Flash is dead… or so they say. Still, you are considering whether you should use Flash to create your game.
To begin with, ‘Flash’ – or its namesake no longer exists as a program. What was once called ‘Flash’ has now evolved to become Adobe Animate. The name of the software has changed, but the fundamentals of the ‘Flash’ hasn’t changed for decades.
Adobe Animate is Flash’s successor.
You now know what Flash is, Or Adobe Flash… but should you use it to create your game?
Flash is a viable option if you are making small-scale 2D games. Adobe Animate is perfectly capable of doing this by adding scenes and creating custom code in Action Script 3 or by writing in JavaScript. However, It does depend on the size and scope of the game you are intending to make as to whether you should use it.
Unless you are intending to make a small 2D game, Flash ( Adobe Animate ) may not be the most powerful tool at your disposal or easiest to use ( in my opinion ). Adobe Animate is not a dedicated game engine, it’s an animation tool first and foremost with the ability to make games and rich media. To perhaps make more sophisticated games, you may wish to choose from a plethora of dedicated game engines instead.
With some, you don’t even have to know how to code.
Flash can publish games, and it can make great games too, but you need to ask yourself whether you should use Flash to make your game. If you’re making something with multiple levels, complex game logic, and 3D assets other options may be better suited to you.
Should I use Flash to make my game | simple games
You can use Flash to make games if you feel that this software is the best tool for your project. Adobe Animate ( Flash ) can be used to create games in varying formats which can be uploaded to game portals.
I have personally used Flash to create small games, mostly for education, personal projects, and small-scale viral games for clients. More can be seen here on my blog
– example Adobe Animate projects.
Would I still use it?
Although Animate is fine for small games, Adobe Animate is not designed specifically as a game IDE. Primarily, it is an animation tool with interaction capabilities. If you feel it is enough to make what you need, then, by all means, consider it.
But do realise that it comes with limitations. Due to these limitations, I am less inclined to use it now for larger game projects.
Should I use Flash to make an interactive microgame?
If you are intending on making a small-scale HTML5 game in Adobe Animate ( Flash ), then you should consider it as a potential tool if it suits your needs. Perhaps it is not the best tool for most game projects in my opinion, but it is a working one nonetheless.
Setting aside some funny looks you may get for using Flash in 2023, you can still make games with it. ( Ignore the snobs ).
If you expect Adobe Animate to be an all-singing, all-dancing game development (IDE – integrated development environment) then think carefully before committing to it before using it for your game project. It is an Animation tool at the fore.
If you know how to use Animate, and can make small games in HTML5, there is nothing stopping you from using Flash to make a game.
Should you use Adobe Animate today? ( Opinion )
We have so many IDEs ( integrated development environment – Game Development Engines) on the market in the modern day for making games. You may be wondering if it’s worthwhile to use Adobe Animate to make your current game.
You can create games in Adobe Animate, there is nothing stopping you from making HTML5 games which you can upload to a game portal that supports HTML5. You can make projectors too.
But should you use it in today’s market for making more complex games? Maybe not. But I would never say never. A tool is a tool and if it works for your project then use it by all means. As the years have rolled by I have found myself working with software that I prefer.
It should be noted that there are many very powerful game development tools out there that ‘specialise’ in making games. But would I call it a tool for making games? Yes and no.
Adobe Animate doesn’t specialise in making games. Flash, as it was formerly known, was used for animation, rich media creation and to create internet games. It was a jack of all. It is also built on older technological principles also.
What is perhaps a better question to ask rather than whether ‘should I use Flash’ to create my game, is whether you should use something else. Adobe Animate is great in some instances, but not in all. you may find a set of tools that are better suited to your project if you do your research.
When do I use Flash? ( Adobe Animate )
I must be honest with those who are wondering whether they should use Flash for publishing their game. Adobe Animate was and is, a great tool for making browser games. With the integration of HTML5, plus the projector formats you can create and range of games for varying platforms.
But due to issues with the. SWF format, lack of support from major browsers, and the software being used in the past to create malicious software – it fell out of favour as the go-to for creating games.
I still use Adobe Animate from time to time for small interaction projects.
Should you use Flash to create your game? In my opinion, it is down to you as a game developer. But for me, anything larger than a 2-level game, I would consider other tools. You can still create browser games in Flash as projectors too.
On a final note… writing about Flash is starting to make me feel old.