Help:COAP-2110/hw1

Homework 1

COAP 2110 - Fall 1 2007 - Week 2

Assignment

Think about a simple animation that you would like to create, e.g. something that could evolve into a comic strip, a splash page, a moving logo, an explanatory animation, etc. Then create a Flash file that includes:

• At least a frame-by-frame animation
• At least a motion tween
• Some sort of background

Submission date and format

• To be returned by Monday, at start of week 3 lesson
• Use the following Flash file name p1-familyname-firstname.fla, e.g.

p1-miller-joe.fla

... I must be able to distinguish these files and we want to avoid overwriting.

Just bring the *.fla to class. I will tell you where to transfer it.

Other constraints

• Reuse of objects: 1/3 must be drawn by yourself, max. 1/3 imported but customized, max. 1/3 imported as is. (So you also can do everything by yourself).
• The motion tween must be made by yourself.
• You must fill in a document description using a template (see below)
• Note: A motion tween that includes frame-by-frame changes (i.e. several tweens in a row) does count as both frame-by-frame and motion animation).
• Homework projects are individual. If you work with others, make sure that the individual projects differ, i.e. the "reuse of objects" criteria above apply.

Evaluation criteria - bonus and malus points

1. Purpose - Does the animation fit the purpose ? / ergonomics (i.e. can we understand the "message" ?): -/0/+
2. Artwork - Aesthetic quality of the animation: --/0/+/++
3. Complexity - e.g. use of a motion guide: -/0/+/++
   • however there will be a threshold, make it rather simple and perfect than difficult and complicated
4. Task requirements - Does the work respect the task and the constraints ? --/-/0/+
5. Documentation - Quality of the document description: -/0/+
6. Errors - Presence/Absence of errors: --/-/0
7. Global - Overall coherence, a bonus for the coherence of all elements: +

Grading

• I will use a simple 1-4 point grading scale and add/remove points according to evaluation criteria
• Late homework policy: See the syllabus

The document description

Your p1-xxx-xxx.fla file must include a document description.

• Insert it with menu Modify->Document
• Enter a title and description
• You may first cut/paste the template below into a notepad and edit, then paste contents to Flash.
• Please keep the titles surrounded by "===" and use "*" for bullets as in the example that follows.

Cut/paste this template:

=== Author and Date ===


=== Objectives ===
 
 
=== Production steps (summary) ===
 
  
=== Difficulties and self-evaluation ===
 
 
=== Credits and bibliography ===

Example:

=== Author and Date ===
Daniel K. Schneider, sept 1 2007.

=== Objectives ===

A flying rocket that I could insert on top of a web page to give it a feel of dynamism.
It should be flaming, not just moving.
 
=== Production steps (summary) ===

* Copied a rocket in SVG from the Internet
* Made a frame-by-frame animation with 4 frames
* I broke apart the rocket and changed size and shape of the flames
* Saved this animation as a *.swf file
* Imported the rocket to a new file
* Made the rocket smaller and turned it with the transform tool
* Changed background to blue
* Made a motion tween from right to left (rocket will enter and leave the stage)
  
=== Difficulties and self-evaluation ===
 
* I didn't find this difficult.
* Please teach me how to stop the animation.
* I am quite happy with the result, but I think that the flame animation could be improved,
  i.e. the flames are hard to see in the motion animation.

=== Credits and bibliography ===

* Rocket: http://commons.uncyclomedia.org/wiki/Image:Rocket.svg
* I just used the handouts and textbook

Hints

• Go for something that is simple, e.g. animation of something with "sticks" is just fine.
• Type of background depends on your objectives, it can be just a color.
• Use this exercise to prototype some feature of your term project.
• Remember the academic honesty policy ! Homework without credits given to external resources used will be refused.