From the Back Cover

In this book, you'll learn

* All the ActionScript 3.0 (including math and trigonometry functions) and Flash rendering techniques you'll need to start animating with code

* Basic motion principles such as velocity, acceleration, friction, easing, and bouncing

* How to handle user interaction via the keyboard and mouse

*Advanced motion techniques such as springs, coordinate rotation, conservation of momentum, and forward and inverse kinematics

*All the basic 3D concepts you need to do 3D in Flash, from simple perspective to full 3D solids complete with backface culling and dynamic lighting

Flash has long been one of the most approachable, user-friendly tools for creating web-based animations, games, and applications. This has contributed to making it one of the most widely used programs for creating interactive web content. With each new version of Flash, ActionScript, its built-in scripting language, has become more powerful and a little more complex, too. ActionScript, now at version 3.0, has significantly matured as a programming language, bringing power and speed only previously dreamed about to Flash-based animation, going far beyond traditionally used keyframes and tweens.

The material inside this book covers everything you need to know to harness the power of ActionScript 3.0. First, all the basics of script-based animation and setting up an ActionScript 3.0 project are covered. An introduction to object-oriented programming follows, with the new syntax, events, and rendering techniques of ActionScript 3.0 explained, giving you the confidence to use the language, whether starting from scratch or moving up from ActionScript 2.0.

The book goes on to provide information on all the relevant trigonometry you will need, before moving on to physics concepts such as acceleration, velocity, easing, springs, collision detection, conservation of momentum, 3D, and forward and inverse kinematics. In no time at all you'll both understand the concepts of scripted animation and have the ability to create all manner of exciting animations and games.

Summary of Contents 

 

• PART ONE - ACTIONSCRIPTED ANIMATION BASICS
  • Chapter 1 Basic Animation Concepts
  • Chapter 2 Basics of ActionScript 3.0 for Animation
  • Chapter 3 Trigonometry for Animation
  • Chapter 4 Rendering Techniques
• PART TWO - BASIC MOTION
  • Chapter 5 Velocity and Acceleration
  • Chapter 6 Boundaries and Friction
  • Chapter 7 User Interaction: Moving Objects Around
• PART THREE - ADVANCED MOTION
  • Chapter 8 Easing and Springing
  • Chapter 9 Collision Detection
  • Chapter 10 Coordinate Rotation and Bouncing Off Angles
  • Chapter 11 Billiard Ball Physics
  • Chapter 12 Particle Attraction and Gravity
  • Chapter 13 Forward Kinematics: Making Things Walk
  • Chapter 14 Inverse Kinematics: Dragging and Reaching
• PART FOUR - 3D ANIMATION
  • Chapter 15 3D Basics
  • Chapter 16 3D Lines and Fills
  • Chapter 17 Backface Culling and 3D Lighting
• PART FIVE - ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES
  • Chapter 18 Matrix Math
  • Chapter 19 Tips and Tricks

Who is this book for?

Anyone who wants to learn to script motion in Flash or Flex will find this book extremely useful. Not only does it contain the basics you need to know for effective ActionScript programming, it also contains a huge library of mathematical formulas and matrices that are essential to motion scripting.

Don't expect a lot of new content if you are upgrading from the previous version of this book ActionScript Animation. The author created a solid foundation in the previous version of the book, the most important additions in this version are programming with classes and the conversion to ActionScript 3.0.

Conclusion

Whether you like it or not, scripting motion involves math and physics, but Keith Peters makes it fun and comprehensible. Rather than including just the necessary formulas, Keith makes sure you truly understand how to use ActionScript and math to create animations.

Although there are some things that could have been moved or improved, the book is constructed in a thoughtful and logical manner. It allows you to scan through and zoom into a topic of interest.  When zooming in, Keith gives you valuable tips on how to avoid difficult hurdles when scripting motion.

All things considered this is one of the best ActionScript 3.0 Animation books on the market.