Ask HN: How do you create nice, clean 2D animations?

benologist · on April 9, 2015

Adobe Flash, gives you a layered timeline, transitions you can apply/create on elements you put on the stage etc, and you can do it all programmatically too. There are multiple export formats including gif.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU6BwCPv3Ak

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-create-your-fir...

If you're comfortable doing it in code there's also JavaScript/HTML like this library which came from / uses Flash methods but I'm not sure how you go from this to gif:

https://greensock.com/get-started-js

pbnjay · on April 9, 2015

Interesting I didn't know Flash could export to GIF, thanks! I have some experience with Flash from many moons ago so that might be a viable option.

I wish I could just pay and download though, I really don't want a subscription...

benologist · on April 9, 2015

You can also use it as a basis for searching - "flash alternatives" might turn up something good enough with better licensing.

beckler · on April 9, 2015

This might be a good resource. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2D_animation_software

pbnjay · on April 9, 2015

Yeah I found that but that doesn't tell me what anyone actually uses. I've tried each of the open-source and freeware apps, I'm asking this because the rest seem pretty pricey for a bootstrapper.

dinkumator · on April 9, 2015

I've used google web designer for a few simple animations: https://www.google.com/webdesigner/