This document provides an agenda and summaries for a class on advanced ActionScript concepts. The class will cover updates to the syllabus, building game elements in ActionScript 3.0, working with the Flash components and forms, and working in project teams. It also summarizes chapters from the Rosenzweig book on ActionScript and game programming, including creating visual objects, user input, and other programming concepts.

1. Advanced ActionScript Concepts
IT 7220
February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009 1

2. Agenda
Syllabus Updates
✤
Game Assessment Papers
✤
Rosenzweig - ActionScript 3.0/Game Programming University
✤
Building Game Elements in ActionScript 3.0
✤
HOT Lab - Flash Components and Forms
✤
Work in Project Teams
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 2

3. Rosenzweig GP University
Flash Game University (http://flashgameu.com/)
✤
Companion Website to Book
✤
Source code for all games referenced in text
✤
Video tutorials
✤
Blog
✤
Forums
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 3

4. Rosenzweig Chap 1 Overview
Review of Flash Interface
✤
ActionScript in timeline and using document class files
✤
Condition statements
✤
Loops - For, While, Do
✤
Use of Flash ActionScript Debugger
✤
Game Programming Checklist
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 4

5. Simple ActionScript Program
HelloWorld1.fla
✤
ActionScript in timeline, output using Trace Function
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 5

6. Placing Objects on Stage
HelloWorld2.fla
✤
Still working with
✤
ActionScript in the Timeline
Create text field object
✤
Assign a value to it
✤
Place on stage (in display list)
✤
No text parameters for control
✤
Stage
over placement or appearance (Display Object Container)
of object
Main Timeline
(Display Object Container)
TextField
(Display Object)
Sunday, February 22, 2009 6

7. Document Class Library
HelloWorld3.as
✤
All document classes are
✤
derived from either the
MovieClip or Sprite class
MovieClip class is a container
✤
class which includes the
stage and timeline with each
instance created
This allows the text object to
✤
be added to the movie clip
Document class must then be
✤
added to the Flash project file
using the properties panel
Sunday, February 22, 2009 7

8. Rosenzweig Chap 2 Overview
Creating and working with visual objects
✤
Player input
✤
Controlling animation with ActionScript
✤
Player Interaction via the Keyboard
✤
Accessing external data
✤
Arrays
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 8

9. Visual Objects - Movie Clips
We can add movie clips to our project by dragging them from the
✤
library to the stage, and then adjusting appearance using the
properties panel
It is also possible to add movie clips from the library solely with
✤
ActionScript, by setting the symbol linkage properties
Lets take a look at the mascot movie clip in UsingMovieClips.fla
✤
The MC timeline has four layers to make it easier to change the
✤
animation a single part of the movie
Sunday, February 22, 2009 9

10. Create MC Objects - Flash Interface
Drag as many instances of a movie clip symbol onto the stage as you
✤
want
Position using select tool/properties
✤
Scale and rotate using free transform tool
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 10

11. Create MC Objects - ActionScript
First, we make the movie clip accessible to ActionScript by setting the
✤
Linkage properties (see Fig 2.2, p 43): enter Class name and select
Export for ActionScript
Next we use ActionScript to create a single instance on the stage at
✤
x=275, y=150, and rotating the movie clip 10º to the right
Finally, using a For loop, we create 10 additional instances of the
✤
movie clip at y=300, spaced 150 pixels apart from each other, scaled at
50% of the size of the symbol class
Sunday, February 22, 2009 11

12. Button Creation in ActionScript
Buttons can be made from either movie clips or button symbols stored
✤
in the library
As we have seen, an event listener:
✤
objectName.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK, objectFunction);
is then used to link a button to an action
Lets take a look at MakingButtons.fla
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 12

13. Simple Shapes in ActionScript
It is possible to create simple
✤
graphics entirely within
ActionScript such as lines,
rectangles, circles, and ellipses
Closed shapes can also be filled
✤
in
Lets take a look at
✤
DrawingShapes.fla
Sunday, February 22, 2009 13

14. Using Sprites in ActionScript
The Sprite class is a basic display list building block: a display list
✤
node that can display graphics and can also contain children.
A Sprite object is similar to a movie clip, but does not have a timeline.
✤
Sprite is an appropriate base class for objects that do not require
timelines. For example, Sprite would be a logical base class for user
interface (UI) components that typically do not use the timeline.
The Sprite class is new in ActionScript 3.0.
✤
Lets take a look at CreatingSpriteGroups.fla
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 14

15. Managing the Display List
As we add objects to the display list, the last object added appears in
✤
front of previously added objects
We manage the position of “children” on the stage using
✤
setChildIndex (first position is 0)
Lets take a look at SettingSpriteDepth.fla
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 15

16. User Input in ActionScript
Mouse Input
✤
Use event listener to track mouse movement and rollover
✤
MouseInput.fla
Keyboard Input
✤
Use event listeners to detect key press (requires ASCII codes)
✤
KeyboardInput.fla
Text Input
✤
Using AS to set input type, properties and actions
✤
TextInput.fla
Sunday, February 22, 2009 16

17. User Interaction in ActionScript
Many games allow interaction with an object using the arrow keys
✤
MovingSprites.fla
Another common method of interaction is dragging an object using
✤
the mouse. The example creates an instance of the Point() class to
track movement.
DraggingSprites.fla
Sunday, February 22, 2009 17

18. Rosenzweig - Wrap-up
Chapter 2 covers a lot things you can do with ActionScript for
✤
creating games
Be sure to review the additional sections:
✤
Random numbers and Shuffling an Array
✤
Accessing external data
✤
Collision detection
✤
Animation examples
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 18

19. HOT - Components and Forms
You can create a form in html that includes text entry fields, check
✤
boxes, radio button, combo boxes, lists, etc. You can also set the tab
order for the form elements to aid in usability. The contents of the
form may then be submitted using either a form post method or by
calling a script.
Submitting form contents is generally via server-side script to tell
✤
what to do with the form contents. Scripts may be in JavaScript, Perl,
ASP.NET, Visual Basic, or other scripting languages.
Flash allows the creation of Forms, creating rich-content user
✤
applications using a set of pre-defined component classes which may
be instantiated using the stage or through ActionScript.
Sunday, February 22, 2009 19

20. HOT - Working with Components
Chap 15 builds a form in Flash using the Flash UI Components in
✤
ActionScript 3.0
Components are accessed via the Components Panel and are
✤
automatically added to the Library when they are dragged to the
stage
In the example, components are configured using the Properties/
✤
Parameters panel, although this could also be done using the
Component Properties panel or in ActionScript
Sunday, February 22, 2009 20

21. HOT - Creating a Form
Take a look at:
✤
orderForm_Final.fla
✤
orderForm.fla
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 21

22. Team Activity
Begin working on storyboard
✤
What role with prototypes play?
✤
Finalize project plan
✤
Sunday, February 22, 2009 22