Introduction to Director

1
Introduction to Director

• IMIP 2005 Week 5 Alexandros Andronikos
• a.andronikos_at_staffs.ac.uk

2
What is Multimedia !!!
3
What do we expect from you ???

• To produce an interactive multimedia application
  for CD or DVD (8 screens)
• To produce a Portfolio that will support the
  application (1500 words)
• To be able to use advanced features of
• Adobe Photoshop
• Macromedia Director
• To identify the importance of interactive
  multimedia applications

4
Interactive Multimedia Applications

• An interactive multimedia application must
• Provide clear selectable options (interaction)
• Enable the user to participate
• Keep the user active and interested
• Try to keep the interaction with the user clear
  and simple
• Do not overload the pages with multiple
  multimedia elements
• Provide the user with the ability to backtrack
• Due to various brain stimulations the user must
  be given clear messages in order to keep track of
  the changes and re-directions

5
Macromedia Director MX 2004

• Director is an authoring tool utilised for the
  implementation of
• Presentations
• Promotional CDs- DVDs
• Games
• Other
• It consists of two parts
• the authoring tool itself (for building the
  application),
• and a standalone projector (exe file).
• For use on the Internet the Shockwave format is
  available

6
Director Interface
7
Director Interface Analytical

• The main elements that are located on the
  Director Interface during the design of a
  multimedia application are
• Tools
• Stage
• Cast Member
• Score
• Control Panel
• Paint Window

8
Tools

• With the offered tools the user is enabled to
  resize text segments and create interaction
  components.
• The text tool on this window should really be
  used as the default for text creation as resizing
  is very important in multimedia design.
• In case a graphic is resized the user must be
  able to adjust the text segment accordingly.

9
Stage

• The Stage is the area where the application is
  put together and viewed when completed.
• To do this, cast members can be dragged onto the
  stage so they will appear on it when the
  application is run.
• By dragging a cast member onto the stage it is
  automatically assigned a place and time duration
  in the Score Window.

10
Cast Member

• The Cast Member Window houses artwork created
  in the Paint Window, a cell for each Paint
  Window of the application.
• It forms a library of all the cast members that
  can be included on the stage, and therefore run
  in the application.

11
Score

• The Score enables timing details to be set for
  the presentation.
• The score consists of a time -line with the time
  dimension running from leftto right.
• Cast member on the stage is assigned a specific
  time frame (automatically) for when it will
  appear in the presentation.

12
Control Panel

• When the presentation is complete the Control
  Panel Window can be used to run the presentation.
  
• This works in the same way as a cassette deck as
  the presentation can be played, fast forwarded,
  or paused.

13
Paint Window

• The Paint Window is used to create artwork for
  the multimedia application.
• Everything that is drawn or loaded into the Paint
  Window is automatically assigned a location in
  the Cast Member.

14
Windows Relationship
15
Starting a Director project

• Gather all the files needed for the project
• Categorize all the files that will be used in
  folders based on their type
• Images
• Audio
• Video
• Identify the screen size for the application
  (800x600 / 1024 x 768 etc)

16
During a Director Project

• Name all the items in the cast member accordingly
  in order to identify them easier and track any
  changes.
• Do not leave items that you do not intend to use
  at the specific screen. This will increase the
  file size and make the application heavier.
• Save regularly and keep multiple backups.

17
Finishing a Director Project

• Again make sure that you have not left any items
  that you do not intend to use at the specific
  screen.
• Save your presentation (again).
• Finally publish your presentation into a
  Projector file (exe).
• Test your application before you hand it in. If
  you identify any problems with the hardware at
  the labs let us know. We will make sure that it
  will be fixed.

18
Software

• Macromedia Director MX 2004
• (30 day trial version)
• http//www.macromedia.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?p
  roductdirector
• Macromedia Shockwave Player
• http//sdc.shockwave.com/shockwave/download/downlo
  ad.cgi

19
Internet Resources

• Macromedia Director Developer Centre
• http//www.macromedia.com/devnet/director/
• Macromedia Director Documentation
• http//www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en
  /director/

20
Bibliography

• Macromedia Director MX 2004 for Windows and
  Macintosh ,
• by Mark Schaeffer and Andre Persidsky,
• Class no 006.786DIR
• ISBN/ISSN 0321246675
• Macromedia Director MX 2004 bible ,
• by Brian Underdahl and others
• Class no 006.786DIR
• ISBN/ISSN 0764569902
• Macromedia Director MX 2004 ,
• by Dave Mennenoh
• Class no 006.786DIR
• ISBN/ISSN 0321223659

21
The End

• Any questions???