Is using AS2 a bad idea now?

[mr-johnson22]

Right now, I'm really used to AS2. I keep hearing how much better AS3 is, but even after I've started to use it, I just don't like how it works, or at least not yet. My concern is that using AS3 might be expected now, and that using AS2 instead will guarantee mediocrity. However, the game I've been working on functions well with AS2 (especially since I started the game before AS3 was released) so I don't think AS3 would be necessary for it. Keep in mind, though, that I don't want to avoid using AS3 forever. I just don't think I need it yet.

My question is this: If I personally prefer AS2 right now and feel that I can get by perfectly fine with it for this project, would it still be a bad idea to use it instead of AS3?

Thanks for your help...this has been bothering me for quite a while. :P

[matrix5565]

If you've already started, then by all means stick with AS2 for now unless the project requires or would be significantly easier with AS3's features.

[Jereminion]

i like as2 because the coding is obvious and easy compared to as3. im doing as3 though even though i am pretty good at as2 just for the features it has(smoother flashes most importantly).

just learn as3.

[Magical-Zorse]

If you're comfortable with AS2, then keep using it. Great games are still made with it.

[adam2510]

if AS3 were based on AS2 i would say yes go to it but FOR GODS SAKE stay with AS2 if you know nothing of AS3 as Magical-Zorse said Good games still are being made in AS2, you might want to get AS3 for better physics engines or 3D engines, but i think its not worth it

i still use it but i have no ideas to run with so i have nothing to make

well i have several ideas now but before i had none

[matrix5565]

@magical-zorse and adam:
It doesn't really bother me when someone chooses to stick with AS2, but it does bother me when others encourage it. There's no reason to tell him not to use AS3 unless you are trying to feel better about the fact that you still use AS2. If someone wants to migrate, let them.

It really isn't that hard anyway.

[billowillo]

simple answer is no, its not a bad idea. though as3 is a ton better in my opinion it is just my opinion, its a personal preference, kinda like c# over c++

[Magical-Zorse]

At 7/6/09 02:08 AM, matrix5565 wrote: @magical-zorse and adam:
unless you are trying to feel better about the fact that you still use AS2.

You say that like it's embarrassing to still use AS2

[Woadraiders]

Meh, kind of embaressing that you don't bother learning a superior language, yes.

I just like AS3 more because it's clearer, more elegant, and very transparent, and FlashDevelop makes AS3 like 10x easier.

And besides, stricter OOP is the shit.

[Archon68]

Finish your game, then learn AS3. The sooner you learn, the better. My only fear is that when I finally feel comfortable with AS3, AS4 will come out. :-(

[BillysProgrammer]

Be aware that AS2 will eventually come obsolete, so stick with it as much as you can for now. Try learning a bit of AS3 alongside the roads of AS2 so when it becomes obsolete, you will have a knowledgeable background in AS3.

If you have already started your projects in AS2, continue, theres no problem right know, but remember, soon, it will be gone, just like AS1.

Definition:
Obsolete: No longer in use; not to current standards

[adam2510]

At 7/6/09 02:45 AM, Magical-Zorse wrote:

At 7/6/09 02:08 AM, matrix5565 wrote: @magical-zorse and adam:
unless you are trying to feel better about the fact that you still use AS2.

You say that like it's embarrassing to still use AS2

2nd'd

Stick with AS2 i say

[EvilKris]

Basically it comes down to what you're comfortable with, and what you want to achieve with Flash.
If you want to remake Tetris, stick to AS2.
If you are looking to remake Metal Slug with all those nice particles and zillions of animation frames, it's AS3 or bust.

AS3 difficult? learn to code it without OO (avoid packages and custom classes) and write it like it's AS2, converting all the code to AS3 syntax step-by-step.

[Paranoia]

At 7/6/09 02:45 AM, billowillo wrote: simple answer is no, its not a bad idea. though as3 is a ton better in my opinion it is just my opinion, its a personal preference, kinda like c# over c++

It's not just personal preference. There are loads of practical advantages to AS3 as well - efficiency, a wider range of classes, more educational if you're trying to learn good coding practice. And AS2 has the ever-shrinking advantage of compatability if you want your flash on phones and stuff.

At 7/6/09 07:29 AM, Archon68 wrote: My only fear is that when I finally feel comfortable with AS3, AS4 will come out. :-(

It shouldn't matter. The thing everyone here keeps forgetting is that learning a coding or programming language is far, far easier than learning to program. Once you know how to order a computer about in one language, the next one will be incredibly easy to pick up - I mean, I went from knowing AS2 quite well to knowing AS3 quite well over the course of a couple of mornings.

[BillysProgrammer]

At 7/6/09 10:09 AM, KaynSlamdyke wrote: Just because it's obsolete doesn't mean it's not being used, and not going to continue being used

Well, of course it will be used. But it won't be to current standards as say AS4 came out, 2 versions below will start to not be used any more and will eventually die away (not literally) as the higher versions become more popular. Thats all what I meant to say.

[UnknownFury]

At 7/6/09 01:33 AM, Jereminion wrote: i like as2 because the coding is obvious

What do you mean the coding is obvious? AS3 is a lot more obvious. You have similar code for whatever you're creating, rather than silly functions like _root.createEmptyMovieClip(); you just have to use var mc:MovieClip = new MovieClip();, exactly the same as you would a sound etc

[Super-Yombario]

It's not at all like things in AS3 can't be done in AS2. In fact, I think it just makes me better at scripting if I made my own particle effects. Denvish made his own back in the AS2 days.

[bcapecci]

At 7/6/09 11:54 AM, UnknownFury wrote:

At 7/6/09 01:33 AM, Jereminion wrote: i like as2 because the coding is obvious

What do you mean the coding is obvious? AS3 is a lot more obvious. You have similar code for whatever you're creating, rather than silly functions like _root.createEmptyMovieClip(); you just have to use var mc:MovieClip = new MovieClip();, exactly the same as you would a sound etc

Exactly. Not only are the built in keywords easier, better, simpler etc. AS3 promotes good programming habits. I love the interaction of classes in OOP but AS3 doesn't limit you in any regard, I am currently programming a game procedurally ie. still on the timeline with functions and I find it quite easy. The only thing AS2 has going for it is time... time where many programmers mastered AS2 and wrote great open source code however by now alot of that stuff has been ported to AS3 and unless you were one of those people that already know the language like the back of your hand; you learn should be AS3. If you took a programming class you wouldn't learn a dated language right? Itll help you in the long run be a better programmer and you will like the simplicity and speed it offers despite being overwhelming at the start.

[mr-johnson22]

Alright, thanks everyone. Looks like sticking with AS2 for now isn't as bad as I feared! But yes, I will plan on learning AS3 along the way--I already spent a few days with it--but now I'll take my time with it so I can feel comfortable using it for later projects (rather than cramming it now to port my game to it).

PHEW. Now that's a load off my chest. Thanks!! :D

[Jereminion]

At 7/6/09 11:54 AM, UnknownFury wrote:

At 7/6/09 01:33 AM, Jereminion wrote: i like as2 because the coding is obvious

What do you mean the coding is obvious? AS3 is a lot more obvious. You have similar code for whatever you're creating, rather than silly functions like _root.createEmptyMovieClip(); you just have to use var mc:MovieClip = new MovieClip();, exactly the same as you would a sound etc

heres an example

as2:
i put a drawing on the screen and want to duplicate it 4 times so i link it in properties to export it. then i just do the code

duplicateMovieClip(blah,blah,i)
i++

as2:
i put a drawing on the screen and want to duplicate it 4 times so i link it in the properties to export it.
then i do all of this

var blah:array = new array()
blah.push(Blah)
addchild(blah)

if i want to duplicate something, i ask as2 to duplicate it

if i want to duplicate something in as3, i have to make an array,'push' it? then 'addchild'? i dont even know what that is referring to even metaphorically

[johnfn]

At 7/6/09 01:01 PM, Jereminion wrote: var blah:array = new array()
blah.push(Blah)
addchild(blah)

if i want to duplicate something in as3, i have to make an array,'push' it? then 'addchild'? i dont even know what that is referring to even metaphorically

Not to be a jerk, but it could be confusing because you don't know as3 that well. You don't need to do anything with arrays. Here is how do make a new movie clip:

var mc = new movieclipname();
addChild(mc);

POW, done. That wasn't so bad, eh? and addChild just means that the new movieclip will be a child (contained inside) the one that you're addChilding on. Yay.

[Jereminion]

those 2 lines are more complicated than
duplicateMovieClip(blah)
i++

[Woadraiders]

I agree with the other guy, it's because you don't understand it.

You make the movieclip, then you tell the game that it should be drawn.

[4urentertainment]

At 7/6/09 01:33 PM, Jereminion wrote: those 2 lines are more complicated than
duplicateMovieClip(blah)
i++

If all you want is an extremely simple script, you may as well just go for AS1. The more complex a language is, the more options you have, the better the language is.

A script that simply has you do "MakeGame();" and a pong game is made, sure it's simple, you can do it way faster than any other language, but you can't do anything else with it, nor can you customize it.

I'm not bashing AS2, I'm just saying you're reason for not learning AS3 because it changes 2 lines into 3 is silly.

[Jereminion]

i guess you guys dont understand what im saying so i will just walk away...

[chickendance333]

I'd to say yes, it is a terrible idea. One thing I regret very much is not starting with AS3 because people say that AS2 is so much easier and good for someone new. What a load of horse shit. For the past 2 months or so, I have been trying to find the time to learn AS3 but I have so many projects and AS2 is so simple that I just do not want to quit. Even though half of my engine are laggy ass movieclips I threw together.

[Arby]

Boy, I wish we had lots of people coming here from a background in real languages like java or C#. These conversations would be quite a bit different.

@ the person claiming that it's better to spawn objects with a method other then the constructor:

In essentially any OOP language it is standard to have some variation of the line "object name = new object()" with a couple syntax things modified (for example in flash you switch around the object and the name on the left, add a colon and shove the word "var" onto it). This is recognized by every single OOP programmer in the world as an object that has just been initialized by it's constructor. Even someone who has never seen AS3 before would be able to recognize it.

Meanwhile, if you showed someone from outside duplicateMovieClip() they would need to see the docs or a tutorial before understanding how to use it correctly. So don't even try to say that is a "easier" or "clearer" way of doing it.

PS: if you don't understand half of what I said above, go learn the basics of OOP. Using an OOP language without actually understanding OOP is just... ugh....

[Super-Yombario]

I started with Flash, and I started when AS2 was king.

I've since learned HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and SQL.

I consider them all bigger and better things, and I consider Flash my "happy time " :3

I wouldn't say I "rarely" use Flash, but I don't try to make the best flashes ever for fame or anything similar.

I try to make games to kill time, which is why most of my time goes into engine development and the fact why I've spent less than 1% of my time, like EVER, publishing and touching up my Flash materials.

So I don't care if I'm not up to date. I still use random() actually, because it's a lot easier than the standard random number generator, which really sucks.

I don't mean for people to read and judge my source. I mean for my source to WORK. I don't care if I use deprecated methods or if I wrote more code than I should have or if this method can be done easier, it's just the way I do it, and it works.

Don't bother me about my Flash habits, it's a fruitless battle.

[Arby]

At 7/6/09 04:36 PM, Super-Yombario wrote:
Don't bother me about my Flash habits, it's a fruitless battle.

We have no say over casual use. The arguments for AS3 are mainly all regarding serious coding.

In other words, AS3 is to AS2 as watercolors are to crayons. If you want to make something of outside value, it's much preferable to choose the former. Watercolors might take a while more to learn, but you'll be very much better off.

Huzzah. Metaphors to the rescue!

[Sunrie]

I'm going to agree with the people who say "Finish and then learn AS3".

The less user friendly an interface seems at first or is, the more you can do with it. RPG Maker 95 might be easy to use compared to RPG Maker 2000, but the latter is going to allow a lot more personalization.

Same goes for AS2 vs AS3. When AS2 first came out, it seemed very complicated compared to AS1, but you could do more with it. Now it's AS3's turn to show how much more power the user has over what is going on.