Comparing Vectors and Bitmaps
During the early days of Web design, bandwidth was always an issue—the
greater the page content, and the larger the number of images, the longer
the wait for the page to render in the browser. Long download times proved
to be a big turn-off for many surfers. However, as the Web evolves and
high-speed connections become more commonplace in homes and workplaces,
less emphasis is placed on creating super-tight pages with ultra-skinny
images. Of course, it’s still best practice to write concise code,
and make sure your images are as small as possible, in order to keep download
times to a minimum. With Flash’s vectorbased graphics system, you
can consistently generate Web-optimized images and create low bandwidth
applications. The beauty of creating images within Flash is that when
you zoom into the movie, you don’t experience the loss of clarity
or the pixellation that occurs with traditional bitmaps. This produces
a crisper look and feel, as shown in Figure 1.1.
You can import traditional bitmaps into Flash, but these will obviously increase the size of the final movie. For example, if you compared a vector-based interface created within Flash to an interface built from multiple bitmaps and HTML, the Flash-developed interface file size would be dramatically lower, and the download speed significantly faster, than the bitmap-and-HTML version of the page.
Interactivity Unlimited
Flash uses an object-oriented programming language called ActionScript, which shares many themes and functions with JavaScript. As JavaScript is familiar to many Web designers, understanding the ActionScript syntax can be relatively easy. In fact, this is the case even for those without a programming background. Subsequent chapters provide a full explanation of how the application fits together, as well as the reasoning behind ActionScript code.
Designing interactive effects in Flash stumps many developers. They might have an idea of what they want to do, but they don’t know how to do it, what can be scripted, or which effects require normal timeline interaction and tweening. The major advantage of creating scripted effects is that merely altering a few variables or the way a function is referenced can have a dramatic impact upon the final movie. Creating effects with traditional methods means altering the timeline, keyframes, and tweening, and can be quite daunting—especially when you’re working with a large number of frames and layers. The techniques outlined in this book will involve scripted effects unless otherwise noted.
When a new user casts their eye over several lines of ActionScript, the typical response is a glazing over of the eyes. The sight of virtually any programming language can scare beginners away, but it’s important to remember that Action- Script isn’t difficult to understand; its learning curve is comparatively gentle. Events are triggered in three ways: buttons within the interface are clicked, certain conditions are met, or the playhead of the timeline reaches a certain frame.
While ActionScript can get very complicated, there are many ways to create quick, pleasing effects with minimal effort. Every line of ActionScript you create will help you understand further the intricacies of the language and how it can be modified to suit your needs. Every line you write will give you more confidence to undertake increasingly complex and rewarding projects.
