As already indicated for MMA 08, I had strong doubts
about VRML, however powerful
and attractive X3D/VRML may be, simply due to the general
adoption level of VRML.
The alternative flex/as3, which uses the adobe flash technology,
does meet the criteria of combining declarative and programmatic features, and allows for sufficiently expressive multimedia applications.
innovation(s) -- multimedia authoring
innovation(s) -- multimedia authoring
In line with the overall innovation(s) of the computer science
and information science (that is Information, Multimedia & Management)
curriculum, it is only natural to continue these efforts
for the
multimedia authoring course.
In particular, because some of the students would have
liked more in-depth knowledge of
flex/as3 as a topic
in
(project) interactive multimedia, for which for obvious reasons that course provides no space,
a suitable focus for multimedia authoring is
to learn
the craft of development in flex/as3,
which is due to the many possibilities worthwhile for every student,
whether a technically inclined
developer
or aesthetics-oriented
designer.
media viewer + annotation editor
The inspiration for the
basic exercise(s)
comes from a collegue from TU/e, Zeljko Obrenovic, who
does research to support
sketching as a design instrument.
For example, apart from the drawing of interfaces, sketching may
be used to annotate media, including diagrams, photographs, as well
videos (illustrating context or usage scenarios), so that
later improvements can be realized taking the annotation(s)
as a reference.
An example
video annotation editor has been realized
by Javier Quevedo Fernadez, and can be found
at
www.lienzo.yoteinvoco.com
challenge(s)
Borrowing material from last year, it is always good to keep in mind
what are your
challenge(s).
Some call these
learning goals, but, personally,
I find that too shallow.
More important, apart from learning the skills by
making the
media viewer, are what creative aspirations
you hope to realize in your
final application(s),
for which you have ample choice ranging over
infotainment
applications, interactive
game(s),
or interactive
narrative(s), and creative
exploration(s), in other words a
license
to complete artistic freedom.
Important issues, irrespective of technology or type
of production, are
immersiveness and
composition.
Needless to say that you also must learn
issues of technology,
production and workflow.
criteria for game(s) -- meaning:
At some point, you may want to look at
your application from the perspective of evaluation,
that is to see how it qualifies as
entertainment
or
game:
- challenge -- relevance, feedback, confidence
- curiosity -- cognitive & sensitive -- discrepancy
- control -- contingency, choice, power
- context -- intrinsic or extrinsic -- metaphor(s)
Keep in mind,
why would someone like to use your application,
and look at the material and images you present.
Ultimately, you may even want to ask yourself the question,
what is the meaning of this all?
...
