1st Edition
Understanding Macromedia Flash 8 ActionScript 2 Basic techniques for creatives
Andrew Rapo and Alex Michael explain all the important programming concepts from a designer's point of view, making them completely accessible to non-programmers. Completely revised and rewritten this second edition will help you develop professional ActionScript 2 applications, and communicate knowledgably about current, Object Oriented ActionScript 2 techniques.
Divided into four sections to take you from novice to professional results:
* Flash Fundamentals: Introduces the Flash authoring environment and basic core Flash concepts.
* ActionScript 2 Fundamentals: Explains basic programming concepts and terminology, and shows how ActionScript 2 classes are constructed and used.
* Built-in Classes: Describes the built-in ActionScript classes that are available for use in applications, including the MovieClip class, Key class, Sound class, etc.
* Using ActionScript to Build a Game: Describes the development process for creating a complex Flash application and presents commercial-quality game coding examples.
Flash Fundamentals
1 - An Introduction to ActionScript 2 Programming Tools in Flash 8
2 - Timelines, Layers, The Stage, MovieClips, and the Library
3 - Events and Event Handlers
4 - External ActionScript Class Files
ActionScript 2.0 Fundamentals
5 - A Brief Overview of ActionScript2 Programming
6 - Transitioning from AS1 Classes to AS2 Classes
7 - The Anatomy Of A Class
8 - The Building Blocks of Code
9 - Organizing Code With Functions
10 - Arrays
11 - Inheritance and Polymorphism
Built-in Classes
12 - Built-in Classes
13 - Built-in Classes: The MovieClip Class
14 - Built-in Classes: The Key Class
15 - Built-in Classes: The Sound Class
16 - Built-in Classes:The XML Class
Using ActionScript To Build A Game - Astro Sweeper
17 - Designing a Game
18 - Building the Game - Phase I: The FLA and the GameController
19 - Building the Game - Phase II: Movement and Powerups
20 - Building the Game - Phase III: The Complete Game
Appendices
Appendix A - ActionScript Terminology
Appendix B - Key Codes
Biography
Andrew Rapo is a Senior Application Engineer at Warner Bros, US. Online where he supervises the development of games on a variety of platforms, including Flash, BREW, J2ME, and Virtools. These games can be seen on Warner Bros.
sites including WarnerBros.com, LooneyTunes.com, ScoobyDoo.com, and HarryPotter.com, among others. Most recently he has developed BREW wireless games for Warner Bros. properties including Batman Begins, Constantine, Looney Tunes and Harry Potter. Before working at Warner Bros., Andrew developed interactive content at Disney Online for Disney properties including Armageddon, Mulan, and A Bug's Life.
Andrew has a BA in Computer Science from Cornell University where he was a member of the Modeling and Simulation group.
Managing Director of Sprite Interactive Ltd, UK a new media agency, and previously Creative Director with Disney and Buena Vista International.
For 'Understanding Flash MX 2004 Actionscript 2':
"If you are already au fait with Flash this new publication from Focal Press is the perfect handbook for anyone studying multimedia or information technology, and anyone who wants to produce highly effective online interactive content. This guide gives you all you need to know to ensure that you have a firm foundation of knowledge on how to use Actionscript creatively, enabling you to produce professional results."
ASIFA UK magazine
"You can learn the basics of strong scripting skills for truly professional results. Written from a creative viewpoint, this is a book that really talks your language!"
World Animation Journal
