Learn Flash & Action Script Tutorials

Flash and ActionScript Tutorials

Since 1999, this page has been dishing out a regular dose of Flash and ActionScript tutorials that do a body good. Check out the content or post in our friendly forumsto get help.

Animation

Intro to Animation in Flash CS4 (  1, 2 )   Motion Tweens in Flash CS4 ( No Popup |  Video ) Property Based Animations Create a Motion Tween (  Flash MX 2004 ) Animation Setup (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Creating a Simple Animation (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Frames and Rates (  1, 2 ) Motion Tweening (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3 ) Principles of Animation (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Principles of Animation, Part 2  (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3 ) Creating a Basic Flash MX Animation (  Flash MX ) Creating a Simple Motion Tween  (  1, 2, 3 )   Creating and Applying a Custom Ease (  1, 2, 3 ) Using the Bone Tool on Shapes (  1, 2 ) Motion Presets (  1, 2 ) Using the 3D Translation Tool ( No Popup |  Video )  Fading Text (  Flash MX ) Problems with Rotating Animations (  Flash 8 |  Video ) Simple Page Transitions (  Flash 8 |  Video ) Frame Jumping (  Flash MX 2004 ) Simple Custom Scrollbar (  Flash 8 |  1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) Using Code Snippets in Flash CS5 (  Flash CS5) Workspaces in Flash ( No Popup |  Video )

Drawing and Design

Drawing Shapes in Flash Introduction to 3D Using Flash CS4 (  Flash CS4 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) A Guide to Shading in Flash Fill Techniques (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Drawing Line Art in Flash Flash Vector Illustration: Part 1 Stop Blurry Images Tiled Background in Flash 8 Bevel in Flash (  Flash MX 2004 ) Converting Bitmap to Vector (  Flash MX 2004 ) Using Pixel Fonts (  Flash MX ) Creating a Shadow Effect (  Flash MX ) Symmetrical Round Objects (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Creating a Wooden Frame (  1, 2, 3 ) Illustration Optimization (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Creating Masks (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Logo Replication (  Flash MX ) Skinning a Scrollbar (  1, 2 ) Shiny Orbs (  Flash MX 2004 )

Common Tasks

Buttons in Flash (  1, 2, 3 ) Using the Library (  Flash MX 2004 )   Using the Shared Library   JavaScript Pop-Up Windows (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Common Mistakes using Buttons (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Magic Cursor (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Hide/View the Scrollbar Component (  Flash MX 2004 ) Creating Drop-Down Menus (  Flash MX ) Creating Multi-Column Text in Flash Hyperlinks in AS3   Creating a Hyperlink (  Flash MX ) Editing the Registration Point (  Flash MX ) Making an Object Transparent (  Flash MX ) Using Video (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Full Screen Flash Page (  Flash MX 2004 )

ActionScript Basics

Developer Basics - Starting Point (  Flash CS4/CS5 |  Video ) Introduction to OOP Strings as our First Variable  (  Video ) Classes in ActionScript 3  (  1, 2, 3, 4 )   Classes and MovieClips  (  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) Introduction to Arrays using AS3  (  Video ) Introduction to 3D using AS3 (  1, 2 ) Specifying a Document Class Hiding Mouse Cursor After Some Time If and Else Statements Physics-Based Bounce Effect  (  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Trigonometric Animations  (  1, 2, 3, 4 ) What removeMovieClip Becomes in AS3 Removing Things using Code Measuring Performance in Flash/AS3 Output vs. Compiler Errors  (  Video ) Changing Color in ActionScript 3   Random Colors in AS3 Changing Colors (  AS 1.0 ) Counting in Hexadecimal Reading RGB/aRGB Color Values Using the Keyboard in AS3 Tweening with Code (  1, 2, 3 ) Animating with TweenLite Using the Drop Shadow Filter in AS3 Introduction to XML in Flash (  Index Page: 40+ Pages )   Using XML in Flash CS3/AS3 (  1, 2,..., 7 ) Displaying XML Data in Flash (  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) XML-Driven Drop-Down Menu  (  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ) Photo Gallery using XML and Flash (  1, 2, 3,...,9 )   Animating Dynamic MovieClips in AS3  (  1, 2, 3 ) Random Movement in AS3 Displaying Library Content in AS 3.0 (  1, 2 ) Auto-Resizing and Centering your Content Managing Movie Clip Instances (  1, 2 ) Detecting When Mouse Leaves Movie Detecting Direction of Mouse Movement in AS3 Finding the Distance Between Two Points What is Flex? Why Use It? Creating a Hello World Application in Flex Flex Application Anatomy Finding Values in an Array  (  AS 2.0 ) Duplicate Movie Clips (  AS 1 ) Detecting Mouse Direction (  AS 2.0 ) Finding Maximum/Minimum Value in Array (  AS 1 ) Associative Array Access  (  AS 3.0 ) Calculating Distance (  AS 1 |  1, 2 ) Binary-Decimal Conversion (  AS 1 ) Tab Ordering Forms (  AS 1 ) Functions  (  AS 1 |  1, 2 ) AS2.0 Variable Names (  AS 2.0 ) Comment Your Code (  AS 1 ) Naming Conventions (  AS 1 ) Global Variables (  AS 1 ) Variable Scope (  AS 1 ) Relative Addressing (  AS 1 ) Conditionals and Toggle Switches (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Goodbye Complex Code (  Flash CS4 |  Video  ) Parsing External Array Data Flash, PHP, and MySQL Integration Live Hit Counter Flash/PHP Flash Email Form Login Using Flash MX, PHP, and MySQL Use Flash with PHP and mySQL  (  1, 2 ) Displaying Flash Data in PHP Displaying Google Maps in Flash  (  1, 2 ) Working with Native Mouse Features Using the Timer Fast Sorting with QuickSort Depth First and Breadth First Search Abstract Data Types Shuffling an Array

External Data

Creating a Preloader and Progress Bar Simulating Bandwidth Displaying a Preloader for External Content Loading an External Image (  1, 2, 3 ) Connecting to a RSS Feed (  Flash CS4 |  Video  ) Connecting to a Web Service using Flash (  Flash CS5 / FB 4 ) Loading Files from Disk (  1, 2 ) Loading Pictures Dynamically (  Flash 8 |  Video ) XML/Flash Photo Slideshow (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3 ) XML/Flash Photo Gallery (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3,...,9 ) Calling JavaScript from Flash using AS3

Sound

Playing Sounds from the Library Playing Sounds using ActionScript 3 (  AS 3.0 )   Playing Sounds using ActionScript 1 (  AS 1.0 ) Creating a Sound Bar (  Flash MX ) Reading ID3 Tags in Flash/AS3 Using the Microphone (  Flash MX 2004 ) Working with Dynamic Sound

Special Effects

Fading out Letters in Text Colorful Explosion (  Flash CS4 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Collision Detection among Multiple Objects   Advanced Collision Predicting Collisions Elastic Collisions (  1, 2 ) Falling Snow in Flash CS4/AS3  (  Flash CS4/AS3 |  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 )   Flash Snow 3.0 (  Flash 8 |  1, 2 ) Falling Snow 2.0 (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Text Gradient Fills (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Creating and Animating Clouds (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Shine Effect  (  1, 2, 3 ) Interactive Image Pan  (  1, 2, 3 ) Sliding Menu (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) Zoom Motion Blur (  Flash 8 |  1, 2 ) Digital Clock (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Gradient Art (  Flash 8 |  1, 2 ) Launch Centered  Window (  Flash 8 |  1, 2 ) Random Jumping (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Falling Text (  Flash 8 |  Video  ) Apply and Animate Filter Effects (  Flash 8 |  1, 2 ) Flash Video Loops (  Flash 8 |  1, 2, 3 ) Creating a Platform Game (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) Hover Captions (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3 ) News Ticker (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Duplicate Background (  Flash MX 2004 ) Loading Random Quotes (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Adding Thumbnails (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3,...,7 ) Animated Blur (  Flash MX 2004 ) Complex Button RollOut/RollOver Effects Liquify Image Effect (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Coloring Book (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2, 3 ) Menu with Slider (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Creating the Shine Effect (  Flash MX 2004 ) Random Motion (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Loading Random Movies (  AS 1 |  1, 2 ) Pausing Animation (  Flash MX 2004 ) Masking Dynamic Text and Device Fonts Film Grain (  Flash MX 2004 ) Transitions between External SWFs (  AS 1 |  1, 2 ) Timeline Effects (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Context Menu (  Flash MX 2004 ) Using CSS Styles (  Flash MX 2004 |  1, 2 ) Applying CSS to Externally Loaded Text Chromeless  Window (  Flash MX 2004 ) Dynamic Mouse Trail Effect  (  Flash CS4 |  1, 2, 3, 4 )   Mouse Trail (  Flash MX ) Date Countdown Timer  (  Flash MX |  1, 2 ) Vibration Effect (  Flash MX ) Creating a Volume Control Slider Falling Snow  (  Flash MX |  1, 2 ) Cartoon Animation (  Flash MX ) Equilibrium Points (  Flash MX ) Grassy Field: Case Study  (  Flash MX |  1, 2 ) The Infinite Menu (  Flash MX ) Easing on Mouse Click (  Flash MX ) Mouse Follow with Easing Alpha Graphic Fade with Inertia (  Flash MX ) News Flasher (  Flash MX ) Circular Movement (  Flash MX ) Launch a Centered  Window (  Flash MX ) Create a Photo Gallery (  Flash MX ) Creating Continuous Movement  (  Flash MX |  1, 2 ) Making Flash Movies Transparent (  Flash MX ) Loading a Random Background  (  Flash MX |  1, 2 ) Random Movement in Flash MX (  Flash MX ) Fractals  (  SUBsection ) Fading Grid  (  Flash MX |  1, 2, 3 ) Creating a Grid in Flash/AS (  AS 1.0 ) Mouse Actions (  AS 1.0 ) Drawing Board: Draw in MX  (  AS 1.0 ) Digital Clock (  AS 1.0 ) ActionScript Text Animation (  AS 1.0 ) Outline Effect (  AS 1.0 ) Analog Clock (  AS 1.0 ) Real Fake Drag Mask (  AS 1.0 ) Advanced Rollovers (  AS 1.0 ) Follow Mouse (  AS 1.0 ) Random Letter Cycling 2.0 (  AS 1.0 )

Isometry

Isometric Transforms (  1, 2, 3, 4 ) Isometric Hit Testing (  1, 2, 3 ) Isometric Perspective Using Grids to Draw Isometric Views Isometric Alternative to 30 Degrees Planning Isometry in Flash Basic Key Movement Different Approach Towards Isometric Positioning Isometric Coded Isometric Grid Development Simple Example Advanced Method w/FLA Basic Movement w/FLA Depth Sorting 3D Movement (Isometry)

Game Development

Making Money from Flash Games (  Video ) Creating a Vertical Shooter (  1, 2, 3, 4 ) RPG Programming (  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ) Game Story Writing  (  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ) Game Programming Intro Flowchart Gametypes What makes a Role-Playing Game?