OCR Nationals in ICT. Unit 20: Creating animation for the www using ICT

Creating Animation with MatchWare Mediator 8 •

This tutorial is how to use MatchWare OpenMind 2 for review (AO1), and

•

How to use MatchWare Mediator 8 to produce a web animation (AO3).

•

This lesson will fulfil the requirements of Unit 20, Assessment Objectives 1 and 3.

•

Mediator is an excellent multimedia tool, with an easy to use interface and easy export to HTML.

•

Mediator can also be used for Unit 1, 2, 4, 21, and any other unit where students need to conduct a presentation, create a webpage or a multimedia product.

Assessment Objectives: 1. Review several existing animations 3. Create an animation

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5:

Getting Started with MatchWare OpenMind 2 Reviewing products Getting Started with Mediator Create an animation Exporting

This lesson will use the tools in Mediator to design animation suitable for use on the internet, with initial review using MatchWare OpenMind 2. Mediator has the advantage of being an easy to use, inclusive animation tool. MatchWare OpenMind 2 is an easy to use, intuitive Mind Mapping tool. OCR says “Candidates will not be penalised for their choice of software but must ensure they are making full use of the tools/features available to them…” Mediator is particularly suitable for lower level students who may struggle with more complex software.

1

Step 1: Getting Started with MatchWare OpenMind 2 ¾ Open MatchWare OpenMind 2. ¾ In the Welcome screen, select New Document. You will be asked what format of Mind Map view you would like to start your presentation in. Mind Map – This is excellent for planning, and can be used as a non-linear presentation tool. Top Down – This view show hierarchies and workplace structures effectively. Left Right – This is the same structure as Top Down, but displays left to right. Timeline – This creates left to right time plans. Outline – This is a table, ideal for showing time-dependent tasks. ¾ Choose Mind Map and click Open You are now ready to begin.

2

Step 2: Reviewing Products

Assessment Objective 1 requires you to review existing animations. An appropriate, easy-to-use method of review would be to use MatchWare OpenMind 2. Using the Mind Map structure makes it easy to add content and keep track of progress. For each product, create sub-branches for each review criteria. Use text notes to create content for each criteria (Right click>Insert>Text note>New) When you are satisfied, export the Mind Map to Word to create a report with a contents page, headers and content (File>Export to>Microsoft Word).

3

Step 3: Getting Started with Mediator

¾ Open Mediator. On the Welcome screen, choose: Create a new document. . The New Document dialog opens. ¾ Check the Flash or HTML button. Flash will ensure only Mediator features that export successfully to Flash will be available. HTML will ensure only Mediator features that export successfully to HTML will be available. Another dialog opens. ¾ Keep Full screen with frame checked. Click Next Another dialog opens. ¾ Check 1024 x 768. This window size is typical on modern monitors, but if you want to be sure it will fit on all monitors, check 800x600, or choose a custom size. Click Finish. The workspace will open. Mediator is a very easy to use multimedia tool. There are only three basic steps to creating your animation: 1. Add objects using the Toolbox 2. Create and arrange pages with the Page List 3. Create interactivity with the Events dialog You are now ready to start your animation.

4

Step 4: Create an animation

1. The Basics… To create animation, you need to associate an object to be animated with an animation path. Any animations you create will be preserved in your export to Flash or HTML (Mediator exports using dynamic HTML). To create an animation first create an animation path.

Click the points for your animation to follow. Once you have a rough guide, you can curve the path. Click on the pointer icon. Drag a box over the animation points to select them, then click on the curve icon.

The points will curve, and can be adjusted further by dragging the grab handles on each point. When you have finished, click the green arrow on the Animation Path Tools. Create an object to animate (a graphic, a word, a picture, etc.). Next, on an empty place on the workspace Right click>Events… (or F9) The Events dialog for the entire page opens. You can choose from many events that will start the animation, from clicking on the object, to the page opening, to moving the mouse, to hitting a key. Choose one, and drag it into the active field. Next, click the Multimedia tab, and drag the Animate icon into the active field. Another dialog will open. Select the Object to animate and the Animation path (if there is more than one). Choose duration, and a speed control. Click OK. Click Run document. The object will animate according to the rules you have set.

5

Step 4: Create an animation (cont.) 2. Adding complexity… Timings allow you to activate different animated objects at different times. This uses a drag-anddrop timeline, allowing you to place different animations at different places on a timeline. To try this, draw two animation paths and two objects. Now hit F9 to access the page events dialog. Create this chain: On Page Ready>Timeline. When you place the Timeline icon, the Timeline dialog will open. Drag the Animate icon down to the timeline and place to start at 0ms. The animation dialog will open as normal, allowing you to set object, path, duration, etc. Click OK. Now drag the Animate icon down again and place it further along the timeline. Complete the animation dialog. You have just completed a timed animation. You can insert other actions into the timeline such as Sound, Show and Hide. These are the elements for creating a complex animation.

6

Step 5: Exporting

This is a very simple process as Mediator does most of the work. Ensure you save your work Select File>Create Distribution Files>Quick Select Flash or HTML in the dialog, then OK. A dialog opens asking if you want to optimise the pictures in your project. This will compress the pictures for faster loading. Distinction students must provide evidence of Optimisation for the web (use a screenshot). Click Yes. At this point Mediator starts exporting all your pages. When the Publish dialog appears Mediator is finished exporting your files.

Select the Preview button to view your animation, or Open Folder to view the files.

All the necessary files are saved in a folder (which you can rename later). If you exported as HTML, double click the file Index to run. If you exported as Flash, the file will be the name you assigned the page you created your animation on (Page1 by default: check the page list on your Mediator workspace).

Summary. You have: Created a Mind Map for reviewing existing animations; Created you own animation suitable for using on the web; Utilised timings to create a complex animation; Exported your animation to Flash or HTML, and viewed it. This meets the requirements specified by OCR for the review and creation of a web animation.

7