Animating on Flash

Animating on Flash
Made by Secht (GaB)
If you copy and paste this guide, please give credits to me!

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Introduction

I recommend reading xSwiftxClawx's BASIC Guide to Flash before reading this. This tutorial assumes that you already know everything in xSwiftxClawx's guide.

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Alignment Problem

I've been hearing a few people with alignment problems in Flash where the character/skill moves 1 pixel up, down, left, or right. To fix this just round the X and Y numbers. It SHOULD fix that little problem.
(EX: [1])

Notice the X and Y numbers. The X is -22.5 and the Y is -36. The ".5" (or any number below ".5" or above ".5") usually causes that weird alignment problem. As already mentioned, round the number to the closest whole number.
NOTE: Must do this on EVERY sprite you put on to the stage if you don't want that alignment problem.

I don't see the X and Y, where is it?
Use the selection tool and click on the image.
(EX: [1])

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Organizing Your Library

This really helps in making an animation. To make a folder click the folder looking icon that's at the bottom of the library, and name it whatever you want.
(EX: [1], [2])

To add sprites to the folder just drag the image on top of the folder. You can also add graphics, movie clips, and buttons. If you want to add multiple images at a time, click an image in the library, then hold shift. Still holding shift, click on the last image. Then just drag and drop the images into the folder.

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Basic Walk

Start out by making a graphic (CTRL+F8). Assuming you already imported all your images, drag the first walk stance on to the stage (first frame). I like to copy and paste the image on to the stage so that it's in the middle.
(EX: [1])

Now make another frame (F7) and paste the next stance. Repeat until all the stances are on the stage. Now click on each keyframe () and hit F5 four times. This makes each stance last a little bit longer. So the walk will be smooth. You can preview the animation by hitting enter.
NOTE: This is for a slow walk. If you want a faster walk, decrease the amount of frames of each stance.

This is what it should look like-

Now you can just motion tween the graphic. (:

Again, be sure to round the X and Y numbers of each walk stance. (Note: The second and fourth frame should go 1 pixel down. If you don't know what I mean, preview the walk animation in BannedStory.

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Scrolling Background
Requested by NorthNinja

First off, you'll need a map or background. I'll be using this. Now, open up a Flash document. The size I'll be using is 550x400. Make a Movie Clip or Graphic. (CTRL+F8) Name it whatever you want.

Now once that's made, go to your library and click on your map/background, then paste it unto the graphic/movie clip you've just made. (Do this 2x, the copied map should be on another layer.)
(EX: [1])

After that's done, make a new layer, and make a square/rectangle that's EXACTLY your Flash document size. My square/rectangle will have to be 550x400.

Align the map to the tip of the box. Align the copied map to to the original.
(EX: [1], [2])

Go to the 500th frame, and hit F6 on both the layers of the map and box. Move the end of the original map to the other end of the box. And move the copy to the end of the original.
(EX: [1], [2])

Now just motion tween both map layers and you can delete the box layer. VOILA, you now have a scrolling background. (:

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Motion Guides
Motion Guides are pretty simple and easy to make. They can help in making directional jumps quickly.

Start off by dragging any sprite unto the stage and create a motion tween in any direction.
(EX: [1])

Near the layers, there should be a little icon with a dotted line and a small dot at the end of it- click it.
(EX: [1])

Click the newly made layer and on the first frame, make a line using the line tool.
NOTE: Make the line start at the center of the sprite. The sprite will follow the exact path of the line.

Using the free transform tool, make the line curve or however you want the sprite to move.
(EX: [1])

. . . and that's pretty much it. It should come out like this-


It doesn't work! The sprite doesn't follow the line!
When you click on the sprite using the selection tool, you'll notice a circle in the middle of your sprite. Go to the last frame and make sure that the circle is aligned with the line.
(EX: [1])

Gawd gotta love these features on this forum good job secht

hmmm. nice going i sorta followed this guide i first learned from JrMadness
from youtube the guide JrMadness made so cant blame ya but its good just that direction jump isnt my type of thing

Pretty nice!, it would be better if you put some pics or make a video ya know.

it does have pictures o.o

The key frames piss me off if i want to throw a steely or something how many frames should i use? same for walking.

hey how did you make your icon fold his arms?

//Warned for double posting. ~Secht

dont double post, its a custom sprite, have a short number of frames for steely, 5 frames = a walking sprite

Pandamonium360 wrote:The key frames piss me off if i want to throw a steely or something how many frames should i use? same for walking.

well it depends on how fast you want it to go
but if there isn't too many changes in between the keyframes, i would suggest motion tween

flash is known for being easy to use

Well a lot of people simply use the same action (like the 2nd step of throwing) but only move it an inch to where they are throwing it.

Remember, to make an animation slow-paced you need to have a lot of frames e.g. you could have 4 frames of a guy jumping across the screen but to make it look nice and clean you could probably have 10.

Guise, you can just use motion tween. o_o
It's probably a lot easier than what Secht is doing. It takes 5 seconds.

Well on the walking stance if your gonna make it walk to another spot make it 10 pixel each.

so how do you allign skills like boomerang step?

ninjaapie wrote:so how do you allign skills like boomerang step?

Easiest way is to activate the grid and align it yourself.

i use Macromedia Flash 8 but after we finish the animation how to save it as swf file ?

0soultiger0 wrote:i use Macromedia Flash 8 but after we finish the animation how to save it as swf file ?

Export it

where to download macromedia flash player 8?

GOOGLE IT.
Stop being so damn helpless. You are not a retard. I hope, anyways.

hey did u guys know banned story 3.0 and 3.2 dun have flash jump?

Gregio wrote:GOOGLE IT.
Stop being so damn helpless. You are not a retard. I hope, anyways.

God Gregio that was frickin mean.

dark3nkid wrote:hey did u guys know banned story 3.0 and 3.2 dun have flash jump?

No Ladey FRICKEN DAH!

mtplaya wrote:No Ladey FRICKEN DAH!

English please?

'No DUH' ?

You can just make the background a graphic.