[Yr7-10it] Flash Actionscript

Sat Nov 14 10:53:55 EST 2009

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
..
     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Maker_Language

2009/11/14 <mppascoe at tpg.com.au>

> Paul G,
>
> I'd have to agree with Rob and say that AS is probably not the best
> language
> for the general student populace at Years 7 to 10. But if your school has
> Flash, then it is still worthwhile exposing the students to how those
> hundreds of .SWF games that they have on their USB sticks are actually
> made.
>
>
> I tend to use an "IKEA flat pack" approach, where much of the project is
> already coded, (eg. The main engine), and it is up to them to customize it
> and put it all together. Some students get right into it (about 1 in 20?)
> but the others are ok with just simple things like buttons, rollovers, drag
> and drop, etc.  They all like doing matching games and jigsaw puzzles:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/FLmatchShapes
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ASmatching1
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ASjigsaw
>
> Actual Games making is too much work for the vast majority of them:
> (they want to play finished games, not make them)
>
> http://tinyurl.com/PassyAvoider
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ASsoccer1
>
> A really great book about Flash AS Games Programming is:
>
> ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University by Gary Rosenzweig
>
> Also if you get a chance go to any of Kevork's Actionscript PD's.
>
>
> Enjoy,
>
> Paul Pascoe
> ICT / Maths Teacher
> St Francis Xavier College Berwick
>
> mppascoe at tpg.com.au
>
> http://passyworldofict.blogspot.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au
> [mailto:yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Costello, Rob R
> Sent: Saturday, 14 November 2009 12:31 AM
> To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash
>
> hi Paul
>
> what can be done?
>
> :)
>
> everything.
>
> i came from a similar angle - VB ...happy to tinker ...
>
>  learning how to program in flash took a while though - i read some books
> over a couple of hols - unusual for me, i usually jump in   -  (Colin Moock
> is the author (x3)  i'd recommend there - takes you through in a thorough
> way that worked for me anyway)
>
> AS1 was kind of easier to learn (and you can still program in that style),
> AS2 uses the same language elements but introduced a more object orientated
> approach (classes etc),  AS3 has taken that further  ...
>
> i think i'd probably aim at the AS1 style with students
>
> what would i actually do with kids though ...
>
> rollovers, mouseovers, follow the mouse games etc
>
> some people on this list have been suggesting some templated games (AS3
> style)   (ie copy most of the code in, tinker from there)
>
> i'm not sure ... it gets them started, but not sure well how it travels
> beyond the samples...maybe someone can comment
>
> a few of the yr 8 boys wanted to learn AS last year, and while we did a
> little, - we decompiled some games and changed gravity values etc - but i'm
> not sure its designed for teaching with  (as a first language anyway)
>
> some flash coders would probably disagree with me  - i'd be very interested
> if anyone has kids fluently programming in flash
>
> (i have one student example  - self taught was well -
> http://www.firoweb.com/simulations/
> (AS1 <http://www.firoweb.com/simulations/%0A%28AS1> approach)   - but he
> had learnt some logo before that  (check the frog
> one!)
>
> i haven't really tried to teach actionscript as a course so can't be very
> helpful - (Alice, Scratch, GameMaker, even VB, all seemed much easier to
> start with)
>
> did do this for  the year 8s - but me, not them, so its not the best
> example
> - though we did have some good class discussion around it
> http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/linerider
>
> along those lines, another thing i played with ... (for kids, not by them
> ... so i'm not sure about this)
> http://www.thinkingcurriculum.com/demos/widgets/logspiral
>
> its sad if we can't get to this with kids by the end of school; but i'm not
> sure flash coding is the starter
>
> no answers i'm afraid!
>
>  scratch? Alice?
>
> rob
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Paul Golub
> Sent: Fri 11/13/2009 4:30 PM
> To: Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash
>
> Hi Rob,
>
> I would be interested in doing more actionscript. I currently use Visual
> Basic as my prgramming language but if I knew more actionscript I would use
> Flash. I currently only know how to do scripts for buttons - move from one
> scene to the next or stop or play a scene.
>
> What I would like to know is, what else can be done with actionscript?
> (Nothing complicated - aiming at year9 maybe 10)
>
> Thanks.
> Paul Golub
> Santa Maria College
> 50 Separation Street
> Northcote 3070
> Ph: 9488 1674
>
>
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: "Costello, Rob R" Costello.Rob.R at edumail.vic.gov.au
> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:01:14 +1100
> To: "Year 7 - 10 Information Technology Teachers' Mailing
> List"yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
> Subject: RE: [Yr7-10it] Flash
>
> hi karen
>
> you might like this acrostic activity in flash
> http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/acrostic
>
> there is a programming language in flash (actionscript), but i probably
> wouldn't go there unless you and/or the kids have done a little
> programming;
> probably not the best place to start
>
> probably enough design things to do to fill a course
>
> cheers
>
> rob
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Karen Webster
> Sent: Thu 11/12/2009 8:16 PM
> To: yr7-10it at edulists.com.au
> Subject: [Yr7-10it] Flash
>
>
> We have recently added Flash CS4 to the network. I am beginning lessons
> with
> Year 9's. I have begun with the basics: workspace, drawing tools, basic
> animation using classic tween.
>
> I am not sure if I am heading in the right direction, maybe I am taking it
> too slowly. I haven't used Flash before so I am not sure.
> What do you do with Flash?
> thanks in advance
> Karen Webster
> ICT Teacher
> Alexandra SC
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> Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
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-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"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
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