Physics for Flash Games, Animation, and Simulations

Physics for Flash Games, Animation, and Simulations teaches ActionScript programmers how to incorporate real physics into their Flash animations, games, user interfaces, and simulations. 

• Introduces Flash physics in an accurate, but approachable way, covering what is required to produce physically realistic simulations (as opposed to animations that look roughly right)
• Packed full of practical examples of how physics can be applied to your own games and applications
• Addresses the diverse needs of game developers, animators, artists, and e-learning developers

The book assumes a basic knowledge of ActionScript and Flash. However, no previous knowledge of physics is required—only some very basic math skills. The authors present everything from basic principles to advanced concepts, so you'll be able to follow the logic and easily adapt the principles to your own applications. The book builds on your physics knowledge, enabling you to create not only visual effects, but also more complex models and simulations.

What you’ll learn

• Basic math and physics you'll need to incorporate realism into your games, animations and simulations
• How to incorporate a wide range of forces, including environmental forces such as gravity and friction, and forces due to fluids, such as drag and upthrust
• How to build a number of realistic simulations, like submarines and flight simulators
• How to model particle systems and use them for generative art and to create effects, such as smoke  
• Numerical subtleties, including accuracy and stability of integration schemes and handling boundary conditions properly; and how and when to use approximations and analytical solutions

Who this book is for

Flash developers interested in incorporating real physics into their games, animations, simulations or generative art projects.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Physics Programming
2. Selected ActionScript 3.0 Topics
3. Some Math Background
4. Basic Physics Concepts
5. The Laws Governing Motion
6. Gravity, Orbits, and Rockets
7. Contact and Fluid Forces
8. Restoring Forces: Springs and Oscillations
9. Centripetal Forces: Rotational Motion
10. Long-Range Forces
11. Collisions
12. Particle Systems
13. Extended Objects
14. Numerical Integration Schemes
15. Other Technical Issues
16. Simulation Projects