Some may be curious to know that GameMaker at the code level uses a version of Action Script called GML. There have been some attempts at creating a GML to Flash converter. If you are curious, you can read up a bit about it here .. <br>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Maker_Language">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Maker_Language</a><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/11/14 <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mppascoe@tpg.com.au">mppascoe@tpg.com.au</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Paul G,<br>
<br>
I'd have to agree with Rob and say that AS is probably not the best language<br>
for the general student populace at Years 7 to 10. But if your school has<br>
Flash, then it is still worthwhile exposing the students to how those<br>
hundreds of .SWF games that they have on their USB sticks are actually made.<br>
<br>
<br>
I tend to use an "IKEA flat pack" approach, where much of the project is<br>
already coded, (eg. The main engine), and it is up to them to customize it<br>
and put it all together. Some students get right into it (about 1 in 20?)<br>
but the others are ok with just simple things like buttons, rollovers, drag<br>
and drop, etc. They all like doing matching games and jigsaw puzzles:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/FLmatchShapes" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/FLmatchShapes</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ASmatching1" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/ASmatching1</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ASjigsaw" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/ASjigsaw</a><br>
<br>
Actual Games making is too much work for the vast majority of them:<br>
(they want to play finished games, not make them)<br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/PassyAvoider" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/PassyAvoider</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ASsoccer1" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/ASsoccer1</a><br>
<br>
A really great book about Flash AS Games Programming is:<br>
<br>
ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University by Gary Rosenzweig<br>
<br>
Also if you get a chance go to any of Kevork's Actionscript PD's.<br>
<br>
<br>
Enjoy,<br>
<br>
Paul Pascoe<br>
ICT / Maths Teacher<br>
St Francis Xavier College Berwick<br>
<br>
<a href="mailto:mppascoe@tpg.com.au">mppascoe@tpg.com.au</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://passyworldofict.blogspot.com" target="_blank">http://passyworldofict.blogspot.com</a><br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au</a><br>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au</a>] On Behalf Of Costello, Rob R<br>
Sent: Saturday, 14 November 2009 12:31 AM<br>
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List<br>
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash<br>
<br>
hi Paul<br>
<br>
what can be done?<br>
<br>
:)<br>
<br>
everything.<br>
<br>
i came from a similar angle - VB ...happy to tinker ...<br>
<br>
learning how to program in flash took a while though - i read some books<br>
over a couple of hols - unusual for me, i usually jump in - (Colin Moock<br>
is the author (x3) i'd recommend there - takes you through in a thorough<br>
way that worked for me anyway)<br>
<br>
AS1 was kind of easier to learn (and you can still program in that style),<br>
AS2 uses the same language elements but introduced a more object orientated<br>
approach (classes etc), AS3 has taken that further ...<br>
<br>
i think i'd probably aim at the AS1 style with students<br>
<br>
what would i actually do with kids though ...<br>
<br>
rollovers, mouseovers, follow the mouse games etc<br>
<br>
some people on this list have been suggesting some templated games (AS3<br>
style) (ie copy most of the code in, tinker from there)<br>
<br>
i'm not sure ... it gets them started, but not sure well how it travels<br>
beyond the samples...maybe someone can comment<br>
<br>
a few of the yr 8 boys wanted to learn AS last year, and while we did a<br>
little, - we decompiled some games and changed gravity values etc - but i'm<br>
not sure its designed for teaching with (as a first language anyway)<br>
<br>
some flash coders would probably disagree with me - i'd be very interested<br>
if anyone has kids fluently programming in flash<br>
<br>
(i have one student example - self taught was well -<br>
<a href="http://www.firoweb.com/simulations/%0A%28AS1" target="_blank">http://www.firoweb.com/simulations/<br>
(AS1</a> approach) - but he had learnt some logo before that (check the frog<br>
one!)<br>
<br>
i haven't really tried to teach actionscript as a course so can't be very<br>
helpful - (Alice, Scratch, GameMaker, even VB, all seemed much easier to<br>
start with)<br>
<br>
did do this for the year 8s - but me, not them, so its not the best example<br>
- though we did have some good class discussion around it<br>
<a href="http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/linerider" target="_blank">http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/linerider</a><br>
<br>
along those lines, another thing i played with ... (for kids, not by them<br>
... so i'm not sure about this)<br>
<a href="http://www.thinkingcurriculum.com/demos/widgets/logspiral" target="_blank">http://www.thinkingcurriculum.com/demos/widgets/logspiral</a><br>
<br>
its sad if we can't get to this with kids by the end of school; but i'm not<br>
sure flash coding is the starter<br>
<br>
no answers i'm afraid!<br>
<br>
scratch? Alice?<br>
<br>
rob<br>
<br>
-----Original Message-----<br>
From: <a href="mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au</a> on behalf of Paul Golub<br>
Sent: Fri 11/13/2009 4:30 PM<br>
To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List<br>
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash<br>
<br>
Hi Rob,<br>
<br>
I would be interested in doing more actionscript. I currently use Visual<br>
Basic as my prgramming language but if I knew more actionscript I would use<br>
Flash. I currently only know how to do scripts for buttons - move from one<br>
scene to the next or stop or play a scene.<br>
<br>
What I would like to know is, what else can be done with actionscript?<br>
(Nothing complicated - aiming at year9 maybe 10)<br>
<br>
Thanks.<br>
Paul Golub<br>
Santa Maria College<br>
50 Separation Street<br>
Northcote 3070<br>
Ph: 9488 1674<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
-----Original message-----<br>
From: "Costello, Rob R" <a href="mailto:Costello.Rob.R@edumail.vic.gov.au">Costello.Rob.R@edumail.vic.gov.au</a><br>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01:14 +1100<br>
To: "Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing<br>
List"<a href="mailto:yr7-10it@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it@edulists.com.au</a><br>
Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash<br>
<br>
hi karen<br>
<br>
you might like this acrostic activity in flash<br>
<a href="http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/acrostic" target="_blank">http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/acrostic</a><br>
<br>
there is a programming language in flash (actionscript), but i probably<br>
wouldn't go there unless you and/or the kids have done a little programming;<br>
probably not the best place to start<br>
<br>
probably enough design things to do to fill a course<br>
<br>
cheers<br>
<br>
rob<br>
<br>
________________________________<br>
<br>
From: <a href="mailto:yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it-bounces@edulists.com.au</a> on behalf of Karen Webster<br>
Sent: Thu 11/12/2009 8:16 PM<br>
To: <a href="mailto:yr7-10it@edulists.com.au">yr7-10it@edulists.com.au</a><br>
Subject: [Yr7-10it] Flash<br>
<br>
<br>
We have recently added Flash CS4 to the network. I am beginning lessons with<br>
Year 9's. I have begun with the basics: workspace, drawing tools, basic<br>
animation using classic tween.<br>
<br>
I am not sure if I am heading in the right direction, maybe I am taking it<br>
too slowly. I haven't used Flash before so I am not sure.<br>
What do you do with Flash?<br>
thanks in advance<br>
Karen Webster<br>
ICT Teacher<br>
Alexandra SC<br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br><a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br><br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead<br>