Welcome! I hope you enjoyed a recent presentation with me. Find your event below and leave a comment, good and bad, please! If you are new, please peruse all events and feel free to request that I present at your next conference or online event. I’m always looking for new outlets at which to speak and I have a laundry list of great Multimedia speech topic proposals too. Find out more more about me while you are here. If you have a comment or question about a talk, please leave it here on the blog, but feel free to contact me with invites to speak and teach and also for more general questions adobe2008presentations@rivello.org.
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 6:38 pm
TOPIC: Art 481.52 — Flash I Using CS3 (4 units)

AGENDA: Create and deliver interactive content for the web and related media using Flash, an integral part of a designer’s web toolkit. Explore animation, powerful drawing tools, user interface features, and the basics of ActionScripting. Prerequisite: X 481.24B Dreamweaver I and Basic Interface Design Using CS3; familiarity with Illustrator and Photoshop. Enrollment limited. Held in a Mac lab.
UCLA Extension emphasizes real-world, hands-on education, with instructors who are working professionals. At the same time, Extension courses meet UCLA’s rigorous academic standards. Each quarter, Extension reaches out to generations of students, connecting them with the skills, experience, and contacts they need to transform their futures.
AUDIENCE: UCLAE adult students of diverse backgrounds looking for enhanced career, academic, and personal growth opportunities through lifelong learning.
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
CLASS IS PART OF CERTIFICATE PROGRAM(S):
SECTIONS:
TERM PROJECTS (Choose 1):
DATE:
- Thursday, 7-10pm, June 26 - September 11, Summer Term 2008
TEXTBOOK:
MORE:
- View Session Video (Will Not Be Made Available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Will Not Be Made Available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 6:37 pm
Featured Article on Adobe.com: “Managing Application state with Adobe Flex 3″

DESCRIPTION
I’m excited at the opportunity to have my presentations featured on Adobe.com. The new Adobe Developer Center (ADC) features tons of articles from designers and developers for other industry professionals. I checkout ADC often for new technologies and techniques.
LINKS (Some are Temporary)
SCREENSHOT

MORE INFORMATION
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 2:22 pm
TOPIC: Creating an MMO from Scratch with Adobe Flex 3… in 59 minutes.

AGENDA: Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) technology has arrived in all forms of gaming. Giants like Blizzard’s ‘World of Warcraft’ define the commercial-subscription genre, and newbies like Webkinz and Club Penguin have burst on the scene with amazing financial success. Page based Web 1.0 interactivity is no longer competitive. Embrace the paradigms of the emerging ‘Web 2.0′, with an MMO’s unique and engaging new format. In this session we will overview MMOs as the sublime progeny of Web 2.0 & the Rich Internet Application (RIA). Learn to create a simple, fully functioning MMO social experience in less time than you think. While the examples shown will be specific to Flex 3 for deployment to the browser, this session is equally relevant for application developers of other technologies including Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 for Adobe AIR desktop deployment.
AUDIENCE: Advanced Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 developers
TAKE-AWAY: Be inspired with a simple, efficient workflow for creating the technical side of a basic MMO. With the technology solved, now unleash your imagination on how to evolve the creativity in MMO’s. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: Getting Context: Web 2.0 and the MMO (15%)
- The Web 2.0
- Blogs & UGC
- Open Data & Folksomony
- Social Networking
- API’s
- Customization
- + RIA
- Rich Interface and Interaction
- Highly Responsive
- User-centric approach (not business-centric approach) to client / server balance
- = MMO
- (Same Old) Core Features
- Innovation Wanted
- Section 2: Creating an MMO from Scratch with Adobe Flex 3… in 59 minutes. (75%)
- Choosing Client Side Technology
- Choosing Server Side Technology
- Development
- Project Setup
- Server Setup
- Creating a Log In Module
- Creating a Player List
- Creating a Chat Log
- Creating a Chat Input
- Creating a Virtual World
- Creating Avatars
- Navigating the Virtual World
- Section 3: Next Steps (10%)
- Integration Online
- Server Administration
- Server Extensibility
- Future Features
DATE:
- Conference: August 17th - 20th, 2008. Session: TBD.
MORE:
- View Session Video (Not yet available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Not yet available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 12:23 am
TOPIC: Managing Application State w/ Adobe Flex 3

AGENDA: Simple form controls may feature only one view and one set of data. Easy right? However, many of our real applications are much more complex than mere forms. Managing multiple visual states and sets of data can become overwhelming during the design and development of more robust projects. With proper design methodologies and development practices we can successfully manage state in our applications. Learn state management to build more powerful applications featuring greater scalability. While the examples shown will be specific to Flex 3 for deployment to the browser, this session is equally relevant for application developers of other technologies including Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 for Adobe AIR desktop deployment.
AUDIENCE: Beginner to advanced Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 developers with equivalent ActionScript 3.0 knowledge.
TAKE-AWAY: Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to design and develop stateful applications. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: Introduction & State Defined (25 mins)
- State is a Snapshot of Your Application at a Given Time.
- State is Logical
- Stage is Visual
- Section 2: Data-State Management (15 mins)
- Using Conditionals
- Using Namespaces
- Using the State Pattern
- Section 3: View-State Management (10 mins)
- Creating Flex View States
- Using Flex Transitions
- Using Flex Effects
- Marrying View-State with Data-State
- Bonus: Managing State w/ Browser Back Button (Time Permitting - 10 mins)
DATE:
- Wednesday, April 9th 2008, 10am (Central European Time)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 9:00 am
TOPIC: Innovating the Flash CS3 / Flex 3 Workflow

AGENDA: How can Flash and Flex live side by side in your Flash-centric workflow? Learn how to get the best of both worlds and use Flex 3 to code your Flash-based projects. Harness the strengths of Flash’s stage, timeline, and library and Flex 3’s ridiculously more advanced ActionScript 3.0 editor. Virtually eliminate the LONG compile times of mature Flash projects. Complete projects you’d typically create in just Flash in a fraction of the time using radical new work flows. The full source code & documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: Flash-centric Multimedia Developers looking to radically improve workflow.
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Overview of Adobe Flash CS3 and its typical workflows
- Introduction to Adobe Flex 3 and its typical workflows
- Benefits of a new, innovative Flash/Flex workflow
- Setup
- Best practices
- Demos
DATE:
- Monday, April 7th, 2008. 4pm (Central European Time Zone)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 4:00 pm
TOPIC: Managing Application State w/ Adobe Flex 3

AGENDA: Simple form controls may feature only one view and one set of data. Easy right? However, many of our real applications are much more complex than mere forms. Managing multiple visual states and sets of data can become overwhelming during the design and development of more robust projects. With proper design methodologies and development practices we can successfully manage state in our applications. Learn state management to build more powerful applications featuring greater scalability. While the examples shown will be specific to Flex 3 for deployment to the browser, this session is equally relevant for application developers of other technologies including Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 for Adobe AIR desktop deployment.
AUDIENCE: Beginner to advanced Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 developers with equivalent ActionScript 3.0 knowledge.
TAKE-AWAY: Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to design and develop stateful applications. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: Introduction & State Defined (25 mins)
- State is a Snapshot of Your Application at a Given Time.
- State is Logical
- Stage is Visual
- Section 2: Data-State Management (15 mins)
- Using Conditionals
- Using Namespaces
- Using the State Pattern
- Section 3: View-State Management (10 mins)
- Creating Flex View States
- Using Flex Transitions
- Using Flex Effects
- Marrying View-State with Data-State
- Bonus: Managing State w/ Browser Back Button (Time Permitting - 10 mins)
DATE:
- Wednesday, February 20th 2008, 7pm (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 5:27 pm
TOPIC: Managing Application State w/ Adobe Flex 3

AGENDA: Simple form controls may feature only one view and one set of data. Easy right? However, many of our real applications are much more complex than mere forms. Managing multiple visual states and sets of data can become overwhelming during the design and development of more robust projects. With proper design methodologies and development practices we can successfully manage state in our applications. Learn state management to build more powerful applications featuring greater scalability. While the examples shown will be specific to Flex 3 for deployment to the browser, this session is equally relevant for application developers of other technologies including Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 for Adobe AIR desktop deployment.
AUDIENCE: Beginner to advanced Adobe Flash CS3 and Adobe Flex 3 developers with equivalent ActionScript 3.0 knowledge.
TAKE-AWAY: Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how to design and develop stateful applications. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: Introduction & State Defined (25 mins)
- State is a Snapshot of Your Application at a Given Time.
- State is Logical
- Stage is Visual
- Section 2: Data-State Management (15 mins)
- Using Conditionals
- Using Namespaces
- Using the State Pattern
- Section 3: View-State Management (10 mins)
- Creating Flex View States
- Using Flex Transitions
- Using Flex Effects
- Marrying View-State with Data-State
- Bonus: Managing State w/ Browser Back Button (Time Permitting - 10 mins)
DATE:
- Wednesday, January 30th, 2008, 11am (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 11:00 am
TOPIC: Flash CS3 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. Short case studies of a few casual game companies will be shown.
AUDIENCE: This session is ideal for intro to mid-level developers, and all those interested in online gaming.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: 40 Minutes
- The Business of Advergames
- QA
- Section 2: 20 Minutes
- Advergame Development with Adobe Flash CS3
- Short Case Studies of Casual Games Companies
- QA
DATE:
- Tuesday, November 27th, 4:00 - 5:00pm (EST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 4:00 pm
TOPIC: Advergaming with Flash CS3 (Guest Lecture for ITP 216)

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: USC Full-time undergradate students and graduate students of ITP 216
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Section 1: Overview & Context (1 Hour)
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
- Section 2: Pitching an Advergame to a Client (30 Minutes)
- Section 3: Creating a Game from Scratch
- Creating a Game From Scratch (1 Hour)
DATE:
- Monday November 19th, 5:00 - 8:00pm (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 5:00 pm
Featured Article on Adobe.com: “Innovating the Flash CS3 / Flex 3 Workflow”

DESCRIPTION
I’m excited at the opportunity to have my presentations featured on Adobe.com. The new Adobe Developer Center (ADC) features tons of articles from designers and developers for other industry professionals. I checkout ADC often for new technologies and techniques.
LINKS
SCREENSHOT

MORE INFORMATION
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 6:30 pm
TOPIC: Advanced Flash CS3 Blitting

AGENDA: Creatively beating the native graphical limitations of the Flash player and unlocking the power of a custom blitting engine.
AUDIENCE: Multimedia Developers looking to get the most out the Flash player render engine.
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- What is blitting?
- Why do I care?
- How do I do it?
- Blitting vs. CacheAsBitmap
- Best Practices
- Demos
DATE:
- Tuesday, November 6th, 9:00 - 10:00am (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 9:00 am
TOPIC: Innovating the Flash CS3 / Flex 3 Workflow

AGENDA: How can Flash and Flex live side by side in your Flash-centric workflow? Learn how to get the best of both worlds and use Flex 3 to code your Flash-based projects. Harness the strengths of Flash’s stage, timeline, and library and Flex 3’s ridiculously more advanced ActionScript 3.0 editor. Virtually eliminate the LONG compile times of mature Flash projects. Complete projects you’d typically create in just Flash in a fraction of the time using radical new work flows. The full source code & documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: Flash-centric Multimedia Developers looking to radically improve workflow.
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- Overview of Adobe Flash CS3 and its typical workflows
- Introduction to Adobe Flex 3 and its typical workflows
- Benefits of a new, innovative Flash/Flex workflow
- Setup
- Best practices
- Demos
DATE:
- Tuesday, October 30th, 9:00 - 10:00am (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 9:00 am
TOPIC: Flash CS3 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Tuesday, October 23rd, 10:15 - 11:15am (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 10:15 am
TOPIC: Flash CS3 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Monday, October 1st, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (CST)
- Tuesday, October 2nd, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 4:00 am
TOPIC: Adobe Mobile Team Round-table

AGENDA: Discuss the state of the mobile industry and how Flash integrates. Moderated by Adobe.
AUDIENCE: The session is closed from the public.
TAKE-AWAY: A deeper understanding for Adobe on the challenges and successes of mobile projects and how Flash fits into the picture.
SECTIONS:
DATE:
- Monday, October 1st, 12:30 - 2:00pm (CST)
MORE:
- View Session Video (Will Not Be Made Available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Will Not Be Made Available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 12:30 pm
TOPIC: Advergaming: From Pitch to Production with Flash CS3

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Thursday, September 20, 4:30 - 5:45pm (EST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 4:30 am
TOPIC: Flash CS3 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Tuesday, August 14th, 11:00am - 12:00pm (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 11:00 am
TOPIC: I’m now RMI Faculty! Woot!

R Blank, owner of the Rich Media Institute school for digital professionals added me as an official RMI faculty member after successfully teaching students there. I now have this nifty logo too! I am thankful for the opportunity and look forward to teaching there even more in the future.
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 10:30 am
TOPIC: ADVERTISING, GAMES & SOCIAL MEDIA: Making Smart Marketing Investments in an Ever Changing Landscape

AGENDA:This panel of advertising, games and social networking executives will discuss opportunities for advertisers to reach consumers through these evolving channels. How are brand marketers and their agencies navigating the games, virtual worlds and social networks? The panelists share their experience and processes in making smart marketing investments in these areas.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers, designers, business developers, and marketers interested in advertising, games, and social media.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of the current industry climate regarding advertising, games, and social media.
SECTIONS:
DATE:
- Tuesday, May 22, 3:30 - 4:15pm (EST)
MORE:
- View Session Video (Will Not Be Made Available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Will Not Be Made Available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 3:30 am
TOPIC: Flash CS3 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player CS3, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash CS3
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Sunday, April 22nd, 10:15 - 11:15am (EST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 10:15 am
TOPIC: ITP216: Web Animation & Interactivity

AGENDA: This is no flash in the pan. The tools you’ll acquire in this class are here to stay. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of Adobe Flash 8 and Flash ActionScript that will allow you to create powerful web animation and interactivity. You’ll explore script syntax and logic, learn to control targeted objects and timelines, and prepare and encode video for deployment so that advanced features of web design, layout and publishing as well as dynamic content loading will be at your fingertips.
AUDIENCE: USC Full-time undergraduate students and graduate students
TAKE-AWAY: All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
PART OF SPECIALIZATIONS:
- Specialization in Interactive Multimedia
- Specialization in Web Development
SECTIONS:
- Flash Movie Essentials
- The Flash Tools
- Flash Symbols
- Managing Content
- Colors & Bitmaps
- Tweens
- Visual Effects
- ActionScript
- Intelligent Actions
- Multimedia: Sound & Video
- Publishing
- Optimization
- The Flash Landscape and Career Opportunities
TERM PROJECTS (Choose 1):
- Website
- Video Player
- Videogame
DATE:
- January 9th - April 24th, Spring Semester 2007
TEXTBOOK:
- Foundation Flash 8, Friends of ED
MORE:
- View Session Video (Will Not Be Made Available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Will Not Be Made Available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 5:00 am
TOPIC: Flash 8 Gaming

AGENDA: Learn Video Game Design and Video Game Development using Macromedia Flash 8 and Object Oriented Actionscript 2.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 or 3.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: Attendees learn Adobe Flash 8 Game Development; from initial game design, through development to deployment. Lecture and review of specific code samples will showcase the strengths (and weaknesses) of the Flash Platform when targeting Flash Player 8. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- SECTION 1
- introduction
- Video Game History (a breadth of all of it, but with a relevance to today’s Flash gaming)
- Video Game Theory
- Advergaming: From Concept Pitch to Project Launch
- SECTION 2
- Flash Development Overview (Best Practices and AS2)
- Flash Game Development (handling inputs, visuals, sounds, etc…)
- Overview of alternative development technologies; *AS3*, FDT, Flash 8 Imaging, Flex 2, MTASC, Mobile, more..
- SECTION 3
- Explanation and inspection of the APPLIED design &
development techniques. We will review and inspect a gaming system and 2-3 complete game engines.
- See how to develop real-time arcade-style games with collision-detection, trigonometry, artificial intelligence, and more!
- Attendees each choose one of the game engines and propose modifications. The proposals are discussed and approved for ROI and feasibility for completion with the time limit. Attendees work to complete the project as I creatively and technically advise them.
- Attendees critique the final projects and vote a ‘best of show’ project in an informal contest.
- The source code for my ActionScript samples, the complete game system, and the complete games we review are YOURS TO KEEP and build upon. *Come away with completed games to reskin, extend, and use as you wish!*
DATE:
- Saturday, November 11th 2006, 9:00am - 5:00pm (PST) to Saturday, November 12th 2006, 9:00am - 5:00pm (PST)
MORE:
- View Session Video (Will Not Be Made Available)
- Download Documentation & Source Code (Will Not Be Made Available)
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 9:00 am
TOPIC: Flash 8 Advergame Development

AGENDA: Turn advertising objectives into successful game concepts. This session will include deep discussion on the conceptual design of an advertising game optimized for Flash Player 8, and an overview of a completed game. The full source code and documentation will be given to attendees.
AUDIENCE: This session is for developers and game designers with mid-level knowledge of ActionScript 2.0 and an interest in making games for fun and profit.
TAKE-AWAY: An understanding of how to convert a client’s advertising objectives into game concepts and carry that through to design, development, and launch. All source code and documentation will be available to attendees.
SECTIONS:
- The Business of Advergames
- Advergame Development with Flash 8
- Blitting for Gaming
DATE:
- Saturday, October 7th, 9:00 - 10:00am (PST)
MORE:
posted by Samuel Asher Rivello at 9:00 am