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More than 2 years ago I wrote a blog post about Flash Game Programming. Since this blog post until today a lot of actions happens in the Flash Game Community. Some Flash Game Developer created great classes, libraries and frameworks, which makes our life as a Flash Game Developer so much simpler. In this blog post I would like to give a short overview which tools are available at the moment.

General Frameworks & Classes

In this category you can find tools, which solve some common problems like resource management, loading processes, screen management, level management and so on

• Push Button Engine (all in one Solution for all kind of games) | Video Tutorial | YouTube
• Flixel (all in on Solution for 2D Games) | Tutorial 1 and 2 | Detail 1 and 2 | DAME Editor
• Bold Pixel Engine (all in on Solution for 2D Games) | Review | Tutorials
• Glaze (physics, AI,Screen Management, UserInput)
• Citrus Flash Game Engine (all in one Solution and Box2D) | Leveleditor
• Flash Punk (collision detection, bitmap-based rendering, User Input, ...) | Tutorial
• PixelBlitz Engine (collision detection, bitmap-based rendering, User Input, ...)
• AS Data Structures for Game Developers **outdatet**
• AS HIVE (Loading Media and XML Assets, Screen Management, MVC Structure)

Rendering and 3D Libraries

This topic handles the issues of visual renderings. Some renderers delivers nice editors for creating game levels

• Papervision 3D (Editor)
• Alternativa 3D
• Yogurt 3D | Tutorial
• Away 3D
• Minko 3D Engine (GPU Renderer)
• Sandy 3D
• as3isolib (Isometric) (Editor) | Tutorial
• FFilmation (Isometric) (Editor)
• OpenSpace (Isometric)
• diesel blitting engine (bitmap based)
• Flash Punk (bitmap based) | Tutorial
• Starling Framework (GPU 2d Renderer) | Introduction | pdf | video

Physic Engines and Collision Detection

You want to add almost realistic behaviour to your game. Here are some engines which helps you

• JigLib (3d Physics)
• Flare 3D Physics (Tutorials)
• AlternativaPhysics (3d Physics)
• WOW Engine (3d Physics)
• APE 2D Physic Engine
• Box2D (Tutorials)
• Motor2 (very powerful 2D Physic Engine) **outdatet**
• Glaze (2D Rigid Body Engine)
• Foam (2D Rigid Body Engine)
• Nape Game Dynamics (2D Rigid Body Engine based also on haXe)
• Collision Detection Kit - Examples (just for collision detection)

Animation, AI and Particle Systems

Some tools for animation and game objects behaviour in your game. Very nice for defining motions of your game objects

• BetweenAS3 (Tweening Engine) Tutorial
• gTween (Tweening Engine)
• Grape Animation Library (path-based Animations) Examples
• AI Steering Behaviors Library
• Ginger - Bitmap Animation API
• Josh Particle Systems | Examples
• Flint Particle Engine | Presentation | Tutorial
• Stardust Particle Engine for 2D and 3D
• Fluid Solver Class

Dynamic Sound Generation

Every Game need sound to deliver a complete user experience. Luckily there exists some nice libraries and tools to realize this kind of programmatic sound effects.

• SiON (AS3 library) | Examples
• Standingwave (AS3 library)
• Sonoflash (component-based-system)
• Audio Processing Library for Flash (ALF)

Multiplayer Tools and APIs

For creating Multiplayer Games you have two different approaches. Manage an own server or use web-service. Here are the most common tools and services for multiplayer experiences. For more information please read this blog post

• SmartFox (Server)
• Red5 (Server) | Tutorials
• Flash Media Interactive Server (Server)
• Union Server (Server & Service)
• Come2Play MultiPlayer API (Service)
• Nonoba Multiplayer API (Service)
• Player.io (Services)
• Pulse (Service)  *** UPDATE 2009-11-14 ***
• Electrotank Universe Platfrom (Server & Service)

Other APIs

In the last 1-2 years there was a real hype about Monetizing Flash Games. Because of this hype a few API around Flash Games appeared to deliver better game experience for the Flash Casual Gamers.

• Nonoba (Highscore API, Achievements API, MicroPayment API, Analytic and Tracking API)
• Come2Play (Highscore and other community based API, MicroPayment API)
• MochiMedia (Highscore API, Game-Ad API, MicroPayment API, Analytic API)
• Kongregate (HighScore and Challenge API, Analytic API)
• Player.io (Database API, MicroPayment, SocialMedia API)
• Social Gold (MicroTransaction API) | Review
• GamerSafe (SaveGame API, Achievements API, MicroTransaction API)
• heyZap (MicroTransaction API, Analytic API)
• Whirled (MicroTransaction API and ???)
• Games Chart (Analytic API and Publishing API) | Interview
• Flash Ad Manager (Library for the different services)

That is all what I know about tools, libraries and services for Flash Games. If I have forgotten one, please write a comment and if anyone of you have already some experience which the libraries and service I mentioned above, please write comment.  Thanks a lot! So and please take care of  the used open source license before your integrate the code in your projects! Grant Skinner wrote an nice article about open source licenses. At last here is a nice search page for game tools indiegametools.com , if you would need some other cool stuff.