Flash cs6 and flash builder workflow

Question

I would like to ask more specific questions on this topic, but what I'm really looking for is a bird's eye view - a blog post, something from Adobe, documentation or even a book outlining the approach, we had a difficult time to find something comprehensive.

I basically developed in a team of 2 people with Flash Pro for many years - an artist and a developer. I also worked in larger teams using the same workflow:

• AS code written as class files using the Flash Pro editor with a minimal code on the timeline (only stops and accidentally calls a function when the timeline falls into a specific frame).
• Library assets linked to AS3 classes, if necessary
• Assets are placed on the main stage and the main timeline for the maximum convenience of the designer.
• Applications are published and created by exporting to swf using Flash Pro
• There is no version control other than telling each other if we are going to change fl.

Our store is on the verge of attracting more coders to develop a series of games for Flash browsers, and I think it's time to bring this workflow to current reality. We want to have something that is suitable for both performers and coders (minimizing complaints from any camp), as well as git support for version control.

Finally, my questions are:

• How do most developers now develop games? I read a popular approach - to create artistic assets in a fla using Flash pro, associate them with classes and export to SWC. The code is then developed in Flash Builder, where tools are built in.
• If I take the SWC approach, is all the code devoid of the MovieClip resource timeline?
• I know that Flash Builder has the ability to create a "Flash professional" project that combines the two and seems perfect, but the transition between Builder and Pro seemed to crash. Does anyone use this approach reliably?
• Will CS6 give us any advantages over CS5.5 to make it more convenient for developers; i.e. code completion, etc.
• Is there a way to set up the workflow so that the artist can make changes and then create / run the game from Flash Pro, and the developers could do it from Flash Builder - or will someone need Flash Builder to run?
• Are there any good third-party tools that provide code completion and everything around a better development environment and then a flash IDE (as an alternative to Flash Builder)?
• Do people see what Flash Builder "must have" when working in teams or in general in a Flash developer?

Thank you for answering any part of these questions or simply exchanging impressions, opinions and personal preferences. Any knowledge will be of great help at this stage!

Answer 1

These are many questions for one question. I will try to highlight some of the main topic of the workflow.

The approach you are describing with a clean ActionScript project with swc: s linked in is probably the most common approach (at least when it comes to more complex projects), because you want to separate the code from the content as much as possible. Usually I work with one artist, so we synchronize the functional design, and then I determine how the scene objects should be structured (for example, a container clip with XYZ-child clips, naming, linking and all that) so that it matches the current structure or new supporting code.

You do not need any code on the flash pro timeline; you want all this in your ActionScript files. Ideally, as a programmer, you will not need to go into the flash scene project. However, in reality you are likely to be. I usually try to keep this on my own placeholder, so I don't pollute production files with tests and placeholders. You also really do not want several people to edit the same scene at the same time. One approach is to divide the scenes into several projects. If you are making a card game, you might have something like this: card.swc, mainScene.swc, opponents of .swc. It also allows some concurrency if you work with multiple artists.

Saving flash pro files in xfl format makes it a little more convenient for source code control, and you can actually merge two versions of the same scene, but sometimes it can be a little more complicated. I usually solve this by creating quick functional graphics for notes that can later be replaced by an artist (or display graphics from code).

When it comes to IDE: s, I think the most popular ones are FlashDevelop, Flash Builder, and IntelliJ IDEA (with Flash Builder as my personal favorite). Start with one and try some of the others at one time. Make sure the features you use all day are really good. However, if you were only working with a professional Flash environment before something becomes a dramatic performance improvement.

I for one search priority, refactoring and ease of monitoring the program flow, which simplifies debugging and quickly gets into the code of other people. But it all boils down to finding a tool that works at a frequency that you can tune your mind into.

Hope this answers some of your thoughts and questions. Feel free to follow them.