Learn the professional skills you need to make the best use of Flash for creating interactive animation and producing exciting, dynamic Internet content. Nik Lever, writing as an artist for artists, takes you through the entire process from creating the art and animation for games in Flash, to adding the interactivity using Flash's ActionScripting language. He also provides valuable extra coverage of how Flash integrates with Director 8.5 Shockwave studio and C++. As a designer using Flash you will see how you can apply your creative skills to the many stages of game production and produce your own interactive games with this versatile package. As an animator you will be able to add interactive functionality to your own animation and produce a game. As a web developer you will see how to make the best use of the sophisticated development environment Flash offers for the production of both artwork and code to create low bandwidth, animated web content that sells! The free CD-Rom includes all the code and files you need to try out each tutorial from the book so you can see exactly how each game was created. Learn from the many different types of games provided as examples, from simple quizzes to platform-based games. High score tables and multi-player games using sockets, vital to higher level online games, are also covered in detail to ensure you have the complete skill set needed to succeed in this competitive arena.

So you wanna be a hotshot game designer? Well, if you have a basic grasp of Macromedia Flash MX, you can. Unafraid to tackle some of the more complicated aspects of game creation (including physics and trigonometry!), this comprehensive reference covers it all. Macromedia Flash Game Design Demystified starts out with the basics: planning, adapting ActionScript techniques, using introductory Flash game techniques, and more. Then it gets down to the real business of building simple games. You'll tackle simple-logic and quiz games before moving on to multiplayer and complex-logic games (chess, for example)--learning about importing 3-D graphics, adding sound effects, and licensing your games in the process. The book's companion CD includes the source files for a number of games as well as the tutorials and lessons that go along with the book and XML server software to facilitate multiplayer games. If you're tired of the games that you have and want to make your own action, this book offers comprehensive coverage of sophisticated techniques--but put in easy-to-grasp, practical terms.

* Designed for both professionals and hobbyists, this is the most complete book on creating sophisticated games with Macromedia Flash MX * Shows readers how to harness the full potential of Flash MX and Flash ActionScript * Provides hands-on advice for creating commercial games, as well as games to boost a Web site's "stickiness," perk up presentations, or enhance educational materials * Explains the tools, scripts, and other building blocks of Flash games tools and then shows how to put them together * Companion Web site includes all source code and game artwork from the book as well as links to free game development tools and product trials

* Competitively priced, comprehensively illustrated in full color, with in-depth content featuring the very best techniques for online game design. In keeping with the tradition of the Most Wanted series, plenty of "finished products" are included. Each chapter in this book represents the detailed step-by-step tutorials describing the design and construction of a complete game, ready for the reader to customize or incorporate the principles within their own games. * First Flash MX 2004 title to focus on Flash game design. And, as Flash is relatively simple to learn, this book provides an ideal entry point for aspiring online games developers. * All authors are active web community members and renowned web designers/games developers. They will provide personal technical support for the book direct to the reader via the Friends of ED support forums (http://friendsofed.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=cfrm&s=989094322). * Covers both Flash MX 2004 and Flash MX Professional 2004.

Those in the business of programming or developing online applications with Macromedia Flash have probably had moments when they wished they could turn to the real experts for advice on integrating server-side technologies. Now they can. This guide showcases how both state-of-the-art and well-established server-side technologies coupled with Flash MX can deliver powerful dynamic applications.

Macromedia Flash MXis the premier software for creating rich content for the Web and other media. Whether you're interested in developing complex Web applications, learning ActionScript, or mastering the new video capabilities in Flash MX, this book is filled with real-world insights and tutorials on every major Flash concept. Flash MX Unleashedis the ultimate resource for anyone trying to take their Flash skills to the next level. It combines the knowledge and experience of some of the top Web developers in the market, providing countless examples and explanations of the powerful tools and topics within Flash such as XML integration, components, and ColdFusion integration.

If you've never used Flash before, this is the book for you. It uses a series of structured exercises to give you the broad, solid foundation knowledge you need to start your exploration of Flash from scratch. Foundation Flash MX uses a proven sequential, detailed, and accessible tutorial style to ensure that you'll retain your learning and be able to draw on it throughout your Flash career. Macromedia Flash MX is an exciting product, providing rich creative opportunities for Flash designers and developers at all levels of ability and experience. No single book can hope to provide adequate coverage of all aspects of Flash MX, which is why this book focuses relentlessly on the core skills that you need to get you started: understanding the interface; familiarizing yourself with the creative tools and their capabilities; grasping the relationships between the different components that make up a Flash movie; getting insight into how to put all the pieces together and hook them up with ActionScript. All these aspects (and much more) are covered in detailed tutorials and exercises, reinforced with a case study that runs throughout the book to apply everything in a real-world context. If you're looking for a book that'll give you a rock-solid grounding in Flash MX, then this is the title for you.

Internet and web site design using Flash MX 2004.

Get the Edge on Flash ActionScript from the Designer's Perspective As a professional web designer you want to use ActionScript to add interactivity to your Flash creations. But previous books on ActionScript have assumed you have a programming background, leaving out key details in order to cover a lot of ground. In the process many designers and other professionals new to programming have been left behind. Flash MX ActionScript: The Designer's Edge fills these gaps, using a consistently visual approach that emphasizes conceptual illustrations and color charts. These are complemented by interactive tutorials on the book's companion website. Best-selling author J. Scott Hamlin and multimedia instructor Jennifer S. Hall make everything from fundamentals to high-end techniques accessible by truly teaching you how ActionScript works, not just presenting code. Key topics you'll learn about include: * The Flash MX interface to ActionScript * Programming mouse interactivity * Writing and reusing ActionScript * Coding core animation techniques * Working with text fields * Doing the math: Creating curving paths with trig functions * Handling object collisions and other gaming techniques * ActionScript drawing techniques * Encapsulating reusable code with ActionScript components * Debugging and troubleshooting your ActionScript