[HELP] I'm Screwed

[Joshman_123]

I've got absolutely no idea where to start with Flash. It seems like there's a massive gap between knowing nothing and making a game. All the tutorials assume everyone knows ActionScript and all the Flash terms and everything. So basically I'm screwed.

No one helps when I ask. They just tell me to do tutorials. It's starting to piss me off.

How the hell do I get started in Flash? And don't just say you did tutorials because I've tried heaps of them and I'm making no progress at all.

[Squize]

"No one helps when I ask. They just tell me to do tutorials. It's starting to piss me off."

Erm, how do you think anyone learned ? There's no magic shortcut everyone's keeping from you.
Writing a game is the hardest thing you can program, and you're bitc'hing that no one's helping you although you admit you don't know actionscript.

Nothing of any value in life is easy. If you want to learn, just spend the time learning like everyone else has to.

Squize.

[Joshman_123]

It's not the people that's pissing me off. But it is frustrating when they all assume I know ActionScript and refer me to tutorials for professionals. No one seems to remember HOW they got to the point they are now.

So can anyone HELP?

[lypk]

Start with the tutorials... they are definitely not "professional" tutorials... as for me, i started out by learning scripting off the forum and pple's examples.. cuz i was in a 3 weeks project without prior scripting knowledge.. you can do it.. just try

[Ubersquid]

have you allready tried the flash built-in tutorials? you can find them in the help menu...

really nice click-by-click instructions for beginners, and theres also an introduction into actionscript

[mbenney]

These three should give you a nice grounding in how actionscript works:

Variables 101; Instances; Paths to Objects and Variables;

[nick_das]

It seems like there's a massive gap between knowing nothing and making a game

There is. The bottom line is you won't be able to make anything in Flash unless you know some of basics, eg The Flash interface, the building blocks of a Flash movie. You can learn the basics by doing 1or more of the following: using tutorials,experimenting, looking at exmaple movies or getting a foundation / introductory Flash book. I learnt the basics from a book called Foundation Flash by Friends of Ed, and experimenting.

It depends how advanced the game is that you want to make, but you'll need to have at least some introductory knowledge of action script (as well as a good knowledge of the basics). I didn't start making a game until i at least could use and knew exactly:

- what a variable is
- what an IF statement is
- what a loop is
- what an array is

Lastly, learning flash takes time, determination and alot of experimentation. Good luck

[Joshman_123]

It's like learning a whole new language though. But it's a harder language than any other in the world. I think I would just have trouble getting all the right characters in exactly the right spots.

I'll give it another go because I'm REALLY determined to learn ActionScript and be able to program a game beginning to end.

[adit_ya_sharma]

Originally posted by Joshman_123
It's like learning a whole new language though. But it's a harder language than any other in the world.

How many languages have you actually studied, 'cause in my opinion this is the easiest language of 'em all. I think what you need is a good clearence of the fundamentals and basics in any programming language, 'cause no matter what language I'll say it again and again that only the syntax changes not the logic.

[Joshman_123]

Originally posted by mbenney
These three should give you a nice grounding in how actionscript works:

Variables 101; Instances; Paths to Objects and Variables;

Just did the variables tutorial. It was helpful, but still comes up with an error when I try to put it to action in Flash. And every time I try to correct it Flash comes up with something else to ***** about. Is there a certain condition that variables need to work under? So for example: if you were to make a movie clip and put this in the actions panel:

my_name = "Josh";

Would it still come up with an error? Because the tutorial didn't specify where variables can be used or what they can be used for.

Apart from that, it was a good tutorial. I'll do the others later.

[TheLostGuru]

Hey Josh, if you are serious about learning actionscript, I would buy Colin Moock's book "Actionscript for Flash MX(if that is what you use), The Definitive Guide". I bought the book when I first started to learn AS and it really helped me out. If you don't want to spend the money, I found some pretty basic tutorials on flashkit that used very simple terms to help you understand. Also if you want to get used to how flash works(minus the actionscript), check out this site. It's pretty goofy and long, but it really taught me how everything in flash works.

[Joshman_123]

Thanks Guru, I'll check that book out, but I find that most Flash-related books are pretty expensive. I've seen that site before but never really had a look at it. I'll check that out too.

By the way, does anyone know what kind of head start ActionScript will give to a future career in the game industry (if any)?

Cheers.

[tonypa]

Originally posted by Joshman_123
By the way, does anyone know what kind of head start ActionScript will give to a future career in the game industry (if any)?

None really. Game industry doesnt use Flash.

[darkpaladin]

hi, i'm new in those forums.

i know how to help you.
two years ago i started learning flash in a computers class, we learned the basics of flash, most of the things you would yous making a flash movie.
than we studied the most most mosr basic actionscript: how to make a frame stop, how to make a play button, and... no that's about it.
than one day my teacher showed me a game he made in flas, the most basic platform game in the world, but for that time i was stund!

i wanted to do everithing to learn a high level actionscript, but alas! the computer class ended, and there a little boy stood, not knowing what to do...
and then i started surfing the nternet and searching tutorials and examples, and my knowelege in action script grew and grew, and now i'm making games!

i hope that was a lesson for you.

p.s. a good website for learning actionscript: www.actionscript.org

[slight]

If you're only learning flash to get into the games industry, learn C instead.
Learning C is a lot more work in the short term, but it will serve you well later. Most common languages today (including actionscript) are based on C syntax, so if you learn C first, actionscript will be very easy to pick up, and you will have a better appreciation of how much hard work flash does for you.

[Gripster]

I am learing flash actionscript just so i can get to grips with how games are made. Im starting a degree course in software dev-games computing and i know i cant avoid maths and i will need C and java in my repotoir. Im learning flash as an entry level kind of thing, so flash can help you a lot if you are thinknig about moving into the industry. It gives you a taste of problems that software devloplers face each time they make a game and everytime you play an old coin op game esspially, 2d games i mean, you will wonder how it was made and if it can be done on flash etc and thats a great driver for learning actionscript to make games.

[Joshman_123]

That's exactly what I mean Gripster. I'm learning Flash because I want to make simple games and somewhere in the future I want to work in the game industry, to do the same thing. I'm only 15, so I've got plenty of time to work it out and get used to the whole concept.

I've got a friend in Hawaii at the moment studying different programming languages (Perl, C++) in uni so he can get into the game industry. He's been telling me about it and it sounds like a pretty gruelling process, but the rewards at the end of a game would be enormous. That's why I want to do it.

I want to have a nice smooth transition from before uni, to uni, and into the industry. Is anyone else here looking at getting into the actual game industry (console games)?

Thanks heaps for the replies by the way.

[mr_malee]

Focus on how to move something first.

to move something you need an object (MovieClip) or player that is going to move.

second you need to create values (variables) that set and record different information about this player

thirdly you need a method (function) of controlling the player

here is a simple idea

add this code onto the players first frame.

//these are the variables that the player uses to move and slow down

function setValues(){
speed = 5
deceleration = .8
}

//this code runs everytime a frame is entered, since we have only one frame this code will continually run, once it has been run it cannot be stopped unless it belongs to a class. but this is getting of the point.

onEnterFrame = function(){

//these are key codes and when pressed we set the varibles x and y to add themselves with the "speed" varible

if(Key.isDown(Key.RIGHT)){
x += speed
}else if(Key.isDown(Key.LEFT)){
x -= speed
}else{
x *= deceleration
}

if(Key.isDown(Key.UP)){
y += speed
}else if(Key.isDown(Key.DOWN)){
y -= speed
}else{
y *= deceleration
}

//here we use the information from "x" and "y" to set the players actual position "_x" and "_y"

_x += x
_y += y

}
//run the first function or we will have no speed or deceleration

setValues()
__________________________________________________ ________________

this exact tutorial is how i learned about flash games, it simply moves a player around in a maximum of 8 directions. What i would do now is read the Flash dictionary on:

1. functions - "function setValues()"
2. variables - "x, y"
3. properties - "_x, _y"
4. movieClips

That dictionary is a freakin life saver. All you need to know is in that dictionary, it just might be hard to find it. Keep going with it and you'll see results.

Another suggestion is to download "The Games Factory" this got me started in the basic understanding of how a game works. Bloody brilliant mate.

[Joshman_123]

Cheers, but the code doesn't work.

[Pugger]

Yes it does.

Did you:

add the code onto the players first frame?

I'm guessing thats where you went wrong.