Tutorial: How to make a game like Jetman – step 1 – The Jetman

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In my first tutorial I will show you how to make a flash game like Jetman.
A simple very famous casual game on facebook and very addictive.

Play Jetman

1. First of all you have to download the Adobe Flash IDE: Adobe Flash CS3 or Adobe Flash CS4

We will code the game with ActionScript 3.0 (the programming language of Flash) so you need Adobe Flash CS3 at least.
You can download the free trial version of Adobe Flash here (Mac or Windows) : https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?loc=en&product=flash

2. Create your document

3. Create Jetman MovieClip

Flash uses graphic objects called MovieClip. So we have to create the Jetman’s MovieClip.

create_box

Now you can see your Symbol Jetman into your Library  (on the right). If you don’t see the Library Press F11 key.
You have 1 instance of the Jetman symbol on your stage. Good. We just created a MovieClip.

In order to interact with the jetman MovieClip with ActionScript, we have the rename the instance’s name on the stage.

instance

instance_name

It’s done! Now we can move the instance with ActionScript.

4. Starting to code

You have differents ways to code with ActionScript. We will use the easier. (Coding into layers)

layer

A new windows is opening : The Actions window. We will to write all our code here.

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// Please don't remove this comment.
// Code by Benoit Freslon.
// Tutorials, Flash games:
// http://www.thisisgameplay.com
//

////// Game balance
// Jetpack's boost speed
var speedBoost = -4;
// Gravity
var gravity = .8;
// Speed limit
var speedMax = 5;

////// Global variables don't touch those one
// Jetman is using his jetpack ?
var boost = false;
// Jetman's current speed
var speed = 0;

// 25 times by seconds this function will be launched
function jetmanEnterFrame(pEvt) {
    // If boost == true
    if (boost) {
        // The speed changes
        speed = speedBoost;
    } else {
        // Else the gravity decrease jetman's speed
        speed +=  gravity;
    }
    // If the current speed is to hi
    if (speed > speedMax) {
        // Limit the speed
        speed = speedMax;

        // If the current speed is to low
    } else if (speed < -speedMax) {
        // Limit the speed
        speed =  -  speedMax;
    }
    // Every frame jetman will move vertically. (y axis)
    jetman.y +=  speed;

    // If jetman is out of the screen
    if (jetman.y > 450) {
        jetman.y = 100;
    }
}
// Add a event listener to launch the jetmanEnterFrame function every frames
jetman.addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, jetmanEnterFrame);

// If the mouse is pressed
function mouseDown(pEvt) {
    // Set boost to true
    boost = true;
}
// Id the mouse is released
function mouseUp(pEvt) {
    // Set boost to false
    boost = false;
}
// Detecting the mouse inputs (MOUSE_DOWN and MOUSE_UP) on the entire "stage"
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_DOWN, mouseDown);
stage.addEventListener(MouseEvent.MOUSE_UP, mouseUp);

You should see that:

Get Adobe Flash player

Download the source file here:

[www.thisisgameplay.com]_Jetman_step1.fla

Download the compiled file here:

[www.thisisgameplay.com]_Jetman_step1.swf

Next step the level design… ;)

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v43/106/4243149646/app_1_4243149646_252.gif
Posted on Friday December 18th, 2009 at 05:06 PM by admin · Permalink
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In: ActionScript3 as3, Game Design, Tip, Tutorial · Tagged with: , , , ,

One Response

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  1. Written by Luke
    on Wednesday December 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 PM
    Permalink

    looking forward to the rest of it… I had this part done myself, just struggled with the level design part… normally I only find tutorials that are 2+ years old!

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