Create a bouncing ball using tweening and a motion guide.
Specifications
Size: 550 x 400 (default Flash size)
Frame Rate: 12 fps (default)
Length: appx 25 frames
Due Date: week 4
Deliverables: both the FLA and exported SWF files.
Procedure
Draw a simple circle (fill it with any color, but don't use a stroke). Save the circle as a symbol.
Move the circle off the stage temporarily.
Click on the Motion Guide button to add a motion guide layer.
On the guide layer, use the pencil or pen tool to draw a series of "bounces" that get smaller each bounce (click here for an example).
Go to View and make sure "snap to objects" is on (View > Snapping > Snap to Objects).
Lock the guide layer. Select the ball and place the center point right on the beginning end of the motion guide.
Add about 20-25 frames to both layers.
Click on the last frame on the ball layer and add a keyframe. Move the ball so that the center rests exactly on the end of the motion guide.
Click somewhere between the keyframes and choose Motion Tween in the properties window (you can also right-click on the layer). Scrub back and forth on the timeline—the ball should follow the motion guide.
To add a greater sense of realism place a keyframe at the top and bottom of each bounce. Select each of the bottom (impact) keframes and set the Ease Out to about 50.
Select each of the upper keyframes and set the Ease In to about -50.
Now "bracket" each of the lower keyframes (place a keyframe on either side in the timeline). Select each of the (middle) bounce keyframes and then "squash" it a little. The ball will appear to compress every time it hits the ground.
Test your sequence by choosing Control > Test Movie.
Go above and beyond: customize your ball; add a background; add sound effects, etc. (Hint: there are a whole bunch of sound effects in my Instructor's Shared Items folder. Press command-K then enter 10.4.180.13 in the IP field. Choose "guest" and okay. Look for "Fergus," then inside a folder called "Sound FX").
