We've all seen neat Flash text-based animations and other effects, such as those found at TxEff.com, that have become increasingly more complex and attractive. However, in most cases, you'll find that these animations are built on proprietary systems, and usually require you to pay on a per-effect basis (though TxEff has moved to a more package-oriented pricing structure). This is very disappointing for developers who would like to create their own unique effects while on a budget or time crunch.

Recently, rather than shop through different canned effects, I spent a few days writing a free, open-source Actionscript text engine that provides all the foundations required to do these kinds of effects, all while retaining the ability to modify the text in real-time. It’s not a package for non-coders looking for a drop-and-publish effect, but rather for developers who would like to include such effects in their projects but don't have time to code out the comprehensive engine required to maintain complete functionality. The engine doesn't include any pre-built effects, but rather acts as a platform to enable a developer to quickly and creatively design the necessary effects.

The text engine is compatible with Flash Player 9 and newer releases, and we plan to make it available for free under a non-restrictive license soon.