Getting Started with Video Game Flash Programming

Most people already know that Adobe is the top company when dealing with any online content. From Dreamweaver to Flash, Adobe has it all. Most people don't really know how to take full advantage of these technologies though. There are a lot of things that you can do with the CS 5 software suite that no other suite can match. These things can be amazing if they are used right, but if not, they can make you look like a two bit hack. It is definitely in your best interest to harness the power of CS 5 and all of the programs in the suite. When it comes to making video games, this can be very difficult and, often times, very confusing. Do not fret though. There are some things that you can do to unleash the power of Flash on your gaming environment.

Read

Before getting started there are several different sites and books out there that you can read to help familiarize yourself with the code and they can lay the ground work to getting started. Armor Games is a good place to get started. There are a lot of articles here that offer some great advice and they post several links to sites that can teach you how to be the best coder that you can be. There are some books out there as well, but online content will often cover the same topics in just as much, if not more depth, than a book. It is really a matter of which is easier for you. Some people learn from books much easier than from online articles. You may also want to have a permanent reference to look back to when you get stumped.

Ask!

There are many people out there that feel inferior when they have to ask someone or a forum for advice. There is no need for that. We have all been there, and in the world of computers, most people do not care or even worry when someone asks how to do something. This is actually seen as a strength among many coders. You should never be afraid to ask questions. If you cannot figure it out on your own, ask someone who may know. There are many different problems that have yet to be solved. A problem that you see as minor, may be stumping several different people. If you ask a forum, the answer will be there for everyone. If it is something that stumps a lot of people, you may start a solution rolling that will change the way that people code. No problem is too small. You need to ask instead of risking a new wild virus in your code.

Code

The easiest way to learn to swim is to get in the water. Code is no different. The best way to learn code is to do it. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. There are several different IDE's and SDK's out there to learn Flash. Adobe does offer a 30 day trial as well. Even if you are not able or willing to pay the $700 for CS 5, there are some alternatives for you. They may not be as good or easy to use, but learning on a harder platform, may be beneficial to you. This will force you to learn the coding way to do things, instead of point and click. This will also arm you with some great trouble shooting skills. If things go wrong with the drag and drop method, you will be in a better position to figure out why if you had to do it manually before. Getting to know the environment is quite easy. Making the movies and animations will eventually come and you will improve as time goes on.

Keep at it

Just like everything else in life, nothing worth doing is easy. You may get frustrated at first and think that you can't do it, but that is not true. Anyone can code. The hard part is coming up with an idea for a game or the game animation. Actually coding is simple and can be very rewarding. If you start to get frustrated and feel like ditching the whole thing, try coding a different task or taking a break from things for a day or two. This may clear your mind and when you come back to it, you will often find the solution. There have been many times that I spent days trying to solve a coding problem and started yelling and cussing. My wife made me go with her on a walk or out shopping and when I got back, I noticed that I didn't put a period or semicolon in the right place. It was a simple problem that the most junior person could find, but I got so wrapped in the code that I was blind to it. This type of thing happens to all of us. Just take a step back and go get a soda or some dinner. If you think that things are too hard for you, try to create a simpler program. Once you see a live program that you coded run as advertised, you will get a huge confidence boost.

Choose a Discipline

If you start simple and easy and work your way into the code, there is nothing that you cannot do. There are a couple different aspects of game design and you may need to choose a specific field to get into. Music is important to a game but easy to come by. This is usually not seen as an integral part of the game, but it is still important. The two main parts of a video game are the artwork and the code. If you are able to do both, you will be in a much better position to create your game. If you can't seem to do the artwork part, don't worry. There are several game artists out there that will gladly split your earnings fairly with you for the chance to get their work on the market. The same is true if you are better at the game art than the code. Many coders will hire you to design their artwork and movies. If you can do both, you are in a great position for success.

No matter what your level is, a little practice and desire is all you need to make some great games or web content. Flash Kit is another great resource to keep in mind when getting started. There are many more of them out there. If you look around online or in your local bookstore, you can easily find the articles that you need to become a successful coder and make some great games or web content.