The Essential Guide to Physics for Flash Games, Animation, and Simulations

Description

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 somevery basic math skills. The authors present everything from basic principlesto advanced concepts, soyou'll be able tofollowthe logic and easilyadapt the principles to your own applications. The book builds on your physics knowledge, enabling you to create notonly visualeffects, butalso 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 toincorporate 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
* Introduction to Physics Programming
* Selected ActionScript 3.0 Topics
* Some Math Background
* Basic Physics Concepts
* The Laws Governing Motion
* Gravity, Orbits, and Rockets
* Contact and Fluid Forces
* Restoring Forces: Springsand Oscillations
* Centripetal Forces: Rotational Motion
* Long-Range Forces
* Collisions
* Particle Systems
* Extended Objects
* Numerical Integration Schemes
* Other Technical Issues
* Simulation Projects

CONTENTS:

Introduction to Physics Programming

Selected ActionScript 3.0 Topics

Some Math Background

Basic Physics Concepts

The Laws Governing Motion

Gravity, Orbits, and Rockets

Contact and Fluid Forces

Restoring Forces: Springs and Oscillations

Centripetal Forces: Rotational Motion

Long-Range Forces

Collisions

Particle Systems

Extended Objects

Numerical Integration Schemes

Other Technical Issues

Simulation Projects