Flash MX 2004 Games : Art to ActionScript

Flash MX 2004 Games
independent when it only contains vector elements. A list of advantages and disadvantages of the
different formats is given in Table 5.1.
Table 5.1 Advantages and disadvantages of different file formats used for importing and exporting image data
Format Advantages Disadvantages Flat colour Half tone
Jpg Small file size The compression
method loses detail
from the image. Can
have strange speckled
artefacts
Bmp Big files Only the most basic
of compression
methods
Png Uses a clever
compression that
loses no information
in the image. Can
incorporate an alpha
channel
Gif A relatively small file
size can be achieved
without losing
information in the
image
Eps Vector format
ensures resolution
independence. An
eps can contain a
bitmap; the bitmap
will not be resolution
independent
Compression method
will not create files as
small as jpegs
Cannot use 24 bit
palette, the maximum
number of different
colours in a gif file is
limited to 256
Not suitable for
bitmaps
Likely to create
strange artefacts
Reasonable choice,
bmp images can have
16, 256, or 16 m
colours
Best for photographic
images
Will result in a very
big file
Not the best choice Good choice for
images that need to
be maintained at
optimum quality
Best choice for flat
colour images that
need a high level of
compression
The best choice if the
image is in vector
format
Not suitable
Not suitable
The image in Figure 5.13 was created by first creating some brick tiles, the horns, the round
window and the arch. Each element was imported as a png and combined in Flash. This results
in a smaller file size and allows you as a developer to create different backgrounds using a limited
number of tiles. Tiled backgrounds were very popular when computers had more limited facilities
and are not used as often these days, but they do offer flexibility and small file sizes so they should
be considered for some game formats.
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