GreenSock » TweenMax

BlitMask – Scroll up to 1000% faster

Jack — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:07:21 +0000

A BlitMask is basically a rectangular Sprite that acts as a high-performance mask for a DisplayObject by caching a bitmap version of it and blitting only the pixels that should be visible at any given time, although its bitmapMode can be turned off to restore interactivity in the DisplayObject whenever you want. When scrolling very large images or text blocks, BlitMask can greatly improve performance, especially on mobile devices that have weaker processors.

ThrowPropsPlugin – tweens that flick, toss, and slide gracefully

Jack — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:28:03 +0000

ThrowPropsPlugin is a plugin for TweenLite and TweenMax that allows you to simply define an initial velocity for a property (or multiple properties) as well as optional maximum and/or minimum end values and then it will calculate the appropriate landing position and plot a smooth course based on the easing equation you define (Quad.easeOut by default, as set in TweenLite). This is perfect for flick-scrolling or animating things as though they are being thrown...

Code Hinting and Strict Data Typing for TweenLite and TweenMax Vars

jack — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:30:52 +0000

Having a hard time remembering all the special properties that you can define in your TweenLite or TweenMax "vars" parameters? I don't blame you, especially with all the nifty plugins available. If you'd like to get the convenience of code hinting and improved debugging with strict data typing, you'll love the new TweenLiteVars and TweenMaxVars classes. As of version 5.0, they have been completely rewritten to accommodate method chaining which greatly reduces the amount of code necessary (compared to previous versions).

Tweening Tips & Tricks

Jack — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:51:31 +0000

Hopefully you'll find a few nuggets of wisdom here that bring your animation skills to the next level. The tips will cover all levels; beginner, intermediate and advanced. I'll add to the list every so often and if you have any tips to share, please do so in the comments section below. To get notified when new tips are added, feel free to follow @tweenlite on Twitter and make sure you sign up for a free GreenSock account.

RoughEase and Ease Visualizer

Jack — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:44:29 +0000

Ever wanted a more "gritty" transition like an alpha fade that flickers a bit or a position tween that jerks around before reaching its destination? Ever thought to yourself "smooth eases are for sissies"? If so, you're gonna like RoughEase. You can define an ease that it will use as a template (like a general guide - Linear.easeNone is the default) and then it will randomly plot points that wander from that template. The strength parameter controls how far from the template ease the points are allowed to go (a small number like 0.1 keeps it very close to the template ease whereas a larger number like 2 creates much larger jumps). You can also control the number of points in the ease, making it jerk more or less frequently. And lastly, you can associate a name with each RoughEase instance and retrieve it later like RoughEase.byName("myEaseName"). RoughEase is included in all the tweening platform downloads and is available in AS2 and AS3.

Video Lesson: TimelineLite/Max Basics

Jack — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:04:58 +0000

If you're familiar with TweenLite and/or TweenMax but haven't tried the new TimelineLite or TimelineMax classes yet, don't missing out. They make sequencing and managing groups of tweens fun. Get acquainted with the basics by watching this 16 minute video:

GreenSock Tweening Platform v11 Released

Jack — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:00:51 +0000

After hundreds of development hours, countless caffine-fueled late nights, and a level of preoccupation with tweening that borders on obsessive-compulsive, version 11 is born. This is no minor update. It is by far the most significant (and extensive) upgrade ever.

Getting Started Tweening

Jack — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:40:55 +0000

This article will help you get up and running with the GreenSock Tweening Platform. It covers installation, importing, basic tweening, special properties, plugins, choosing which engine to use (TweenLite/Max/Nano), sequencing with TimelineLite, and some tips and tricks. If your new to the GreenSock Tweening Platform, this is the place to start.

TimelineMax – Sequence/Group Multiple Tweens, Control Them as a Whole

jack — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:15:28 +0000

TimelineMax extends TimelineLite, offering exactly the same functionality plus useful (but non-essential) features like AS3 event dispatching, repeat, repeatDelay, yoyo, currentLabel, addCallback(), removeCallback(), tweenTo(), tweenFromTo(), getLabelAfter(), getLabelBefore(), and getActive() (and probably more in the future). It is the ultimate sequencing tool. Think of a TimelineMax instance like a virtual MovieClip timeline or a container where you position tweens (or other timelines) over the course of time.

Licensing: "Free" != Better

jack — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:13:32 +0000

Open source projects are great. Many provide elegant, refined code for free. They can save hours of development time and hassle. They're often a jumping-off point for up-and-coming developers to share their innovation with the rest of the community, inspiring others to write better code. Of course there are also plenty of open source projects that are riddled with bugs, poorly documented, and downright dangerous to use. The web is littered with abandoned projects that once seemed promising. It's like a clearance bin you'd find at a discount store - there may be some treasures in there, but you'll have to dig through a lot of garbage to find them.

Over the years, I've seen quite a few open source tweening engines pop onto the scene, get some buzz, and then gradually stagnate and fade off the scene. Many stay in Beta for ages. Some contain known, unpatched bugs. The community usually does a good job of eventually recognizing quality solutions and gravitating towards them, but there are always people who try out the "latest and greatest" thing, only to be disappointed in the end as it stagnates or fails to mature. Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT saying all other tweening projects have suffered this fate or are "bad" in some way. In fact, I have spoken directly with some of the authors like Grant Skinner (GTween), Zeh Fernando (Tweener), and Moses Gunesh (Fuse, GoASAP). I have the utmost respect for each of them, and this article isn't meant to diminish anyone's hard work or generosity in the least. From my perspective, however, there are some common frailties of open source projects in general that I have observed, and my goal has simply been to figure out a way to protect the GreenSock Tweening Platform from falling victim to them. I have learned that one of the key factors in keeping a project like TweenLite thriving is actually the licensing model.