Web and New Media

• 3D in flash-This can make objects and movements look and seem more real, which will make a flash project looked more advanced. This concept could be used throughout creating a game in flash. A website which includes tutorials that are useful to look at in understanding this concept more are:

www.kirupa.com/developer/actionscript/3dindex.htmwww.sebleedelisle.com

• Rotation in Flash-This can make projects look more complex, it can be used in objects, movements and texts. It is useful in game development. For example on the website below, it shows rotation around a common centre where the aim of the game could be to get out of the centre:

http://www.kirupa.com/developer/actionscript/rotation_center.htm An example of 3D and rotation incorporated together is shown below:http://www.petitpub.com/labs/media/flash/3dcube /

• Collision detecting and hit testing-This is useful in creating games as you can make a barrier (for example a participant in a game has to answer a question correctly before they are allowed through a barrier), or if one can go into a certain area there can still be collision detecting as something could change colour, for example see the website:

http://www.spoono.com/flash/tutorials/tutorial.php?id=18

• Shooting objects-This is useful in games if you need to get past obstacles that are in your way, an example of this is:

http://www.flashperfection.com/tutorials/Shooting-Objects-in-Flash-Games-65361.html  

• Scoring-Keeping track of scores is useful in games to show a user how they are doing, an example of how to do this is shown on the link below:

http://www.flashperfection.com/tutorials/Games-Keeping-Score-Flash-MX–07269.html

• Random Movement-This can be useful in making games, as random movement may be used to appear on screens to be a distraction in completing a game. An example of how to do random movement is on:

http://www.kirupa.com/developer/actionscript/random_motion.htm

• 360 views-This is a very complex way of using movement in a game to see the view points you can move around in. An example in how to make a 360 view is shown in the tutorial below:

http://www.tu-world.com/flash/flash_tutorial_06.php

As well as the tutorials above, there are a number of various other websites which provide useful tutorials and forums into making certain elements in flash games, they are: 

• http://www.webwasp.co.uk
• http://www.flashsupport.com
• http://www.learnflash.com 
• http://actionscript.org/forums

 On the Flash magazine website Andrew Brown points out 5 useful tips into being a Flash rock star in the new media industry, they are: 

• Don’t get too comfortable-Try to move out of your comfort zone. You must be willing to take things to a new level and expand your knowledge base with tools. Instead of just being comfortable with Flash I could also look into Flex, which is what my interviewee said to do.
• Explore on your own/Take on side projects-Find more time for advancing work, E.g: Familiarize myself with new technologies that are always developing.
• Know your community-Understand what is going on in the new media. Read blogs such as www.fullasagoog.com
• Know the back end-Try to learn the ins and outs of something, such as Java script as well as just knowing about animation.
• Don’t be so eager to be a manager-Look for career advancement in other ways.

Visit the link below to see how Andrew Brown has furthered these points:

http://www.flashmagazine.com/1409.htm 

Flash Games and the new media today via a number of websites, other useful ideas I came across were that:

• A great deal of creativity is needed in game development; therefore I am going to try to enhance on my design skills and create a specific style to my game.
• Lighting and texture effects can make a design look better.
• The ability to mold, shape and twist Action script to fit my needs is an essential part to game development. Therefore when producing my game I will make sure all the action script fits together correctly to result in a successful game.
• Transparent layered images give a good effect and a feel for action.
• Scrolling and zooming images can suggest movement.

My interviewee also pointed out to me that:

• The application should be intuitive, engaging and interaction should feel “natural.” I aim to do this by making my animations smoother.

• You can record video, audio, and have live chatrooms etc. I will research into these if I feel they will be useful to make my game a success.