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.

Improvements to Gantt Chart

Gantt Chart is this weeks major issue as there were lots of information missing. By using the tools and techniques on Microsoft Projects, I was able to create dependencies within my work, showing what is needed to be done before the next can be started. I was also able to learn what lag time is and use it within my Gantt chart. Doing this Gantt chart has also enabled me to realise the amount of workload and deadline we have to do in order to complete the work. I have also extended my knowledge of Microsoft Projects by giong onto youtube and learn what the milestone does, this is the website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUlH_8C2raI.

Independent working was also established during the holidays as the work needed to be done was all required for ourselves to do, this includes images we will use, where it will be placed on the screen and the recording (script) of the characters.

In my multimedia project, I have started animating the dog and the basketball. I have learnt how to use scripting to stop a certain part of the animation on where you want it by typing in "stop()" in the action section, this allows me to time my project and plan out the the required space I will have on the screen. For further research into code, I required a code that I can use so I can time the parts of my project, this was done by using the internet as my knowledge with coding was limited, i have found the website http://www.justskins.com/forums/time-pause-33403.html which contained a code I could use.

Books!

In class, we have been told to find a children's book, so we can use it to analyse what features are used to make this a Children’s book. I have looked at the book John Patrick Norman McHennessy - the boy who was always late.

John Patrick Norman McHennessy - the boy who was always late

Synopsis

This story is about a boy called John Patrick Norman McHennessy, who sets of on a journey to school, on the way to school he meets lots of interesting things such as a crocodile, lion and tidal waves which delays him to school, the teacher does not believe him and makes him write lines. Then one day the teacher gets kidnapped by a gorilla which the boy does not believe him.

This Story contains lots of text but simple to read which can be seen to be aimed at a younger audience. Pictures are also used making it interesting. There is also a moral at the end saying that whatever goes around, comes around. I can incorporate some of these ideas into my multimedia project which could make it more appealing for my target audience.

Through analysing the book, I will look further into Sans Serif font by using www.dafont.com/ and the fonts available on the Microsoft Packages, Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop, this will allow me to select a suitable font to be used in my project,and can be read clearly compared to serif fonts.

Another Project Management

10/12/08
We looked at how a professional company, Bouygues UK, uses project management techniques to help them complete their work on time. Their techniques were using Microsoft Project to create tasks and sub-tasks to complete their overall project before or on the deadline date. This is similar to our coursework as we also used Microsoft Project to create Gantt chart giving us a realistic idea of what we need to do and how to complete it on time. There was three major milestones in their project to refurbish St Marylebone school, start date, end date, and overall completion of the project, I will also need to put this into my Gantt chart so I can have a clear idea of what to do and when it will be done. They have also worked on tasks and completed it before deadline as well as missing deadlines and catching up, this is also one of the main points of have a Gantt chart as it shows user what they clearly have to do, this will also be needed to be calculated into the actual making of our projects.

Animation

Today, we looked at animation by creating our own stickmen and text. The stickmen we created can walk across the screen enabling us to use this technique in our coursework. The text will appear on and off the screen which make it interesting, it can be used for out introduction page. I have also done independent research on existing flash animation, http://www.flashwebmaster.com/portfolio/flash.web.site.designer/flash_animation_2D_sickfish.html, looking at the fish animation, I can see how simple animation makes a movie complete.

Elements of Project Management

2 weeks ago we looked at three basic elements: tasks, resources and time. They are interrelated meaning when one changes it will have an effect on the other two. One of the Programs we can use is Microsoft Project which lets us create a plan revolving around the tasks, resources and time, and presents it in a graphical way for my project.

There are typical tasks such as for Task – individual pieces of work which need to be done:

• Reports to management
• Pieces of code for an application
• Project definition documents
• Any small (or large) item that contributes to reaching the stated goal of the project.

Resources – anything used to meet the stated goals:

• People
• Machinery
• Money

Time: time is very important as it is the main thing that makes us follow deadlines and complete the task. Estimating the time needed to complete each task until the stated goal of the project is one of the main points. Whilst the project progresses, improvements and changes will need to be made, therefore estimated time will change. Milestones and deadlines will make one of your ways to structure time. This is important in our coursework as we have to complete set task on time so our Macromedia Flash Project can be completed on time.

With Tasks, Resources and Time being interrelated, it will effect each other, adding a new task will mean using resources, where time may be needed to change to cope with the work load. Microsoft Project will help me create a Gantt charts so I can complete my work on time efficiently.