As 3.0!

[JD77]

Well as most of you know, flash 9 got released. So i went and tried it out, It isnt that different from AS2!. And it lags a fuck less. Here are some samples! of it's leet ness!.

AS 2.0 (warning it lags! :P)

AS 3.0!

The purpouse of this test is to show people that AS3.0 aint that hard, if you knew AS 2.0, And to show off flash player 9!

[Shazamboobam]

thats koo thx 4 showin us a preveiw

[TrueDarkness]

Just because you posted 2 examples doesn't mean that you scripted them. You say that it isn't hard at all, yet half of the best scripters here in the flash forum can't figure out how to make something move. Just seems odd, could you post a script please? I'm curious to see how it works

[GuyWithHisComp]

Whoa, what a difference! Cool.

[JD77]

Well I havent worked with MC's but i tried Bdata and it seemed neearly the same. here are the codes for you to compare.
------------------------------------------
-
AS 3.0
-----------------------------------------
import flash.display.*
import flash.geom.*;

var B:BitmapData = new BitmapData(550,400,true,0xFFFFFFFF);
var B2:Bitmap = new Bitmap(B);
var PTA:Array = new Array();
var RET:Rectangle = new Rectangle(0,0,550,400);
var i:uint
var DIST:uint
var XDIF:Number
var YDIF:Number
addChild(B2);
for (i = 0; i<=10000; i++)
{
PTA.push([Math.random()*550, Math.random()*400, 0, 1]);
}
function OEF(lol:Event):void {
for (i = 0; i<PTA.length; ++i) {
PTA[i][1] += PTA[i][3];
PTA[i][0] += PTA[i][2];
B.setPixel(PTA[i][0], PTA[i][1], 0x00000000);
if (PTA[i][1]>=400) {
PTA[i][1] = 0;
PTA[i][0] = Math.random()*550;
}
if (PTA[i][0]>550) {
PTA[i][0] = 0;
}
if (PTA[i][0]<0) {
PTA[i][0] = 550;
}
XDIF = PTA[i][0]-mouseX;
YDIF = PTA[i][1]-mouseY;
DIST = Math.sqrt(YDIF*YDIF+XDIF*XDIF);
if (DIST<=100) {
PTA[i][2] += .05/(DIST/XDIF);
PTA[i][3] += .05/(DIST/YDIF);
} else {
PTA[i][3] -= (PTA[i][3]-1)/10;
PTA[i][2] -= (PTA[i][2])/20;
}
}
B.colorTransform(RET, new ColorTransform(1, 1, 1, 1, 20, 20, 20, 0));
}
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME,OEF);

----------------------------------------
AS 2.0
-----------------------------------------
import flash.display.BitmapData;
import flash.geom.ColorTransform;
var B:BitmapData = new BitmapData(550, 400, true, 0xFFFFFFFF);
_root.attachBitmap(B, this.getNextHighestDepth());
var PTA:Array = new Array();
for (var i = 0; i<=10000; i++) {
PTA.push([random(550), random(400), 0, 1]);
}
var YSPEED:Number = 1;
var XSPEED:Number = 1;
onEnterFrame = function () {
for (var i = 0; i<PTA.length; i++) {
PTA[i][1] += PTA[i][3];
PTA[i][0] += PTA[i][2];
B.setPixel(PTA[i][0], PTA[i][1], 0x000000);
if (PTA[i][1]>=400) {
PTA[i][1] = 0;
PTA[i][0] = random(550);
}
if (PTA[i][0]>550) {
PTA[i][0] = 0;
}
if (PTA[i][0]<0) {
PTA[i][0] = 550;
}
XDIF = PTA[i][0]-_xmouse;
YDIF = PTA[i][1]-_ymouse;
DIST = Math.sqrt(YDIF*YDIF+XDIF*XDIF);
if (Math.abs(DIST)<=100) {
PTA[i][2] += .05/(DIST/XDIF);
PTA[i][3] += .05/(DIST/YDIF);
} else {
PTA[i][3] -= (PTA[i][3]-1)/10;
PTA[i][2] -= (PTA[i][2])/20;
}
}
B.colorTransform(B.rectangle, new ColorTransform(1, 1, 1, 1, 20, 20, 20, 0));
};

[TrueDarkness]

OHHHH nevermind, you didn't say that you did script them... did you? =p
I'm not saying anything bad about you, I'm just annoyed that I can't figure out shit in AS 3 >_<
Meanwhile everyone else has all these awesome things worked out. Blegh

[Paranoia]

I'm in the same boat, TD :P I wish the documentation for Flash 9 was a bit more... existant.

[TrueDarkness]

At 7/7/06 10:35 AM, _Paranoia_ wrote: I'm in the same boat, TD :P I wish the documentation for Flash 9 was a bit more... existant.

Yeah, I'm just going to wait for some AS3 tuts on NG to open up. Sure I can find some tutorials on google about it, but those are too complicated. Some beginnner tuts here on NG will probably be easier to understand, but who knows when theyll make an AS3 main and what not =/

[GameSQUID]

First off, bitmapdata probably isn't a whole lot faster than in previous versions of flash. In fact, the rendering engine as a whole is roughly the same speed-wise, with the exception that you can use Sprite instead of MovieClip, which should be a bit faster (so if you want to show bitmapdata, add it to a sprite now).
The big difference is the language itself. With the new VM, the speed has increased to about 10 times what was possible in AS2.

As for the documentation, it does exist, and it can be found here : http://livedocs.macr../as3preview/langref/

Note that it's a reference, not a guide that teaches you how to program. There's some AS3/F9 tutorials on Flashkit somewhere though, in the games section.

[JD77]

Woah thanks for the link, lol i thought there wasnt a reference cause thehelp thing intergrated on flash 9 isnt working lol.

And a tip, declare all the VAR! first time i used it there wasnt a big dif with speeds, the problem was that i wasnt declaring all of them, that's why you see that the for loop"i" was decleared firts. I allways strict data typed, but i never felt the difference. On flash 9 YOU WILL lol.

[flashmenow-kthx]

is it worth it to change to flash 9? i was thinking about it but i hear some of the scripting functions dont exist in AS3, and you can't put script on MC's or something like that. it all has to be on the frame. is it truly better for everything? if so, i'd change, but im very used to MC's having their own script. yes, everything on the frame would make it much easier and less confusing for us to try and write something, but every single action piled into one frame...its good? or am i wrong about some of this?

[JD77]

Lag my friend. The main reason for AS 3.0 is to reduce lag! If you dont know much AS 2.0 id recomend u stick with it, since AS 3.0 is not complete, it's still a alpha.

[GameSQUID]

At 7/7/06 03:01 PM, flashmenow_kthx wrote: is it worth it to change to flash 9? i was thinking about it but i hear some of the scripting functions dont exist in AS3, and you can't put script on MC's or something like that. it all has to be on the frame. is it truly better for everything? if so, i'd change, but im very used to MC's having their own script. yes, everything on the frame would make it much easier and less confusing for us to try and write something, but every single action piled into one frame...its good? or am i wrong about some of this?

Every single action piled into one frame? What the hell are you talking about? AS3 is the best structured incarnation of the language to date, with packages and namespaces to help you organize your classes. Don't put code in your frames, unless it's a gotoAndPlay to loop something.

But yeah, ActionScript 3.0 does not support actions on button or MovieClip instances. The only situation I can think of where this could be a problem is for simple navigation and menu work, where you don't want to write classes for small things, but hey, I can live with that.

At 7/7/06 03:38 PM, JD77 wrote: Lag my friend. The main reason for AS 3.0 is to reduce lag! If you dont know much AS 2.0 id recomend u stick with it, since AS 3.0 is not complete, it's still a alpha.

If AS3 is still in alpha, why did they release Flash Player 9 and Flex Builder 2? I might be wrong, but to me that indicates that AS3 is pretty much finished.

[flashmenow-kthx]

Every single action piled into one frame? What the hell are you talking about? AS3 is the best structured incarnation of the language to date, with packages and namespaces to help you organize your classes. Don't put code in your frames, unless it's a gotoAndPlay to loop something.

chill brother, did i not say i could be wrong about some of this? i dont even have it, and i simply asked if it was worth it to change to flash 9. and i when i said every action put into a frame, i mainly meant that no movie clips had their own script. it would be piled up if you were making a game. i wouldnt care if all i did was make movies and i only used gotoAndPlay to loop, as you say.

[hashbrown]

so your telling me as 3 will let me have a shitload of particle effects that would be lagalicious on as 2 and let me make my games bootiful. if yes teach me as3 if no teach me as 2

[Nick]

At 7/8/06 01:42 AM, -hashbrown- wrote: so your telling me as 3 will let me have a shitload of particle effects that would be lagalicious on as 2 and let me make my games bootiful.

Yes.

[Kinsman]

At 7/7/06 03:49 PM, GameSQUID wrote:
But yeah, ActionScript 3.0 does not support actions on button or MovieClip instances. The only situation I can think of where this could be a problem is for simple navigation and menu work, where you don't want to write classes for small things, but hey, I can live with that.

I find the best way to handle simple buttons in AS3 is to:

1. Use a main Document Class to put your timeline code in. (Make sure you declare the Document Class as 'dynamic', so that the timeline can add and remove clips for you.)
2. When your timeline reaches a menu frame, put something simple in the timeline like

initMenu();

3. Explain 'initMenu()' in your main Document Class with something like this:

public function initMenu()
{
MovieClip mc = getChildByName("mybutton");
mc.addEventListener("click",clickedMenuBut
ton);
}

public function clickMenuButton()
{
gotoAndPlay("FirstScene");
}

[Paranoia]

At 7/8/06 09:37 AM, Kinsman wrote: public function initMenu()
{
MovieClip mc = getChildByName("mybutton");
mc.addEventListener("click",clickedMenuBut
ton);
}

public function clickMenuButton()
{
gotoAndPlay("FirstScene");
}

Gah, looks complicated. I'm definately going to wait a bit for some good documentation to come out for it.

[Blaze]

At 7/8/06 09:37 AM, Kinsman wrote: public function initMenu()
{
MovieClip mc = getChildByName("mybutton");
mc.addEventListener("click",clickedMenuBut
ton);
}

public function clickMenuButton()
{
gotoAndPlay("FirstScene");
}

And thats just for ONE button. God. I cant imagine more buttons. Duplicating is going to be a total bitch and all that. Why couldnt they stay with the simple on Release crap. T_T

[Paranoia]

At 7/8/06 09:49 AM, Darkfire_Blaze wrote: And thats just for ONE button. God. I cant imagine more buttons. Duplicating is going to be a total bitch and all that. Why couldnt they stay with the simple on Release crap. T_T

It's not effeicient enough >.< All those old, pitifully simple options have gone the way of the random() function.

[TrueDarkness]

At 7/8/06 09:37 AM, Kinsman wrote: I find the best way to handle simple buttons in AS3 is to:

Now try and remember that in AS2 it would be more or less:

Button_MC.onRelease=function(){
_root.gotoAndPlay("FirstScene")
}

So yeah... bug difference don't ya think?

[liaaaam]

At 7/8/06 10:19 AM, True_Darkness wrote: So yeah... bug difference don't ya think?

Well I'd do the button like this:

import flash.events.*;
mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onClickEvent);
function onClickEvent(me:MouseEvent):void {
if(me.target == mc) {
trace("OMGCLICK");
}
}

[Re2deemer]

hmmm...Are there any book about AS 3.0???

[Kinsman]

At 7/8/06 10:19 AM, True_Darkness wrote:
So yeah... big difference don't ya think?

My work has lots of Java programming, so long-winded code isn't any big deal for me.

I won't champion it - there's advantages and disadvantages. Sure, the AS2 method is simpler and more to the point for 90% of Newgrounds work, but the AS3 method allows for more flexibility - for example, you can invent your own kinds of events, and signal and receive them like regular ones.

AS3 was designed to match Flash's goal of making the platform a 'serious' one, so that web programmers would consider Flash instead of either Java or AJAX. I'll bet when Blaze comes out, you'll be able to add events to buttons or clips directly, and the code will be written for you behind the scenes.

[TrueDarkness]

At 7/8/06 10:26 AM, Kinsman wrote: AS3 was designed to match Flash's goal of making the platform a 'serious' one, so that web programmers would consider Flash instead of either Java or AJAX. I'll bet when Blaze comes out, you'll be able to add events to buttons or clips directly, and the code will be written for you behind the scenes.

Yeah definately. I know that was the purpose, and I'm sure it's great for people who know C++ and Java and what not, but for those who know AS2 very well, AS3 is a big step from AS2. To me at least.

Hey liam, I tried using your code and it works well. There's one thing in that code that I like, and that's matching the MovieClip symbol name "mc" to the instance name. I've never seen that before and it's really cool. I took it out though to make it shorter. So so far I have this:

import flash.events.*;
mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, onClickEvent);
function onClickEvent(me:MouseEvent):void {
trace("OMGCLICK");
}

and I'm sure that with shorter variable names you could make it even shorter. I also noticed that if you take out the import flash.events.*, it works the same.

A. can you tell me what .* means?
B. can you tell me why you need sometimes import flash.events/display/geom/matrix

I shortened the code to
mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, clicky);
function clicky(me:MouseEvent):void {
trace("OMGCLICK")
};

and it works fine.

[Kinsman]

Another advantage to the Document Class is that your code is in one place. If you're writing a complex game, you can get lost when you've set a scene and you know that there's snippets of code in twenty different places around the stage.

Here, you can arrive at your complex frame, see 'initLevel()' in your timeline, then visit the function in your Document Class. Part of initLevel() contains all the event triggers you've set up, so you read the function names of those, and visit them in your Document Class. More code to write, but it's tidier in the end.

[liaaaam]

At 7/8/06 10:26 AM, Kinsman wrote: I'll bet when Blaze comes out, you'll be able to add events to buttons or clips directly, and the code will be written for you behind the scenes.

Hmm, I doubt it. I wouldn't be surprised if you could click a clip/button and select "Add ActionScript" then write something for it, then Flash places the code on the timeline..

[liaaaam]

At 7/8/06 10:32 AM, True_Darkness wrote: A. can you tell me what .* means?

It imports all of the classes in that package (in this case the flash.events package, so it imports flash.events.MouseEvents, flash.events.Events, etc).

B. can you tell me why you need sometimes import flash.events/display/geom/matrix

You need to import the classes before you use them. That means that each flash doesn't need to have all the classes preimported, and saves on filesize (less classes) and performance (..less classes).

Here's a shorter version btw:
import flash.events.*;
mc.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, function (me:MouseEvent):void {
trace("OMGCLICK");
});

[TrueDarkness]

Also I tried editing the button code to make a key script, but I'm not sure what I'm doing and if I'm doing it right (obviously not because it's not working):

import flash.events.*
mc.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN
, onKeyEvent);
function onKeyEvent(me:KeyboardEvent):void {
if(Keyboard.KEY_DOWN(Keyboard.LEFT)){
x-=5
}
}

[liaaaam]

At 7/8/06 10:38 AM, True_Darkness wrote: Also I tried editing the button code to make a key script, but I'm not sure what I'm doing and if I'm doing it right (obviously not because it's not working):

This should work..:

import flash.events.*
mc.addEventListener(KeyboardEvent.KEY_DOWN
, onKeyEvent);
function onKeyEvent(ke:KeyboardEvent):void {
if(ke.keyCode==Keyboard.LEFT){
x-=5
}
}