Text effects are a popular use for Flash. Here's how to make
text fly apart like a 'smashed window'.
Start a new movie. Use Insert > Frame (or press F5) to put in about 20
frames.
Click back in Frame 1 and Type in some text. Select the text and break the
text apart (Modify > Break Apart). This converts the text to filled shapes.
Draw lines in a contrasting color to define the breaks. Try not to leave
any tiny pieces, and keep the number of pieces relatively small, or you'll
be making a lot of work for yourself later
.
The next step is to make each piece into a separate symbol, and to place each
of these symbols in a separate layer.
Select a piece and press F8 to create a Graphic symbol. Insert a new layer
into the timeline and cut and paste the symbol to the empty layer. Repeat
for all shapes. Make sure there in only 1 shape per layer.
Delete the bottom layer that does not contain anything now.
Insert keyframes in all the layers at around frame 20.The trick here is
to highlight the whole column of cells at frame 20, and then press F6 to insert
all the keyframes at once.
With the timeline at frame 20, move the symbols about on their individuals
layers. Try to arrange them so that each one appears to have moved 'outwards'
from the center.
Now select all your symbols by holding down the shift key and selecting
all the frames in Frame 20 then selecting the scale tool and dragging to make
all the pieces larger. Scale them up (all together) to give the illusion of
'flying out'. Then rotate the shapes one at a time, some clockwise and some
counterclockwise, by various amounts. You must select them individually on
each of their layers.
With all the objects still selected, open the Frames Panel (Window>Panel>Frame),
and set the Color set the Alpha to 0%. The shapes should now be virtually
invisible.
Finally, select the first frame of each level (highlight the whole column
of Frame 1), and turn on Motion Tweening (right-click the frame and select
'Create Motion Tween'. Then individually rotate the shapes one at a time,
some clockwise and some counter clockwise, by various amounts. You must select
them individually on each of their layers.
This should create a smooth transition of size, position, rotation and opacity
(all at once!)
