Scratch

Ok, so I have noticed a lot of people have trouble switching from the Scratch, to Flash interface. I will explain each part of the interface in some detail so you know how to get started. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FLASH AND SCRATCH ARE SCENES AND FRAMES. Right below your toolbar at the top, you will see a timeline.

Note: This is for AS2, and CS2/Flash8 will work.

Timeline:
You can almost consider this your "Costumes" in scratch. This is used to control frames. Frames can either play or be stopped. In the scenes, you want a seperate frame for each part of your game (Example: Preloader, Menu, Game, and then Scoreboard). To create a frame you want to right click in the Timeline and either create a keyframe or a frame. Each frame can have a different image, or the same image.

Motion Tweens:
These allow you to fake movement (motion) through seperate frames. You do this by making two keyframes, each one a certain distnace apart. Then you make on for example, 90 pixels away and turned 90 degrees. You then right click on the first keyframe and create a motion tween. This will make the object move a certain distance each frame of the motion tween and/or rotate. Example: I have an object placed on (0,0). it is at 90 degrees. I have a motion tween 10 frames long, and the end result is a object placed at (90,0) at 0 degrees. That means every frame the object turn counter clockwise 9 degrees and changes x by 9.

Library:
The Library is located in the bottom right portion of the screen. Your library is basically where you keep all of your "Sprites" or "Folders". Sprites are called Symbols in Flash, and there what you put in your scenes and frames.

Symbols:
To make a symbol you want to have a picture, for example a ball. You then highlight it using the button that almost looks like a cursor on the left part of the screen. You then want to right click, and say convert to symbol. There are 3 types of symbols:
              Movie Clips: What you should be using most of the time. They are the things thats allow you to have them be animated, and make them do things a "movie" would do.
              Buttons: These are basically pre made buttons. They have pre made frames for whether the button is Up (Nothing), Over (Mouse is), Down (Mouse again), and hit (by mouse).
              Graphics: These are just objects that you use as graphics. I would suggest always just using the moveclip option, as the graphics and move clips don't have much of a difference. Grpahics cannot have actions though.

Properties, Filters, and Parameters:
This is kind of like where you can make options whether you want your line to be fat, or thin. You can change fonts, add filters and parameters, and move your object by typing. It isnt extremely useful but you will need it to change frame rates, and draw.

Tools:
This is the thing that is used to draw with. You could consider it where you edit costumes in Scratch. Click on different places to do certain things, like make a line, fill in something with a color, make a circle, highlight, and much more. it is basically where you make all of your graphics and your symbols.

Color Mixer:
If you want to make a gradient, that is the place to go. Just click on "Type" and choose what gradient to make. Note: You have to have an area selected to apply the gradient on.

Control: You wont go very far without knowing how to test your movie. its located in the very top, about halfway across the screen. Click test move and you will be able to see what happens in your Flash.

Stage:
This is where everything comes into place. its what you draw on, put symbols on, but your frames on, and much more. Each frame and symbol changes the stage to what it looks like. To make something you would want to add a frame to "Scene 1" and copy and paste, or drag the symbol there.

Actions:
Actions can only be applied to frames, Movie Clips, and buttons. This is basically the script section in scratch. I would suggest moving your symbols unto the stage before applying actions to it. The actions part is the section of Flash that takes the longest to master. it is much more complicated that Scratch, but has many times more of commands. You can do just about anything through actions.

Ok, so Im guessing your now wondering how to get Flash. You can get a free 30 day trial from Adobe.com or a "mirror" site. if you really like flash you can pay around 200 dollars to authorize the flash program.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial!

Scratch on!

Last edited by newareagle (2008-09-05 00:57:13)