Actionscript is a Flash scripting language used primarily for web development, game design and software development. Based on the ECMAScript, Flash Actionscript was originally developed by Macromedia, but currently it is owned by Adobe. Initially, Actionscript was designed for controlling simple 2D vector animations, it had limited interactivity features. But its later versions had more depth as they were used for the creation of rich internet applications and web based games.

The release of Flash 4 saw a new level of scripting language. Instead of basic navigational command like ?gotoAndPlay?, the version included operators, expressions, variables and loops.

With so many sets of actions and scripts, Flash Actionscript was dabbled up in the gaming industry and received instant success. A number of award-wining Flash games spawned. Flash game design became an inexpensive alternative to big-budget games. The games developed in this platform are not only easy to set up but also fun and enjoyable and free to play. Flash game design companies also have the ability to create game ?engines? that can help in simulating real world physics. Flash games always have a simple interface and are easy to download.

Flash Actionscript is also used extensively in web development. Flash web development firms make use of this powerful tool to create streaming Flash movies for web sites. Actionscript programming is also used to perform difficult calculations and communicate with server side applications. With Flash, web development companies have a greater deal of control over animations and interactivity.

Nowadays, Graphic designing is incomplete without Actionscript. Graphic design firms design attractive web pages with the help of Actionscript. Flash graphic design is also used for creating corporate logos. You may have seen corporate animated logos. Well, the brilliant design certainly goes to some excellent Actionscript programming skills.

So, whether it is complex web development or intuitive game design or just a good corporate graphic logo, Flash Actionscript is a solid programming cum designing tool that can create rich online applications and web based games.

With the inclusion of ActionScript, Flash Development work and especially, Flash game development has leased with a new dimension. What requires in this field is a logical and creative mind with lots patience and inclinations towards minute details. The ease of deployment, zero installation requirements and cross-platform compatibility immensely helped in popularizing Flash games.

Flash ActionScript is a proprietary scripting language (similar to JavaScript) developed by Adobe. The latest version of ActionScript 3.0 is now shipped with Flash CS3 where the Object-Oriented programming concept is extensively used.

Flash game development (though sounds exciting!) is comparatively complicated and intensive of all ActionScript developments. Before starting the actual game development the Flash designer should create the story-line covering the scenes, characters, scoring, play mechanism and the required graphics (the character motions and other objects).

With the Flash Player and Flex SDK (supplied by Adobe), one can easily start game design in Flash. The Flex SDK is a free tool which can be downloaded from Adobe?s website. Flex is a combination of the GUI and the ActionScript code. The GUI is contained in an MXML file (a XML file with user interface elements nested in HTML-like tags) which can also contain the ActionScript in a mx:Script tag.

The mx:Application tag is the top level tag of an MXML file. This Application object is the entry point for the Flex application where width, height, framerate, function to notify the creation of Application, function to notify the screen redrawing action are set.

Once the Application is initiated the mx:Script tag is used to write the ActionScript code for the actual game processing. Here, the GUI part is connected with each phase of the game. The game loop, user?s inputs and program parameters are set as per the game storyline and also the related audio files are attached.

Once the program is complete, it is complied and finally sent for testing.