This assignment required that we added sound and images to our Flash files.

I really went out on a limb and departed from all other assignments when I worked on this one. (see update below)

Rather than have a straight tweened series of pages with some background and sound added, I focused on creating 3 different Actionscript 3 demos. In order to do so, I found some basic concept code, worked to understand it and then developed a cool demo around it.

My favourite demo was the recreation of the Star Trek old series intro, as I created a star field for this. To do so, I programmed a very basic particle system as well as extending the movie class.

As a result of this work, the concepts I learned in Actionscript 3.0 included:

• Extending classes
• Collision detection
• Multiple instantiations of an object
• Associative arrays
• And more. . .

These are concepts that no one else in the class worked on, and I was pretty happy with what I had learned.

Update: I received a horrific 10/30 for my efforts here, and consider this mark to be overly punitive on the part of the instructor. I registered a complaint with the instructor as well as management, however that mark still stands.

Recommendation: Stay within the class guidelines / material. Make sure you know EXACTLY what the instructor wants. Vagueness on their part is not acceptable. They should provide examples and encourage classmates to publish their material. If this doesn't happen, then speak up loudly and clearly. In my case, I received absolutely no credit for the work I put into learning Actionscript 3.0.

Although Actionscript 3 was introducted in 2006, my understanding is that the Advanced Flash course - MDIA 4310 still only supports Actionscript 2.

There was no 'Assignment #1' for the 3208 (Flash) course.

For assignment #2, we were to create a timeline with Classic tweens as well as ones that used a motion guide.

Flash is pretty foreign to me, and I had a tough time distinguishing between shapes and the different types of symbols. To make matters worse, you couldn't apply the Filter and Blending effect to them all.

You'd start off with an idea, only to find out it couldn't be done using the type of object or tween you were using..  .

Wasn't a great assignment, and I was somewhat sloppy. I'd spent more of my energy on Javascript assignment #2.

Several weeks later -- I've got a much better understanding of the objects and tweens, and can now add a filter to a shape tween embedding a shape within the symbol.

Flash is fun and I'd probably enjoy it more if it were the only course I was taking this semester.

For this assignment, we were to make use of shape tweens, a motion guide and a mask.

I was looking around for a cool way to use a mask, and saw how to use it to provide a bevel for a shape (which normally isn't allowed), but I ended up using the mask to go from a blurred picture to a focused one.  I should have gone for a black and white to colour transition as well.

The shape tweens were semi-transparent waves simulating an ocean, which looked cool. I also hand drew some trees in Photoshop.. .  If only I knew how to draw.

Update: I should really use the Flash drawing primitives to draw shapes. The instructor will deduct marks if your imported shapes have any jaggies.

For this assignment, we were too create a Flash based web site.

By now, we've learned to use the different tween types, along with buttons and some basic Actionscript. One of the biggest challenges with Flash over a 'static' web site is the use of the timeframes.  You have to choreograph everything right, or you could end up in real trouble.

I create a website for the fictional 'DT cellars' wine store, and used www.operamage.com as an inspiration site. This project required a lot of Photoshop work, and I had a challenge taking wine bottles with a white background and placing them on a dark background.

In addition, I also embedded timelines within a symbol rather than on the main timeline. It just seemed to make sense.

Another issue is that I had some animation for the main page. I would use the 'after animation is done' look for the other scenes.

Oh, and check out the champagne glass.

Turns out, I shouldn't have used an opening scene. I wish the instructor were more clear on these sorts of things. Your best bet is to introduce the various elements to the homepage instead. Oh, and use the Flash drawing primitives as much as you possibly can. Animating imported graphics will cause you lose marks if there ANY jaggies at all.

Important Keys

• F5 - Insert frame
• F6 - Insert/convert to keyframe
• F7 - Insert/convert to blank frame
• F8 - Convert to symbol

Shapes

• Merge drawing mode
• Object drawing mode
• Primitive shapes

Shapes can be converted to symbols and stored in a library for re-use.

Symbol types

• Graphic
• Button
• Movie clip

Different types of animation

• Frame by frame
• Classic tween
• Shape tween
• Motion tween

Frame by frame animation

• Add your own keyframes manually
• Most flexible
• Lots of work
• Least efficient

Classic Tween

• Uses symbols
• Cannot change shape of symbol
• Uses start/end shape location
• Can change attributes of symbol
• Can add a motion guide

Shape Tween

• Uses shapes
• Can change the end shape

Motion Tween

• Uses symbols
• Use only a start keyframe
• Drag shape to final location
• Can modify the motion guide
• Can add lots of attributes to the shape along the motion guide
• Most efficient animation

This course is titled "Using New Media on the Web: Flash".

• #1 - Not to be submitted
• #2 - First assignment with basic tweens
  
• #3 - Use motion tween and masks
• #4 - Flash website with scenes and buttons
  
• #5 - Add sounds and images

I received 10/30 on my final assignment. The instructor didn't seem to like the fact that I deviated from the course and delved into Actionscript 3 programming. He really wanted his tweens, and my mark suffered when I zagged from what was expected. My final mark for this course was 67% and would have been much higher if I stayed within the lines. Despite the above issue, I learned a LOT in this course.

Oh, and his advanced course covers some basic Actionscript 2.