Uploading the Video to YouTube

After creating my video, I was required to distribute it with other people, the easiest way to do this was to use YouTube. As I have never used YouTube to upload a video before, I was required to make an account and activate it. After the signing up was completed, I have uploaded the video from my hard drive, giving it a title, which will be used to help the audience find it when it is typed up onto the search bar of YouTube. I have used the website http://www.webvideozone.com/public/308.cfm to help me independently find out about how to upload the website correctly so no mistakes will occur. After uploading, it has taken several minutes to be processed.

Video

In class, we have started to create the video that will give a tutorial on how my game works, this was done firstly by opening up my Start Screen of my project. I then had to use a program called HyperCam to help record my project, as I have used HyperCam, it has cause a huge amount of lag on the screen making it difficult to work with. Our teacher then introduced the Smart Recorder program which has enabled me to record the project in the screen without any lag issues, although the program was simple to use, I did not know how to select the window I wanted to record so it does not record my whole screen, this was solved by me using the internet to search for help, I have found the website http://smarttech.com/recorder/ to help me understand how to do this. After the recording was complete, I had to place annotations onto it by using the Windows Movie Maker, this was my first time using it which required the teacher to explain the tools to use, to improve my further understanding I have used the website http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/default.mspx to help me how to add annotations.

Talking with my Client and User Guide

As I have completed my project, I have spoken to my target audience which has played my game and has found it very fun and enjoyable, although he did find the games to be easy and not challenging. The user guide I had to make was needed to be smaller than an A4 page, preferably a size smaller than a DVD box. As my game is intended to be place on a CD-Rom, I will create the User Guide by using Microsoft Word. I had then created the user guide by using a Microsoft Publisher template at the size of a CD, this was new to me as I have never used a template in Publisher before, so I have used http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/FX100649121033.aspx to help me understand the use of templates.

Recording and Audacity

In order for me to record the sound, I was required to go to a recording studio so that the recording would be done in a quiet environment making the sound being recorded clear. I had used a microphone and headphones to help me do this. After the recording was complete, the files were transferred over to the computer which I then used a program called Audacity to help me, Audacity was a program offered by the school which limited my choices of programs, this required me to go to the internet to do research in order to learn how to use Audacity, I have found the website http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq which has given me the basics of using Audacity and how I can edit my sound using the Selection tool. I was then able to convert it to either WAV or a MP3 file, I have preferred to keep it as WAV as my original file was WAV as well.

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

When creating my template, the area in the center was left for my screen to be placed on top once it was complete, after testing the screen, I have found the animation to not stay inside the screen, this was because the center is not hollow. I also needed to rearrange the order on Macromedia Flash so that the main screen will be behind the template but as the center was not hollow, the main screen would not been seen, as a result, I will need to use Adobe Photoshop to help me remove the center of the screen making it hollow, I have used the website http://www.astahost.com/info.php/photoshop-tutorial-cutting-out-psd_t12610.html which explains the use of the "Delete" button on the keyboard, this can be utilised with the magic wand tool after selecting the part I did not want and remove it by pressing delete.

Wednesday, 1 April 2009


For my previous screens, I have learned how to link them together thanks to the help function as well as my teacher as she has given us a tutorial lesson. But in order to link the template to the login screen which is a new screen, we will require a new code as the login screen will not fit into the template. I have then done research over the inter net and found the website http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/action_scripts/actionscript_dictionary/actionscript_dictionary424.html, which explains the use of the code " loadMovieNum( " url ", level [ , variables ])", I have then tested this code in my project combined with "on (press)" and other codes so that it would work. In the end, I have successfully made this code work.

Script

Using Macromedia Flash to animate my characters was very confusing at first, using key frames as well as Motion Tween was new to me as I have not used it before. During my project I was introduced to many scripting language which I have never used, this has allowed me to understand how to use Macromedia Flash properly as well as the basics of script language. The scripts I have created are: drag and drop, turning page, linking to a new screen, printing the current page and quitting the application of my project. These codes could later be adapted onto my other screens saving me time when making similar screens. As I did not understand _level0, I have researched on the internet and found the website http://www.adobe.com/support/flash/action_scripts.html, which has helped me understand the difference between _root and _level0. When attempting the Exit code, I have used the help function on Macromedia Flash as well as the internet to help me create the code, on the inter I have found the website http://www.knowflash.com/content/view/102/27/ which contains a code but it did not work, this problem was soon later solved by my teacher.

Saturday 28 February 2009

The animation done for my window consists of a thunder animation which will appear and dissappear, this is the same for the ghost that appears on this screen. As my knowledge was limited, I had to use the internet to help me find out how to make images "dissolve". On the net, I have found the website: http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation/en/flash/fl8/samples.html, which has taught me that by changing the Alpha setting to 100%, i will be able to make my image completely invisible which is what I wanted, i can then link this with a motion tween that has an Alpha setting of 0%.

Saturday 7 March 2009

A new technique that was required for me to learn was how to input text when my SWF file loads, I did not how to do this which then required me to use the internet to help me do this, I have found the website http://www.adobepress.com/articles/article.asp?p=433756&seqNum=4 which explains and shows the use of static, dynamic and input. By allowing me to input text, the Login Screen of my game will be more interactive for the audience to use as it involves the user.

Critical Path Analysis

Today I have looked at another type of management technique called Critical Path Analysis. Looking at the diagram and thinking about the Critical Path Analysis diagram. I have also recognised the importance of “Total Float” which shows the total amount of time I have, and “Free Float” which shows the number of delays/can be delayed. These delays may have an affect on the overall planned project, resources and time, as I will complete my project before the deadline or after the deadline. This makes the critical path analysis important as by following the diagram I will be able to plan out and compensate for the free floats.

Importance of Consistency

Today, I have worked on completing my animation for my multimedia project. Improvements were made to the scenery and also to the background. For my background, some of the images were real life such as the stadium scene, this makes it not consistent with the clip art images I have used for the characters in my project. This means that it could cause an impact on my target audience as the children could get confused with the meaning of the real life pictures and relating it to the clip art images (fiction and non-fiction). This required me to change the background and other relating images into clip art type to avoid confusion.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Today I wanted to edit an existing image I have found using the internet so it can be used on my game; this was difficult as I wanted to remove the tree part in the image whilst merging it with the original background. This could not be done on Macromedia Flash due to the limited features it has; I have then used Adobe Photoshop to help me re-create this. By doing independent research, I have found the website http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps508d.htm which talks about using the Stone Clamp tool to merge existing parts of an image onto another part of an image, I have then adapted the Eyedropper and pencil tool which enabled me to choose a colour on the image and use the pencil tool to remove any minor parts of the image.

Tuesday, 3 February 2009

I needed to find a suitable colour for my side characters, this was done by using the colour palette on Adobe Photoshop, as then colour of the turtle was very dark, it was not very appealing to my target audience, I needed to find a brighter green so that it would make it more attractive. To choose the correct green I have done research over the internet, the two website that has helped me was: http://html-color-codes.com/ and http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps503b.htm. In the end I have chosen this green (#7BB539) over the other green (#639C31).

Wednesday 11 February 2009

To me, making the drag and drop game was the most fun aspect of the game. In order to create this code, a basic knowledge of scripting for Macromedia Flash was needed, our teacher has given us the basic knowledge of how to create a simple drag and drop game by explaining the code, we will then adapt the code into our own work so it can be used. As I required more information on dragging the images and to see other examples, I have used the internet which made me find the website: http://www.webwasp.co.uk/tutorials/A_IntAct-02-drag-drop/index.php which enabled me to see other existing drag and drop games which I could use in my project. As making the game was difficult, i have also used the "Help" function on Macromedia Flash to help me expand my knowledge and skill on the scripting of the drag and drop game.