View Full Version : Flash Game Development: Where Do I Start?
Ro$hi
16-02-2011, 06:20 PM
I am absolutely dying to make a game with Adobe Flash CS4, but don't really know where to start.
Do any of you know of any good websites/tutorials to help me get up and running? I've been trying to find game-development tutorials which increase in difficulty (e.g. the first tutorial could teach me how to make Tetris, the last tutorial could teach me how to make an action-platformer.)
I'm open to any suggestions, especially if you have used the tutorial/website before and found it really helpful.
Thanks for helping an aspiring game-developer :)
Insomniac
16-02-2011, 07:15 PM
Eugh why go for CS4?
I recommend you rather use Flash Builder or Flash Develop, both are much better coding environments.
If you want to do 2D sprite games I recommend the FlashPunk engine, really great to work with and there's a great community behind it.
There's a series of videos here going over the basics here http://flashpunk.net/?p=tutorials
Not sure if you have experience with AS3 or any coding experience at all? This is a decent tutorial to pick up the basic syntax and how things are structured http://www.actionscript.org/resources/articles/611/1/Getting-started-with-Actionscript-3/Page1.html
FuzzYspo0N
16-02-2011, 08:52 PM
http://devmag.org.za/2009/04/02/flash-for-free/
And also, flixel is available and sometimes easier for beginners.
Ro$hi
16-02-2011, 08:53 PM
@Insomniac: I do have coding experience, but not with AS3. My dad bought the CS4 collection a while back, so it's the only version of Flash I have at the moment, but I will definitely look into the others, thanks.
@Fuzzy: Thanks, I'll check it out.
BlackShipsFillt
16-02-2011, 11:04 PM
I haven't done Flash in ages, but the last project I did was using Flash and Flash Develop. Flash Develop is free and it's got to be the speediest coding environment I've ever worked in. Flash Develop made learning AS3 a lot of fun.
Working in Flash Develop was real pleasure and I highly recommend it, but there may be even better tools out there by now, I guess.
http://www.flashgamedojo.com/
Never programmed a Flash game before?
No problem, we'll walk you through the basic process.
EDIT:
And while looking for flash game dojo i also found this:
http://www.kongregate.com/labs
Making games is easy! Well, okay, maybe it's actually kind of hard, but starting out is easy at least! Especially when you have Kongregate's shootorials (shooting tutorials) to guide you through the process.
Evolution
17-02-2011, 02:51 PM
FlashDevelop replaces the code editor in CS4, but you still need it to compile your SWF file and add you game assets.
Here's a tutorial that covers your basics.
http://gamedev.michaeljameswilliams.com/as3-avoider-game-tutorial-base/
Insomniac
17-02-2011, 09:46 PM
FlashDevelop replaces the code editor in CS4, but you still need it to compile your SWF file and add you game assets.
Incorrect.
The majority of Flash Develop users use the Flex SDK to compile their code. The latest versions of Flash Develop download the SDK during installation, otherwise any decent FlashDevelop tutorial will explain how to configure it.
BlackShipsFillt
18-02-2011, 07:56 PM
The majority of Flash Develop users use the Flex SDK to compile their code.
So much has changed in the Flash world... I have some nightmarish memories of early Flash (I first used Flash 5)... but it's actually seems to be quite a nice platform now :)
Fengol
19-02-2011, 08:54 AM
Just a quick question, why do you *have* to develop something in Flash? Unity3D works well on web (and other platforms) and does 2D and 3D.
Evolution
19-02-2011, 03:04 PM
Incorrect.
The majority of Flash Develop users use the Flex SDK to compile their code. The latest versions of Flash Develop download the SDK during installation, otherwise any decent FlashDevelop tutorial will explain how to configure it.
Won't it be allot easier to use the CS4 IDE with Flash Develop, especially for game development?
Just a quick question, why do you *have* to develop something in Flash? Unity3D works well on web (and other platforms) and does 2D and 3D.
Simple reason is it's allot easy to develop art and vector art is super small compared to raster art.
Insomniac
19-02-2011, 05:22 PM
Won't it be allot easier to use the CS4 IDE with Flash Develop, especially for game development?
Well that depends...if you're doing vector art and making use of the IDE's features then it would be easier. However the Flash landscape has changed a lot, the days of a Flash game just being some vector art, animation and fiddling with the timeline in CSx are long over.
Evolution
19-02-2011, 06:31 PM
Well that depends...if you're doing vector art and making use of the IDE's features then it would be easier. However the Flash landscape has changed a lot, the days of a Flash game just being some vector art, animation and fiddling with the timeline in CSx are long over.
No one is arguing that fact but I don't think the IDE will limit your ability to write AS3 scripts since it is a feature, although Flash Develop has a better code editor so you use it instead. Maybe your knowledge revolving the subject is abstract or you just looking for something to argue about.
Evolution
19-02-2011, 06:41 PM
Well that depends...if you're doing vector art and making use of the IDE's features then it would be easier. However the Flash landscape has changed a lot, the days of a Flash game just being some vector art, animation and fiddling with the timeline in CSx are long over.
What experience do you have with flash?
dislekcia
19-02-2011, 09:34 PM
No one is arguing that fact but I don't think the IDE will limit your ability to write AS3 scripts since it is a feature, although Flash Develop has a better code editor so you use it instead. Maybe your knowledge revolving the subject is abstract or you just looking for something to argue about.
Climb down. This isn't an argument until you try to make it one.
Individual preference for IDEs isn't something I'm prepared to watch people fight over. Stick to facts and anecdotes, not blind defense of oppinion.
For what it's worth: I don't have any fond memories of working in CS3, so unless the script editing's changed dramatically, I'd pick another IDE any day of the week.
Just a quick question, why do you *have* to develop something in Flash? Unity3D works well on web (and other platforms) and does 2D and 3D.
There was a discussion I followed on this a while back (I think it was the Ludum Dare guys) talking about the tech for making games playable through your browser, and generally what the people had found was that when it came to these games people preferred Flash to Java and Unity3D.
Most people have Flash installed, making Flash the "larger" market, and you can stick a Flash game pretty much anywhere for people to play. That isn't to say that a lot of people don't have Java (as many many people do), but mostly Ive seen that Java is used to build applications on the web, there are games (but I can only think of one right now: Minecraft) but the "you can host it anywhere" that applies to Java games doesn't seem to appeal to people as much. Unity3D is great for making games for the web, but most end users have never heard of it, and it is unlikely they would have (or want to) install the web player to play Unity3D games. I actually know people that say they wont install the web player until some proper games come out using Unity3D for web (despite the fact that there are awesome games out there already), Unity just needs to build its name some more.
When it comes to development for any of the technologies I wouldn't say any is easier than another (except for 3D Unity is the best of the 3 for a beginner at least), so it should definitely come down to your personal preference, and what all you need.
Lastly (and slightly off topic), Kongregate seems to be frustrating in general for developers from a feedback/rating point of view, as the Kongregate community tends to vote low "because you don't have badges" (which can only be put in when Kongregate thinks your game is doing well enough) and other such simple things. Devs found that this lead to their games dropping below the 2.0 rating and getting nuked from the site, despite being good games. But, with the Kongregate competition theres no harm in giving it a go, because you can always upload your game somewhere else (http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/35/which-game-portal-websites-accept-unity-webplayers). (Just talking about Kongregate because of their current compo and how it is part of the "which web game tech" to use discussion)
Evolution
20-02-2011, 08:08 AM
There are allot of good portals to distribute your flash games (Facebook & Kongregate just to name a few).
@dis - Please point out when you say IDE you are referring to the code editor part, not the entire IDE.
BlackShipsFillt
20-02-2011, 08:19 AM
(Just talking about Kongregate because of their current compo and how it is part of the "which web game tech" to use discussion)
I think that ended a few days ago, unless I'm mistaken... and extension perhaps?
Flash is actually (probably) a better development environment for a smallish 2D game than Unity, and if it is for browsers it is definitely better. Like I said previously, my experience with Flex and Flash Develop was awesome.
I don't know how Flash and 3D are together, I suspect Unity lays waste to Flash on that front (but still does not have the browser penetration yet).
I don't know how Flash and 3D are together, I suspect Unity lays waste to Flash on that front (but still does not have the browser penetration yet).
Molehill:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgwi0lWgX8w&feature=player_embedded
BlackShipsFillt
21-02-2011, 07:30 PM
Ooh! That's quite awesome!
But what I was really trying to say is that in terms of developing a 3D application Unity probably lays waste to Flash.
My assumption is that 3D in Flash is still brought in through various plugins and add-ons that are both tricky to use and poorly supported. And I assume that a lot of the development isn't going to be in an WYSIWYG environment and the workflow is not going to be ideal.
Although I haven't looked into it for a while, when I was working in Flash people had already been begging Adobe for GPU support for years. Adobe just didn't seem to care and I suspect that any 3D support it has now is going to be half-heartly integrated and buggy. (I'm really not a fan of Adobe, I apologize for the bias if I'm wrong)
Although I do love Flash's nested prefabs/instances. I just love them.
Insomniac
21-02-2011, 09:29 PM
Ooh! That's quite awesome!
But what I was really trying to say is that in terms of developing a 3D application Unity probably lays waste to Flash.
My assumption is that 3D in Flash is still brought in through various plugins and add-ons that are both tricky to use and poorly supported. And I assume that a lot of the development isn't going to be in an WYSIWYG environment and the workflow is not going to be ideal.
Although I haven't looked into it for a while, when I was working in Flash people had already been begging Adobe for GPU support for years. Adobe just didn't seem to care and I suspect that any 3D support it has now is going to be half-heartly integrated and buggy. (I'm really not a fan of Adobe, I apologize for the bias if I'm wrong)
Although I do love Flash's nested prefabs/instances. I just love them.
Pfft you Apple fanboi ;)
Seriously though, Adobe seem to be taking the whole 3D thing pretty seriously now.
That video is unfortunately very light on technical details, but the whole major point of molehill is that content *is* running on the GPU now...or it will be soon :P It defaults to DirectX, falls back to OpenGL and if both aren't available it falls back to software rendering, they've done some pretty neat optimizations to the software rendering as well, performance will be double the current Flash Player's 3D software rendering.
From the small scraps of code examples revealed so far it is going to be a pretty low level API but they have been working with the devs of current 3D Flash libs(papervision etc) to get some neat frameworks going. There have also been promises of adding 3D features to the next major version of the IDE to try do for 3D what they managed to for vector art back in the early days.
They seem to be going into competition with Unity's 3D features and I can't wait to see what the competition brings out of both companies :)
BlackShipsFillt
21-02-2011, 10:55 PM
hmmm... This'll definitely put some extra pressure on Unity, maybe enough to make them rethink some of their webplayer stuff...
For instance Flash has a huge technological advantage over the Unity web-player in terms of filesize and streaming (ie. working in Flash encourages good habits and includes features that help you improve these departments, whereas Unity seems to obscure information about these issues from you. Also asset bundles are an awful substitute for Flash's SWF files). Unity web deployment at the moment feels like a second-class citizen whom noone wants to sit next to in the bus and smells bad.
I'm not certain that Adobe's approach to 3D is the right one. It's kind of: we'll make an engine and let other people make the tools. That's fine for the technically minded, but some developers aren't going to appreciate an assemble-it-yourself toolset, and it is going to make the development of the toolset tragically slow and even unreliable.
Still, the winners here are browser gamers!
Also... sorry about side-tracking this topic (and any fanboi-dom :P ), it really shouldn't be about Flash vs Unity. Rather about how to kick ass with Flash.
Evolution
22-02-2011, 08:40 AM
What are your thoughts on WebGL? It's also up to the developer to create the tools but there are a few third party tools already developed for the platform. The upside of developing your game from scratch is you can optimize the code allot but that's if you have the skills to work at that level. Anyone that has worked with OpenGL core profile will move effortlessly over into WebGL, so it's a big plus for OpenGL developers that want to get into the web development market. Also WebGL is preloaded on most popular browsers except IE and will be in the next version of firefox which is just around the corner (if you can't wait then download the beta version).
xyber
28-02-2011, 09:43 AM
http://blogs.unity3d.com/2011/02/27/unity-flash-3d-on-the-web/ :)
BlackShipsFillt
28-02-2011, 06:01 PM
Wowee!
That's kind of hectic... so someday in the forseeable future the answer to "Flash Game Development: Where Do I Start?" may be "Get Unity".
I have to take back some of my unkind words about Adobe deciding to offer only the low level stuff (as apposed to a full feature set), because it looks like the community is going pick up the slack nicely.
There is another 3D-Flash toolset : http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6254/adobe_vs_unity_the_future_of_3d_.php
herman.tulleken
28-02-2011, 07:56 PM
Hmmm... can it really be true? Almost sounds too good :) [I just hope in their excitement to bring Unity to new platforms they don't forget to fix all the bugs and missing documentation....]
Etiko
01-03-2011, 01:04 PM
If you're interested in mobile games, then another good suggestion would be to download the Blackberry Playbook SDK: http://us.blackberry.com/developers/tablet/adobe.jsp
It uses Adobe Air as its main dev platform and BlackBerry offer all the tools you need for free.
The Playbook will be released in the next couple of months, so it's a good idea to get in there quick if you want to make some games.
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