Wednesday 12 December 2007
Presentation complete!!!! as is term 1!
Its all gone so quickly cant believe I finished my first term already! Ok well had my presentation and all seemed to go well my work was liked which was a relief :) Although of course suggestions were made. Firstly looking at the editing of the video when using black and white I was told it is better not to use the pre made tools as it does not give an even effect and when using the grey scale tool on premiere it does not give a true black and white effect as I was hoping for. I was also told I must learn to credit as this is an essential so I will be remembering to do so in future work! I have really enjoyed getting to grips with the different medias and cant wait for more in the New Year so bring on 2008.
Monday 10 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 8 - movie clips and stage sound
Today i can completely say i have finished as i managed to import the movie clips as desired and also have sorted out the sound on the stage and now have a fully working flash document yay! obviously there are improvements that could be made so perhaps i can look into them over xmas :)
Sunday 9 December 2007
Interactive Narrative Influences
The main influences for my interactive piece were the sites I looked at and analysed in and out of the seminars
- Picanto - http://www.kia-picanto.com/ (when you follow the hyperlink on the first page choose the international site)
- Friends - http://www.friendsontv.co.uk/
- Atonement - http://www.atonementthemovie.co.uk/site/site.html
- Gorillaz - http://www.gorillaz.com/Scene.php
- Magnolia - http://www.magnoliathemovie.com/#
- Miranda July - http://mirandajuly.com/
- Constellations - http://lab.constellations.co.nz/
- Pulled hair - http://pulledhair.com/
- Rollover buttons
- Audio clips on rollovers
- A picture change to highlight the rollover
- Pictures
- Movie clips
- Animations
- Navigational buttons
Saturday 8 December 2007
Interactive Narrative Evaluation
Overall I am really pleased with the interactive and think it has a strong narrative and a reasonable amount of interactivity and s successful in giving the user choice. I have enjoyed completing this task individually especially as this is an area I am strongly thinking about pursuing next year and even more so after completing this task :)
Engaging the user
The user is kept alert throughout the interactive as it follows a question answer format which they have to take part in to move throughout it. They are also engaged with the use of sound to catch their attention and simulate the actions going on making them feel more realistic. The fact that there are 5 choices at the beginning also allows the user choice as they are not forced to go the way you want but instead follow a route of there own choice, giving them a sense of being in control as they make there way throughout the interactive.
Media types used
The main media type used throughout my interactive is rollover buttons that cause something to happen on the page, this helps to keep the viewer engaged and adds to the interactivity. There are also movie clips, which allow a real life element to the interactive however I was unable to create them with a control button. It would have been more effective if theis could have been included as the user would have control over them with the typical stop, start and pause choices. Animations are also used on certain pages to add to the entertainment side as well as keep the site moving and catching the attention of the viewer.
Audio
There are lots of sound clips used throughout the interactive in the form of the rollover buttons. The audio helps to highlight a change or that the button has been pressed. The sound clips also help the viewer to relate to the pictures and make them more realistic and help to move the interactive along. Some pages have audio on the main stage as well to help create an atmosphere representing what the question is about, for example the background chatter on the sambuca page creates the atmosphere of a club helping the viewer to place themselves there and make a decision to the question more realistically.
Spatial awareness
The spatial awareness is well done, as the text does not cover an image in any of the pages in an obstructive way. The pictures and text are balanced well helping to not make the pages look to full up. Images also appear mainly only as rollovers helping to keep the pages from feeling over packed. There is not a lot of white space used but the feeling of space is still kept but having simple backgrounds of only one or two colours. However on the first page the white space is used effectively as it not only gives the feeling of space but helps to highlight the bright colours of the post its.
Genre and narrative
The narrative of the piece is clear from the first page as the question ‘Can you juggle partying all night and still making your lectures?’. The fact that you constantly return to this page to choose another day means the user is constantly clear of the narrative. The narrative of the piece is the student life and how you have to balance your time and spend equal amounts of time on going out as well as doing your work and turning up for lectures. It highlights some of the decision students have to face and how they affect the sometimes forgotten side of university, concentrating on getting your degree! The genre of the piece is primarily to entertain as it is set out in a question, answer format and runs through in a game like fashion, although a secondary genre of advertising could also be shown if it was a interactive piece which was actually to be used as it advertises the most popular bars and clubs in the Nottingham student circle.
Disadvantages and improvements
Some of the pages have a lot going on and this may cause them to feel busy to the user so this could be looked at if the project was to be improved. More media types could have been included to heighten the interactivity. I would have liked to have included more animation but in the time given did not have time to look into animation within buttons. It may also be an idea to look into including audio on more of the pages especially the opening page as there is not much happening audio wise on that page. It would have also been a good idea to use navigational arrows on the pages so that the user could skip through them as when looking at other sites I found this gave you the sense of control, which is key in an interactive. Another improvement would have been to include a button allowing choice over the audio as sometimes the audio is not desired by the user however I was not able to include this as at this stage I do not have the software knowledge to achieve it.
Engaging the user
The user is kept alert throughout the interactive as it follows a question answer format which they have to take part in to move throughout it. They are also engaged with the use of sound to catch their attention and simulate the actions going on making them feel more realistic. The fact that there are 5 choices at the beginning also allows the user choice as they are not forced to go the way you want but instead follow a route of there own choice, giving them a sense of being in control as they make there way throughout the interactive.
Media types used
The main media type used throughout my interactive is rollover buttons that cause something to happen on the page, this helps to keep the viewer engaged and adds to the interactivity. There are also movie clips, which allow a real life element to the interactive however I was unable to create them with a control button. It would have been more effective if theis could have been included as the user would have control over them with the typical stop, start and pause choices. Animations are also used on certain pages to add to the entertainment side as well as keep the site moving and catching the attention of the viewer.
Audio
There are lots of sound clips used throughout the interactive in the form of the rollover buttons. The audio helps to highlight a change or that the button has been pressed. The sound clips also help the viewer to relate to the pictures and make them more realistic and help to move the interactive along. Some pages have audio on the main stage as well to help create an atmosphere representing what the question is about, for example the background chatter on the sambuca page creates the atmosphere of a club helping the viewer to place themselves there and make a decision to the question more realistically.
Spatial awareness
The spatial awareness is well done, as the text does not cover an image in any of the pages in an obstructive way. The pictures and text are balanced well helping to not make the pages look to full up. Images also appear mainly only as rollovers helping to keep the pages from feeling over packed. There is not a lot of white space used but the feeling of space is still kept but having simple backgrounds of only one or two colours. However on the first page the white space is used effectively as it not only gives the feeling of space but helps to highlight the bright colours of the post its.
Genre and narrative
The narrative of the piece is clear from the first page as the question ‘Can you juggle partying all night and still making your lectures?’. The fact that you constantly return to this page to choose another day means the user is constantly clear of the narrative. The narrative of the piece is the student life and how you have to balance your time and spend equal amounts of time on going out as well as doing your work and turning up for lectures. It highlights some of the decision students have to face and how they affect the sometimes forgotten side of university, concentrating on getting your degree! The genre of the piece is primarily to entertain as it is set out in a question, answer format and runs through in a game like fashion, although a secondary genre of advertising could also be shown if it was a interactive piece which was actually to be used as it advertises the most popular bars and clubs in the Nottingham student circle.
Disadvantages and improvements
Some of the pages have a lot going on and this may cause them to feel busy to the user so this could be looked at if the project was to be improved. More media types could have been included to heighten the interactivity. I would have liked to have included more animation but in the time given did not have time to look into animation within buttons. It may also be an idea to look into including audio on more of the pages especially the opening page as there is not much happening audio wise on that page. It would have also been a good idea to use navigational arrows on the pages so that the user could skip through them as when looking at other sites I found this gave you the sense of control, which is key in an interactive. Another improvement would have been to include a button allowing choice over the audio as sometimes the audio is not desired by the user however I was not able to include this as at this stage I do not have the software knowledge to achieve it.
Interactive Narrative 7 - Friday page completed!
Managed to complete the Friday page but was unable to put in the animation movie of the cab driving away and getting smaller as it did not seem to work within the button :(. The interactive is now completely finished all except for the video clip for the ‘Oceana’ page which I am hoping to film this evening when I get home if I remember! But now all that’s left to do is evaluate the interactive ready for the presentation on Tuesday.
Friday 7 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 6 - Instalation problems!
Right installation problems I got flash for home n it wont install ahhhhhhhhh! By 4 its now installed and working and I can now start editing the pictures for the Friday page at last! Ooh earlier I also cut the tracks I needed for another page in uni which is good as I can now add them finally close to finishing! Well by the end of the evening I have done all of the page except for the cab as I’m now tired and going to bed so I will be completely finished tomorrow except for the movie which I waiting until I go out so it is more real :)
Thursday 6 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 5 - Seminar number 2!
Ok well I cornered Jool’s straight away and we tried to tween the animation but that didn’t seem to work so I going to have to re-design or keep trying other ideas but not to worry. I also found out that yet again it was the tiniest of mistakes making the syntax error all it was this time was a bracket facing the wrong way! So with those to errors sorted I continued to work on the frame layouts and buttons and working out a way to solve my animation problem. Which is when Craig came to my rescue and realised a simple solution to my problem that even I could manage to handle. It was as simple as making a movie clip making the movement frame by frame and then inserting it onto the stage which worked perfectly so I was pretty chuffed I could keep those elements in and it meant more interactivity was added which was a plus :). And later this evening I managed to have some inspiration and have now got a Friday page and a completed story board so that can be tomorrows task.
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 4 - completing the buttons and frames
Ok today I went in again on another day off! What’s wrong with me! Anyway today I have now made all of my buttons active and they now do something when they are clicked. I have also started to add audio in the form of sound clips on the buttons although there are a few tracks I need to find to enable me to have completed them all. I have created the first page of post-its which looks really effective however I experienced a lot of trouble getting them to work with the action script but finally realised like with most action script problems it was a simple typing error causing a BIG problem but managed to sort that out :) I have still got to come up with an idea for Friday but I'm sure inspiration will kick in soon. Oh and I need some help with how to add some animations as using key frames to do so does not seem to be effective but that can wait till tomorrow as can another syntax error I cant work out, watch out Jools I'm coming!
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 3 - Timeline, frames and beginnings of buttons
Ok well today I created my timeline and started adding the background frames once I had edited the pictures taken on Monday. I worked on looking at the spatial awareness and making sure the text could be read easily. Text was added to each page to act as a rollover button and to navigate through the interactive. I will be able to make them active and make something happen tomorrow once further pictures needed are taken, which I have taken this evening ready for tomorrow. I have also created a story board of what each page will look like although have yet to come up with an idea for Friday but will have that solved soon I am sure. The tutorials came in useful again as I have gone over sound on the stage and I am now confident I will be able to include it in my interactive.
Monday 3 December 2007
Object meaning and picture
Value to me
I chose to picture my point shoes as they have a very high value to me due to the fact I have been dancing since I was three and it has therefore played a huge part in my life. They have a value to me as since I was four years old all I ever wanted was to own a pair of Pointe shoes so that I could be a ‘real’ ballerina so finally getting some was a huge achievement. They also allow me when I am dancing in them to get away from the real world and loose myself for a bit, a brief moment I really do treasure.
Function
The function of the Pointe shoe itself is to aid the dancer and allow them to stand on the tip of the toe and perform the steps needed. It must provide both support and comfort whilst elongating the foot and the curve of the under part of the foot making it more pleasing to the eye.
Aesthetics
The fact that the shoe is made from silk gives it a delicate look and the light reflects from the silk highlighting the curved edges. Dark patches and tattered ends although perhaps not pleasing to the eye however give the feeling of use, which is pleasing in itself. The long flowing ribbons give the feel of freedom representing the movement of dance and the fact that they too are silk gives a feeling of consistency.
How the Object Expands knowledge, the environment and how it entertains
The Pointe shoe expands the knowledge of the dancer as it allows them to progress further within grades learning new steps and acquiring new skills. They affect the environment is affected by the Pointe shoe as it allows the dancer to move within it and around it smoothly and delicately in a way not possible without them. Entertainment comes from someone using them to perform a dance or from being the one using them and dancing in them yourself.
Evaluation of the picture taken and editing
I chose to picture my point shoes as they have a very high value to me due to the fact I have been dancing since I was three and it has therefore played a huge part in my life. They have a value to me as since I was four years old all I ever wanted was to own a pair of Pointe shoes so that I could be a ‘real’ ballerina so finally getting some was a huge achievement. They also allow me when I am dancing in them to get away from the real world and loose myself for a bit, a brief moment I really do treasure.
Function
The function of the Pointe shoe itself is to aid the dancer and allow them to stand on the tip of the toe and perform the steps needed. It must provide both support and comfort whilst elongating the foot and the curve of the under part of the foot making it more pleasing to the eye.
Aesthetics
The fact that the shoe is made from silk gives it a delicate look and the light reflects from the silk highlighting the curved edges. Dark patches and tattered ends although perhaps not pleasing to the eye however give the feeling of use, which is pleasing in itself. The long flowing ribbons give the feel of freedom representing the movement of dance and the fact that they too are silk gives a feeling of consistency.
How the Object Expands knowledge, the environment and how it entertains
The Pointe shoe expands the knowledge of the dancer as it allows them to progress further within grades learning new steps and acquiring new skills. They affect the environment is affected by the Pointe shoe as it allows the dancer to move within it and around it smoothly and delicately in a way not possible without them. Entertainment comes from someone using them to perform a dance or from being the one using them and dancing in them yourself.
Evaluation of the picture taken and editing
I chose to use a mirror within the picture as I use a mirror to see the shoe and its beauty through my eyes. The greyscale background helps to darken everything except for the shoe helping to draw attention to them. The higher contrast darkened the background further and the use of the cutout effect highlights the creases in the material and the twists in the ribbon. I left the ribbon flowing loosely around the show as it represents the freedom of dance.
Interacive Narrative 2 - Learning Flash CS3
Ok well today has pretty much consisted of tutorials followed by trial and error on flash. I have worked out the action script needed for the buttons so that different buttons can link to different pages and looked at what key frames I will need. So now tomorrow I can make the basic time line for my project and get it underway. I also experimented with buttons and what I could do with them and how to add sound to them as well as the main stage. Below is the short animation i created showing what i achieved from the tutorials (to be added asap).
I also completed a basic flowchart of how my pages will link so I had an idea of what my timeline will end up looking like and where the buttons will eventually link to (shown below).
I also completed a basic flowchart of how my pages will link so I had an idea of what my timeline will end up looking like and where the buttons will eventually link to (shown below).
Tonight I have planned out exactly what each page content will be and have now got all the pictures needed for the main frame and the text that will be included on each one. This also meant that I have had to edit the pictures i have taken ready for tomorrow.
Sunday 2 December 2007
Interactive Narrative 1 – Ideas and Background Pictures
I have considered possible ideas over the weekend and looked into whether I can achieve them in the time avaible. So have decided to go with looking at the narrative of a student’s week and how going out each night and the choices they make whilst doing so can affect them. I choose this idea as it has a clear narrative and will be achievable in the time given as the pictures needed will be easy to achieve. So today I have taken pictures of posters I will be using as the backgrounds for the frames and will be uploading them to my computer ready for editing tomorrow.
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