First Flash Animation

[seanr]

Take a look at my first real flash animation and let me know what you think:

http://www1.design.visi.net/flash_test/ball_bounce.html

I say 'real' because I did do one five years ago for www.zapinc.com, but I had to wing it with that one and the results, while acceptable at the time, were not good. I went to a Flash training class on Friday, and they demonstrated the creation of a (very simple) bouncing ball anim, among other things, so I decided to take that idea to the extreme.

Here's the .fla file if you'd like to see how I did it:

http://www1.design.visi.net/flash_test/ball_bounce.fla

[Thomas P]

Like the compression effect when it hits, nice job.

[Hito]

WHy is the first of any animation excersize?
Be it 2d or 3d animaiton?

Anyway
cool B-Ball
u can be the next Kobe!

[seanr]

Originally posted by Hito
WHy is the first of any animation excersize?

Come again?

Thanks.

[seanr]

BTW, MJ beats the living crap out of Kobe (even if he is ancient and should have stayed retired).

[Hito]

Originally posted by seanr
Come again?

Thanks.

I ment to say how come every first anamation excersize is a bouncing ball

[seanr]

Oh, LOL, I couldn't read that through all your typos.

I think it's probably because a bouncing ball requires fairly little creativity and planning while demonstrating a wide range of feature within the program. In this case, the features include motion tween, motion paths, easing, rotation, nesting library instances, buttons, and action scripts (and, of course, basic drawing techniques).

[General Phoenix]

My only criticism is that it's a bit too slow - otherwise, it's pretty nice.

[Thomas P]

Originally posted by seanr
I think it's probably because a bouncing ball requires fairly little creativity and planning while demonstrating a wide range of feature within the program.

I recall that the first MAX (3D Studio R1-4) animation exercise is a bouncing ball on a rotating block. The reason is that it is easy to make the ball and block but more difficult to make the motion and object dynamics look correct. If you do it correctly it looks pretty neat and don't care that it was just a ball.

The bouncing isn't slow, exactly, but the lowest bouce takes exactly the same time as the highest...

I had (traditional) animation class, and the reason the bouncing ball is always first is because it most simply demonstrates the most basic and fundemental principle of american animation... the "Squash and Stretch". The squash and stretch is a term used to describe the way something with mass... well... squashes and stretches when it moves, either in relation to gravity, inertia, or any other outside forces.

I'd say the bouncing ball here could use a little bit more squash when it comes into contact with the floor, and a little more stretch when it leaves. Of course, a real ball won't change shape that much when it bounces, but that's the nice thing about animation, we get to exaggerate.

For a first real animation though, it's definately not bad. Show us if you do more (wants to know if you have to do the "sack of flour").

Nice start..

Good anim, where you been sean?

[moovok]

It's a great animation. For some reason, when I see the basketball, I think of those lamps that play with the beach ball.

Sorry, the reason my mind thought of that I don't know, but its a great Flash animation. Better than I could do.

Nice, simple, and to the point. I like it