How to Create a Motion-Guided Path in Adobe Flash CS4
Adobe Flash is one of the more popular animation and video platforms on the Internet, powering the majority of video hosting and online social game websites. Flash animations and games are created using Adobe's Flash software and other compatible software platforms. Flash CS4, part of the Creative Suite 4 line of Adobe products, improved the tools that can be used to create animations and games. One of the functions of Flash CS4 that makes animation easier is the ability to create motion-guided paths for animated objects to move along without having to animate each frame individually.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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1
Launch Flash CS4. Create a new project by selecting "New..." from the File menu and choosing the document type appropriate to the Flash file type you wish to create. Under most circumstances you will create the default option, ActionScript 3.0.
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2
Create an object on the Stage or import an image into your project's Library and place the imported image on the Stage. The object should be placed at the point where the motion-guided path will begin.
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3
Right-click the first frame in the "Layers" panel, selecting the "Insert Key Frame" option from the context menu that appears. This will set the ending location of the object for that frame. Alternatively, press the "F6" key on your keyboard.
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4
Create a new layer on top of the layer containing your image or object; name the new layer "Guide Layer." Use a brush tool to create a continuous line from your object to the point where the animation movement will stop. This line is your motion-guided path, and the object will move along it when the animation clip is played.
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5
Select the frame where you want the animation to end and set a new key frame, then move your object to the point where the guide ends in that frame. The longer your motion path is, the more frames you should skip before setting your second key frame.
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6
Right-click the middle of both layers and select the "Motion Tween" option. This links the layers, telling Flash that the object should move along the motion-guided path in the space between the two key frames.
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7
Save your file. With the two layers linked, your animation should play with the object moving through the entire path in the number of frames you specified by creating the key frames.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If the object or image should turn while moving through the motion path, view the "Properties" panel of any frame between the two key frames. Select the "Orient to Path" option to make the object turn each time it reaches a turn on the path.
