So here I am looking at a movie site and the whole thing is done in Flash. I’m watching it from its grey scale loader, thru it’s intro, and into it’s multi functional site, and noting the various techniques and AS that are being used to bring the site to life. One of the more unique features on the site is that after a bit of time is spent on the site the entire site will do something odd but related to the movie.
Ok you’re probably wondering what site I’m talking about, so here is the link: http://www.thedayaftertomorrowmovie.com/
The discussion part of this topic should be about the many different features that are on the site, and how to recreate them for ourselves.
Example: The Preloader! Preloader I understand have been done indepth on this and other sites. Many of the tuts. that are available on preloaders are pretty good. And many of you have mastered the art of making a god and useful preloader. I’m not one of you, but some day I hope to be. 
Actually though before you even get to the preloader there is a basic HTML page where you must select the language that you want to view the site in. Pretty extensive list of languages I have to admit and certainly a chore to write content for/in. But that is the first page that you come across when visiting the site.
Naturally some of us may hve a need to write sites in more than one or two languages, and thus have need for ideas and examples of how to do this. More so perhaps if you don’t speak the language your writing for. Though that would be a pretty good trick
First suggestion when writing content in other languages that you are not fluent in is the rule of no slang. Slang is a funny thing, if you understand its meaning and useage. If you don’t speak the lingo very well don’t try to use hip phrases or street speech as part of your content. Saying something in one language may not have the same meaning as it does in another language or at the very least could make the content writer sound like an idiot. Thats my first suggestion.
Now for the HOW DID THE DO THAT: The first page is pretty easy HTML. Basically it is a table with a background image and at least two columns and two rows. The menu is most likely a java script for hover/rollover buttons. That script can be found on dozens of sites that have free JS scripts. Find one and paste it into your html page in the normal manner. The rest of the first page is fairly standard text and hypertext. I’m hoping that if you are reading Kirupa Forums that you have at least rudimentary understanding of HTML, so I won’t dawdle on this anymore.
I clicked on English (gee go figure ), and that is when you enter the flash site’s preloader. A simple verticle % loader bar. As mentioned earlier there are many good tuts on this. But if someone would like to explain the specifics of this site’s preloader I would welcom the dialogue.
Naturally after the preloader comes an intro/splash movie, and thus where thigns get a little more meaty.
Intro Features I noted:
[list=1]
[]A Rotating background image each time the site is opened. Anyone know how to do random or rotating backgrounds?
[]A countdown graphic that probably is connected to a clock/calendar some how. This would be a good thing for someone other than myself to speculate about.
[*]Perhaps the kewlest feature of the intro is how it shakes at the end of the intro, like an earthquake. How do you suppose they do that?
[/list]The intro obviously fills into the rest of the site in a very seamless manner. I think all good intros should do this. The more seemless the better.
Now that we are on the site proper there is more going on there than I can write about in a few minutes.
[list=1]
[]A weather news flasher at the very top of the screen.
[]a very unique navigation panel on the left side
[]a fairly standard menu on the right side
[]4 major content panels
[*]And it seems that every thing is a link.
[/list]Pretty good FLASHING as far as I’m concerned. But then most movies do have pretty good flash sites if they are the big budget films. I chose this movie site over others because I like all the many and varied features it has to offer, from a Flasher’s perspective.
I’m hoping that this topic will inspire many of the Script Kitties, and Code Gurus to examine the site http://www.thedayaftertomorrowmovie.com/ and then take a section of one of the features and discuss thier ideas on how the actual Flashers did this site. There are no more than an infinite number of ways to write code and thus no site would ever be the exact same. But since movie sites are traditionally some of the best flash sites on the web it makes sense to use them as examples and points of discussion.
So who’s going to be first to rip into this site and examine its workings and report back to us on how they did it?
