Multimedia Blog

Probably the biggest change in Flash CS4 is the way it handles motion and the new features for timeline animation. They have introduced 3D support that includes a 3D transform tool that works on the usual 3 axis like you would find in 3Ds Max. Adobe have also added the Bone Tool. This enables you to click and drag bone structures inside a single item or to link items as demonstrated above.



When animating in the timeline flash automatically draws out a customisable motion path for every tween. The new Motion Editor panel (see above) has a vast range of options for each tween you create. You can now chose from dozens of different easing types and filters and apply them easily to the same tween within this properties panel. This lets you achieve complicated tweens that have only been possible with ActionScript in CS3. Each of these features can all be added and fine tuned in the properties panel by moving the points on the graphs within the motion editor.


The Project Panel is a new feature for developers that allows them to manage their projects and files in a library like format. You can create new class documents or any other document directly from this panel and use custom or preset code templates.

All in all the latest version of flash looks like it could really transform the look of the internet. CS4 looks to be aimed at the designers and animators more than developers. I think a lot of developers prefer to use Flex Builder anyway. Less and less people were using timeline animation and it was generally accepted that ActionScript was the way forward. CS4 could really change this. In the first six months after it's release I'm expecting a lot of innovative 3D work and alot of progress in terms of the quality of flash animation. I'll also be interested to see if the current trend of ActionScript being seen as superior to timeline animation changes.

You can check the CS4 deomonstration out here

Labels: flash cs4