Multimedia and Interactivity

Final Project

2008-05-09T12:09:00.001-07:00

We finished the colouring book page. At first when it was completed it didnt work, so I had to make some changes and then it did. We added the text of the poem to the page and then we tried to put all the pages together in Flash. This took us most of the day because as soon as we put all the pages toegther they didnt work, pages were interlinking confusingly with each other and some of the buttons did not work but in the end we got it to work by changing the names of buttons, movie clips, pictures and graphics that were not named before and it began to work. We then put them on a CD re-writable, ready to be handed in.

Completion of a page

2008-05-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

We completed our hide and seek page which has a mini game on it including the mask skill. We decided to do this so users could interact with the mouse allowing them to experience around a page. Buttons are also on the page allowing users to move to different links. Also we have nearly completed the colouring book page we just need to add in the codes required to make it work.

project development

2008-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

today we decided to have the same font for the "childhood" is buttons on each page. this was becaus we thought it would create continuity for the project since each page is so individual. also we changed some of the backgrounds so they were the same as the main oage but lowered the alpha sp they were a bit more faded. this was aloso to create continuity.

Project Development

2008-04-23T15:08:00.001-07:00

We began finalising the menu page, referring to earlier plans about page linkages and creating the appropriate buttons.
We also re-designed the 'MINE' page, including invisible button links to other pages, and found tutorials to develop the page featuring interactive stackable blocks for a tower.

Preparation for Presentation

2008-04-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

We met and discussed the different answers required from us in accordance of the presentation guidelines. We combined our pages together on USB memory sticks so where ever we are we can work on our projects with each other or not. We made changes to our 'sleep page' and reviewed the pages we will be showing in our presentation.

Project Development

2008-04-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

we worked on page 8, the "sleep" page. at first we are "Z" 's as buttons with sky pictures in them. there was also a picture of a sleeping child on it. but we decided that this layout was not good enough and changed the page so it had a night sky and a moon instead. we kept the idea of the Z buttons but instead filled them in with the night sky but gave them an outline so they would stand out. we created the buttons in photoshop, saved them as a gif then imported them into flash. so that the buttons would flash, fade in and out, when you roll over them we made them into movies clips and then a button so it would work. these buttons will also have sound on them
we also worked on the "friendship"page. we gave the pictures frames on photoshop and then put them into flash to create a collage. we also discussed the idea of having a child voice on each page reading the relevant part of the poem for each page.

Project Development

2008-04-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Today we worked on the Mine page which involved using photoshop to magnet lasso around letters, cropping pictures and cutting out certain selections and moving them onto transparent backgrounds. Then they were imported into Flash and placed on keyframes on different points of the page with motion tween attached to them. On another stage of the piece they are converted into buttons. Also a background was created from photoshop and installed onto it.

Project Development

2008-04-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

we worked on trying to make an introduction page for our project 9in flash. also, we found sound effects for our website. we tried to add music but was having difficultly in editing it in sound forge since it would not open therefore, the music was not in sync with the images.

Project Devpment

2008-03-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

We created page nine which is a moving animation of a bee. We also started to create page 5 which is the MINE page, page 7-our hide and seek page and also part of page 2. We used Photoshop, Flash and Illustrator. Also we tried the drag and drop ActionScript tutorial which worked better than last time but is still not quite right.

project work

2008-03-15T01:44:00.000-07:00

yesterday we started experimenting with our project on flash and photoshop. we tried to create a wallpaper effect in photoshop and in flash we added sound to a button but couldn't get it to stop. we also experimented with moving mask.

Storyboard and Wireframe

2008-03-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

Today we did a second draft of our storyboard and finalised the layout of the flash project with a wire-frame chart, which included the page links.

Interactive Storytelling

2008-03-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

From reading Chris Crawford's book on interactive storytelling I found out some ideas that may prove useful in our project:

'Stories are presented in a linear form, but they are understood as a mesh of interrelated ideas, which is why they must be experienced in their entirety to make any sense'.

Thus we have choose a subject on Intertextual Narratives which contradicts the importance of the linear as we will create a project interlinked with different kinds of meanings so the linear is not a vital piece of the work.

Also he says:

Interaction='engaging', 'immersive', 'participatory' , 'responsive' and 'reactive'. Users have to listen, think and sometimes speak.
Interactivity depends on the choices availiable to the user.
User should be able to make lots of decisions.
It should assemble pieces into a complete story.

Libby's poetry parade

2008-03-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

on this flash based website, http://www.libbyhathorn.com/lh/Emma/ ,they have short poems that have moving pictures that you can interact with. it is the kind of thing we would like to do for our website but with more pages and detail.

Childhood Is...

2008-02-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

This is the link to the poem 'Childhood Is', which the group will be using as a basis for the project.

http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/family/poetry.asp?poem=191

Proposal

2008-02-29T06:17:00.000-08:00

Multimedia and Interactivity – Project Proposal
Concept
To create a flash installation focused around a visual poem; using only images, text and sound to convey its meaning. The aim of the project is to make use of visual and audio tools to make story-telling a more interactive journey; with the narrative being progressed by the user.
Storytelling through methods of human communication i.e. sight, sound, speech, text etc being depicted through digitally produced tools/materials e.g. images, text and recorded voice/sound.
The reasoning and motivations behind the idea was to highlight the alternative ways of communicating a story, using a combination of different mediums, allowing the potential to extend and layer the meanings the poem/story may not have had if it were only read, for example, in written form.
Motivation/Inspiration
Inspiration was found in digital interfaces such as Shelly Jackson’s ‘The Body’, which explores interactivity in relation to different body parts acting as a network for the narrative through the use of interactive buttons linking to different pages. Geoff Ryman’s work also relates to our project concept as he uses literary forms in a digital format.
And the artwork of Mikael Aguirre (Also known as Orioto), his gallery work on deviant art.com, shows the ways in which photographs can be manipulated around different subject matters so that they can directly or more closely relate to desired concepts. Other pictures on this particular site also inspired the possible pictorial content that will feature in the project in order to aid the story-telling process.
Furthermore, Jean-Luc Lamarque, Pianographique (a flash interface involving the use of an interactive piano via use of a keyboard), specifically, ‘Black Potion’ uses a 60’s theme combining music (self composed by the user), images and movie sound clips – producing an interactive art piece, something we hope to achieve with our idea.
We were also interested in the structure of graphic novels, manga and comic books with its use of image and text. For example, xxxHolic is a manga which, like all manga, is known for its highly stylised art, which is just as important, if not more so, than the text, in bringing the story together.
Target Audience
The proposed target audience are those interested in digital story-telling, who are open to exploring alternative ways of reading literary works, also all those interested in digital art and new media technologies.

Project timeline
Week
Task
4 (18/2/08)
Discussion of ideas
5 (25/2/08)
Storyboards – Pre-production
6 (3/3/08)
Start Production – get images
7 (10/3/08)
Production – manipulate images in Photoshop/illustrator
8 (31/3/08)
Start flash production
9 (7/4/08)
“ ”
10 (14/4/08)
“ ”
11 (21/4/08)
Project Presentation
12 (28/4/08)
Final changes and improvements from presentation feedback
13 (5/5/08)
Project Deadline 9/5/08

Product Description
The proposed piece consists of a flash based installation/interface as a form of digital story-telling.
We will use image, text and audio to communicate a story/poetry piece; possibly, drawn, stock and our digital images which will be manipulated in Photoshop and illustrator and editing audio in Soundforge. The user will be able to interact with each image and text via use of buttons (obvious and concealed) to progress further into the narrative.
The installation will include a menu with 2 main sections:
1. Concept – Detailing the motivations and processes involved in the project
2. Visual Poem/Story – The final project piece

Relationship theory and practice
With written form tending to be static, the visual story/poem incorporating different digital forms will create movement and give an element of performance to the text. Especially with the user being able to actively participate as a reader of the text through electronic interaction. Thus, the inter-textual nature of the product has the potential, to create multiple avenues of interpretation and meanings for the users.
We were influenced by Roland Barthes theory of Semiotics. We will be using images (signs) to denotate meaning.

Visual Poem!

2008-02-28T04:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the group discussed the idea of producing a visual poem, in which we use flash to create an interface incorporating images, text and audio to ‘visually’ communicate the meaning of the poem.
The interactive aspect will be the extensive use of buttons (and other forms) for the user to engage with, in order to progress through the narrative (making it more of an activity).

The poem we have currently agreed upon is titled: ‘Childhood is...’ by Jackie A. Shaddow.
Its descriptive nature gives ample ideas for the types of images, text and audio that could be used and the ways in which they could be manipulated in order to create other layers of interpretation for the poem.

Brainstorm Ideas

2008-02-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

I looked at the Mark Amerika' s Grammatron website to get some ideas to add to our proposed idea. The links on the website was used to link you to a different part which may be linked to the earlier page or not and along with some work by Talin Memmort's work i thought of a face with each part of the senses being part of a different charcter and when you click on either one it can link you to the beginning of their story and some of the words in it links you to a part of another person's story.

Sound Toys

2008-02-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

Looking at the sound toys website but specifically Kate Southworth work using audio and visual to create an interface. she has various pieces on this website http://soundtoys.net/toys/fuorange. some of the pieces you can just watch such as 'who owns them controls' where words are dissolved through waves. Some of them are interactive which i find are more enjoyable since you can control aspects of the 'art' rather than just watching it. i think this aspect of interaction would be useful for our interface since it would involve the audience more in the interface and make it a slightly different experience each time they interacted with it.

2008-02-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

Attended talk on Friday by Talan Memmott about his work. one example included a piece where he knew hat the technology he used to create would become obsolete and that was the message from his work. also saw MA student's work which included using actionscript and flash. which was about the body. it was useful to see how these people used flash and gave ideas about what you could create in flash.

discussion of ideas

2008-02-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

we discussed different ideas for our project including crime solving, identity, extreme advertising, virtual worlds poems, normal vs abnormal, first impression and life through photographs

2008-02-08T07:38:00.000-08:00