Introduction

One of the great things about movie clip symbols is that they can contain animation. What's more, these symbols can be nested inside of other symbols. This process makes it possible to create complex animations from simple parts.

Assignment

Used nested movie cips to create an animated car with spinning wheels and some other animated feature.

Procedure

1. Download this zipped file; it contains a Flash files that contains a couple of symbols—a car body and a wheel.
2. Set the frame rate of the movie to 30fps. Spinning objects don't appear to spin properly at low frame rates if they move fast. A faster frame rate allows for smoother motion and better spins.
3. Choose Insert > New Symbol. Call the symbol wheelSpin_mc and choose Movie Clip. Drag an instance of wheel_mc on to the stage and center it (use the Align palette).
4. Select the wheel and in the timeline add a motion tween.
5. Shrink the tween to 15 frames.
6. Select the tween. In the properties window choose Rotate: CW, 1 time. Scrub the playhead across the timeline to make sure the wheel turns.
7. Click on the Scene 1 link to exit the movie clip and return to the main stage.
8. Choose Insert > New Symbol again. Call this one carGo_mc.
9. Inside the carGo_mc, drag an instance of the car_mc to the stage and center it.
10. Drag two instances of wheelSpin_mc to the stage and place one under each wheel rim.
11. Exit the movie clip and return to the main stage.
12. Place an instance of carGo_mc on stage. Preview the movie to make sure the wheels are both spinning (if they're not you may have used wheel_mc instead of wheelSpin_mc in the carGo_mc).
13. Now Position the carGo_mc off the left edge of the stage.
14. Select the carGo_mc and add a motion tween.
15. Extend the sprite to 180 frames.
16. At frame 180, drag the car to the right side, and beyond the edge of the stage.
17. Preview the movie; your car should drive across the screen.
18. Make sure your file is saved ("YourName_carGo.fla").

Go Above and Beyond

Some possibilities:

• Adjust the motion guide. have the car go up and down a hill, for example.
• Add another animated movie clip (a waving driver, a flapping fox tail on an antenna, etc.)
• Customize your car.

Specifications:

• Size: 750 x 400
• Frame Rate: 30 fps
• Length: 180 frames
• Due Date: Week 4 (Thur, Feb 2)
• Deliverables: both the FLA and exported SWF files.

Grading rubric