Any Flash Tips?

[jaeger138]

So I'd love to learn flash animation, and I don't know how many people animate here on the forums, but it's been something I've wanted to do for a while. I have a trial copy of flash mx for now, but I want to know how to go from the silly little tutorials to making a really decent animation. I know there's plenty of tutorials online but they can be so specific. I'm not looking for an 'easy way' to do this, just need some tips that don't come from the ass hats on Newgrounds.

Also, it's all well and good having a flash mx trial but I can't afford tha hefty pricetag of the full software, so is there anything anyone can recommend that would allow me to animate with flash, preferably with freeware after my trial has run out?

 

[Skuffyshootster]

So I'd love to learn flash animation, and I don't know how many people animate here on the forums, but it's been something I've wanted to do for a while. I have a trial copy of flash mx for now, but I want to know how to go from the silly little tutorials to making a really decent animation. I know there's plenty of tutorials online but they can be so specific. I'm not looking for an 'easy way' to do this, just need some tips that don't come from the ass hats on Newgrounds.

Also, it's all well and good having a flash mx trial but I can't afford tha hefty pricetag of the full software, so is there anything anyone can recommend that would allow me to animate with flash, preferably with freeware after my trial has run out?

You can just download the trial version over and over again. As for actual tips, I have none. Sorry.

 

[Skreeee]

Aw, I thought this was about the other kind of flash. To which I would recommend loose/stretchy shirt and an easily moved bra. Check your shame at the door.

Sorry, I don't know enough about Flash to be of actual help.

 

[jaeger138]

hmm, this title could be problematic I see

 

[Da Joz]

Wear a trenchcoat with nothing underneath, wait wrong flash.

 

[Nimbus]

If you want to make flash animations, you can buy it, or you can steal it. There are no other options. No freeware alternative, I'm afraid.

EDIT: If you want to get familiar with the software without trying anything to artistically challenging, you could always try a sprite movie or two.That way you can focus on the funny/drama, depending.

 

[Knonsense]

If you want to make flash animations, you can buy it, or you can steal it. There are no other options. No freeware alternative, I'm afraid.

Well, technically you could learn Action Script and write out the animation in notepad, but that wouldn't be easy.

 

[jaeger138]

Well, technically you could learn Action Script and write out the animation in notepad, but that wouldn't be easy.

How long would learning action script take? Is it very complicated?

 

[Scrythe]

So I'd love to learn flash animation, and I don't know how many people animate here on the forums, but it's been something I've wanted to do for a while. I have a trial copy of flash mx for now, but I want to know how to go from the silly little tutorials to making a really decent animation. I know there's plenty of tutorials online but they can be so specific. I'm not looking for an 'easy way' to do this, just need some tips that don't come from the ass hats on Newgrounds.

Also, it's all well and good having a flash mx trial but I can't afford tha hefty pricetag of the full software, so is there anything anyone can recommend that would allow me to animate with flash, preferably with freeware after my trial has run out?

Get this [http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-VISUALLY-Flash-Professional/dp/0470171235] book, it's a great start. I love playing around with flash, but I lack the drive to want to beat ActionScript into my grey matter.

 

[Nimbus]

If you want to make flash animations, you can buy it, or you can steal it. There are no other options. No freeware alternative, I'm afraid.

Well, technically you could learn Action Script and write out the animation in notepad, but that wouldn't be easy.

Write an entire animation in notepad, including vector graphics? That's just... Mind boggling. I mean... Holy crap.

 

[Paulrus_Keaton]

Motion Tweening makes things easier, but it's viewed as being lazy and other mean words. Also, learn to use your layers.

All I can say is experiment. I can't offer much more than that because I've been away from Flash so long and I look at a few things from a artsy/technical aspect. Such things have become second nature.

Also, it helps to not only note what makes good flash good but what makes a bad flash bad.

EDIT: Also, read books about flash and read tutorials. Everything else is just learning how to be an animator or how to be a programmer.

 

[jaeger138]

Motion Tweening makes things easier, but it's viewed as being lazy and other mean words. Also, learn to use your layers.

All I can say is experiment. I can't offer much more than that because I've been away from Flash so long and I look at a few things from a artsy/technical aspect. Such things have become second nature.

Also, it helps to not only note what makes good flash good but what makes a bad flash bad.

EDIT: Also, read books about flash and read tutorials. Everything else is just learning how to be an animator or how to be a programmer.

Is there anything in the way of tutorials you can recommend? I'm not planning on spending money because I'm not looking to make this anything more than an occasional hobby, hence the lack of wanting to spend 600 on the software.

EDIT: Although, in saying that, I still want to learn as much as I can about action script and making animations 'properly' as it were. Don't ask why, just want to do it (how many posts asking why do you think i'll get? place your bets!).

 

[Knonsense]

Well, technically you could learn Action Script and write out the animation in notepad, but that wouldn't be easy.

How long would learning action script take? Is it very complicated?

If you've done any programming before, it should probably not be hard. However, it would require a hell of a lot of micromanagement to do an animation. While writing the code yourself is probably a good idea for flash games, using the Adobe editor would be a lot better for animations.

 

[jaeger138]

If you've done any programming before, it should probably not be hard. However, it would require a hell of a lot of micromanagement to do an animation. While writing the code yourself is probably a good idea for flash games, using the Adobe editor would be a lot better for animations.

I haven't done any programming before, that's why I wanted to start out with flash as I thought it might be easier to learn than other programming languages. And even if it isn't everyone has to start somehwere. So what would my best option be in terms of learning action script? Is it a case of get some books/tutorials and study my butt off or what?

 

[Knonsense]

I haven't done any programming before, that's why I wanted to start out with flash as I thought it might be easier to learn than other programming languages. And even if it isn't everyone has to start somehwere. So what would my best option be in terms of learning action script? Is it a case of get some books/tutorials and study my butt off or what?

I personally like library books for this sort of thing, but it's really just a matter of personal preference. The for dummies series is pretty good, despite the embarrassment involved.

EDIT: I would advise you to look for a recent one, as different versions come and go.

 

[jaeger138]

I personally like library books for this sort of thing, but it's really just a matter of personal preference. The for dummies series is pretty good, despite the embarrassment involved.

EDIT: I would advise you to look for a recent one, as different versions come and go.

Okay, thanks guy, I'll definitely check out my local library and hide that yellow book in shame, lol. Thanks!

 

[jasoncyrus]

Well, technically you could learn Action Script and write out the animation in notepad, but that wouldn't be easy.

How long would learning action script take? Is it very complicated?

Actionscript was invented by the devil to torture other devils who think they are bad ass programers.

Actionscript is hated and spat upon by all because it refuses to co-operate with anything else without 60+ hours of debugging because it finds flaw with ONE character in the entire program.

As for actualy animation. I have a lot of experience in this having done 4 years of it (I suck horribly at actionscripting but thats what code library and flash books are for).

Animation is generally very simple to do once you know the basics of how to mae your own life easier.

EXAMPLE:

If you are creating a person running then you would animate the arms in a single movie clip and the legs in a single movie clip. Having them both loop. This means you only have to animate one cycle of the movement and generally makes it about a billion times easier to do.

this meaning the only hings you actually have to move in the main animation are the head&torso and the 2 movie clips.
~~~~~~~

All in all the best advice i can give you is practise makes perfect (and a cours eon it helps a lot too). But still, practise, practise, practise.

but I lack the drive to want to beat ActionScript into my grey matter.

Even the pros use code libraries for actionscript.

If you've done any programming before, it should probably not be hard. However, it would require a hell of a lot of micromanagement to do an animation. While writing the code yourself is probably a good idea for flash games, using the Adobe editor would be a lot better for animations.

Uhh no...just because you can program something else =/= being able to program actionscript. The commands are radically different and 9/10 it throws an incompatability hissy fit with what ever language you are trying to mesh it with.

 

[jaeger138]

Actionscript was invented by the devil to torture other devils who think they are bad ass programers.

LMFAO! That was a brilliant picture in my head! But thanks for all the advice, i'll definitely keep what you said in mind, especially the bit I quoted