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[PaulMorel]

Being a programmer, I am not as fond of Flash as some others.  One of the reasons for this is that, for a while, developing in Flash was quite expensive.  In fact, I have ignored Flash development primarily because I was under the misperception that you still had to buy some Adobe product to develop with it (as opposed to java, C, DirectX ... etc).

Anyway, today I discovered the open source flash development environment Flash Develop ( http://osflash.org/flashdevelop ).

I'm posting this under 'Technical' to tip off any other programmers who are as ignorant as me! 

Also, I wanted to get a list of good resources for learning ActionScript.  If you have any tutorials that might help, please post them here!

[Kianis]

Yeah, flashDevelop is just pure sex! For me it was love at first sight and I've been faithful ever since.

I can't think of any good tutorials for experienced programmers new to flash,
but really there's nothing too strange about the language (AS3), except
for maybe the DOM event model and the display list.

Also, I can highly recommend the polygonal labs' data structures (api).

[PaulMorel]

Nobody has any good actionscript tutorials?  You guys suck.   

Here's a little example that I just found.  It's an example of a pure actionscript program:
http://tekyzone.blogspot.com/2008/07/simple-and-pure-actionscript-3.html

That example is very nice for people like me, who would rather type everything out in text than view it in a GUI.

[bateleur]

Nobody has any good actionscript tutorials?  You guys suck.   

...but mostly because we haven't written any.

The thing is, the vast majority of Flash users don't write any Actionscript at all. When they need some, they just copy it. Of those who do write Actionscript, the vast majority write really, really bad Actionscript. So there's a shortage of good stuff out there to link to.

My favourite dude for writing good Actionscript is Grant Skinner, whose blog is here: http://gskinner.com/blog/

He's also compiled all his Actionscript talks here: http://gskinner.com/blog/archives/2004/06/conference_sess.html

...which should keep you busy for a few weeks!

[X-Tender]

The best way is still to get a Book.
But also here you will find some interesting stuff.

http://www.gotoandlearn.com/
http://lab.polygonal.de/
http://www.8bitrocket.com/

I also work with Flash, AS2 + AS3.
Maybe I can give you a hand in some cases

[joshg]

http://www.gotoandplay.it/_articles/2005/12/waf.php

Not a super hands-on tutorial, but a good writeup by a professional game developer who switched to Flash.  It has some great tips on how to take advantage of Flash if you're used to working in some other environment for game development.

Mostly this is what clued me in on how powerful MovieClips can be for organizing and controlling stuff.

[X-Tender]

I wouldn't recommend that Tutorial. Its pretty Old, if you realy want do nearly good Flash games its better to do it in AS3.

[joshg]

Yeah it's old, but so?  There's very little that's code-specific to AS2 in that article, and the advice about how to manage AS code via #includes and how to take advantage of MovieClips is still valid, as far as I know.  (For those actually using Flash, that is; I have no idea if FlashDevelop behaves the same way.)

I haven't used CS3, so maybe I'm on crack, I dunno.  I'm still using my copy of Flash Basic 8 that I picked up a while ago.

[PaulMorel]

In the 3 days since I started this thread I stopped using FlashDevelop.  I'm still teaching myself AS3, but I'm doing it old school, with a text editor and the Flex sdk ( http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/flexsdk/Flex+SDK;jsessionid=E223AC0CDB8F3F56FD54E85BF0896D00 ).

It just seemed more comfortable to me.

Thanks for the links.  I'm going to check them all out in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

[X-Tender]

o_O I also use Flashdevelop + the FLASH IDE.
I use it like a Text editor.. But with the advantage that it handles AS3 Syntax.

And AFAIK is Flash IDE Oldschool, Flex is the ne Way.

@joshg: #include and AS2/3 (OOP) ?! No way!

[cmspice]

does anyone know where i can read a rundown on the flash environment. It's so confusing to me considering the number of languages and tools out there. Also I need a good idea of what each tool/language is capable of. I find that part also very confusing.

[joshg]

And AFAIK is Flash IDE Oldschool, Flex is the ne Way.
@joshg: #include and AS2/3 (OOP) ?! No way!

The use of #include I was referring to is specifically for within the Flash IDE, so that you're saving all your code to text files that can be managed properly with code repository tools.  ie. So that your code isn't scattered across a binary .fla file that you can't run diff tools on.

If you're not using the Flash IDE, then never mind I guess.

I don't see why the Flash IDE is "oldschool".  It's not the usual programmer's environment, but it has a lot of advantages once you get the hang of it.  The timeline can be a powerful tool for organizing your art assets and handling things like different game modes, menu screens, etc.

The only reason I could see that Flex seems to get this aura of being newer and better is that it supported AS3 before Flash itself did, but Flash CS3 has caught up to it anyway.

That said, there's nothing wrong with Flex either, and it's cheaper (still free I suppose?), so if that floats your boat then go for it.

[X-Tender]

Ah that you meaned.
but the #incldue stuff you only do with AS1 ..
With classes you doesnt need the include.

I also work wiith the Flash IDE .. love the timeline

[Farmergnome]

you guys have inspired me to check out flash, flex, flash develop etc    keep the tutorials commin!

[PaulMorel]

Here are some of the links that I have found useful.

great, long intro here:
http://www.senocular.com/flash/tutorials/as3withmxmlc/

this one is also quite good:
http://www.streamhead.com/?p=98

two good game examples:
http://www.emanueleferonato.com/2008/03/27/create-a-flash-game-like-bloons-tutorial/
http://www.emanueleferonato.com/2007/04/28/create-a-flash-artillery-game-step-1/

I am also going to do the next compo in Flex, to try and put everything together.

[Skofo]

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article2371.asp
http://www.senocular.com/flash/tutorials/as3withflashcs3/
http://www.8bitrocket.com/newsdisplay.aspx?newspage=8141

I consider these the best out there.