnomer. Gone are the days … Continue reading “DMS Help – Action Script 3.0 Tutorials for Flash”

One of the most difficult things about using Flash can be adding interactivity. Animation is easy, more so in Flash than After Effects. But when it comes in interactivity in Flash users often find themselves quickly mired in Action Script.

Adobe’s latest iteration of Action Script, 3.0, is nearly a misnomer. Gone are the days of a simple scripting language. Action Script 3.0 is a fully-functional object-oriented programming language with a robustness akin to Java. While this does offer tremendous power to Flash developers, it also adds a much steeper learning curve.
But here’s a solution. If you need Action Script 3.0 advice and solving a particular programming or interactivity problem, check out this website: Flash and Math. The site houses dozens of tutorials explaining not only how to accomplish specific effects such as developing a particle system but also how to learn to program in Action Script 3.0.