Book Description
If you want to take your Flash Professional 8 skills to a new level while learning how to produce games that rival anything available on the web, this is the book for you. Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development is written by a professional game developer. Using the power of Flash and the most recent advancements in ActionScript, the book progresses through the entire development process to teach programmers and Web developers how to create professional quality games quickly. It teaches techniques for producing fast 3D effects that can be used with "cheat" techniques to produce powerful, high-performance results. It details the actual science of game development, including design, character development, the physics and motion of a game, and audio issues. And in this new edition, all of the latest features of Flash Professional 8 are covered, including the new sound channels, bitmap caching, texture pages, and more. The book covers many advanced topics in a simple, easy to understand way. It emphasizes the incredible power of the new BitmapData class and teaches how it can be used to take the performance of Flash games to a whole new level. It has never been easier to get right down to the pixel level and manipulate things at blazing speeds, making previously impossible games a breeze to make. So get to your computer, insert the CD-ROM, and prepare to begin your journey into the world of Flash Professional 8 game development.
Customer Reviews:
Good for the intermediate Flash programmer.......2007-07-30
The book provides several examples that progress the reader through the programming of gradually more complex games. The reader should have a basic knowledge of Flash and Actionscript, as the book brushes over beginner-level concepts. At the time, the book is fairly up to date, however there is supposedly quite a jump between Flash 8 and Flash CS3, which uses Actionscript 3.0. Nonetheless, the concepts taught in the book are universally applicable regardless of what Flash version you are using. The inclusion of a CD-ROM is an added bonus and a must with this kind of book.
Great Book.......2007-06-11
I found the book easy to read and very practical. The use of examples to explain things is great. And of course, examples that do work is great also!!!
It's the right book for those that already know something about flash and actionscript (doesn't need to be an expert), and want to learn to develop some games in flash, and perhaps aplly those technics on other apllications.
The book is great fun!!!
very limited discussion of incorporating physics.......2007-05-29
As a physicist, I looked at the chapter on "Physics for Games". It's very introductory Newtonian mechanics. Applying these in time-discrete form for moving objects in the game. Gravity is considered for vertical motion, and wind is incorporated to affect horizontal motion. Freshman level stuff. If you are developing a game where you need to seriously incorporate physics, there are entire books devoted to it, like Physics for Game Developers.
Though to be fair, the book is about learning Flash and its effects. Other chapters offer code fragments. Of necessity, these are all elementary, from a programming complexity standpoint. But they help explain how to apply Flash.
The most intricate part of the book seems to be when you model a 3d world. Nice rendering examples. Doesn't go very deeply here. Flash almost certainly has more advanced functionality.
In-Depth game Development!.......2007-05-17
I've bought this book with the purpose of starting to make flash games. Well, i couldn't have chosen a better way! The book is very easy to read and understand and the the examples are incredible. It explores the appropriate tools to create games like the BitmapData while giving other tools an explanation too. 5 stars!
Specifics for beginners, bad habits for mid-levels.......2007-04-28
If you've worked with strongly type languages like Java/C++/etc then this book might make you cringe a bit. First, the code is very terse with clever tricks to shorten the number of lines. Eventually it makes sense but methods like makeFader() don't really make a fader, they do other things like remove a game object from the scene.
So along with softreferences ( for i to 10, make a variable box_i=i ) - ew, and bad naming conventions, it plays out more like an Oreilly Cookbook that encourages bad habits. Granted, I ordered it and I'll keep it as a book full of complete examples. But I think any of the examples that I copy/type/study, I'll refactor later to be more clear and well-coded.
It's a fast ramp-up to ActionScript 2.0. If you're looking for smarter and more mid-level code then maybe wait for a book on AS3.0 that is more class oriented and less procedural like this book. Else, if you just want to see end-to-end examples as fast as possible the author does a good job of explaining code blocks as he goes even if he's encouraging bad habits.
Book Description
If you learn best by doing, and what you’re intent on doing is create stunning Web graphics with Macromedia Fireworks 8, this is the place to turn. The best-selling tutorial book on Fireworks has been completely updated to get you hands-on fast with all of the program’s most important features, including its newest: additional blend modes, support for special characters and AutoShape properties, workflow improvements, and more. Through project-based lessons that equal 16 to 20 hours of instruction, you’ll cover the entire process of creating Web graphics with Fireworks 8âfrom creating images to optimizing and exporting them. Simple step-by-step instructions, loads of screen shots, and a CD with media files and a trial version of the program will have you creating rollovers, pop-ups, and more in no time. Whether you’re new to the world of Fireworks graphics or a veteran user eager to tap the power of the latest version, you’ll find the trusted, Macromedia-certified instruction you need in these pages.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book.......2007-05-20
I found it an excellent walk-through of Fireworks. Within a short time, I was applying oval marquees, bevels, drop shadows and other terrific graphic effects. I carry this with my notebook computer -- it goes wherever I go, for the next few weeks at least.
[....]
Ed Detlie
So So.......2007-03-18
Not exactly the best tutorial book, but then again, there isn't much out there on Fireworks. If you are new to Fireworks, then this is the book for you. However, if you are looking for more advanced content, then don't get it.
Awesome Book for us Beginners.......2007-01-28
This book along with the tutorial cd really help to try out a lot of the features of the Fireworks program. As a beginner in the website development field, it has been a lot of help.
About what I expected ..........2006-11-03
My impression is that this is a reasonably good book for a first introduction to Fireworks. It helped me to already be familiar with Photoshop since many functions are quite similar.
I like "learn by doing" books but they, like this one, can be a little light on why you are doing something in a particular way.
One irritation with the book's structure is that the author would tell you to do something, not explain exactly how to do it using Firework's definitely quirky interface, then explain it after all in a call-out tip box a paragraph or two later. This after one stumbles all over the menu and icons searching for the function and finally move on, discouraged. Then, I'd discover the tip box and go back and revisit the assignment.
When I caught on that this was a pattern, I learned to search ahead when something wasn't self evident and often found the information I needed and progress was smoother.
Another irritation was that the files on the accompanying CD seemed to be incomplete. I was able to construct similar components myself, but I would like to have had the example ones to see where mine differed.
In summary: I found the book a bit cumbersome to use, but it achieved its purpose. It gave me an overview of the more important functions of Fireworks and a humble capability with its interface. I didn't complete the last couple of chapters where you are asked to export to Dreamweaver and complete the functionality there. I tried and the resulting program was a hash. Hardly anything worked. The two programs do not seem well integrated. But, since I intend to use Fireworks for text and limited graphics and do not intend to generate navigation with the program I wasn't concerned. If you are to become proficient in the use of Fireworks, I suggest you plan on reading some other books on the subject. Sadly, I haven't discovered any good ones to recommend.
Good for beginers not advanced uses.......2006-10-03
I was hoping this would cover the advanced features of fireworks, but this is clearly not the point. Masking, for example, is barely touched. Compositing hardly at all. I was really dissapointed as it does not help with the great features that set fireworks 8 apart from other graphics programs for the web. I think the online help is actually more helpful and useful.
I usually like the training from the source books as a great reference, but this is one time the book falls far short of it's potential.
Average customer rating:
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Teach Yourself Visually Fireworks 4
Sue Plumley
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Master VISUALLY Dreamweaver 4 and Flash 5
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Teach Yourself VISUALLY Dreamweaver 4
ASIN: 0764535668 |
Book Description
Author Sue Plumley -- teacher, artist, and experienced technical author -- explains Fireworks so that beginning and intermediate Web developers can use the program right away to successfully design attractive Web pages. In addition, you'll benefit from the tips and design advice sprinkled throughout the text. Teach Yourself VISUALLY Fireworks 4 enables you to quickly and successfully create professional looking Web graphics and designs with ease.
Book Description
A perennial bestseller, Chemistry of Pyrotechnics and Explosives: Basic Principles and Theory, is simply the most definitive reference in this field. Author J.A. Conkling first covers the requisite background in chemistry, thermodynamics, and light emission, introduces oxidizing agents, fuels, binders, and retardants, then explores virtually every aspect of formulating pyrotechnics. Topics include the requirements for and preparation of high-energy mixtures, ignition and propagation, heat and delay compositions, and color and light production, including sparks, flitter, and glitter. The journal Pyrotechnica said this book "…belongs on every pyrotechnist's bookshelf."
Customer Reviews:
A reasonable explanation of the chemisty behind pyrotechnics.......1995-08-18
This is a book that discusses chemistry, on perhaps a freshmancollegiate level (or slightly lower), with an emphasis on thechemistry that occurs in pyrotechnic devices. It is intersting in that it references chemical mixtures from both military and entertainment pyrotechnics. Somewhat overpriced. Does not cover construction of fireworks, nor are the example formulas extensive enough to make this a usefull refernce for the pyrotechnic hobbyist. However, it is educational, and will teach you what is going on, along with some of the why.
Book Description
Macromedia Fireworks MX 2004 enables you to design, optimize, and add basic interactivity to your graphics and is mainly used for designing and optimizing web graphics, then exporting them to website creation programs like Dreamweaver or Flash.
With extensive tools for editing bitmap and vector graphics, Fireworks makes collaborative site design much quicker with improved integration of the Studio products. Graphics in Flash or Dreamweaver libraries can be quickly edited in Fireworks and instantly updated throughout your website. Extra photo-editing tools, Auto Shapes, Live Effects animation, and additional anti-aliasing options provide more creative scope and developers can extend Fireworks image-editing capabilities into Dreamweaver
Customer Reviews:
This is a great resource.......2004-04-29
The authors do a great job introducing Fireworks MX 2004 to new users. They take readers on a thorough tour of the features and tools sets available in Fireworks. Experienced readers can also learn from this book as it talks about more advanced topics and even highlights the Fireworks Exchange by Macromedia which is one of the most powerful assets available to Fireworks users. If you want to learn Fireworks MX 2004, this is the book for you.
What a great resource to insert creative ideas to websites.......2004-04-11
This book really helped me out with learning how to implement creative thoughts/ideas into a working navigation system. When read, it sounds like the authors are right there walking you through each and every step you need to understand and master FireworksMX 2004. As you read through the book, you'll find a lot of helpful tips that are in each section. I almost liked reading the tips rather than focusing on the main sections. Be sure to work through the tutorials, I picked up a lot of tidbits that I didnt think were possible.
:)
Alan
Book Description
New to Dreamweaver and Fireworks 8? How to Use Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 and Fireworks 8 will quickly teach you the basics of the software so that you can get your websites up and running. More than 150 two-page, full- spreads will visually take you through the process of how to use each program to create everything from a simple personal website or a more involved e-business website. Illustrations and figures will lead you through each task with easy-to-follow directions and visual cues. You will learn how to:
- Work with text.
- Reuse information.
- Optimize images.
- Use behaviors and scripts.
- Create forms.
- Use external media.
- Create dynamic webpages.
- Work with CSS.
Don't be intimidated by Dreamweaver 8 and Fireworks 8. Let How to Use Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 and Fireworks 8 help you begin to reach your website building potential.
Download Description
With over 150 two-page spreads which illustrate and clearly explain each Dreamweaver or Fireworks task, How to Use Macromedia Dreamweaver X and Fireworks X visually teaches the reader everything she needs to know to create Web pages, from entry-level, beginning concepts to advanced techniques for the experienced designer. Illustrations and figures lead the reader through each task with easy-to-follow directions and visual cues. The Dreamweaver/Fireworks Suite can be a somewhat intimidating combination for the beginning user, but How to Use Macromedia Dreamweaver X and Fireworks X, with its visual, step-by-step approach, makes it simple to learn the basic techniques involved in using Dreamweaver and Fireworks.
Customer Reviews:
Not helpful for creating buttons.......2007-05-10
I bought Fireworks MX to create buttons for use in navigation bars, and I bought this book to learn how to accomplish that, as Fireworks did not come with a manual. The book has 12 pages on buttons and nav bars, and at first glance it looks good, lots of pictures and step-by-step instructions. The only problem is that I did not get working buttons by following the instructions. I called Macromedia and found out that several important steps had been left out, steps that you would never guess on your own. With help from Macromedia I managed to make one set of working buttons, but when I tried to edit the buttons something went wrong and the buttons have been mangled. I am ordering more books from other authors in the hope one of them will give me complete instructions on how to make a button and edit it later.
Great help.......2006-08-24
I first bought Creating a Web Page in Dreamweaver 8. It sucked, bad. Probably the worst book I ever bouhght. Then, I found this book, really made a lot of sense. Great for beginners, and it is real in depth as well. I would recomend it, and might even buy a second copy for myself.
The author walks you through slowley, but informs you of all the details, so you can design a snazy site. Someone spent a lot of time reviewing the book before it went to print, because it doesn't skip a step, as other books can do in the design area.
The best thing I did was to buy the CNET CD on Dreamweaver/Flash/Fireworks. I paid about $80, but a class would have been thousands. The CD this book were all I needed.
Nice Pics .... but that's about it........2005-12-28
This book is severely lacking. The book uses a lot of pictures and poor descriptions in an attempt to teach you how to use dreamweaver functions. The result is that you get an idea of how to do certain functions but never get the feeling of how to effectively put them together. The book is in limbo between catering to beginners and being a mere reference book for someone trying to remember 'how to create an input form'. Had this book provided a simple web project that the readers could complete while teaching us the program; then everyone (readers and author) might have been able to stay on the 'same page'.
Not for Dreamweaver MX 2004.......2004-09-06
I am finding this book helpful, except I am using Dreamweaver MX 2004 and this book is apparently for the previous version. Enough has changed that it is frustrating trying to figure out where things have moved to. I have to pull up the help screen to compare how the book says to do it with how you actually do it in the updated version. Use caution when using this book for the 2004 software. Otherwise, I personally like the pictures--being a visual learner.
Could have been better by far!.......2004-06-10
On the surface, this book looks good. It is one of the many visually oriented books for dreamweaver MX/Fireworks that deals with the issue of integrating the two. I got it because it was easier to wade through than some of the 1000 page books with no visuals.
The biggest disapointment however is that the author has done the projects that she tells you to do, but doesn't tell you that the projects don't work!
I wanted to create pull down menus or at least jump gates in dreamweaver. After killing myslef and creating pull down menus in fireworks that have to be exported into dreamweaver I found that there is a flaw in dreamweaver that she doesn't mention. Dreamweaver has it where anything added to a template that involves action, doesn't update to all the pages using the template.
In other words, after struggling for days, I found on the dreamweaver bulletin boards that if you do anything that is put into an already existing template, such as a navigation bar, pulldowns, etc. they will not be updated. So now everytime I make a change, I have to cut and paste this new pull down bar into every single page of the website and it is a pain.
She never mentioned this. I even found her email address in the book and emailed her. No response!
This book would have been better it if had actually mentioned this. Buy a book from on author who actually uses the software in everyday situations, not one who is a professional software writer and only uses the software once!
Average customer rating:
- A complete waste of money!
- The Web Collection, Revealed
- Great book
- Need For Class
|
The Web Collection, Revealed: Macromedia Dreamweaver 8, Flash 8, and Fireworks 8, Deluxe Education Edition (Revealed)
James E. Shuman ,
Sherry Bishop , and
Barbara Waxer
Manufacturer: Course Technology
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Similar Items:
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HTML: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, Fourth Edition (Shelly Cashman Series)
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Macromedia Studio 8 Step-by-Step: Projects for Flash 8, Dreamweaver 8, Fireworks 8, and Contribute 3
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Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to (X)HTML, StyleSheets, and Web Graphics
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Web Design: Concepts and Best Practices (Iperformance Series)
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Web Wizard's Guide to Multimedia
ASIN: 1418843075 |
Book Description
This new title offers step-by-step instructions and in-depth explanations of the features of Macromedia Studio 8. Students will easily master the software as they work through end-of-chapter learning projects and step-by-step tutorials. The full-color interior and user-friendly design create the ideal book for learning the latest features of these popular applications.
Customer Reviews:
A complete waste of money!.......2007-09-28
If you want to learn Dreamweaver do not buy this book. This is the required book for a college class I am taking on Dreamweaver- it is an awful book. No explanations, just lots of click here, do this, do that. They don't tell you why you are doing what you are doing. The instructions are unclear- I often cannot find what button or command they are referring to. Everyone in the class is having these problems. The instructor is having to walk us through all of the exercises that we should be able to do on our own with the book. I have learned nothing from this book.
The Web Collection, Revealed.......2007-08-01
This book I have used in two courses so far and it has helped me quite a bit.It has also been easy to look back and find what to do if I have forgotten a process.
Great book.......2007-06-08
Very easy to understand and it guides you step by step. Great for intermediate users.
Need For Class.......2007-03-12
I needed this book for a class i was taking. Got to me fast and was in perfect condition.
Average customer rating:
- Good Book for learning fireworks.
- Nice! But could have been a little better!
- Not quite as good as it could be
- Great intro to design for developers
- Brilliant
|
Fireworks 3 Bible (with CD-ROM)
Joseph W. Lowery
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Dreamweaver 3 Bible
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Dreamweaver 3 Hands-On-Training (2nd Edition)
ASIN: 0764534750 |
Amazon.com
Many digital designers, even fans of Macromedia Dreamweaver, use Adobe Photoshop/ImageReady and Illustrator for image creation and manipulation, and constantly go back and forth between applications. In this latest Bible, Dreamweaver power user Joseph Lowery proved to himself that Macromedia Fireworks, which handles both vector and bitmap art, is an effective replacement for those applications, increasing both productivity and creativity.
As with others in the series, the Fireworks 3 Bible works well both for beginners who need guidance in learning the software and experienced users looking for a good reference manual. Although the book isn't tutorial-based, you perform step-by-step tasks along the way, and the index is thorough enough to help you find solutions to problems.
The book is not written as a face-off between Fireworks and other applications, but you'll quickly discover tasks for which Fireworks has the edge, particularly in Web production. For example, methods for creating hot spots and sliced GIFs are similar to those in Photoshop/ImageReady, but here we learn how to use the Fireworks Insert > Hotspot or Insert > Slice option to encompass an entire object instantly, including all of the drop shadow or other effects. A single click + key combination wins over a click + drag any day.
Fireworks is included in the Dreamweaver Studio package, and the construction of the application fits the Macromedia model. This is most apparent when creating rollovers; Fireworks uses Behaviors, while ImageReady uses layers and a rollover/animation panel. Lowery is adept at explaining the whys along with the hows, and the chapter on activating Fireworks with Behaviors clearly explains this method and gives a firm foundation on how Behaviors work in Dreamweaver, Flash, and, on a much larger scale, Director.
There's not much to complain about in this excellent book, except for a small but confusing organizational choice in the step-by-step instructions: a more intuitive organization would have been to have the "Notes," which offer advice and caveats, precede the step to which they refer, instead of following it. Otherwise, Fireworks 3 Bible is as comprehensive as it is well written, and it might just convert those die-hard Illustrator/Photoshop/ImageReady Web designers. --Angelynn Grant
Topics covered: Tools and interface, including new tools in version 3; learning the Fireworks way of creating graphics; using Live Effects and Xtras; methods for optimizing workflow and having a consistent look in images, for example, by using Library, Commands, and History palettes; integrating work with Dreamweaver; basic GIF animation techniques, and customizing Fireworks with JavaScript Application Programming Interface. CD-ROM contains both trial and demo versions of relevant software and filters, along with extra commands, templates, textures, and other art.
Book Description
From vector drawing to bit map editing to animations, Fireworks 3 puts all the Web graphics tools you need into a single, cohesive package. Packed with timesaving tips and real-world examples, this comprehensive guide shows you how to make the most of Fireworks, whether you're looking for an in-depth tutorial on program fundamentals or savvy advice on the new workflow management tools and enhanced Dreamweaver integration.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book for learning fireworks........2000-11-14
The book is good for learning how to do most if not all of the fireworks basics. It also covers a few advanced topics, but not in enough depth.
The book is the only one on the market so if your looking for another resource, try the manual.
Otherwise, I would suggest it.
Nice! But could have been a little better!.......2000-10-29
This was a fairly good book. But, I found myself getting lost and confused several times while reading. I have never used Fireworks 3, and I have not used any other sort of graphics design program before. So I am new to graphics design. I found the book to be very helpful but confusing in a couple of chapters. I did have a few problems with the book. The first couple of chapters throw all the menus and tool options at you right off the bat. It kinda blew my mind, and I almost had a melt down! One last thing I didn't like about the book is the constant pointers to using Fireworks with Macintosh. I am ofcourse a Windows user, so I found the constant references to Mac pointless. I will remain a Windows user until the day I die, so I could of done without the references to Mac in the book. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Moreover, I would recomend this book to anyone who wants to learn a quick and easy graphics design program such as Fireworks!
Not quite as good as it could be.......2000-09-20
I recognize that this is probably the most comprehensive book on Fireworks 3, but I am a little disappointed in it. There is lots of good information. It is sometimes overwhelming. There are examples in the book that you just can't follow along with. They give you the completed exercise but why not give you the starting graphics, give you directions and let you create the finished product yourself. I was also disappointed in several chapters on the CD ROM that didn't seem to have the correct files as the chapters in the book. So I decided to go to their web site to see if they had corrections. When I went to the site identified in the book, it was the site for the Fireworks 2 book. The book is an invaluable resource and should be in anyone's collection if they are working with Fireworks 3, but, in my opinion, this is not a 5 star book.
Great intro to design for developers.......2000-09-19
With my background being primarily in database and application development, reading the Fireworks 3 Bible was somewhat of a sidestep for me. For quite a while I have been writing ASP pages to serve as front ends to my databases-- all the rollovers and DHTML I used was hand-coded. Though fun, writing such things out manually is anything but speedy. Enter Fireworks! Not only is Fireworks speeding up my development, the work I produce is of a decidedly higher order.
The Fireworks 3 Bible is the only serious work out there on Fireworks. Luckily it's a good tech manual. I have hardly any background in graphic design, so I sat down and read this book cover to cover (if you know Photoshop/Illustrator you should be able to skim and pick up just the details you need). It was great to get an overview of vector graphic and image editing-- I feel as if I could pick up other Macromedia/Adobe products and fudge my way through basic designs.
I would recommend this book to any web developer. My approach to web development has been completely altered.
Brilliant.......2000-08-26
There is no doubt at all that Lowery not only has the indepth knowledge about the subject but the fact that the fluent,lucid and fantastic manner in which he explains the complete Fireworks subject in nothing short of amazing. Very few computer gurus can teach what they know, I mean teach well, and without doubt Lowery is one of them. If you are knew to fireworks,or at the intermidiate level,this is the book which after reading, you can afford to add the word "GURU" in your title. If you are looking to pick up Fireworks fast,have no time to waste through fat books, EVEN THEN,do NOT miss out this brilliant book.Skimming through section 1 of this book should be enough to help you working efficiently with Fireworks menu and toolbars.I mentioned this point cause I myself was under tremendous pressure from my manager to pick up the Fireworks stuff for the projects,and initialy had opted for the "Firworks fast and easy web development book" so I could immediately pick up the tool.Wrong Choice.I gave up reading that book within 30 minutes of opening the first page.
This book guides you thro the steps involved in familiarizing with the Fireworks basics and then moves on to the deeper and extensive stuff which you can do with Fireworks. The first 136 pages are slow and you may feel like throwing away the book.DONT.The real fun starts after the 136 pages provided you have read well upto that part. after 136 pages its nothing short of a high speed Bond movie chase. Each chapters/articles are carefully detailed with enough of juices to drink which would last a lifetime. Basic chapters like "managing color"(in my opinion a very fundamental principle to learn and pick to avoid making amess of your website),'choosing strokes',"composing text" and many more - form the Second section of "Mastering tools".This section is a beginner's delight. The author then moves on to more advanced sections like "acheiving effects" , programming with fireworks(if you need it), and many more.
This is the kind of book you pick up to learn a new subject and then make place for it near your desktop for a lifetime refrence and guidance.
Book Description
The Learning series provides readers with a total-immersion, hands-on tutorial that walks them step-by-step, mouse-click by mouse-click, keystroke by keystroke through all the features of the software application. The well-illustrated, spiral-bound text contains easy-to-read, appealingly formatted procedural explanations and step-by-step exercises in a multi-part Lesson format.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive instruction in Fireworks.......2007-06-26
This book focuses on the Fireworks component of Macromedia's Studio 8. I started with no knowledge of Fireworks and feel very comfortable with the application after having finished this book.
The table of contents for this book is very detailed, which makes this book a great reference in addition to a tutorial. There are 9 lessons, and each lesson is divided into several exercises. I won't list all the exercises for each lesson here, but these are the lesson titles:
1) Get to Know Fireworks
2) Work with Bitmap Images
3) Create Vector Objects
4) Use Text
5) Use Layers and Masking
6) Create Buttons and Menus
7) Use Slices and Rollovers
8) Create Animations
9) Optimize anad Export Images
This book is in color with lots of pictures. It is also spiral bound, making it easy to work with. It comes with a CD to use with the exercises. Each exercise describes certain tasks and how to perform them, and then provides exercises that you can do to master each task. This book is very thorough, I can't imagine anyone needing any other book on Fireworks after they have this one.
Great Book for Beginner and Advanced.......2007-05-24
This book with CD has lessons and if you're new to Fireworks it gives a step-by-step explanation within the lessons, The CD is terrific that comes with the book.
It was shipped in a timely manner, and hope to purchase from them again.
Teach yourself Fireworks 8.......2007-03-08
I'm a web developer student; our college doesn't offer classes in Fireworks at this time. This text ranks up with the best I've used to date.
Learning Macromedia Fireworks 8 by Brian Underdahl explains how to create, edit, and publish images for the web. It clearly illustrates the user interface, gives an overview of what each exercise will teach you, with step-by-step instructions on specific procedures. Each exercise can be done in less than an hour. You can work the text beginning-to-end, or go directly to specific tasks, such as creating custom buttons, animations, and cascading style sheets.
Since buying this text, I haven't opened Photoshop once! Dreamweaver users, you've got to try Fireworks, which I find to be a much more intuitive and user-friendly program. This book will help you get comfortable with the software in short order.
Learn, learn, learn.......2006-03-06
This is a *textbook*, and it's much easier to understand than the existing tutorials.
I especially liked the CD with its great images that you can manipulate on the spot!
This is a very good resource.
Amazon.com
Integrating Flash, Fireworks, and Freehand f/x & Design: Solutions for Web Design Workflow is perfect if you've already used each of these applications individually, but want to become more efficient by taking advantage of the specific strengths each offers and coordinating tasks between them all. Projects cover creating maps, wireframe diagrams, photographs, navigational bars, animated GIFs, Flash movies, building Web sites, and more. And the book even discusses how to integrate Fireworks within Dreamweaver.
This is a tutorial-based book and fairly text-heavy. You'll get the most out of it if you can invest the time to follow along step by step in front of your computer, either using the files provided on the CD-ROM or generating new artwork yourself. The author has a gentle, friendly style that's encouraging and supportive. The introduction to the chapter on Flash by noted Flash expert Hillman Curtis only amounts to three pages of advice, but it's also very encouraging to newbies.
The book's level is set, roughly, at intermediate to advanced, but this needs to be clarified: If you call yourself "advanced," this will all be familiar territory (no advanced user needs to see how Bézier curve handles work). On the other hand, if you're a designer who is experienced in other graphics applications, but a rank beginner with any of these Macromedia products, you'll probably be able to follow along just fine. The bulk of the audience will be users who feel they haven't yet maximized their integration of Flash, Fireworks, Freehand, and Dreamweaver, as well as those who've lagged behind in taking the leap into ActionScripting. (Isn't that most of us?) You won't become an ActionScripting pro, but you will pick up some of the fundamentals.
A nice bonus: the CD-ROM contains 20 QuickTime movies demonstrating key steps in several projects. --Angelynn Grant
Customer Reviews:
What a bargain - 3 for 1!.......2001-12-20
I already had Fireworks, and then I bought the Flash and Freehand bundle. I am used to Illustrator, and this book really helped me tie all the programs together. The projects are easy to do, but challenging enough to keep up your interest. They also build up your skill level so you increase your capabilities as you work in the programs.
The book is divided into three sections - one for each of the programs - and projects from one program are used in the other programs. There's just enough difference between the program interfaces to confuse you, but Ms. Evans has done an excellent job in clarifying them.
I especially enjoyed the rotating fishing lure exersize in the Flash section. I've wanted to do that effect for a long time, and her explanation got me through quickly and easily.
All in all, the book really will help you if you are putting up a website and haven't done a lot of graphic work before. The integration of these three programs is important, and the author did an excellent job in teaching. I recommend it heartily!
Nice Surprise.......2001-11-24
I must say I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I actually learned a ton more than expected which is unusual for a book not meant to teach all 3 programs. It is certainly at an intermediate level as stated which is also a refreshing surprise.
The Fireworks section is quite extensive since all the examples rightfully are designed in or a major part of them are designed in Fireworks where they are then cut up, interactivity added (except for the Flash examples) and then exported.
The FreeHand section deals with primarily the tools that differ from Fireworks and things like perspecive, contour blends and bleneding. The blending feature allows you to do a shape tween type of effect and then use it in Fireworks for animation. Then there is extensive tips and tricks for preparing FreeHand files for use in Flash.
The Flash section is great fun and extremely useful. The entire section deals with ActionScripting projects, the author doesn't try to teach you Flash but useful ways to use it in conjunction to the other two programs. The projects such as the puzzle teaches more than it may appear on the surface. Sure, you may not need a puzzle, but it was a great way to demonstrate how to load movies that replace prior ones versus loading movies to a new level. This is just one example. There is also a jukebox that has four pieces of music (included) that uses a trick to load very quickly. A product display that rotates a full 360 degrees, a banner ad that allows you to print a brochure from within Flash and a banner ad that uses the color feature of Flash. There are more projects in this section.
Even though Dreamweaver isn't in the title of this book, it wasn't left out of the mix. There is an Appendix which takes an entire Fireworks design and places the images in DW and adds the behaviors, CSS Style Sheets in DW. There is also a section on adding FW pop-up menus in DW.
There are some great contributors that added value to this book as well. What I liked is they added VALUE not just their names. For instance, Hillman Curtis did a nice introductory piece on, "Motion is the Message" imparting some of his wisdom to us. There is also an entire interface given to us from Eyeland Studio that we can use and modify (with instructions on how)and banner ads from Figleaf Software.
All in all, I don't think you'll be disapointed in this book. I walked away with much more than I expected. This review took much longer to do than anticipated because the book is almost 500 pages (480) and is packed. Not only did I learn the strong points of each program but how to work more efficiently as well.
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