Flash authoring - any suggestions?

[Simon Beck]

I have decided that, while I think Flash intros on websites are generally a waste of time, I ought to offer them to clients who specifically want them. I know that you can export static SWF images from XaraX - what I need is a simple, easy-to-learn package capable of producing complex Flash animations from those images. Preferably not too expensive, and without Macromediocre's idiotic GUI.

What do you lot use or recommend?

[Simon Beck]

I have decided that, while I think Flash intros on websites are generally a waste of time, I ought to offer them to clients who specifically want them. I know that you can export static SWF images from XaraX - what I need is a simple, easy-to-learn package capable of producing complex Flash animations from those images. Preferably not too expensive, and without Macromediocre's idiotic GUI.

What do you lot use or recommend?

[Scotty]

Mr. Beck,
I am no graphic guru but I use SwishMax for flash output very easy to learn and inexpensive to boot.
My first project is at Flash
It is not completed yet.
Jim

[Simon Beck]

I like SwishMax so far - it's very easy to use. But am I mistaken or does it not offer any sort of shape tweening/morphing facility? I'd have thought that would be essential for Flash. Or is there a work-around?

[zee]

Simon,
SwishMax has a community forum at
http://www.flashkit.com/board/forumd...php?forumid=17

[Egg Bramhill]

Simon
I would imagine that Flash would suit your minimalist style of drawing excellently. Whilst I agree there's a great deal of 'Flash for Flash-Sake' sites out there, I find that Flash is now my web site tool of choice. I can't get anywhere near the control I want using HTML. Not only this but as I use Xara almost exclusively to create my graphics, I can't see the point of changing vectors into bitmaps.
Flash has a very steep learning curve and as you say the UI can be horrendous (I have a 21" monitor at 1600 x 1200 resolution, and I could quite happily have a treble monitor set up and still not have enough screen real estate for Flash!). That said, it is an extremely powerful program, even more so as you get deeper into action scripts. I would recommend that you persevere.
As an example of it's capabilities, I have reproduced your excellent paper clip in Flash as an example of what can be done with a very small (4Kb) vector drawing. Veiw it here
Egg

[min]

I have to second Egg's opinions.

I've tried out a few Flash alternatives but I have always come back to Flash, mainly because it does what it does so well. It certainly fits my needs: animation, interactive educational material, and even illustration.

However, other Flas apps to consider, include KoolMoves and 3DFlash Animator.

Just my 2 cents worth!
Amanda

[amoore]

In general, I prefer SwishMax. Easy to use (relatively) and much less expensive than Flash. For cartooning, try KoolMoves or Moho. KoolMoves is cheaper. Moho has great bones.

[Egg Bramhill]

I think this debate is a 'Horses for Courses' type of a debate. Swish is great at what it does, but it lacks the depth of Flash's action script, which has become a very powerful scripting language.
All this aside, we've been promised SVG for at least 2 years now, but where is it? Meanwhile people can create vectors in Flash and Swish.
At the same time, try and recreate some of Mins excellent animations in html or Java.
For me Flash is the way forward, it's vector based, scalable and small in file size.
Egg

[jwhitham]

SwishMax does support around 80% of Action Script. Also, any valid Action Script can be entered in the SwishScript editor and will be correctly encoded in the output .swf, you just can't preview in SwishMax correctly.

My main reason for going for SwishMax was that the drawing and fill manipulation feel a lot more intuitive than those in Flash, more like what I'm used to in Xara.

John