Hi guys,

I posted a question in the flash beginner's section and it was promptly answered. After playing with the suggestions to my question, I decided to have a look around flashkit. I did some random clicking, reviewed a few random tutorials found on other sites (suggested by FK members) and came back feeling like developing this website will take a year or more.

I have no previous web design experience, but I'm a (3D) game designer. I've watched tutorials on Flash CS4 and know the basics (motion/shape tweening, symbols, editing properties, etc). My tutorials never really covered Publishing or ActionScript 3.0. Most of the internet is comprised of people who previously knew AS 2.0 and were learning about the changes to AS 3.0, which doesn't help me at all.

I also ran across a few helpful posts for other questions, and they said you needed to use XHTML to get any hits from search engines. I'm thinking "Great, now I have to learn this XHTML in addition to Flash?" I also think I've come to the understanding that there's no way I'll get through building this website without learning a substantial amount of AS3.

Aside from simply complaining, I have a question. What's the best way, short of a classroom, to learn how to build animated ("rich?") websites with Flash? What programs will I need to learn in conjunction with flash to make my site viewable by all browsers/retrieveable by search engines?

I have considered just paying someone to build my website, but I also need to learn flash for the game's HUD. If I can learn how to do it myself it will save me a lot of money in the long run.