Found it,

the key to being successful in this industry?
Firstly do you have enough range to adapt to changes in the market, for example if flash goes out of fashion, can you adapt easily to something else, or is flash the only software you have learned, something I learned at uni was the importance of learning a broad range of skills, a designer should know the basics, of "video editing", "3D modelling" "2D" "programming" "flash/web design" "photography" "pc maintenance/configure". Many designers who havn't studied multimedia at college tend to learn flash alone, and maybe a bit of dreamweaver and photoshop, this will greatly limit your success.

So basically yes you can skip college, but don't just learn the software that you think is most imortant or fun, ie flash, learn everything and you will be more prepared for success! not to mention the fact that you will be able to build much cooler websites and have skills basic skills for other areas of the media industry, like 3D modelling for games development, film special effects or video editing for film and TV.

I know I am rambling on a bit, but I will say one thing, the 3 years that you do at uni will be the most fun you ever have, so don't pass it up anyway.

cheers
Nevil
http://www.theory7.com

Any specific courses I should take if I want to be one of those.. you know.. g-munk or 2advanced type of guys?

I don't think you can take a course to turn you into a certain kind of web developer, you will have to teach yourself those skills, take a look at the courses of the university that you would like to go to. Make sure that the course is varied in what it teaches, not just hardcore programming, the key would be to look for courses that focus on "multimedia".

cheers

nevil
http://www.theory7.com

Damn Nevil,

I couldn't agree with you more. You've hit it right on!! Knowing multiple softwares, hardwares, and having knowledge of the concepts of TV, film, video, 3d, design, and even music can greatly improve your chances of success. I hate programming... but I know just enough to grasp what it can do and it's potential in any given project. Knowing this, you can easily convey those thoughts and ideas to those are are more skilled in the area.

Nevil... HA!! wanna team up? :)

-j

Well the thing is.. I went to a seminar for a good 'film school' a few weeks ago, and they showed a reel of what kind of stuff their graduates produced.. The 3d animators, excellent, worked on stuff like the final fantasy movie. The 2d animators, great as well, disney quality. Video guys, sound guys, etc etc, very high quality work. Then, there was "New media".. The work featured things from all different subjects.. 3d, 2d, video, sound, webdesign, flash, etc.. but it was quite crappy quality. The other guys all produced tv-quality (very pro looking) work, but the new-media artists' stuff wasn't all that great, and didn't really look good enough for tv or even 'net.

So.. that kind of made me ignore new media.. But now, I might think again.. hrm :-/

this will always be the case, you have to remember that multimedia especially on the web has only been around for 3 or 4 years, where as 3D and video production has been going for decades. Because of this there is a great lack of teaching resources for the subject, a good multimedia course may be tought by someone who has been in TV/Film making all there life and decided to move into teaching, you are not going to get someone who has been doing flash for 10-15 years teaching on a course, it just hasn't been around that long.
Another reason why you might see such contrasts between multimedia projects and say 3D/video projects, is that as a 3D modeller/animator you focus all of your attention on 1 piece of software, you may then use premiere for composition, this enables you to get pretty advanced in your work output, on the other hand a multimedia designer will have to put his time resources into learning several pieces of software and combining them, for example to build my site http://www.theory7.com I use Flash 5, HTML, Javascript, PHP, Perl, Premiere, Photoshop, 3D Studio Max R4.2, Swift 3D, Illustrate 5.0, Sound Forge 4.5 and Reason, not to mention all the little tools needed. We have to learn so many different skills and how how to integrate them effectively, 3D and video is totally linear, they don't have to worry about building preloaders, interactivity, programming database functionality, that's why the graphics look so good, that's all they need to do.

Anyway enough of all that

cheers

Nevil
http://www.theory7.com

Ok.. I dunno if I should post this... but I found another thread of people who do not care for http://www.allmediastudios.com

http://www.were-here.com/forums/show...hreadid=127631

I think it's good to have some criticism right? So, take their considerations and hopefully you'll learn from it.

oh.. and music for the intro for AMS fyi...
http://www.mp3.com/concept called, "Evolution" (hence the banner at the top)

-j

[QUOTE]Originally posted by edgen
[B]:)

I don't mind if someone doesn't like it. If they can provide reasons why... that would be much better. Constructive crit. is the best way to learn, and if everyone thinks your work is perfect, then we've got a messed up, laid back world where no one gives a tihs* one way or another.

I agree but I wonder ......
You really are very impressive ......
Your work is a inspiration for me to use in my
Phd program in Practical Theology
I just wish I was rich and then I could have
enough resources to have your crew design some
thought provoking stuff for me..... (grin)

Well it's back to my beginning stage ......

Quote:

---

Originally posted by nevil
Many designers who havn't studied multimedia at college tend to learn flash alone, and maybe a bit of dreamweaver and photoshop, this will greatly limit your success.

---

This is so true. I realized that as well starting out in the industry I myself learned just about only Macromedia's products Flash, Director and so fourth and a few Adobe products. But I realized that with going to college to study design I learned a broader range of skills to facilitate to other industry aspects like game design and graphic arts. Moving past even non-tangible things. Meaning studying past whats designed just the web. Giving me an in-depth understanding of design as more than a medium to express your thoughts or passions but a proper visual understanding. So in cases I agree with going to college or some form of teaching on not specifics ie: "Flash Animation" but "Design".

Quote:

---

Originally posted by edgen
Ok.. I dunno if I should post this... but I found another thread of people who do not care for http://www.allmediastudios.com

http://www.were-here.com/forums/show...hreadid=127631

I think it's good to have some criticism right? So, take their considerations and hopefully you'll learn from it.

oh.. and music for the intro for AMS fyi...
http://www.mp3.com/concept called, "Evolution" (hence the banner at the top)

-j

---

Edgen, thanks man. I was wondering where I could find this type of music. Also, how can people actually say that your website sucks? I still don't get it. It may not be their taste, but the website DOES NOT suck. That's a fact. It is very well done and I look forward to seeing your upcoming projects.

Also, I am looking for some guidance on an issue that you appear to be an expert with. Sincing sound with the movie. Do you do this manually through trial and error? Or is there a secret to this?
[Edited by gdstudios on 03-28-2002 at 09:14 AM]

gdstudios, if you're looking for a tutorial, there was an issue of computer arts special a few months ago, called Animation. It's purple, and has a tutorial on lip-synching and one on animating text to make it more lively..
Myself, I synch the animation to music by first making the parts that should be synchronized on the main timeline, and then putting them into a movie clip. Folders in MX probably solved the little problem about too many layers, but I still use MC's. Anyways, for most animation, you can try to make the sound's 'hit' point a frame or two after the animation's 'hit' point.. oh, and, use streaming mode for music :-P

Edgen, what kind of method do you use?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by pbleper
Any specific courses I should take if I want to be one of those.. you know.. g-munk or 2advanced type of guys?

---

There aren't any courses on being one of those. The technical stuff is easy to learn, every programme has tutorials, creativity and vision can't be learned, u either got it or u aint,

Well, Here's how I do it.

First and foremost.. I'll sit here staring at a blank wall, walk around, pace back and forth wondering what the hell i'm going to do. Then, I'll come up with an idea, and write it down.. Sometimes I'll storyboard it out. ( http://www.edgen.com/artgallery/storyboards.html ) ( http://www.edgen.com/theclose - animation to go with it) Then, i'll usually think of what music will go with the piece. Since I usually score my own tracks, i'll do a custom piece, or i'll pick one of my past mp3s. Once the music is picked, i'll figure out what sound FXs to use. Using Sound Forge and Nuendo, i'm able to layout the entire 30-1:00 animation all with seeing it in my head.

create a new movie.. set the size and adjust the frame rate. I typically use 24-30 fps. Once you set the frame rate you have to keep it the same. Otherwise, your sounds will be all funct up. Create 2 scenes... Preloader, and Main. or whatever. Then, in main, add a Layer and label it MUSIC or SOUND FX. import your audio file, and on the first frame of the timeline, select your audio track, and be sure to set it to stream. One way to know if you've done this correctly is by "scrubbing" the top. if you hear scrambled music/sounds.. you're on the track. Once you have that in place, extend your audio track out. Sometimes it could reach from anywhere to 2000+ - 3000+ frames. Also, in the audio layer, look at the wave form.. Usually you can tell where the "hit points" will be by the heighten peaks. Either that, or hit play and listen. scrub, scrolll back, and hit play again. Usually if there is a particular hit point i'll place the MC at that point.(set as a graphic > play once)(if it's a 3d animation element 30frames long)(that way you can actually see what's going on within the animation) Once that is set up , you can go through out the timeline, create another layer called "HITPOINTS" and whever you see and hear those "point", create a blank key. If you animation becomes too cluttered with layers, you can copy frames, and paste your "HITPOINTS" layer towards the top or bottom.

Its all about a concept and idea, and being able to pull it off and making it look somewhat good. Keeping a nice low file size, and keeping the audience's attention long enough not to frantically look for a skip button.

This is a mp3 mix with my music and sound FX i created before starting the intro. The client didn't want me to post the intro online just yet. You probably can't see the animation or what in the world I had in mind... but it'll give you an idea of what you have before even starting.
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...al_angels3.mp3

Alot of people cannot do this method. They need visuals before they can score soundtracks. A curse I have perhaps? Once again.. another reason to learn a wide range of audio, video, multimedia and graphic programs.

here's an example..
Music Composition
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...e/oa_music.mp3
Music + FX
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...ance_intro.mp3
Final intro.
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...nce/intro.html

Hope that helps! questions? feel free to ask :)
-j
[Edited by edgen on 03-28-2002 at 02:19 PM]

Edgen, I have 2 questions based on your detailed reply. 1). Can you describe what you call the "HITPOINT" in the music? 2). Are you saying that at these "HITPOINTS," you place MC's of your animations (they are not on the main stage, rather only MC's on the stage, with the animations in them?

It seems that it really is a trial and error process then. The most important aspect of the syncing is setting the audio to streaming right?

here's a snapshot within that intro. Notice the high points within the timeline and the hitpoints I placed within.
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...a_timeline.gif

Sometimes, ya.. it is by trial and error. You just have to export the audio at the right compression. For this particular project, I've exported the audio in the Publish settings as "Audio Stream, MP3, 48kbps, Stereo".

I think it sounds ok.. But.. if you have a reallllly long audio track, you may want to lose the stereo quality and knock it down to another size.

-j

Egen,

Again you site is very cool. But I don't think you should care so much what others think about them. Just do your stuff.

Horace

Quote:

---

Originally posted by edgen
here's a snapshot within that intro. Notice the high points within the timeline and the hitpoints I placed within.
http://www.allmediastudios.com/worki...a_timeline.gif

Sometimes, ya.. it is by trial and error. You just have to export the audio at the right compression. For this particular project, I've exported the audio in the Publish settings as "Audio Stream, MP3, 48kbps, Stereo".

I think it sounds ok.. But.. if you have a reallllly long audio track, you may want to lose the stereo quality and knock it down to another size.

-j

---

Ok ok. So, a hitpoint would be like where the browser shakes during the http://www.allmediastudios.com intro? Sorry, just having trouble getting what you're saying. Been wanting to understand the syncing thing for a long time. ;)

yup! And... at that particular hitpoint.. you add an action on that frame..

GET URL
javascript: shake_xy(8)

and put this in your .html containing the flash movie before the <head> tags:

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript1.2">

function shake_xy(n) {
if (self.moveBy) {
for (i = n; i > 0; i--) {
self.moveBy(0,i);
self.moveBy(i,0);
self.moveBy(0,-i);
self.moveBy(-i,0);
}
}
}
</script>

Sometimes browser shakes can be annoying... subtle shakes are sometimes the best route.

-j

Ok. I think I have a clear understanding of the concept now. I appreciate your help with this. I make many intros for my company, but hardly ever include sound in them because I have had no clue how to sync the sounds with the movie. And there's nothing that looks worse then a song just thrown into a movie where it doesn't belong. ;)Thanks again, Edgen.

i read this thread and it touches on every aspect of design i have ever run into. great job everyone for asking the right questions. :)

I agree. Of all the threads I have seen on Flashkit, this is one of the best! This type of thread is precisely what makes Flashkit such an amazing tool for Flash developers.

First I would like to congratulate you on the excellent work you have done, music is amazing, I downloaded a few of them to hear at work, (they are so realxing!). Your site is very well though of, and works wonderfully.

I admire people like you, who have talent yet they are down to earth and so giving. I have not met a person who creates awesome stuff such as yours and give it out for free. Seems from previous posts that you help a lot of people create stuff; most talented people keep things to themselves. I hope you will always be very successful in whatever you do, and good luck!

Again your work is amazing regardless of what others think

Edgen, I also do music first, then animation.. I don't know how someone could do the animation first, and then the music.. What if its off by a few seconds once they sequence it? Change the whole animation, or change the beat of the music? Sounds crappy to me..

You put your sound fx with the music? I find it easier to put sound fx on a seperate layer (or in MC's that have the animation), so you can easily edit the position instead of having to open a sound app again :-P

Quote:

---

Originally posted by nessi_r
First I would like to congratulate you on the excellent work you have done, music is amazing, I downloaded a few of them to hear at work, (they are so realxing!). Your site is very well though of, and works wonderfully.

I admire people like you, who have talent yet they are down to earth and so giving. I have not met a person who creates awesome stuff such as yours and give it out for free. Seems from previous posts that you help a lot of people create stuff; most talented people keep things to themselves. I hope you will always be very successful in whatever you do, and good luck!

Again your work is amazing regardless of what others think

---

wow.
thank you. :) At work of all places? I really appreciate your support and spread the word !

But.. as for intros... I used to put in individual music clips.. but.. that adds to the file size. If you have one long "streaming" piece of music, its more likely to be smaller. If you have 4-5 sound fx, and no music.. sure.. that's the way to do it. You just have to change each .wav's kbps according to how it needs to be heard in your movie. some sound fx will require the stereo option.

Basically, it all comes down to trial and error. Sometimes you just get lucky and it all lines up in the end.

-j

I know I am a day late and a dollar short on this thread but I also have to comment on how this thread has been one of the best I have read in quite a while.

Edgen, your work is terrific. I am new to this stuff (my main experience is in back-end and data programming) but have been pouring through the boards and various flash-related sites and have seen quite a few great sites in the last few months...your work ranks up there with the best. The sound is certainly it. I can't believe the impact that proper selection and use of music can have on the end result. It is without a doubt a huge missing factor in many otherwise good sites.

Also, I agree that it is a rare trait to see a designer so free with sharing his craft. You are one of the few who may realize that sharing is only going to help propagate this industry to a larger audience, thus contributing to the success of all. And while freely distributing your source code and "secrets" opens the door for reproduction, truly great work requires an aritstic quality that one is born with and can not be learned.

Looking forward to more!

~K

PS Pbleper, go to school man. I kick myself frequently for not having rounded out my skill set by finishing school. Yeah, there are a lot of BS courses you will have to endure, but the foundation that is built in general is worth it. Just my 2 cents. :)
[Edited by karnog on 04-01-2002 at 09:18 AM]

Well the thing is, I really want to be sure that if i goto school, I won't waste my time.. I'm still 14, and have 2 years left before post-secondary education.. I can pretty much say that I'm quite proficient with Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, Java & Actionscript, various sound programs and hardware synthesizers, video apps... and learning, but already have a solid foundation of a few 3d apps. I'm releasing my new "Flash Concerto" within about a month, and I'm hoping it'll out-do derbauer and redox's stuff.

Now... I live in a small crappy town, in Northern BC, Canada. The college in my town is bs, and the university only teaches technical courses, not multimedia. If I want to take any art or multimedia courses, then I'd have to move to Vancouver or something, and have a lot of expenses.

I still can't find what useful things I can learn in a school.. If I want background and theoretical knowledge, I'll pick up a book on that from the library. If I want to learn a program, I'll purchase a good book or two at the bookstore/amazon. This'll cost MUCH less money than a college education, and they say that colleges and universities are getting overcrowded because of baby boomers..

Well that's just what I think of it, but possibly I'm thinking immaturely? What other things could I learn in college? Is a diploma useful? I don't really think gmunk's clients ask him for a diploma..

There is something to be said for your arguments, so let me take a shot at responding. Hopefully without getting to philosophical. :)

For good or bad, there are still some companies that won't look at you unless you have a university degree. Then again, maybe you don't want to work for a company that has that kind of requirement. In fact, the education many schools offer today compared to, say, 20 years ago seems...well different, for lack of a better way of describing it. Let's face it, most universities are primarily in the business of making money and poorly masquerade as educational institutions. It seems to me, 3.0+ averages are doled out more easily to get better rankings and attract students (read $$$.)

Sadly, I know many uneducated and ignorant college grads (yes, I know that is redundant...I meant it to be.) :) They crammed for tests and papers, getting nothing into long-term memory, and forgot nearly everything they learned long before they were handed their diplomas.

All that aside, there are definitely good schools out there and some better than others, but it is mainly what one chooses to make of it.

What could you get fom college that you couldn't get on your own? Well, there is no discounting the fact that good schools probably would create better curriculums and text selections than you could for yourself and they could provide the setting for classroom interaction. Also, the inevitable social aspect outside of the classroom (how you deal with it) and networking with fellow classmates and professors is more important than you may realize.

Ultimately, only you and those around you know what is best for your situation. There are positives and negatives to most decisions in life and you must weigh them carefully.

Hey, you have 2 more years to go, so don't worry too much about it yet. For now, just keep Flashin'!

Looking forward to seeing/hearing your Concerto.

~K
[Edited by karnog on 04-01-2002 at 05:47 PM]

Another thing about college.

Face it.. it's all about the fun. The people you meet and the experiences you have that will last forever. Its not like you have to do school work the entire time. It's about time management, and learning what you want to in the meantime. Improve your Flash skills while you are inbetween breaks in class... Drink a beer or three while you develop your photoshop skills and later head to the bars. Or while waiting for your date to get ready and to show up for your Fraternity formal, sit down for 30 minutes and read up on scripting and video editing.

Granted.. some people cannot afford college and they have to work on the side to support themselves. But if you are lucky enough or smart enough to have your college paid for... pick a fun one. Some lame small private school will only piss you off, and will make you want to drop out.

It's taken me 6 years now to finally get finished... but in the meantime, i've built my portfolio, learned skills not taught in college courses, and I had a blast doing it. Now i'm ready for the real world, and it's been handed to me on a silver platter. Might as well try for platinum?

14? hell dude.. You may change your mind by then. My little brother said the same thing and he's just 12. He has no idea what it's like until you get to that point.

I'd encourage anyone to push harder and further and get some stoopid piece of paper saying you know how to off center a photograph, or do a color overlay on multiple .jpgs in a photoshop document and at the same time prove to everyone you know how to write a 14 page paper that flat out sucks ass and pisses you off just thinking about it.

-j

If I may share my story. I am 24 years old now. I attended George Washington University in DC and obtained a degree in International Relations. My initial goal was to be an US Intelligence, but that didn't pan out the way I wanted it to. In fact, I ended up meeting a girl in school and my grades went down. I ended up not graduating the GPA I would have hope for (around a 3.0). Once I realized that Intelligence would no longer be an option for me, I quickly learned HTML. My roommate at the time showed me a website that he made for one of his business classes in Netscape Composer. I knew I was always a creative person. I also knew that I always had an interest in computers. When I was younger, I drew as a hobby. Web design just seemed like the thing for me to do. It was my years in college, albeit not the most academically productive years of my life, that helped me decide what I wanted to do. I never did, and still have never taken any classes in what I do.

I will now show you guys something of mine that I have never showed anyone on FK before. It is my first website ever, made in Netscape Composer in 1998, I believe. http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~gsandler Yes, I know, garbage. But this is where it all began for me. From there, I started up an online news service called policywatch.com, which has since folded. Now, in 2002, I am a Senior Web Developer for a respectable company in DC called http://www.globescope.com My portfolio has expanded to over 40 websites. And remember, I am completely self-taught. I now have skills in HTML, JavaScript, Photoshop, Flash, and most HTML editors.

With all this being said, I cannot underscore the importance of getting that undergraduate degree. I matured more in college than at any point in my life, regardless of my academic output. Go to college, DEFINTELY! I may regret deciding to major in International Affairs, but I do not regret going to college, because of the experience I gained. The moral here is that even though you can be self-taught, as I am, going to college is essential to developing the skills needed to go out there an compete.

Oh and please, keep that original site of mine secret, I don't want that getting out too far from this thread. ;) I hope my story is inspiring.
[Edited by gdstudios on 04-01-2002 at 10:28 PM]

Thanks everyone.. this is a damn good thread! I guess I should consider going to a school.. What do you guys think of Vancouver Film School? http://www.vfs.com ..I have room and board free right beside that school (family).. Someone said something about private schools being bad, what do you think.. VFS?

Ok, I hope nobody already asked this, because it's late, I'm tired, and I didn't feel like reading the whole thread(I'll come back tomorrow :)).

Wait,

First off, great job edgen, I liked your intros a lot. My question is, how did you make the browser expand after the end of the intro? I'm sure it's javascript, but I've never seen that before, and I thought that was the coolest!

Cheers!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by dunnright00
Ok, I hope nobody already asked this, because it's late, I'm tired, and I didn't feel like reading the whole thread(I'll come back tomorrow :)).

Wait,

First off, great job edgen, I liked your intros a lot. My question is, how did you make the browser expand after the end of the intro? I'm sure it's javascript, but I've never seen that before, and I thought that was the coolest!

Cheers!

---

Thank YOu!! :) Glad you liked it! Ya.. the browser size increase was javascript. Kinda neat :)

I'll see if i can look up the coding for ya!

Also, I just got word ealier today one of my tracks was used for a first round trailer for a game called, "Dragon Kind" geared for the Xbox and Playstation 2 and produced by a company called, "TriLunar". goto http://www.edgen.com and follow the link to watch the 3d animation/trailer! I hope you like it! They used the track, "Assault" and the vocals are by LindsayAnne Klemm. Kinda like LOTR style music.

let me know what you think! (even sounds like a cool game)
-j

Hey edgen, i'm getting into music.. I bought a synth, Korg Karma, half a year ago. What equipment do you use to make your music? Any tips?

That site rocks! I go to that site all the time, the intro gets me pumped & more ready to start learning some kick ass flash :)!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by pbleper
Hey edgen, i'm getting into music.. I bought a synth, Korg Karma, half a year ago. What equipment do you use to make your music? Any tips?

---

Hardware wise? HA!! I've got an old Casio CT700 Keyboard, a midi cable, Sound Blaster Live Platinum, GigaStudio, Cakewalk, and Nuendo. And of course some good samples. That's it. The Nuendo provides good realtime effects once you've recorded your individual tracks.

You can goto various sites out there, and find out from the "real pros" what they use. Since I do so many other things, I have never really sat down and tried to figure out what I really need to make some kick ass music. Sometimes I just get lucky one night with a track and it turns out to be pretty good. :) Other nights, i'll compose maybe 3, and trash them all.

Do a google search on Gigastudio.. usually you'll come up with some good sample sites out there that are pretty helpful.

-j

Gigastudio and Nuendo.. thanks!

Unrelated, but seriously, can Edgen or pbleper please point me in the right direction to find sound effects that I can actually use on my website (sounds for buttons, sliding doors, loading sounds) and also music loops that I can actually use (similar to the ones found on http://www.blitzds.com and http://www.2advanced.com/archive/v2/flashindex.htm

I know there are tons of files here on Flashkit, but, as you know, most of them are unusable. And it stinks because I am not an audio expert, myself, so I need to rely on others' sounds.

I hope you can help. Thanks.

One thing you can do is get a program called Acid, (theres a free version) and take a random song.. for beeps and clicks, you just isolate a tiny section.. a split second of the song.. and play it, if it doesnt sound right, hold alt and drag to hear the different parts of the song.. you can get nice clicks and beep noises.. also you can try shrinking the area to a very short millisecond, and then copy-pasting that small millisecond area a few times, and putting spaces in between the cuts, makes interesting noises.


For other sound effects.. it depends on what you want. My new "Flash Concerto" has a lot of 'whooshes'.. so I found that if you reverse a gun/cannon sound, it sounds like a whoosh.

There are also a bunch of sites on the net where you can get free soundfx.. Flashkit has some, but I haven't found anything I've needed on here yet. Just search for something like "free sound effects" on a search engine.

I usually edit sounds to make them what I want.. for example, take a clock ticking, and slow it down, add some equalizer effects, and you can make it sound like a large sledgehammer.

I use Sound Recorder and Acid a lot. Theres also a program called Sound Forge which sounds nice, but I haven't had the chance to try it.

I also have a hardware synthesizer that lets me edit waveforms and make some synth sound effects.. really good for long ambient things, and white noise.

Hope that helps.

thanks pbleper. I have Sound Forge and Acid Pro, but I haven't used them extensively. Like I said, sound editing intimidates me at this point, as I am a designer, not a sound editor. I have only used Acid to cut parts of songs out to use as loops. Perhaps it is time for me to study up on my Acid Pro and Sound Forge so I can make my own sounds. Can do all the things you just suggested using Sound Forge and Acid Pro?

Oh yeah, and for music.. EJ makes his own music, and Blitz probably does the same.. I love that music on the Blitz site!

If you want to find music loops.. http://www.sounddogs.com has a large archive.. You might be able to use some of their preview ones.. they're not the greatest quality but might work.. or, you could purchase them of course ;-P.. they sell cd's with hundreds of loops on them as well.

I remember seeing another site with purchase-able music.. it was made in flash and showcased here about half a year ago.. but I forgot the URL.