Looking for: Flex developer, Flash and Flash Builder tutor, ActionScript 3 tutor
Must be fluent with ActionScript 3.0 in Flex 4 and Flash Builder CS4/5 environments.
Developers will be expected to:
- Design ActionScript 3 classes, public properties and methods
- Create interactivity via MXML display objects: set up menus, buttons, sliders, datagrids, drag and drop ...
- Handle events via MXML properties and through ActionScript event listeners and event handlers for various event phases
- Stylize interface display (objects skins and text styles), using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Flash Catalyst
- Read and write XML data structures.
- Reference and control ActionScript's display list
- Invoke object transformation animations ... such as move, move along path, rotate, scale, swipe, glow.
- (NOTE: The need for traditional cell-based, frame-by-frame animation is unlikely. Most action and interaction will be performed via motion tweens, shape tweens, and ActionScript. )
Helpful developer experience:
- Game programming experience: You need to be familiar with game logic and game states.
- You like playing games and making games.
- Programming in MVC paradigm (Model-View-Controller)
- Accessing and controlling audio/video assets (e.g. Audio: mp3, WAV formats. Video: .FLV, .mov, and mp4 formats.)
- Data services, and server side database access, such as Cold Fusion. Mash-ups.
- JavaScript and Java.
- Helpful:
- Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Experience playing a musical instrument and reading music. Music theory.
- Previous consulting projects, freelance, tutoring, or collaboration/partnership.
- an online resume including links to RIA projects.
Tutoring Qualifications:
- You have prior tutoring experience.
- You honestly enjoy tutoring and can cover the topics quickly and clearly. Will see fit to bring yourself up to speed on topics outside your grasp.
- You like playing computer and video games.
- You've already taken time to assist others or introduce them to Flash or Flex.
- You know of lots of good online resources: tutorials, source code, articles, etc.
- Possibly you've already created basic lesson plans ... and are willing to keep the ball rolling by creating plans as we go.
- You know how to use CSS with HTML, CSS with Flex, Flash Catalyst with Flash Builder.
- You are very clear on the principles, purposes and implementation of object oriented design.
- Ideally you're familiar with vector graphics (in Illustrator and Flash) and understand the ActionScript methods operate on vectors.
- Beyond tutoring, hopefully you're available for Flash/Flex project work, occasionally or regularly.
- Work may include pre-animation story boarding, user interface prototyping, animation of music theory, and the creation of frameworks for music education coursework applications.
Example Flex 3 Projects
Here are a few existing Flex projects listed below from simplest to most complex. These projects are presently complete or at a good resting point:
Flex development projects
Here's the basic layout of a new music education project. It's a simple board game that teaches the letter names of the staff lines. The board and other objects are designed entirely with Illustrator. This means that all project assets will be vector objects, symbols and SWFs, and are readily scalable without loss of image quality.
The game is quite simple. After spinning for a letter, a player moves his or her note along the path to the next line or space that matches that letter.
The present agenda for this board game project is:
- To create various implementations of the spinner and try out different appearances and functionality.
- To move the ‘players’ along a path (first a simple vertical path ... then an m-shaped path, as shown above.)
- To add game logic for solo or partner playing and scoring.
- To add feedback, obstacles and surprises.
Here is an early design/prototype of the Game Spinner (early design):
http://www.theoreticallycorrect.com/flash/spinner-trigger-test.swf
And the specification for the spinner design:
Here are a few of the unmet goals:
• Click the thumb (or press s) to make a spin of random intensity
• Drag the thumb downward to make a clockwise spin (the arrow winds counterclockwise slightly as you drag)
• On mouseUp the arrow spins — harder for long drags and softer for short drags
• Drag the thumb upward to make a counterclockwise spin, and the arrow winds clockwise slightly as you drag.
Schedule
This is part-time or occasional work, but could develop into regular contract work. If you want or need to work on site, mornings or evenings are best, and occasional Saturday is possible too.
Compensation
You'll work as independent contractor, so you'll be paid by project. Agreed amount is paid upon completion of project specification, approximately in the $30 to $60 per hour range, depending on skill and experience. For large projects you'll be paid as milestones are met. For tutoring we'll work out an hourly rate, between $20 and $40 per hour.
Contact
Johnfdv ( at ) singingwood.com
925-935-9295Please email resume. Send links to any games or applications you have running online.
Tags: Flash designer, Flash/Flex tutor, ActionScript 3.0 tutor, FlashBuilder and Flex developer, RIA development (Rich Internet Application development) — Part-time school break, or summer job, possible continuing work opportunities, in Walnut Creek, California (located in Contra Costa County, CA) — 14 minutes from Oakland or Berkeley in Alameda County. 30 minutes from San Francisco.