Flash Games And Their Influence In Education

by Chris Channing

Flash games have come a long way since the 1990’s, when they were commonly barbaric in design and structure. Today it is not uncommon to see full-length games being created on Macromedia’s increasingly popular platform. But what does the industry movement mean to graphics arts students?

Current Education Standards

There are several technology-based degrees that demand some sort of interaction with Macromedia Flash. Programming students may dabble in ActionScript, whereas graphical arts students will be using the program to animate and draw their designs.

Flash game developers and regular video game developers are fairly different in design- meaning not every video game developer will want to give their hand at developing a flash game. However, employers are starting to put more weight into Flash development, as production times are generally smaller- although Flash is generally limited as compared to other video game development platforms.

There are, however, several Flash game developers who have made six-figure incomes from their flash games. It is a tough market to crack sometimes, as most users are only looking to kill a little time to cure boredom. Once the market is cracked- Flash game developers can enjoy a large success quite unlike some regular video game developers.

Flash is now being considered as an “entry point” into several different industries. This includes web design, programming, and graphical arts. It offers students to learn the platform with relative ease- meaning it should be the first choice for students who aren’t sure which platform they wish to expand on in the future.

The Future of Flash Games

The great thing about the Flash platform is that it is ever-evolving. Every year brings new shattered records when it comes to the performance and ability of the Flash engine. This can be seen with the 3D implementation that can be seen today- but wasn’t apparent just years ago.

The level of interactivity in Flash games is becoming quit exciting- Flash developers are now implementing technologies such as webcam usage to let users play games with their body- not their keyboard and mouse!

Equally exciting is the microphone. This device may be used to issue commands to squad members, control objects, and do a plethora of other things Flash game developers might program in their games.

Final Thoughts on Flash Games

It’s hard to think what the Internet would be like without Flash games. Thankfully, the persistence of Flash game developers and educators has enabled the industry to thrive under excellent conditions. As time wears on, we can only hope the inspiration passes from generation to generation- and continues to empower our wishes to stay entertained online.

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