You only need programmers for interactive content like games. Again, you said little to no detail about what you are doing so nobody will take you seriously.

Thanks for all the responses. I tried making the orbs a bit more orby. I don't know know if it's much better. The game is an avoider so forcing a theme that will probably be a bit cliché I don't want to do. Tell me if you like the old or new screenshot better. The graphics arn't finished but it's just to show some quick changes I made.

One of the games I have been working on is fun but the art sort of lacks direction. In all of my other games its pretty obvious what I need to do art-wise, but in the simplicity of this makes me sort of lost. I think had I released this game, on ng or other portals, the art would lower the final product. Until now, I've just been coding and art has been an afterthought. I don't want to hire an artist just looking for suggestions on how to liven a empty screen up.

Classes are for organization. They are not "needed" because everything done with classes can be done on the timeline, but that would be a mess. Games will easily take up 500+ lines of code and having to sort through it all would be confusing for you and anyone that would want to help you in the future. By using classes you organize your code, you isolate potential problems you encounter, and your solutions are completely reusable and scalable. Additionally code used in the timeline isn't interchangeable with code in classes. Classes used whats called object oriented programming while a timeline approach is called functional i believe. Classes tend to be longer because you have to tell classes what the hell they are supposed to do and how to interact with one another, while a timeline approach has all code in one place. So although it may seem harder at first, you end up knowing what exactly your code is doing in classes. It's length makes it more specific. Also, not many people will help you if you code in the timeline... it's just a pain in the ass.

After effects is for videos. So no. If they never intended for them to work side by side them I'm not going to try to make it work. I have used illustrator for drawing. I have also used photoshop to optimize and change non vector images. That said all features you would ever need are included in flash.

Your a better man than me providing that code. It will be copy and pasted to some game that will end up in the graveyard. Anyhow, nobody has been using as1 for a long long time. What billy is implying rhymes with warrant, which you might see if you go that route. Go on ebay or buy and educational version. You seem very inexperienced so before you do so, you might want to figure out if you actually like this. All games here are as2 or as3, newer ones are often then later so upgrading should be a priority

I have an avoidance game and I'm wondering if people like to see the time in the background or not. Would it bother you or do you think it would add to the game?

At 11/14/09 11:45 PM, TheBoob wrote: sorry, i need to clarify:

the peice of code:
MovieClip(root).gotoAndStop(#)

This code has to come AFTER this child has been added to the stage. If you are using this peice of code in your class as you are initializing it (which you do before you add the child to the stage) it obvoiusly wont work.

try making a function and calling the gotoandstop with this function right after it has been added to the stage.

so:
var char:Char = new Char(stage);
addChild(char)
char.gotoFunction();

and then your gotoFunction() would just be:
public function gotoFunction():void{
MovieClip(root).gotoAndStop(#);
}

It is added to the stage. I cannot just do player.gotoFunction() because I want to go to a different frame only when the player collides with an enemy.

Yes, My engine is my document class so that obviously runs first. I did
var player:Player = new Player(stage);
Which then runs the code for the player class.

At 11/14/09 10:48 PM, AlanaLocke wrote:

At 11/14/09 10:29 PM, bcapecci wrote: I figured I would try this:
MovieClip(parent).gotoAndStop(3);

TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert flash.display::Stage@ed6fb51 to flash.display.MovieClip.

What happens when you try the MovieClip( root ) method ?

Same error:
TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert flash.display::Stage@22e08b51 to flash.display.MovieClip.

Heres why:
trace(this.parent); //returns stage
trace(root); //returns stage

There was reference to the topic. That was a child and thats what I needed (supposedly). I thought it was amusing although somewhat weird. Anybody that was looking over my shoulder while I was checking the forum probably thinks I'm a pervert

I figured I would try this:
MovieClip(parent).gotoAndStop(3);

TypeError: Error #1034: Type Coercion failed: cannot convert flash.display::Stage@ed6fb51 to flash.display.MovieClip.

I need to be able to go to a different frame from my player class. The player is already added to the stage but from a separate class: Engine.

At 11/14/09 05:15 PM, TheBoob wrote: I would recomend passing in a refrence like you did your stageref in that as3 example you posted, so like:

//on your timeline or whatever
var myChar:Char = new Char(this); //this being the main timeline

//then in the character class i would put
private var myParent:MovieClip;
public function Char(sentParent:MovieClip):void{
myParent = sentParent;
}
private function changeFrame(frameNum:int):void{
myParent.gotoAndStop(frameNum);
}

Your other option is to fire a custom event, and on the timeline wait for that event and respond to it with a gotoandplay function. this is a little more complicated, but i think is a fair amount "slicker".

Ya i'm working in as3 so the example before me with root won't work. I don't understand how yours is referencing the timeline. I'm using all external classes.

How do I change the frame of my timeline from my player class. I cannot just write gotoAndStop() because it will change the frame of the player not the timeline. I tried stage before it which didn't work. I tried root. I tried (root as MovieClip). Non worked

At 11/14/09 04:38 PM, Krachn wrote: how would i make this code in AS3?
onClipEvent (load) {
power = 0.3;
yspeed = 0;
xspeed = 0;
friction = 0.95;
gravity = 0.1;
thrust = 0.75;
wind = 0.09;
}
onClipEvent (enterFrame) {
if (Key.isDown(Key.LEFT)) {
xspeed -= power;
}
if (Key.isDown(Key.RIGHT)) {
xspeed += power;
}
if (Key.isDown(Key.UP)) {
yspeed -= power*thrust;
}
if (Key.isDown(Key.DOWN)) {
yspeed += power*thrust;
}
xspeed += wind;
xspeed *= friction;
yspeed += gravity;
_y += yspeed;
_x += xspeed;
}

package {

import flash.display.MovieClip;
import flash.events.KeyboardEvent;
import flash.events.Event;

public class Player extends MovieClip {

private var power:Number = 0.3;
private var yspeed:Number = 0;
private var xspeed:Number = 0;
private var friction:Number = 0.95;
private var gravity:Number = 0.1;
private var thrust:Number = 0.75;
private var wind:Number = 0.09;

private var varRight:Boolean = false;
private var varLeft:Boolean = false;
private var varUp:Boolean = false;
private var varDown:Boolean = false;

public function Player(stageRef:Stage) {
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, enterFrameFunction);
stageRef.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN , checkKeys);
stageRef.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_UP, keyUps);
}

function checkKeys(event:KeyboardEvent){
if (event.keyCode == 39)
varRight = true;
if (event.keyCode == 38)
varUp = true;
if (event.keyCode == 37)
varLeft = true;
if (event.keyCode == 40)
varDown = true;
}
		
function keyUps(event:KeyboardEvent) {
if (event.keyCode == 39)
varRight = false;
if (event.keyCode == 38)
varUp = false;
if (event.keyCode == 37)
varLeft = false;
if (event.keyCode == 40)
varDown = false;
}

function enterFrameFunction(event:Event) {
xspeed += wind;
xspeed *= friction;
yspeed += gravity;

if (varRight == true)
xspeed += power;
if (varUp == true)
yspeed -= power*thrust;
if (varLeft == true)
xspeed -= power;
if (varDown == true)
yspeed += power*thrust;

this.x += xSpeed;
this.y += ySpeed;
}

I don't know how to do that.

At 11/14/09 01:21 PM, Yambanshee wrote: you need to reference it to the stage, because its looking for textBox inside th .as file (i think).

No, I tried that already:
1119: Access of possibly undefined property textBox through a reference with static type flash.display:Stage. I passed stage into the class already as you can see it still doesn't work.

I have a dynamic text box on the stage with an instance name of textBox. I get an access of undefined property textBox. I've seen other people just do the instance name.text and it works, so I'm confused.

package {
	
	import flash.display.MovieClip;
	import flash.display.Stage;
	import flash.text.TextField;
	import flash.events.Event;

	public class ScoreHUD {
		
		private var stageRef:Stage;
		public var time:Number = 0;
		
		function ScoreHUD(stageRef:Stage) {
			this.stageRef = stageRef;
			textBox.text = "0";
		}

		public function addTime(value:Number) : void
		{
			time += value;
			textBox.text = String(time);
			trace (time);
		}
	}
}

.............? bmp

Bump? Anybody else know whats happening. My game is done once I fix the menu for all to enjoy

Oh I see what you mean now, hmm... well the code works. Anyways I imagine this is an easy fix I've only changed one thing really. Thnaks for help guys

Actually what I have is right. It doesn't seem like I need it if I'm only using it during the constructor but I assign it to a varible outside the function so that I am able to use it for other functions.

The engine code is fine, basically now I have a game done and the document class used to be Engine. All I did was change the document class to MainMenu and then try and create engine (with stage replaced now by stageRef) after somebody clicks a button.

It's not nested. Sorry about the format. Anyways, MainMenu is the document class so I thought I could use stage. Anyways the only code I use to call other classes is Engine. Here is an excerpt:

public class Engine extends MovieClip
{
		public static var enemyArray:Array = new Array();
		public var score:Score = new Score(stageRef);
		var player:Player = new Player(stageRef);
		private var myTimer:Timer = new Timer(5000);
		private var stageRef:Stage;
		
		public function Engine(stageRef:Stage)
		{
			this.stageRef = stageRef;
			stageRef.addEventListener(Event.MOUSE_LEAVE,go);
			myTimer.addEventListener(TimerEvent.TIMER, timerFunction);
			myTimer.start();

			createEnemies();

			stageRef.addChild(player);
			player.x = stageRef.stageHeight / 2;
			player.y = stageRef.stageWidth / 2;
		}
}

It seems that me and the null object reference are best pals. I have this as my menu and i'm trying to start the game and go to a different frame when I press the play button.

public function MainMenu()
		{
			start.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, playGame, false, 0, true);
		}
 
		private function playGame(e:MouseEvent) : void
		{
 			var engine:Engine = new Engine(stage);
			gotoAndStop(2);
		}
}

Why is it when I highlight the text in my text box its looks really clear and crisp but when its unselected it looked rough. Any way to fix that? Its a true type font if that matters.

At 11/10/09 08:42 PM, E-YeahStudios wrote: Thanks for the replies everyone. You don't want to break any copyright laws there...

At 11/10/09 07:18 PM, FAtmat666 wrote: I'm curious about flash ads and music from the audio portal. most of them say you cant use their songs for profit, but do these flash ads count? once I PMed an artist, but never heard back. I know they're probably not going to sue me for making 5 cents, but I still don't want to do anything illegal.

I'm curious about this too...

Your best bet would be to obtain the music legally. Almost all the composers here would be willing to license their music in a game. I've had many say I can use the music for free as long as I give credit where credit is due. Others have provided options for people to pay to have rights for their music. Additionally, there are many good online sites where music can be bought and used in commercial purposes for small amounts of money (just a little more than a normal song). However, popular music you just cannot use. Most indie people you can contact directly and they would be happy to have their music be heard millions of times.

At 11/11/09 09:15 AM, gumOnShoe wrote:

At 11/11/09 09:04 AM, bcapecci wrote: In my Player class. I update the shots whenever the player shoots.

private var score:Score;
score.updateShots(1);

You never delcared score:

private var score:Score = new Score();

Until you assign some thing to the score variable it is null.

:o I cannot believe I missed that. Thanks

In my Player class. I update the shots whenever the player shoots.

private var score:Score;
score.updateShots(1);

Class that keeps score.

public class Score {
		public var shots:Number = 0;
	
		public function updateShots(value:Number) : void
		{
			shots += value;
			trace(shots);
		}
}

TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference.
at Player/shootShot()

At 11/11/09 05:49 AM, hdxmike wrote: Just going off topic , why would you spend $700 dollars on a program without learning anything about it ?

Without any prior commands it does that automatically, nextFrame(); goes to the next frame but there is no native function to go to the next KEYframe, also gotoAndStop(X); gotoAndPlay(X); go to a certain frame
But you never said when or how you wanted the frame move to be triggered

Thats because he didn't pay and expects to make something of high quality immediately.