So how did you learn Flash?? Did you just kept toying with it?? Did you read a book on it (if so, what book?)
I’m new to Flash (started this week), so I feel completely lost. I know my way around, but there’s just so much you can do with it. I was wondering what is the best way to really learn it??
So how did you guys learn??
online communities, online tutorial/articles and books:beam:
kirupaville
I had learned HTML from my brother and online, then decided to go to design school. They showed me Flash 2 for 3 hours, and I was hooked. I immediately started abandoning HTML, Flash 3 just came out, and I started spending about 6 hours a day, 4-5 days a week trying stuff out (there were no books out at that time that I knew of) for about 6 weeks producing webistes for my friends and myself. Then started marketing myself as a Flash developer both online and socially (there were a lot of dot-com free-booze parties going on).
I didn’t get a job doing Flash work until I had worked as a Webmaster for about a year first, to show I had knowledge in the basics of the web, and how the web works.
The rest is history…
Rev
I learned everything on my own - no formal training. But not without help from my fellow Kirupians and lots of books ofcourse. 
I learned on a need to know basis. I learned HTML because I wanted to have a personal site. After that, I learned Flash because a client wanted a Flash site. Same thing with PHP - had a project that needed it.
I’m just floating along.
Kirupaville helped me the most, it is the site I learned all my information from that I didn’t learn on my own.
The rest I learned by going through the AS Reference in Flash and experimenting with commands in AS to see how they work.
In my opinion, experimentation is key, sure you can copy and paste code, or have someone show you how to do it, but I feel you learn best from finding out how things work on your own and learning from your own mistakes.
This method isn’t really for everyone though, it works for me, but it may not work for you.
I do know own, nor have I ever read a book on Flash… but I am beggining to think I should invest in some…lol.
You should at least get Colin Moock’s book, “Actionscript: A Definite Guide.” It’s not really a “learning” book, but it’s a great referrence guide for advanced Flashers. Mine never collects dust on the book shelf - but sits dog-eared from overuse on top of my unused Wacom.
I was thinking about getting the second one because that is MX actionscript right? I want the Colin Moock book either way.
And an unused Wacom!!! Boy, what I would do to have a Wacom to use and you are saying you never use yours :!: LOL…
<~~~ Super Jealous
Im gonna get the Moock book… like Ren said it seems like it would be a great desk reference type book.
Other suggestions: Anything by froends of Ed, “Flash MX Studio” is good, but you’ll need to have a decent understanding of Flash for that to be helpful…
Good Luck, and Happy Flashing:smirk:
Peace
I started with Google, did a search for “flash tutorials” and Kirupa was one of the many returns I got so I was destined to be part of this forum and from here, I absorbed tid bits here and there from reading other peoples posts. Reading the information was one thing, but I also did a lot of experimenting as well since I’m a visual learner, I had to try out the stuff right away before it forget it. I always have MX open and ready for action when I’m browsing through this forum because I’ll probably see something cool I want to try out. =)
Ahhhh… the tried and true method of Kirupaville… C:-)
Peace
Lost: believe me it makes me sadder than anyone! I shelled out over $300 months ago on this Intuos and suddenly I have no time to use it! Not only that, my job won’t let me bring in my Graphire because the Big Brother Computer Tech Guy says he “dun know 'nuff 'bout them.” So instead I’m using this crappy Microsoft mouse.
well i started when i learnt html and java then got flash 5 and couldnt do it good job it was a trial i got, then wen MX came out i thought what the hell so i had a crack with a trial and it was alot easier so i bought it im still learning and probably always will be i got FLASH MX FOR DUMMIES a while back which really helped me out but just with the basics im lookin to get actionscript for dummies next the dummies series are so good. Just remember to stick at it i used it for ages then 1 day it suddenly clicked mainly thanks to kirupaville i have to say.
-Tom
Ren: That sucks monkey butts!
novatake: Yeah, I crept up to Flash too. I started with HTML, then got into Javascript, then CSS, then DHTML (failed miserably there)… and I saved and saved and saved and bought Flash MX (saved for Flash 5, took so long, that MX was out by then).
well when i started to learn flash mx i thought wot the hell i go the whole hog so i started to learn DHTML, asp, php,cgi,actionscript obviously and a few others
which is prob why i aint that good at flash lol
not bad for a 16 year old
-Tom
Grand master Upu taught me :+) [SIZE=1]by the way Novatake, you stole both his footer and his location…[/SIZE] :-/
I learned everything myself, i download the trial for flash 5 and then decided to buy it, as for HTML, i just read a whole bunch of tutorials. 
I learned everything I know about Flash from Kirupa.com!!!
*Originally posted by ahmed *
**online communities, online tutorial/articles and books:beam: **
Exactly! 
-brad-
(formerly bcogswell11)
Wlel Let’s see here…
I started out years and years ago by sitting there and flipping through old code on my Macintosh LCIII… I knew then I was addicted to coding… hehe… But the years went past…
Finally some 10 years ago… I sat in front of my computer with a notepad on my computer desktop and keyboard in hands and I sat there and had fun making my first HTML based website… I had this printout of all the commands of HTML… TO the basic < BLINK >
Talk about fun… This went on for several months… I was playing around with Paint and some other low end programs making a couple of graphics and having fun with them… But mainly… I learned to design sites without graphics at all…
The next step up was DHTML and Photoshop… I started doing both of these some many years ago and I just stuck with it… I started learning mroe and more… XML, CSS, CGI, Java and JavaScripting…
Then the new server languages came out… And at the time I was learning basic C++ and Visual Basic… It was allright… But I still needed more challenge…
So… I started learning ASP, PHP, and hardcoe C++… I made my first C++ game then… 4-Player Pong-a-thon…It was fun… And I enjoyed it… And from then on… I was hooked into the funness of C++ ad game programming… I wrote down tons of ideas for game sinto what I now have… 20 notebooks… Most of you wonder where I can come up with algorithms and stuff like that from easy and quick… That’s why…
So then… I explored Flash… And I’ve been here ever since… Why do I like Flash over C++? Because I don’t have to build a drawing and sound interface… Or a movie interface into Flash… It’s already there… I like building the bases of games… not the foundations…
Throughout these years… I usually find ONE good book… And it’s usually some kind-a Bible book that’s 1500+ pages long and include very few pictures or diagrams… And I use those for reference… And right now… I’m looking for a good book on Flash MX to be my reference guide…
I have the Friends of Ed : Flash Games Studio BOok… It’s veyr enlightening… BUT DONE IN Flash 5! BAH! hehehe…
Take care… DOn’t fall asleep too early in this…
Peace
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