Understanding Macromedia Flash 8 ActionScript 2

Andrew Rapo and Alex Michael explain all the important programming concepts from a designer's point of view, making them completely accessible to non-programmers. Completely revised and rewritten this second edition will help you develop professional ActionScript 2 applications, and communicate knowledgably about current, Object Oriented ActionScript 2 techniques.Divided into four sections to take you from novice to professional results: Flash Fundamentals: Introduces the Flash authoring environment and basic core Flash concepts. ActionScript 2 Fundamentals: Explains basic programming concepts and terminology, and shows how ActionScript 2 classes are constructed and used. Built-in Classes: Describes the built-in ActionScript classes that are available for use in applications, including the MovieClip class, Key class, Sound class, etc. Using ActionScript to Build a Game: Describes the development process for creating a complex Flash application and presents commercial-quality game coding examples.

Autorentext

Andrew Rapo is a Senior Application Engineer at Warner Bros, US. Online where he supervises the development of games on a variety of platforms, including Flash, BREW, J2ME, and Virtools. These games can be seen on Warner Bros. sites including WarnerBros.com, LooneyTunes.com, ScoobyDoo.com, and HarryPotter.com, among others. Most recently he has developed BREW wireless games for Warner Bros. properties including "Batman Begins", "Constantine", "Looney Tunes" and "Harry Potter". Before working at Warner Bros., Andrew developed interactive content at Disney Online for Disney properties including "Armageddon", "Mulan", and "A Bug's Life". Andrew has a BA in Computer Science from Cornell University where he was a member of the Modeling and Simulation group.
Managing Director of Sprite Interactive Ltd, UK a new media agency, and previously Creative Director with Disney and Buena Vista International.

Inhalt

Introduction - Understanding Macromedia Flash 8 ActionScript 2

Flash Fundamentals

1 - An Introduction to ActionScript 2 Programming Tools in Flash 8
2 - Timelines, Layers, The Stage, MovieClips, and the Library
3 - Events and Event Handlers
4 - External ActionScript Class Files

ActionScript 2.0 Fundamentals

5 - A Brief Overview of ActionScript2 Programming
6 - Transitioning from AS1 Classes to AS2 Classes
7 - The Anatomy Of A Class
8 - The Building Blocks of Code
9 - Organizing Code With Functions
10 - Arrays
11 - Inheritance and Polymorphism

Built-in Classes

12 - Built-in Classes
13 - Built-in Classes: The MovieClip Class
14 - Built-in Classes: The Key Class
15 - Built-in Classes: The Sound Class
16 - Built-in Classes:The XML Class

Using ActionScript To Build A Game - Astro Sweeper

17 - Designing a Game
18 - Building the Game - Phase I: The FLA and the GameController
19 - Building the Game - Phase II: Movement and Powerups
20 - Building the Game - Phase III: The Complete Game

Appendices
Appendix A - ActionScript Terminology
Appendix B - Key Codes