Create an interactive web toy

Adding interactivity to a website and creating small applications or digital toys may be daunting to a visual designer, but ActionScripting a simple movie in Flash needn't be hard. The ActionScript that we'll implement in this tutorial is fairly standard stuff and can be used as a basis for you to create a host of interactive wonders. Get the combination right and you could get the online community buzzing and sharing what tricks your website has to offer.

We've taken our cue from the avatar creator on The Simpsons Movie site that enables you to create a Simpsons avatar of yourself. Before long Flickr was swamped with new Simpsons residents and some people even started using Photoshop to add things such as stubble, piercings and sideburns.

While the characters made in the generator described here may not bear much resemblance to the user, it does offer the chance to create a variety of monster designs. For this tutorial we've provided five different elements, but you can have more to create other variations. You could give them different shoes, hair styles, arms and so on. The more options you have the more the user will feel their result is unique, and the keener they'll be to add your site to their address book.

We've also included the option for the character to be printed out. This is invaluable in terms of reinstating your brand as it enables the user to keep a reminder of you that's likely to stay with them until at least the next recycle day.

Click here to download the support files (499KB)

Click here to download the tutorial for free