453 ISC 3 Multimedia Applications
Unit 1
Chapter-3:Multimedia
Authoring and Integration
Outline
Design Basics What is Authoring? Functions of MM software Authoring Tools MM Navigation Interactivity Animation using MM Authoring Systems, Tools and its types MM programming tools Authoring Vs Programming Summary
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Design Basics
Develop the program script of concept Outline your program Develop a flow chart Develop the program storyboard Prepare scripts for narration, text, and video Consider copyrights Plan the production of music, audio, and video Prepare the project time lines and budget
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Multimedia Authoring
Multimedia authoring involves collating, structuring and presenting information in the form of a digital multimedia, which can incorporate text, audio, and still and moving images. Output of Authoring process is generally a Multimedia S/W that can be executed on client machine with required libraries installed.
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Functions of MMA Software
1.
Importing
digital form of text, graphics, video & audio
1.
Creating
design, edit, paint, draw, develop charts, capture sound, program math operations
1.
Integrating
4. Delivery
sequence, time, link, script, provide, feedback, database etc
packaging as the self-running MMA
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MM Authoring Tools
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Card/page based
PowerPoint, SuperCard, HyperCard
Adobe Premiere, etc Authorware, etc
Time based
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Icon based
Theatrical-frame based
Macromedia Director, etc
Alice, etc
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Object based
Multimeida Editing tool
Media Audio Video Tool Cool Edit pro, Sound forge, Sonar, Web Lab Adobe Premiere, Video Studio, Windows movie Maker(XP only) Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo Paint, Photo Impact
Graphics (Image Editing) Graphics Adobe Illustrator, Corel DRAW, Freehand (Vector Illustrations) 3D Animation 3D studio Max, Maya, Softimage, Light Wave 3D
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Multimeida Authoring tool
Product
Director AuthorWare Flash Tool book Illustrator
Company
Macromedia ([Link] Macromedia ([Link] Macromedia ([Link] Click2learn([Link]
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MM Authoring Tools
(Metaphors: capabilities & complexities)
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MM capable Presentation Tools
Allows interactive branching PowerPoint, HG, Macromedia Action
Dedicated Media Integration Tools
Allows sequencing of MM events and elements Asymmetric Media Blitz, IBM storyboard Live etc
Professional MM Development Tools
Complex and powerful Used for highly interactive MMA Author ware, Director, Apple HyperCard etc
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Charecteristic of authoring tool
Ability to handle different kinds of media Bundled multimedia libriry Mapping features Programming feature and environment Segmentation functionality Compilation capability and runtime players Media embedding capabilities
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Selection of Authoring Tools
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Programming Expertise Team Expertise Purpose of MMA Time Budget Finance Modalities Needed
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Preferred Authoring Tools
Business
Astound, Macro Action, Authorware Director, Authorware, Authority, Hypercard
Director, Hypercard, Hyperstudio Director
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Education
Games
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CyberArt
Authoring Basics
Navigation - linear, branching
buttons, icons, graphics
hypertext alphanumeric responses
(yes/no?) yes
object matching
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MA Navigation
Linear
- Sequential navigation
Hierarchical
- Navigation through a branching structure
Nonlinear
- Without a prescribed path
Composite
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Free/Determined navigation
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three clicks away from anywhere.
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Interactivity
Navigation structure-branching Internet Hypertext Hypertext Pull-down Menus Recording User responses Key-press responses Dragging Prompting
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Key: appropriate selection and implementation.
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Types of Animation
Path-based Animation (twinning)
step recording
real-time recording in-between in-between special
Cell-based Animation
space to time
cast to time
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Combinations Cell and Path Based
link a sequence with paste relative film loop
Script or Program Based
for frequent switch frames on the screen, special loop, etc
3D Modelling Animation
carry out through both time and relative space; 3D object with shading and texturing;
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Authoring versus programming
Authoring tools are what we call high level tools
A lot of the technical details of how things are done is hidden from the developer. The developer can concentrate on the functionality instead of how to make the hardware work Can be used by non-programmers
Programming tools are low level tools
They provide access to the low level hardware features for those who want to get the most out of the computer Are used by programmers or software engineers
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The components of an authoring tool
Most authoring systems provide facilities for:
Loading and saving media assets (graphics, sounds, videos, text, etc.) Creating or editing audio and graphic images Page or slide building (layering multimedia data to create a single page) Animation / transition effects Specifying the sequence of the application Adding interactive controls for navigation and actions at run-time Creation of CD-ROM or web-based distributions
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Classes of Authoring Tools
CDROM-Based Authoring Tools
multimedia-based authoring tools Internet or Web-enabled (have Internet play capabilities)
Web-Based Authoring Tools
WWW publishing tools mostly used by developers
Web-Based Course Management Tools
Internet/Web integrated applications
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CDROM-Based Authoring Tools
Examples :
Macromedia Director, Hypercard, Adobe Authorware, Asymetrix Toolbook Utilized with CDROM and videodisc technologies Not originally designed to take advantage of the inherent and unique features of the Web Require a steep learning curve in order to take full advantage of their features CBI/CBT/CAI, simulations, games, microworlds, tutorials, individualized instruction, self-contained interactive modules
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Attributes include:
Instructional Applications include:
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Web-Based Authoring Tools
Examples include:
Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia DreamWeaver, Claris Homepage, Adobe PageMill, Homesite Utilized with Internet and Web-based technologies Require a steep learning curve in order to take full advantage of their features WYSIWYG
Attributes include:
Instructional applications include:
Personal and institutional Web pages, Web publishing, organization of Web-based resources, structured Web sites to support WBI, complex animations and interactions when used with high level scripting languages
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Types of authoring system
There are numerous development models that can be used for multimedia applications Authoring systems generally fall into one or more of the following categories:
Slide, card or frame based Icon based The score model Object-oriented models Scripting language based
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Some systems combine one or more of these to create more sophisticated tools
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Slide, card or frame based
Each part of the application is self-contained in a single page Each page is created separately and then integrated into the final application A page may contain hyperlinks to other pages to provide navigation or pages may be sequentially viewed There may be global parameters that can be set to affect the entire application
e.g. background colour, default font, etc.
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Icon-based authoring
Each part is represented an icon (symbolic picture) Each icon does a specific task, e.g. plays a sound Icons are then linked together to form complete applications Can easily visualise the structure and navigation of the final application
A screenshot of Macromedia Authorware
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The score model
This model has an analogy with a musical score Instead of musical instruments playing notes we have multimedia objects (sounds, images, video, text, etc.) that do something at specific points (times) in the score There is usually some way to animate the objects (e.g. rotation, scaling, colour changes, etc.) between each transition (i.e. when they start and when they finish) Each multimedia object lives in a track A score has one or more tracks
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Scores and timelines
Timelines are a useful way of representing multimedia data during the course of a presentation or application
Time is represented along the x-axis Tracks are represented along the y-axis
The developer can move objects left and right to change the order of the information and can lengthen or shorten the bars to change their duration
0 seconds Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Track 4
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5 seconds
10 seconds
15 seconds
Background music Animation Voice over (narration)
Video
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Scripting language based models
Scripting languages are cut-down versions of complete programming languages
They tend to have less features and are therefore easier to learn
Scripting models allow the developer to write small scripts (programs) which can be associated with a multimedia object
e.g. you may write a script to make a graphic image move across the screen or to make a window pop up when an item is clicked
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Object-oriented models
In an object-oriented model, everything that can be put in an application is considered an object Every object has:
State - A description of its unique properties
e.g. a graphic images state would describe its size, colour depth, authors name, etc. e.g. a video can be played, stopped or rewound
Behaviour - The things that the object can do
Icon and score-based models usually have objectoriented features also Objects are self contained and can be reused in later projects
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Multimedia programming tools
Programming tools differ from authoring tools in that they tend to be much lower level and require the developer to have more knowledge of the underlying hardware and programming language Programming tools give the developer access to much more functionality than authoring tools but require much more effort (and money!)
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Basic Tools vs Packages
HTML
Embed graphics / sound / video <embed src= . > Lack of structure
Easy but cheesy
Quicktime Flash Director / Shockwave Plug-ins
Powerpoint
VRML Music plug-ins
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Common issues
Compression Streaming Good Interactivity needs programming Ease of use for the user Audience acceptability
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Choosing a Right Authoring Tool
Who will be the users?
What is the project's purpose?
What is the delivery platform?
What is the limit of the budget?
What multimedia elements will be presented? What authoring tools are available?
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PowerPoint
Easy and popular Exports to HTML Import bitmaps Can play movies Can embed hyperlinks Poor on Interactivity Accepts wav files
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Microsoft PowerPoint
[Link]
PowerPoint is:
a business graphics package a slide-based multimedia tool
Supports vector graphics, bitmapped images, sound, video and hyperlinks Supports many slide transitions and animations (see right) Developers can script objects to make them display at specific times or events
The events are represented by a limited number of presets and cannot be altered
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QuickTime
Container for time based-media Digital video or animations with sound Not just video Flash,Midi Mature
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Macromedia Director
Director is a package with many features
Sound and audio editing Bitmap and vector graphics editing Asset management
The Cast are the media assets The Stage is the screen or individual page The Score is the sequence of events
Uses a metaphor of cast, stage and score
Director has its own programming language called Lingo which can be used to add new functionality
Director is one of the most widely used PC tools
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Macromedia Director
Mature CDROM, Web, Kiosk Bitmap graphics Complex Scripting- Lingo Shockwave for the web Cross-platform & Media
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Director - Theatrical Metaphor
Stage
- Main Window Cast - Media Score -Timeline of frames Lingo on events - programming Shockwave - web
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Director uses the metaphor of a Movie.
Movies are made of a series of individual frames.
The Stage is the area where the movie plays.
The objects on the Stage are called Sprites. Sprite 1 is put at the back of the Stage. Each subsequent sprite sits on top of the last.
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The Cast is everything that you want to create your movie.
Director has its own Paint, Text and Vector Shape Windows for creating cast members.
The Score is where you edit your movie.
There is a playback head which pass through each individual frame across the schedule.
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Lingo
Lingo
is the script language to enhance the interactivity. and events can be synchronised. is not easy to modify initial design.
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Interactions
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Macromedia Flash
[Link]
Flash is a tool for creating animated vector graphics and multimedia It uses a timeline and object-oriented model Has a very useful feature called tweening which can be used to create animations
You specify a start and end point and Flash calculates all the in-between frames of the animation
Flash is a popular format on websites
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Macromedia Flash screenshot
Tracks
Timeline
Tweening
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Flash
Vector graphics Designed for the web - tiny files Key frame animation Action scripts for events True Streaming Sound, .wav or mp3
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Flash - Terms
Stage Media Elements are Instances on the stage Library of symbols Timeline Actionscripts to trigger events
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Shockwave
Shockwave is a plug-in from Macromedia which allows web delivery of their multimedia presentations There are different versions of Shockwave for use with Director, Authorware, and FreeHand A Director movies which is to be viewed through a browser using the Shockwave plug-in has to be saved as a Shockwave movie The Director movie is compressed and made ready for the web
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Beginners tips for authoring
Best to use templates or libraries found in tutorials or from the web Find something similar Small segments rather than one large movie Keep the file-size down
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What to choose?
PowerPoint - simplicity Flash best for interfaces,slideshowstreaming Director good for programs and simulations
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Creating a multimedia project
Overall vision Putting together a team The scope of the presentation Planning how parts will interact Writing the script Storyboarding Alpha and beta testing Mastering to CD
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Summary
Two types of tools that can be used to create multimedia applications:
Authoring tools Programming tools
Each has their own set of pros and cons:
Authoring tools are generally quicker to learn and can be used by non-programmers but may have limited flexibility Programming tools are more difficult to use and require good programming knowledge but can be much more flexible
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