Flash

[BlueMonkey5]

I was toying around with Adobe Flash last year, to make 2D animations with. But i remember seeing that the program is also used to make video games. Would that make it like Game Maker, allthough it has some scripting involved i believe? What do you guys think; worth looking into or not?

[RyanPridgeon]

Yeah, I used flash for about 5-7 years.#

It's by no means a game maker; it cannot make games by itself. However, it is good at making games, because the graphics engine and IO is done for you. Also, the Flash environment serves as a powerful editor.

On top of this, there's the added advantage of being able to embed it in any web page, and a huge audience out there.

The script is almost identical to Java.

[wtetzner]

The script is almost identical to Java.

Actually I think the script is almost identical to JavaScript, not Java.

[RyanPridgeon]

Not really. It used to be, but things have changed.

Here is an example;

Code: Select all

package com.example
{
	import flash.text.TextField;
	import flash.display.Sprite;
 
	public class Greeter extends Sprite
	{
		public function Greeter()
		{
			var txtHello:TextField = new TextField();
			var Greet:String = "Hello, World!";
			txtHello.text = Greet;
			addChild(txtHello);
		}
	}
}

That is a simple "Hello world" program in the new Actionscript.

That looks a hell of alot more like Java than Javascript

[wtetzner]

Not really. It used to be, but things have changed.

Here is an example;

Code: Select all

package com.example
{
	import flash.text.TextField;
	import flash.display.Sprite;
 
	public class Greeter extends Sprite
	{
		public function Greeter()
		{
			var txtHello:TextField = new TextField();
			var Greet:String = "Hello, World!";
			txtHello.text = Greet;
			addChild(txtHello);
		}
	}
}

That is a simple "Hello world" program in the new Actionscript.

That looks a hell of alot more like Java than Javascript

Well that's basically what ECMAScript 4 (Javascript 2) looks like. And even if it looks a lot like Java, it still behaves like Javascript. For example, Javascript (and Actionscript) both have closures. Java doesn't.

[MadPumpkin]

its been a while, but if you have any specific questions ask me :} i can help you, i did AS2 for 3 years, specifically video games

Yea its mostly like JavaScript 2

if you want you can just send me PMs for flash questions, i check the chaos rift like... twice a day, er when ever the hell i want

[BlueMonkey5]

Wow, this is a huge surprize and i have question for basically everything you guys said.  My first question is why dont more people use Flash then, or at least i never hear about it on the forums? there must be a reason... it must have some limitations.

  It's by no means a game maker; it cannot make games by itself. However, it is good at making games, because the graphics engine and IO is done for you. Also, the Flash environment serves as a powerful editor.

if flash is not like gamemaker, then what can it be compared to? is it it's own language? and if so, wouldn't it need an API? is that what you meant by saying it cant be used by itself?

The script is almost identical to Java.

Actually I think the script is almost identical to JavaScript, not Java.

also, what's the difference between java and javascript?

its been a while, but if you have any specific questions ask me :} i can help you, i did AS2 for 3 years, specifically video gamesYea its mostly like JavaScript 2if you want you can just send me PMs for flash questions, i check the chaos rift like... twice a day, er when ever the hell i want

and yea... if Flash ends up being ok, i might take you up on that. thanks!

[kostiak2]

Wow, this is a huge surprize and i have question for basically everything you guys said.  My first question is why dont more people use Flash then, or at least i never hear about it on the forums? there must be a reason... it must have some limitations.

People don't use flash? go to sites like miniclip, or newgrounds or the like.. they have a new game every day almost.. (which means lots of people are using it) It just happens that the people that are using flash are not here. (of course, like anything else, it has it's limitations)

if flash is not like gamemaker, then what can it be compared to? is it it's own language? and if so, wouldn't it need an API? is that what you meant by saying it cant be used by itself?

Flash has ActionScript, which is both a language and an API.
It's not like gamemaker, in the sense that in game maker, you can do the whole game without writing a single line of code. That's not the case in Flash. You have to actually code here.

also, what's the difference between java and javascript?

Apart from the name and a few keywords they have very little in common actually. javascript is a scripting language that use java-like syntax.

and yea... if Flash ends up being ok, i might take you up on that. thanks!

I would suggest using AS3 and not AS2 (especially if you never used AS2 before)

[BlueMonkey5]

Sounds good, thank you. think i'll look into it a bit more. I never really had a desire to learn something similar to Java, but what the heck i'll give it a shot anyway. I'm really curious to see if i could use a seperate sprite editor like GraphicsGale along with Flash. I'm sure it's possible.

[BlueMonkey5]

and not only that, but now i'm wondering if you can create something using C++ or Python, and make it playable through Flash (export it to Flash player or something), so you can put it online much easier. i know nothing about how that works though, so its just a thought.

[ismetteren]

Apart from the name and a few keywords they have very little in common actually. javascript is a scripting language that use java-like syntax.

I have not tried javascript, but when you read a tutorial on java, people seem to use a lot energy telling that the only thing they have in common is the name.

[kostiak2]

and not only that, but now i'm wondering if you can create something using C++ or Python, and make it playable through Flash (export it to Flash player or something), so you can put it online much easier. i know nothing about how that works though, so its just a thought.

So very very unfortunatly no.. but don't worry, LOTs of people want that.. (and doesn't seem yo be coming soon).

[Rada]

I'm an Actionscript developer. I absolutely love it. having a graphics editor built into the IDE is really kick ass. I'd be happy to answer any questions about Flash game development. Flash can also be used with Adobe Air to create Win/Mac applications.

[RyanPridgeon]

Actually, you can now compile most C++ source code using Adobe Alchemy, for a Flash Player 10 file.

One good example is this;

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/470460

But I would still recommend you learn AS3 if you want to be dealing with Flash.

[BlueMonkey5]

I'm an Actionscript developer. I absolutely love it. having a graphics editor built into the IDE is really kick ass. I'd be happy to answer any questions about Flash game development. Flash can also be used with Adobe Air to create Win/Mac applications.

I would like to know everything about it, but i don't understand anything you just said. sorry, I'm a newbie.

But I would still recommend you learn AS3 if you want to be dealing with Flash.

whats AS3?