Are you already up to speed on the fundamentals of Flash? Do you know how create simple animations and write elementary ActionScript? If so, you're ready to move beyond the basics. Macromedia Flash 8 Beyond the Basics is all about stepping to that next level. This book expands your skill set and shows you how to integrate those skills with advanced ActionScript. Through a series of carefully developed, step-by-step exercises and demo movies, you'll learn how to build a professional, interactive Web site--using source files and designs supplied on the book's CD-ROM. Along the way, you'll learn about the new Flash 8 features: the improved text tool, new text rendering engine, new graphic filters, and more. 50+ Step-by-Step Tutorials: / Format dynamically loaded text using HTML, CSS, and nested images / Create an ActionScript-driven menu / Build a preloader with MovieClipLoader class / Add a progressively downloading, multi-track MP3 player / Create a video player that allows users to control playback / Build a slideshow that loads images and text dynamically / Utilize components to create a feedback form / Create a Flash plug-in detector