COAP:COAP-2110: Difference between revisions

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* Focus on quality.
* Focus on quality.


=== Evaluation grid used ===
=== Evaluation grid ===
I finally didn't use this, but sorted productions into three piles
A  = Very good
A- = almost very good
B- = pretty good
B  = good
 
If had applied the grid, some would have received lower marks. In particular there were missing reports and
doubtful code (e.g. strange tweens).


* O: Clear objectives and that are met (global coherence): -/0/++
* O: Clear objectives and that are met (global coherence): -/0/++

Revision as of 21:14, 16 October 2007

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Introduction

This is the resource page for my Fall I 2007 Webanimation (Flash) COAP 2110 course at Webster University, Geneva. This page does not replace the official syllabus file, but it allows students to navigate more efficiently through the materials

Course level learning outcomes (roughly)
  1. Know the organization and tools of the Macromedia CS3 Flash Desktop
  2. Create simple drawings
  3. Frame-by-frame, motion and shape animations
  4. Creating and using layers
  5. Reusable Flash: symbols, instances and templates
  6. Incorporating non-Flash media files (graphics, sound and video)
  7. Create animated Splash pages in Flash
  8. Simple interactivity in Flash, e.g. use of buttons and some action script
Teaching materials
  • Flash tutorials in this wiki
  • Veer, E.A. Vander and Chris Grover (2007). Flash CS3: The Missing Manual. ISBN 0596510446 - 527 pages.
  • Flash Tutorials on the Internet
Reference and overviews
Tips of the week
  • Lock layers when you don't work with them !

Program

The program will be adjusted according to students' progress. However, grading scheme, homework policy and such will remain stable.

Week 1

Elements of the Flash Desktop
Creating simple Drawings

Topics: Stage size, Drawing modes, Selecting objects, Drawing and painting tools, Erasing and alignment, Colors, Adding text

Simple use of Layers
Importing clipart and textures

Week 2

Frame-by-frame animation
Introduction to motion animation

Week 3

More about drawing / Transformation of graphic objects
Shape tweening

Week 4

Introduction to buttons and some ActionScript

Mid-term Exam (Week 4)

I will test points mentioned in the Flash animation summary (read this to check what you should know)

  • Contents: You will receive a *.fla file to complete/repair. Several tasks must be completed, some easy and some more difficult.

Prepare for the following subjects:

  • Motion guide tweening
  • Motion tweening with a shape modification (simple transform or tint)
  • Shape tweening
  • Color gradients
  • Simple transforms (e.g. size)
  • Drawing (only a little bit)

Other information:

  • All materials are allowed (e.g. books, handouts, web pages)
  • Use of communication tools is strictly forbidden (no chat, no mail, etc.). No talking between students. Offenders may get an F.

Week 5

  • Using sound and the button component
  • The Term project
Discussion
  • Some past homework
  • mid-term exam and term projects
  • planning of term projects, the design process
  • What do we mean by "quality?"
Flash components
Sounds

Week 6

IMPORTANT: The Wednesday October 3 class is cancelled. To catch up we decided to add 20 minutes to four classes, starting Monday, October 1.

Flash Video

Week 7

Special effects and masks (Monday)
Interactivity (Wednesday)
Publishing on a web site (Wednesday)
  • Copy all the files *.swf *.js *.html and resources (e.g. sound or video)
  • Fix the generated HTML
  • You also may modify some publish settings
Term project / Homework 6 (Monday/Wednesday)
  • Work on homework 6 or term projects

Week 8

(provisional planning)

Presentation of term projects

Each student will present his/her term project. You will have to show the application on the teacher's machine and the projector. There is no need to prepare slides but be prepared to answer questions.

Final exam

The final exam will focus on interactivity.

Contents: You will receive a *.fla file to complete/repair. Several tasks must be completed, some easy and some more difficult.

Prepare for the following subjects:

  • Buttons:
    • Using library *.fla buttons (just change the label)
    • Using button components (label, change of width)
    • Making your own buttons from simple (!) drawings (including drawings for the different button states)
  • Videos and Sound:
    • Sound embedded into the timeline
    • Videos embedded into the timeline
    • Simple use of the video component
  • ActionScript:
  • You also should remember subjects from the previous exam (drawing and animation principles)

Not covered in the exam:

  • ActionScript program flow (e.g. if and switch statements)
  • Special effects
  • Video captions, Video cue points
  • Loading of external sources other than video.
  • Keypress events

Other information:

  • All materials are allowed (e.g. books, handouts, web pages)
  • Use of communication tools is strictly forbidden (no chat, no mail, etc.). No talking between students. Offenders may get an F.

Old Homework

Current homework

Homework 6

COAP 2110 - Fall 1 2007 - Week 7

Assignment

Create a flash application. Please choose from one of the two following options:

  1. Create a Flash animation that includes at least two special effects, i.e. built-in timeline effects or mask layers.
  2. Create a Flash animation that uses some ActionScript instructions. I require at least 2 "constructs" that are different from timeline navigation, e.g. gotoAndPlay(), gotoAndStop(), stop (). For example, you can play flash movies with "play()" or change properties of objects on the stage, e.g. change their position or hide/unhide these.
Reuse of prior homework
  • If you wish you may reuse artwork and animations from previous homework (in any way you like). But this is by no means an obligation nor does it have an influence on grading. However, make sure to improve drawing, animation, navigation etc. if you didn't get a top grade for previous work.
Submission date and format
  • To be returned by Monday, at start of week 8 lesson
  • Use the following Flash file name p6-familyname-firstname.fla, e.g.
p6-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 artwork and movie clips: 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).
  • There is no restriction on the subject, e.g. you can do a slide show or motion/shape/frame animations.
  • You can import sound and video from any source (so the 1/3 rule doesn't apply for these).
  • You must fill in a document description using the same template as in homework 1.
  • 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.
  • If you reuse old homework, make sure that certain errors are fixed (e.g. use only a single non-editable object in a motion tween). Also get rid of unused tween objects in your library. These are most often indicators of badly done tweens. Finally, try to improve the aesthetics of your drawings.
  • Your *.fla should be error free. No broken tweens, no strange tween objects in your library, etc.
Evaluation criteria - bonus and malus points
  1. Purpose - Does the animation fit the purpose ? / ergonomics (i.e. can we understand the "message", does the user understand the buttons ?): -/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. Flash documentation - Good layer and symbol names for example: -/0
  7. Errors - Presence/Absence of errors: --/-/0
  8. 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 above
  • Roughly, a plus or minus is worth about 0.2 points on a 1-4 scale.
  • Late homework policy: See the syllabus
The document description

Your xxx.fla file must include a document description.

  • Insert it with menu Modify->Document
  • Enter a title and description
  • See the template

Term project

Date

  • Due Monday, October 15
  • Each student will shortly present his/her project. Prepare for questions.

Kinds of projects

The term project can take several forms, e.g.

  • A splash page
  • A multimedia presentation (audio, pictures, movie clips etc.)
  • An educational animation (explaining a concept)
  • An animated comic strip
  • A sophisticated animated logo
  • Part of a game (difficult)

There is no obligation to use all techniques learnt so far.

Constraints and major evaluation criteria

  • Clear objectives and that are met
  • Aesthetics
  • Usability
  • Good code

You may reuse 1/3 of imported artwork as is, 1/3 imported and modified. 1/3 must be drawn by yourself.

Elements that must be included

  • Button that leads to a credits page
  • A 1-page report (as Word, PDF or HTML File) handed in separately. Use the same kind of structure as in the homework template, but make it a bit longer and better than for a typical homework.

Advice

  • Make it a reasonable project
  • Typically, it should not exceed three times the length of a typical homework project
  • Focus on quality.

Evaluation grid

I finally didn't use this, but sorted productions into three piles 

A  = Very good
A- = almost very good
B- = pretty good
B  = good

If had applied the grid, some would have received lower marks. In particular there were missing reports and doubtful code (e.g. strange tweens).

  • O: Clear objectives and that are met (global coherence): -/0/++
  • A: Aesthetics: -/0/++
  • U: Usability: -/0/+
  • Q: Good code and Flash documentation: -/0/+
  • R: Report and credits "page": -/0/++
  • C: Complexity: -/0/++
  • L: Late/no presentation: -
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