A Couple of Interactive Items

I've been playing around with ideas for doing some "interactive" drawings. Here are a couple of small tests. I'm trying to beat some programming logic (Flash ActionScript 3.0) into my fuzzy brain. Ow. It hurts. I've been learning the code for this stuff from Foundation Game Design With Flash, by Rex van der Spuy.

Click on the image below and cruise around with Steak using the cursor keys.
Wow, it's parallax scrolling.

Steak appears courtesy of Sam D. Inada.


This is just an idiotic game where the computer guesses a number that you input. Hours of fun. See if you can fool the machine!

Maybe They Got Arshavin After All

Yes, this is some interactive shiznay. What does it all mean? The code and .fla file for this wonderfulness are over at the Comics and Picture Books/Interactive site.

Getting There

I'm feeling a bit worn down. But if the doors of perception were cleansed clicked . . .? Give it a shot. This is an in-process bit of ActionScript/Flash I've been putting together for a demonstration of the advent calendar assignment my Interactive Studio class is working on. I'll post the code over on the class site, later on. Also--gots to get the latest Arms and Ether up tonight!

Argh! Ray Dennis Steckler--RIP!

Finally:
Here's the ActionScript 2.0 FLA file for the Doors o' Perception file above. Enjoy!

You're Number One

So click the stupid button.This is a demo for the Art 351 Interactive Studio Class. It shows how to create a toggle button using Actionscript 2.0. Here's the original flash file for download and deconstruction. I done commented it out purty good too. Here's a simplified .fla of just the door without the guy inside.

Cannon

This is lame, but it's what I've got for today. It's a little bit of ActionScripting that will be part of a splendid game later. Now, it's just a silly shooting test. No explosions, no score, no point. Hey, I'm learning. BTW, the picture now links to the full glory.

TANKLIN

Click on the image at left to play my first Flash game. It's retro and kind of difficult. Try to break 500.

Consider it an ode to the Atari 2600, the obscure Roosevelt Franklin from Sesame Street, his grandson "Franklin" from Arrested Development, and Vladimir Tatlin, Russian Constructivist. Actually, it's just a crappy third-rate beginner's video game, but I do like to prattle on.

I'll post the code and fla file later.

Play Tanklin online.

Download Tanklin to play at your unconnected leisure.

whew

Disappeared there in a haze of finals week. Still mucking around in ActionScript. Had some issues with variables that I thought were going to be numbers but actually weren't. I'm fine now, thank you. It's time for a break. After all, I'm no "machine man."

Un Dimanche Matin a l'Isle de la Grande Beanery

Had a good Flash session with the 8-bit master, Scott Raedeke last night. I'm inspired to get up to speed with ActionScript so's as to teach it in some form next year. I like the way games give one a very different way of thinking about animation than the old straight-forward narrative film approach. Games feels more true to the "ha ha, these pictures look like they're moving" spirit that I think is the fundamental appeal of animation. Was that something a half-assed Clement Greenberg would say if he were an animator and kept a half-assed blog? If only I had some kind of Quantum Computer, I could arrive at an answer to this question through an elaborate computational model.

Anyhow, here are some good links to "classic" game animation sprite maps that Scott turned me on to. Handy to the game or animation student/enthusiast. If you ever have "animator's block" these could well pry you loose to shake what your mother gave you. Mark them well, my children. Mark them well.

The People's Sprites

Sprite Database

In "The Office" on a Saturday

Getting to work on the web site illustrating (stupidly and unnecessarily) a "Making of Arms and Ether" section. It's sure to impress. Let's see, regrets about being bad at drawing, minor annoying ear ache, heavy mental fog . . . Now would be a good time to go play soccer or basketball. I'm missing that glorious forgetting that comes with all out sportin' fun. Perhaps a xiao bike ride would be good. Dawdle. Glurck. Before I go, I'm going to finish drafting out the 11 drawings for that Arms and Ether section. See, I'm disciplined. Har har.

Tonight will be good to hook up with the 8-bit Ghost hisself--Scott Raedeke. He'll be doling out the ActionScript preachings, and I'll be witnessing. Revelatin.'