[ZT]

[h1]Masking[/h1]
Today we learn about utilizing masking to create a simple text effect.
<a href="http://www.graphicaddicts.net/zt/tutorials/GAmaskingtutorial.swf" target="_blank">http://www.graphicaddicts.net/zt/tutorials/GAmaskingtutorial.swf</a>
Click here to view the tutorial in full screen

Next lesson: Dunno, suggest something!

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Click the link below to download the Flash file for this tutorial.
Lesson 3- Masking FLA

[SKETCHi]

Awesome tutorial. I never knew how to mask in Flash. I'll submit this to P2L and add it to the tutorials list later when I get home. Next tutorial should be um.. Frame by frame animation? I don't know --;

[ZT]

lol, frame by frame animation..

It'd basically look like this.

step1. Make keyframe
step2. Draw something
step3. Goto step1

[SKETCHi]

Don't you have any tips for making fbf easier? Come on mister Pro Flash user.

[ZT]

I guess... onion skins perhaps?

[Oli-G]

Yup... onion skinning... allows you to see white outlines (aka an onion skin) of the previous frame you drew, to reference against.

At the end of the day, you're creating an image, manipluating it, moving to the next frame, doing the same, etc.

For more complex stuff, you'll need to adjust the framerate against how long key points in the animation will take, and work out the number of frames required for a certain action to take place within a set time... theres also shortcuts, like doubling up on frames, etc etc...

[ZT]

Trying to sound smart without actually being smart doesnt work too well in this forum

You're basically just saying the same thing I did but in a paragraph instead of a single sentence

And onion skins arent nessecarily white outlines, they can be full view, transparent view and outline view. If you used the outline view, the color of the outline would be derived from the color of the layer, which I dont think is EVER white.

[bluehaze]

How about next topic to include some action scripting lessons.  For example how to make a loading bar, how to break apart text or something similar to that.

Great tut I cant wait to get home and try it out myself.

[ZT]

Thanks, I'm not too big on action script myself but the preloader idea sounds like a winner,

[SKETCHi]

Make a GA pre-loader for the DL section, and use it in the tutorial as the example ^^

[ZT]

sounds like a plan to me

[Capt. Obvious]

Great tut man, I have been trying to figure out how to do this for awhile now. Thanks!
<a href="http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1996/cooltext8pq.swf" target="_blank">http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1996/cooltext8pq.swf</a>
This is what I came up with.

[ZT]

looks good, thanks for posting it =]

[Capt. Obvious]

Yea, no problem. Thanks for the tut. By the way, for the tutorials, on the buttons are  you just doing the actionscript, gotoAndStop? Cause I'm thinking about doing a tutorial, but wasn't sure if that was the best way to do that.

[ZT]

nextFrame()
and
prevFrame()

take less work