chapter

Authoring and
multimedia
Multimedia has become the most
widely used application of
information and software
technology. Without multimedia,
very few of us would use the World
Wide Web, and DVDs would
probably not have replaced
videotapes for popular
entertainment.
Creating multimedia products is
sometimes called authoring
it is like writing a novel. The
multimedia author must plan
every aspect of the product
carefully. The way that the
information is presented is just as
important as the information
itself. The author must make sure
that the product meets all of its
objectives and holds the attention
of the audience. In this option, we
will look at the features of
multimedia products and the
processes involved in their
creation.
The practical activities shown in
this chapter use standard, entrylevel software packages that most
schools and individuals may have
already for developing multimedia
products. This does not prevent
you from using other software
for the practical work which
complements the theory covered
in this text.

2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5

Multimedia products

2.6

Graphical user interface and

design principles

2.7
2.8

Scripts and storyboards

Multimedia data types

Designing a multimedia product
Authoring software systems
Practical skills Using
authoring systems

Project Creating a
multimedia product

Additional content on the CD-ROM:

2.9 Innovation in multimedia

A student:

5.2.1 describes and applies

problem-solving processes
when creating solutions

5.2.2 designs, produces and

evaluates appropriate
solutions to a range of
challenging problems

5.2.3 critically analyses

decision-making processes
in a range of information
and software solutions.

animation
audio
authoring tool
background
chart
clip art

graph
graphical user
interface (GUI)
graphics
hyperlink
hypermedia

hypertext
interactivity
kiosk
multimedia
navigation button
photograph

script
storyboard
text
thumbnail
video

2.1 Multimedia products

Multimedia is a software application that uses
different media such as text, images, sounds,
animation and video to deliver a message.
Before computers, multimedia was limited to films,
television and books with pictures. With these types
of media, the message is always delivered in a set
order and the user has little or no control over the
way it is presented.
Computers introduced interactivity to
multimedia so that the user and the technology can
communicate with each other. This gives the user
greater control over the multimedia presentation.
As well as controlling the speed of the presentation,
users can decide which items will be presented and
the order in which they will appear. This makes it
possible for a single multimedia product to meet the
needs of many different users.
Computers have also made it easier for
multimedia designers to combine the different
types of media into a single product.
CDROM and DVD multimedia products now
contain text and graphics combined with sound
recordings, animations and video clips. Web pages
easily combine text with graphics, sounds,
animations and a limited amount of video.
Three areas where multimedia technology is
commonly used are:
education
entertainment
information.

Multimedia in education
Multimedia has grown to
take a major role in
education. From teaching
infants to count, to training
airline pilots to fly and land
in all weather conditions,
educational multimedia
products cover a very wide
range of activities.

18

Information and Software Technology

Assessing multimedia products

How do you judge the effectiveness of a multimedia product? Your answer
will depend on where the product will be used education, entertainment or
information and its target audience (children, school students, adults,
professionals or the general public).
Three questions that can be used to assess a multimedia product are:
1. Does the product meet its stated objectives?
An entertainment product will fail if users find it boring. An information
product will fail if its target audience cannot use it to find what they want.
An education product will fail if it does not teach a topic using instructions
that are easy to follow.
Multimedia in entertainment
Computer games are the most
widely used form of multimedia in
entertainment. For some people,
this is the main reason for owning
a computer. Computer gaming
also pushes information and
software technology to their limits
because of the realism that game
players often demand.

2. Does the user interface work? If the target audience gets lost or confused
by the instructions or navigation system, then the product is not usable
and it has failed.
3. Is the content accurate? If the information provided does not agree with
the information from other sources, such as encyclopedias, then the
product has failed. Accuracy is not always important in entertainment
multimedia otherwise, computer games that included fire-breathing
dragons would be impossible!

can you?

Multimedia in information
Multimedia is a proven and
effective way to inform people
and even to influence the
decisions they make. Television
advertising is probably the best
known example of this use of
multimedia.

identify the different

media in multimedia
products?
describe the areas where
multimedia is used?
judge the effectiveness
of a multimedia product?

Remember
1. List the types of media
found in multimedia
products.
2. Name three areas where
multimedia technology is
used.
3. Identify three questions
that can be used to assess
a multimedia product.

Think
4. What is meant by realism
in computer games?
5. How would adding more
realism push information
and software technology to
their limits?

Authoring and multimedia

19

2.2 Multimedia data types

Web image

Before you start, have you completed the

following units?
4.2 Graphic digital media and products
4.3 Audio digital media and products
4.4 Video and animation digital media and
products
10.1 Data and information

Images displayed on the Web and directly

from a CD will be affected by different
problems and decisions.

10.4 Data sources and types

All of the following data types, which are covered in

CD image

this course, can be found in multimedia products:

text and hypertext
graphics and hypermedia
audio
animations and video.

Text and hypertext

Text is still our most important source of
information. Most of the information in this book,
for example, is displayed as text. Most written
languages have an alphabet of individual symbols
that we call text characters. Text also includes all the
symbols used for numbers and punctuation.
Hypertext is text organised and displayed so that,
when selected (for example, when clicked with a
mouse), new information will be shown. Hypertext
is used to link the different parts of a multimedia
product.

Graphics and hypermedia

Graphics includes photographs, drawings, charts
and screen icons. Graphics, like text, is a major
source of information. A picture or drawing can give
as much information as a page of text.
The biggest problem caused by graphics is the
battle between image quality and file size. This is an
important issue for multimedia products that will be
displayed on the Web. Web designers will normally
reduce the size and quality of their graphics so that
they can be transmitted as quickly as possible.
Another important issue for multimedia products
is the display or graphics resolution that will be used.

20

Information and Software Technology

Hypertext uses text data to create links to other information.

The last official display standard for multimedia was

released in 1996 and is now out of date. However, a
common multimedia display format used today is
800 x 600 pixels and 16.7 million colours.
Hypermedia is any display object (such as a
graphic or text) that can link you to new information.
Hypertext is the text version of hypermedia.

Audio
Audio adds sounds, voices and music to a
multimedia product and can be an important part of
any multimedia product. Voice recordings can
provide commentary for images and video clips or
can give spoken instructions to the user. Background
music may add to the appeal of a product. Special
sound effects, such as button clicks, can be used to
assist a user.
Adding short sound clips to a multimedia product
is not normally difficult. However, adding highquality audio data, such as recordings of musical
performances, will take a lot of storage space.

Using a small video playback area is a common compromise when

adding video to a multimedia product.

Animations and video

Adding video and animation to a multimedia
product can greatly improve its appeal and
effectiveness. It will also increase the number of
problems that the designer will have to solve. Even a
short video clip of only a few seconds can take up
megabytes of storage space.
Usually a designer will be forced to make
compromises when adding video to a multimedia
product. Reducing the size of the video playback area
to about one-quarter of the full screen size and
slowing down the frame rate (frames per second) can
save an enormous amount of storage space and make
it possible to play the video on older and slower
computer systems.

Remember
1. What is the difference between text and
hypertext?
2. What is hypermedia?
Special sound effects

describe the features of data used in

multimedia products?

Think
3. With more interesting data types available
(animation, video, audio), why is text still so
important?
4. Why do the graphics, audio and video data
types cause problems for multimedia?

Authoring and multimedia

21

2.3 Designing a multimedia product

Before you start, have you completed the
following units?
2.2 Multimedia data types
4.9 Displaying and distributing digital media
10.6 Data storage and function
12.3 Legal and security issues
12.4 Ethical issues

Using data types

To create their multimedia products, multimedia
designers combine some or all of the data types that
we have discussed in 2.2 Multimedia data types. In
this section, we look at some of the issues that they
and you need to consider when combining
text, graphics, video, animation and audio.

Text
Text can be used in many different ways in a
multimedia product:
titles to identify a page or screen, an image or a
section of text
button labels to identify the purpose of a
hyperlink
hypertext to link to other information
bullet points to provide summaries
blocks of text (paragraphs) to provide more
detailed information
scrolling text boxes the most convenient way to
include a large quantity of text.

Title

Bullet point

Text block
Hypertext

/figure 2.3.1 provided screen

image showing typical uses for
text with added labels

Scrolling
text box

Button text

Using text in a multimedia product

22

Information and Software Technology

Graphics
There are so many different types of graphics, and so
many different ways that they can be used, that care
must be taken when using this data type. Some
important issues to consider are:
backgrounds graphic designs or images that
fill the blank area of a screen. Should a
background be related to the theme of the
product? Will the background clash with the text
and other graphics?
photographs images taken with a digital or
film camera and often one of the main reasons for
creating a multimedia product. How much space
will they need? How will they relate to other types
of data; for example, how will they be used with
text data?
thumbnails miniature versions of a large
graphic, usually a photograph, and often used as
hyperlinks. Are their contents clearly visible? Will
they need text labels?

charts and graphs used to represent a set of

numbers. They can replace a screen full of
numbers but choose the type of chart or graph
carefully. Does it provide meaningful information
or will it confuse users? Do the colours used in a
chart or graph clash with the screen background?
clip art general-purpose computer graphics,
usually drawings. Clip art is available for use in a
wide range of different applications but it can
make a product look amateurish. Is each item of
clip art closely related to the content? Is it there to
inform or entertain, or is it just filling an empty
space?
navigation buttons graphic icons, usually
resembling keyboard buttons, which form
hyperlinks in a multimedia product. Navigation
buttons should have a consistent design and
screen position throughout the product. Do they
look like navigation buttons or decorations? Do
they stand out against the background?

Thumbnails

Photograph

Background

Clip art

Navigation buttons

Using graphics in a multimedia product

Authoring and multimedia

23

Video and animation

Videos and animations can greatly improve the
appeal and effectiveness of a multimedia product.
They can also cause major problems if you do not
consider the following display and distribution
issues:
Do the videos and animations fit the theme and
goals of the product? Do they inform (in an
information or education product) or entertain
(in an entertainment product)? Do they improve
the product?
How will they be displayed? What playback area
and speed (frames per second) will be used? Will
they play reliably on older and slower systems?
How much storage space will they need? How will
this affect transmission times if distributed on the
Web?
Audio
Audio can improve a multimedia product, as do
videos and animations, but you must consider
carefully the following display issues before adding
this data type.
Are special sound effects useful or annoying?
Adding sounds such as click noises when a
navigation button is pressed can either help or
annoy users. Should users be able to turn some
sound effects off while leaving other sounds on?
Does the background music fit the product
theme? Is it a distraction? How much storage
space or transmission time will it need?
Are the narration voice and recorded sounds
clear? Do they add to the displayed information?
Is the narration suitable for the target audience?
Can the user stop, pause and replay the
recordings?

Multimedia products rely very heavily on

displaying quality images, videos and sounds quickly.
Computer systems that display multimedia products
usually have high-quality, video display systems and
their users will expect to see high-quality images and
videos. For these systems, the Web also has a number
of serious disadvantages and, for many multimedia
developers, the disadvantages of the Web will
outweigh its advantages.
Using CDs and DVDs
CDs and DVDs have been the most common
methods of distributing multimedia products. It is
not hard to see why. If your multimedia product uses
high-quality images, and video and audio data,
distribution will almost certainly have to be on CD
or DVD. This will ensure that images and data are
displayed at a reasonable rate; you can not be sure of
this over the Web. Dont assume that all of your
target audience will have fast broadband Internet
connections.
However, distribution through CDs and DVDs
also presents problems. The DVD movies and audio
CDs that you rent or buy are pressed which means
that the data are physically pressed into their surfaces
using glass master discs. Pressed CD/DVD formats
are the only ones that are guaranteed to work on all
CD and DVD drives and players. CD and DVD
burners use a variety of different data formats and
the recordings they create will not necessarily play on
all drives and players.

Distributing multimedia products

Multimedia products are usually distributed on the
Web or on optical disc (either CD or DVD). The
distribution medium will affect the quality and style
of the product required so the choice will have to be
made before the multimedia designers start work.
Using the Web
Using the Web to distribute any type of software or
graphics product has a number of advantages as
shown in the diagram at the top of the next page.

24

Information and Software Technology

Using videos/animation in a multimedia product

The advantages and

disadvantages of
using the Web or
CD/DVD media to
distribute
multimedia

Disadvantages

Advantages

Faster distribution

Video and audio display problems

Quicker updates

Lower image quality

Lower cost

Possible download problems

Using the Web to distribute multimedia

Disadvantages

Advantages

Higher quality

Higher cost

No download problems

Disc may not be compatible with all systems

Better copyright control

Fast updates not possible

Using CD/DVD media to

distribute multimedia

identify the issues involved in using

the different multimedia data types?
describe the problems involved in
distributing a multimedia product?

Give the Internet a bone

The Internet was not designed with multimedia
data in mind. Therefore, while the Internet delivers
text data and still graphics very well, it is not as
useful for sending live or real-time video and audio
data.
The problem is caused by the way the Internet
moves data between computers. The Internet
divides the data into individual packets that can
travel by completely different routes to reach their
destination. The packets often arrive out of order
and some may even be lost and have to be re-sent.
This can cause delays that make it impossible to
receive a steady video or audio signal.
One solution that has been developed is Mbone
short for Multicast Backbone. In this system, the
data packets are kept together so that they travel
via the same route to their destination. This makes
it possible to deliver a steady stream of video and
audio data. The packets can also be sent to several
different destinations at the same time, which
makes simultaneous web broadcasting possible.
To work correctly, Mbone requires special web
servers and web addresses.

Remember
1. List four different ways that text can be used in
multimedia.
2. What problems do photographs create when
used as screen backgrounds?
3. Identify two problems caused by distributing
multimedia on the Web.
4. Identify a possible problem with using CDs or
DVDs to distribute multimedia.

Think
5. Identify a display problem that can be solved by
using image thumbnails.
6. Would it be practical to design a product for
distribution both on the Web and on CD or DVD?
Explain.

Investigate
7. What are the different CD and DVD formats that
are available for use with multimedia? What
problems do they create and what solutions
(if any) are available?

Authoring and multimedia

25

2.4 Authoring software systems

A major part of the multimedia design process is
selecting the right tools to use. One item of software
that is vital when creating a multimedia product is
the authoring tool. This is a program or a set of
programs that lets a designer combine the different
multimedia data into a single product. There are
three types of authoring software systems for
multimedia:
card-based tools
time-based tools
icon-based tools.

Card-based tools
These tools create a multimedia product as a series
of cards, pages or slides. Each card can contain
any or all of the different multimedia data types.
The user can move through the cards in order
(like a slide show) or they can select one to view
next.
Simple card-based multimedia products are very
easy to create. They are ideal for situations where the
content can be divided into separate cards or pages

for viewing. However, the page layout makes it

difficult for the designers to see all the links and
where they lead.

Time-based tools
These multimedia tools organise the content and
events (such as playing an animation or a sound)
along a timeline. This gives the designer a great deal
of control over exactly when things happen.
Time-based multimedia tools work best when you
have a message with a beginning and an end. The
simplest time-based products will run like a TV
commercial with no control by the user. In the more
complicated products, the user can select different
paths to the end, and even have different endings.
Time-based tools are usually very good at managing
interactive animations, such as computer games, that
are controlled directly by the user.
Products that contain a large number of links
are difficult to manage using time-based tools
because the timeline normally does not show
the links.

Microsoft PowerPoint is a card- or page-based multimedia authoring tool.

26

Information and Software Technology

Multimedia authoring and

computer programming are
often considered to be very
different activities. In reality,
the differences between them
are not nearly so obvious.
A multimedia author works
with display objects such as
graphics, animations and text.
Authoring involves placing
these objects into a set order
and controlling how the user
interacts with the displays.

Macromedia Flash is a time-based multimedia authoring tool.

Icon-based tools

can you?

These tools look like flow

charts, with symbols or icons
representing multimedia data
and controls. Special icons are
used to represent actions such
as displaying text or playing an
animation. Other icons represent
controls, such as waiting for a
mouse click or accepting data
typed at the keyboard. The
different paths that a user can take
through a presentation are shown
as different branches of the flow
chart. Icon-based tools show all

the links, which makes

it easy to develop a
complicated product.
However, many
people find icon-based
tools hard to use. The
use of different icons to
represent multimedia
content (such as
images, text, buttons)
makes it difficult for a
designer to see the
actual content. Each
icon has to be opened to see what
data, actions or controls it
contains.
Icon-based authoring tools are
now used mainly for training
presentations.

Most modern programming

languages also allow a
programmer to work with
display objects such as
graphics, animation and text.
These languages allow the
programmer to place these
objects into a set order and
control how the user interacts
with the displays.
However, multimedia
authoring systems are much
easier to learn than
programming languages and
are faster at producing
finished multimedia products.

Remember
1. What are the three types
of multimedia authoring
tools?
2. What is the purpose of an
authoring tool?

Think

identify the advantages

and limitations of
authoring software?

3. Identify the features you

would consider important
when choosing an
authoring tool to develop a
multimedia product.

justify your selection of

the authoring software
to be used for a
multimedia product?

4. Identify the advantages

and disadvantages of the
three types of authoring
tools.

Authoring and multimedia

27

2.5 P RA C T I C A L S K I L L S
Using authoring systems
Before you start, have you completed the
following unit?
2.4 Authoring software systems

Creating an interactive multimedia slide

presentation
In this activity, you will create a Microsoft PowerPoint
layout or template that can be modified easily to
produce a basic, interactive multimedia product.
The template will use the action-control features of
PowerPoint to create a set of linked presentations.
This exercise will involve creating four separate
PowerPoint presentations. As shown in screen 1, the
menu presentation will contain a single slide. This
will act as a menu screen with links to the other three
presentations, which will work as normal
PowerPoint presentations.
To allow easy navigation through the final
product, the slides in each of the three main
presentations will have links to:
the menu slide
the first and last slides in that presentation
the next and previous slides in that presentation.
These links will be achieved through a common
navigation control bar added to each of the slides.
The navigation bar can be made from separate
graphic icons placed alongside each other to create
the impression of a single graphic. Suitable icons are
available on the CD-ROM, as AutoShapes, and as
Clip Art in PowerPoint, or you may prefer to make
your own.

The practical activities in this unit assume that you

have suitable software on your system. The main
exercise uses Microsoft PowerPoint but we also
show an example using Macromedia Flash. Other
programs can be used but the commands, options
and results will be different.
Some of the PowerPoint files created here will be
used in the project at the end of this chapter.
See 4.10 Project Developing digital media
products for a basic description of how to create a
PowerPoint presentation.

Branch 1
MULTIOne

Main Menu
MULTIMenu

Branch 2
MULTITwo

Branch 3
MULTIThree

The basic plan for the multimedia presentation

go to technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/2-5/navicons

Sample navigation icons

Step 1 Creating the basic templates

The first step is to create the opening slide for each of
the four presentations.
a Start Microsoft PowerPoint and a new
presentation.
b Create each slide as a separate presentation, as
shown in screen 1. All four screens may be opened

28

Information and Software Technology

A kiosk is a multimedia display system that is

designed to operate in a public area, such as at a
museum display or an information desk, where
anyone can use the computer to view the product.
Multimedia kiosks often rely on touch screens,
very simple keyboards or point-and-click
controls, such as trackballs, for their user inputs.

Free clip art, animation,

image and sound resources

Screen 1 The initial slides for each of

the four presentation templates

in PowerPoint at the same time.

In the menu slide, separate text
and graphics boxes have been
added to provide the links to each
of the three main presentations.
For this exercise, you can use
PowerPoint Clip Art.
c The usual PowerPoint
method of moving from one slide
to the next in a Slide Show is to
click the mouse anywhere on the
screen. We will need to turn off
this feature.
In each of the four
presentations, open the Slide
Show menu and select Set Up
Show.
Select Browsed at a kiosk (full
screen) from the Show Type
options. Leave the Slides setting
at All and the Advance slides
setting at Manually (see
screen 2).
d Save each presentation using
the title shown on the slide as the
presentation filename.

/figure 2.5.3 provided

screen image Caption:

Screen 2 Setting the slide show features

One of the features of many authoring systems is their ability to create

presentation templates. These allow you to create a general layout,
sometimes called a style guide or pattern, which can be reused with
different presentations or to set the style of all the pages or slides in a
single presentation. The template contains set styles and place holders
for text, graphics, navigation buttons and other multimedia elements.
Real data can be dropped into these place holders when a presentation
is being built.

P R A C T I C A L S K I L L S Using authoring systems

29

P R A C T I C A L S K I L LS Using authoring systems

Step 2 Adding the menu links
When you have saved the
presentations, you can hyperlink
them to the main menu.
a Go to the menu slide and use
the right mouse button to select the
first menu graphic that will be
linked to the first of the three main
presentations as shown in screen 3.
b Select Action Settings from
the drop-down menu.
c In the Action Settings dialog
box shown in screen 4, select the
Hyperlink to: control button and
click on its drop-down menu bar.
d Click the list entry named
Other PowerPoint Presentation.
This will open a file dialog box.
e Select and hyperlink to the
first main presentation you saved
(named MULTIOne in this
exercise). Click OK.

Screen 3 Setting the first menu link

/figure 2.5.5- provided

screen image with
important parts labelled

Screen 4 Selecting the link destination

30

Information and Software Technology

f If you have already added extra slides to

this presentation, then you will be asked to
select which slide to link to. Select the first
slide.
g Repeat steps 2a to 2f for the text
next to the menu picture so that it
will also hyperlink to the first main
presentation. This completes the
links from the menu slide to the first
main presentation.
h Repeat steps 2a to 2g to link the
graphic and text for the second
menu item to the second
presentation (MULTITwo in this
exercise), and for the graphic and
text for the third menu item to the
third presentation (MULTIThree).
i Test the links from the menu
slide by opening the Slide Show
menu and selecting View Show, or
by simply pressing function key [F5] .
At this stage, the links are one-way
with no return links from each of the
three main presentations back to the
menu slide.

Step 3 Adding the navigation

bar
This step uses the CD-ROM,
which contains each item
required in the navigation bar.
PowerPoint also has a set of icon
buttons in its Action Buttons
located in the Slide Show menu.
To insert graphic icons to create
the navigation bar:
a Start on the opening slide of
the first main presentation
(MULTIOne).
b Open the Insert menu, select
Picture and then From File.
c Select the CD-ROM drive
and the <technology/on-the-

c In the Action Settings dialog

box, select the Hyperlink to:
control button and click on its
drop-down menu bar.
d Set the properties for each
button according to the data
shown in the table below.
Link buttons for the navigation bar
BUTTON ICON

HYPERLINK TO:

PRESENTATION NAME

First slide

Previous slide

Next slide

cdrom/chap02/2-5/navicons>

folder from the file dialog

window. Your network
administrator may have copied
the CD-ROM files to a file server
on your school network so please
ask your class teacher.
d Open the file named
first.gif and move it into
position at the bottom of the
slide as shown in screen 5.
e Screen 5 shows images of the
other icons used in the
navigation bar. Load each icon
and move it into position so that
it touches its neighbour and
creates the illusion of a single
graphic navigation bar.
Step 4 Adding links to the
navigation bar
To add links to the navigation bar
icons, use the same process
described in step 2 for adding
links to the menu slide.
a Use the right mouse button
to select a button icon.
b Select Action Settings from
the drop-down menu.

e Once all the links have

been set, the entire navigation
bar can then be copied to the
first slide in the other main
presentations.

Last slide

Other PowerPoint
presentation

MULTIMenu

Load each icon, then

position them next to
each other to create
the navigation bar.

Screen 5 Building the navigation bar

P R A C T I C A L S K I L L S Using authoring systems

31

P R A C T I C A L S K I L LS Using authoring systems

Step 5 Adding slides
New slides can be added to each presentation by
duplicating an existing slide.
a Open the Insert menu and select Duplicate Slide.
Everything on that slide, including the navigation
bar, will be copied onto the new slide. Create at least
two new slides for each of the main presentations.
b On the first slide in each main presentation, you
can remove the navigation icons that link to the first
and previous slides. Leave the other icons in their
original (and now off-centre) positions.

By keeping all the icons in their original positions

on all slides, it is possible for a user to click their
way forwards and backwards quickly through the
entire presentation without having to move the
mouse. Most users find it annoying if they have
to move the mouse to a new position because of
a sudden change in position of the navigation bar
icons.

c On the last slide, you can also remove the

navigation icons that link to the last and next slides.
Again, leave the other icons in their original
positions. Also, leave the gap between the menu link
icon and the others.

First slide

d Once you have enough slides, test the templates

by clicking on all the link icons.

Middle slides

e Make sure that you save all the presentations.

You have now completed four PowerPoint
presentations that are linked by hyperlinks (both
hypertext and hypermedia). These presentations can
be used as templates for a variety of different
multimedia products. We will reuse parts of this
presentation in the project in 2.8 Project Creating
a multimedia product.

32

Information and Software Technology

The navigation bar on the first, middle and last slides

go to technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/2-5

Flash file used on page 33

can you?

Extras
PowerPoint allows you to add many multimedia and
interactive features to a product. You could add some
of the following simple examples to the practice
presentation that we have created.
The Insert Clip Art tool allows you to add
graphics, motion clips (animations), and sounds
including background music.
All the multimedia data types can be imported
from saved data files.
The Action Settings for buttons and other objects
can be set to play a sound or reverse their colours
(highlight) when clicked or when the mouse
moves over them.
If you have the correct equipment, PowerPoint
will let you record and add your own sound files.

Last slide

create a simple presentation using a

multimedia authoring system?
import data into a multimedia authoring
system?

An interactive multimedia animation

An explanation of how to create multimedia using Macromedia Flash is beyond the scope of this book.
Macromedia Flash and other time-based authoring programs give designers some very powerful tools, including
complete programming languages that allow them to create very complicated interactive multimedia
applications.
This section provides a very simple example of how Macromedia Flash can be used to create an interactive
multimedia animation. You can test the animation on the CD-ROM.

In this animation,
the balls
movement can be
controlled by
clicking on the
arrows.

A Macromedia Flash interactive animation

In this simple animation, the user is able to control the direction in which a ball moves by clicking on one of four
arrows. To create this animation:
Four separate animations of the ball were created, one for each direction of movement. As you can see from
the timeline at the top of the screen above, each animation has its own control layer with set start and end
frames. The animations have been placed on the timeline so that they do not overlap each other.
The four control arrows and the stationary ball at the centre of the screen also have their own control layers
in the timeline, but they exist only in the first frame of the animation that single frame is used as both their
start and end frames.
The first frame also contains a stop command that will freeze the animation at that frame as soon as it starts
playing. The animation will wait until one of the four arrow buttons has been clicked.
Each button has been given an action that, when clicked, will jump the display to a particular frame in the
timeline (the start frame for one of the animated balls) and then play the animation from that point. The end
frame for each animated ball also contains a command that will jump the display back to the very first frame; the
stop command in the first frame will again freeze the animation.

P R A C T I C A L S K I L L S Using authoring systems

33

2.6 Graphical user interface and design

principles
Graphical user interface
design
The biggest advantage of
interactive multimedia is that a
user can take control of the flow
of information. A multimedia
designer can give the user control
by adding navigation buttons and
various selection devices such as
check boxes. These control
devices form part of the products
graphical user interface (GUI).
A GUI uses the mouse, dropdown menus, icons representing
computer operations such as
printing, and other devices to
give users a point-and-click
interface.
Navigation buttons
Navigation buttons have become
an obvious and important user
control device because most GUI
systems, such as Microsoft
Windows, use standard button
designs that most users can
recognise.
Problems may arise in
multimedia products if they use
unusual or unrecognisable
designs for their buttons. Once
you have decided on a particular
Standard GUI buttons

button design, that design should

be used throughout the product.
Here are some useful hints for
control and navigation buttons.
The mouse pointer should
change when it is over a
clickable object such as a
button. The button could also
change its appearance slightly
when the mouse pointer is
over it.
Design the buttons so that
something happens the instant
they are clicked this may be
a simple colour change, a
slightly different shape or look,

Information and Software Technology

Check boxes and option buttons

Check boxes can be used to let
users turn features, such as sound
effects, on or off. Option buttons
(sometimes called radio buttons)
allow users to choose one option
from a list of alternatives.

Selected check box

Selected
option button
Unselected check box

Unselected
option button

Check boxes and option buttons allow users to enter data and change the way a product is
presented.

Buttons have become popular tools because they use designs that most computer users
can recognise.

34

or playing a click sound. This

tells the user that their mouse
click has been detected. If the
user clicks a button but does
not see anything happen
(perhaps because there is a
delay in loading the new page),
they may think that the button
is not working.

Drop-down menus
Drop-down menus give users a
list of items to choose from.
Normally they will choose only
one item from the list but some
menus can be set to allow several
choices to be made.
Drop-down menus can help
users avoid typing and spelling
errors when entering data. For

example, entering the name of

your home state into a product
can be made much easier and
quicker if the user selects the state
name from a drop-down menu.

Design principles
Layout and balance of data
types
Good design is an art rather than
a science; multimedia designers
usually think of themselves as
artists rather than programmers.
However, designing good
computer graphics screens is a
skill that not all artists have.
One of the best ways to learn
good design principles is to
understand the most common
mistakes that computer graphic
designers make. You should avoid
the following examples of bad
design:
Crowding. Dont try to fill the
screen with information.
Empty spaces can make the
contents more noticeable and
easier to read.
Too many words. If you have a
lot of text to display, break it
up into small, readable blocks.
A scrolling text window can be
used to hold a large quantity
of text without taking up a lot
of screen space.
Fancy or frilly borders. These
can turn a good screen into
one that looks amateurish. If
you need borders then plain
and simple ones are best.
Clashing colours. Look at the
colours you have selected for
your backgrounds, text,
borders, buttons and other
screen objects. Do the colours
complement each other or
clash? Is the text on the screen
readable against the
background? A photograph

Drop-down menus let users select an item from a list.

used as a screen background

can cause colour clashes.
Annoying sound effects.
Buttons that play sharp, loud
sounds when clicked will
annoy users rather than help
them. Think carefully before
adding any special sound
effects to a product.
Repeating the same animation.
The first time an animation is
used it may be amusing or
informative but after that it
can become boring.
The jaconline website contains
a list of websites with information
on design principles for computer
graphics and multimedia.

use the graphical user

interface provided
with a multimedia
authoring product?
use design principles
in a range of
multimedia products?

Remember
1. Name three user control
devices that a designer can
add to a multimedia
product.
2. Why are user control
devices important in a
multimedia product?

Think
3. Why is good design an art
form rather than a science?
Computer graphics and
multimedia design guidelines

4. List the skills you would

need to be a good
multimedia designer.

Authoring and multimedia

35

2.7 Scripts and storyboards

Scripts
A script is a text description of
the multimedia product. It
describes:
the aims and objectives of the
product
the target audience
in general terms, the
multimedia contents of the
product.
The script is often used as
part of a proposal to get funding
or production approval for the
product. The script also helps
the designers understand the
purpose of the product and
gives them ideas on how it can
be developed so that it will
achieve its aims.

Storyboards
Movies, TV shows and even TV
commercials are all planned in
great detail. Part of this planning
is the creation of a storyboard
that describes every scene for the
actors, director and film crew.
The storyboard is usually
developed from the script.
Multimedia also relies on
storyboards to help the designers
and production staff to create the
product.
A traditional movie or TV
storyboard is very similar to a
comic book. It describes the story
as a series of separate drawings.
Each drawing represents a single
scene or a part of a scene in the
movie. A multimedia storyboard
is more complicated because it
must describe the different types
of media as well as the story.

36

Information and Software Technology

4. EXT SAVANNAH/GRASSLANDS

DAY

[CYRIL, BASIL, REX, CUB, LION PRIDE]

Across the plains something moves through the tall grass. The grass parts to reveal Basil
decked out in a safari suit, and Cyril, in his usual overalls.

CYRIL

Oh, Im Im sure the balloon came this way, Basil.

Basil pauses and in an exaggerated, mocking fashion scans the skies.

BASIL

(breathless) Well, I dont see it, Cyril! And a big balloon is pretty hard
to hide in a clear blue sky!!!

CYRIL

YeahMaybe they landed.

BASIL

Dont be silly why would they land in the middle of lion

country??[pauses, realising] Of course!! Theyre taking Leo home!!
Ieee

He puts his hat back on, and twirls his moustache evilly. As they walk, Basil turns his head to
address Cyril.

BASIL [CONT]

Now, to catch Blinky Bill, all we have to do is to find ourselves some

lionsI

Basil turns his head to the front to see a massive lion bounding straight at him!
REX

Roaarrhh!

Basils hat is blown clean off his head. His hair is blown flat as the lion draws closer. Basil
jumps up and lands in Cyrils arms. Cyril runs for some trees Suddenly his feet go out from
under him and a net snaps up around them. Cyril and Basil are flung into a tree. The net
bounces once or twice then comes to a rest and Basil and Cyril realise they are stuck in a
trap.
37a. BASIL

Ahooh.

37b. CYRIL

Ahooohaheh

37c. BASIL/CYRIL

Woah! Ahh!

BASIL

Youve outdone yourself this time Cyril!

38a. CYRIL

Oh.

Below them Rex, with a young Lion Cub on his back, and the rest of the Pride of Lions run
past as if being chased

Excerpt from a script for Blinky Bills Extraordinary Balloon Adventure 2004

Example storyboard for Blinky Bills Extraordinary Balloon Adventure 2004

Page 1 of 37

Multimedia Storyboard
Project Description Form
Project Title: Cradle Mountain
Script Created by: A. Wong
Date: 9 Jun 2004

Scene Number

Project Flow chart

1
2
3
4.1
5.1
6.1

4.1

An example of the first page in a multimedia

storyboard

Description

The first board identifies the separate scenes

in the product and shows how they are
linked.

Title screen
Set-up options
Menu screen
Tracks and Trails Menu
Flora and Fauna Menu
Visitor Information Menu

The table lists each scene with a very basic

description. In a web-based multimedia
product, each scene would be a different web
page linked to other pages by hyperlinks.

Continues on page 2

5.1

Every scene uses a set of separate

storyboards to describe its multimedia data.
There are separate storyboards for the
graphic images (animations and video clips),
audio and music, as well as for the
navigation icons.

6.1

Checked By:

Page

Multimedia Storyboard
Scene Description Form

Use extra forms if needed

Cradle Mountain
Project Title:
Scene Number: 3

7 of

Graphics Details:

Scene Stage Diagram indicate positions of graphics and text

Dove Lake
raphics Filename:
Dove Lake with Cradle Mountain in the
scription:
background
800 x 600 JPEG

creen Size and Format:

Cradle Mountain Virtual Tour

go to technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/2-7

All storyboard examples for

the Cradle Mountain project

Menu 1

Tracks and Trails

Menu 2

Flora and Fauna

Menu 3

Visitor Information

Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene
Original File:
CD07 DSCN0618
Graphics Filename:
Description:

200 x 150 JPEG

Screen Size and Format:
Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene
4.1
Original File:
CD07 DSCN0605
Graphics Filename:
Description:

Checked By:

Menu 2
King Billy pine

200 x 150 JPEG

Screen Size and Format:
5.1
Clip art
Photo
Hyperlink to Scene
CD07 DSCN0711
Original File:

Scene Background
Colour:
Texture:
Dove Lake
Image:
Play Audio (see Audio Form)

Menu 1
hikers on trail

'Cradle Mountain' title 60 points

Other titles 3640 points
'Tracks and Trails' links to scene 4.1
'Flora and Fauna' links to scene 5.1
'Visitor Information' links to scene 6.1

Text/Hypertext:
Play Animation/Video (see
Animation/Video Form)

Use extra forms if needed

Multimedia Storyboard
Animation/Video Form
Cradle Mountain
Project Title:
Scene Number: 4.3

Page 23 of 37

Video Details:
Video Filename: One day hike
Clothing and gear for a one day hike
Description:

Describe animations/videos. Indicate screen positions, movements, etc.

create a script and a

storyboard for a
simple multimedia
product?

Screen Size and Format: 300 x 200 AVI

Run Automatically
Activate by Hyperlink
CD07 DV117
Original File:
Animation Details:
Filename:
Description:

Video clip

Screen Size and Format:

Run Automatically
Activate by Hyperlink
Run Once
Loop
Times
Fade In
Original File:

Fade Out

Filename:
Description:
Screen Size and Format:
Run Automatically
Activate by Hyperlink
Run Once
Loop
Times
Fade In
Original File:

Remember
Fade Out

Why are scripts and

storyboards important in the
design of multimedia?

Use extra forms if needed

Authoring and multimedia

37

2.8 P RO J E C T
Creating a multimedia product
Before you start, have you completed the
following units?
2.5 Practical skills Using authoring systems
2.6 Graphical user interface and design principles

This project assumes that you have a suitable

multimedia authoring tool on your computer
system. The example shown uses Microsoft
PowerPoint. Microsoft Image Composer is also
used for preparing graphic images. Other programs
can be used but the commands, options and
results will be different.

2.7 Scripts and storyboards

4.6 Practical skills Using digital media
products and data
9.2 Defining the problem
9.3 Analysing the problem
9.4 Designing a solution
9.5 Evaluating projects

go to technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/2-8/project

Completed storyboards, images and script, and

audio, video and text files for the project
Blank storyboards for creating your own projects

Planning the product

In 2.5 Practical skills Using authoring systems, you
used PowerPoint to create a basic multimedia
resource that could be used to build a multimedia
product. In this unit, we will use part of that resource
to create a simple multimedia product.
Defining the problem
This visual essay on steam transportation trains
and tractors will be titled Locomotion. The
product will be based on a number of digital
photographs and digital video clips that have already
been collected and are provided on the CD-ROM.
A script has also been prepared and this will be used
as the guideline for the product.
Analysing the problem
The multimedia product will tell a story using
images, video and text. Hyperlinks will connect the
different parts of the story.
The limiting factors for this problem are:
It must be usable on the technology (computer
software and hardware) that would be available to
the target audience groups, such as the
multimedia computers in school and community
libraries.
There are limited resources (including time)
available for the development of a solution so

38

Information and Software Technology

readily available multimedia authoring tools and

digital data software will be used.
Designing the solution
Before work begins, you will need to make some
important decisions. These will affect how the
graphic screens will be prepared for the product.
1. How will the product be distributed? In this case,
the product will be prepared so that it can be
distributed on CD media. This will allow all the
multimedia data to be displayed at the maximum
possible quality and speed.
2. What display standards will be needed to use the
multimedia product? This product will require a
screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels in 16.7
million colours. Animations and videos will run
at a maximum of 25 frames per second. While the
latest multimedia systems can easily handle
multimedia data at much higher resolutions, you
cannot assume that all users will have the latest
systems.

Creating the product

The CD-ROM contains a complete storyboard, all
the original images, text, video clips and the product

Page 2 of

Multimedia Storyboard
Scene Description Form
Locomotion
Project Title:
Scene Number: 1

Graphics Details:

Scene Stage Diagram indicate positions of graphics and text

LOCOMOTION

Graphics Filename: Background menu

Description: suitable image blurred or semitransparent
Screen Size and Format:

800 x 600 JPEG/PNG

Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene
Original File:
CD-ROM

MENU 1

Living Steam

MENU

Street Machines

U3

MEN

Narrow Gauge

Menu 1
Graphics Filename:
Description: suitable image with 10 pixel white border
and slightly rotated
200 x 150 JPEG/PNG
Screen Size and Format:
Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene 2.1
Original File:
CD-ROM
Menu 2
Graphics Filename:
Description: suitable image with 10 pixel white boarder
and slightly rotated

Play Audio (see Audio Form)

Checked By:

a Start Microsoft Image

Composer. Select and load one of
the original images stored on the
CD-ROM in the <technology/on-

200 x 150 JPEG/PNG

Screen Size and Format:
Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene 3.1
Original File:
CD-ROM

Scene Background
Colour:
Texture:
background menu
Image:

LOCOMOTION title 60 point.

Other title 3640 points
'Living Steam' hyperlink to scene 2.1
'Street Machines' hyperlink to scene 3.1
'Narrow Gauge' hyperlink to scene 4.1

Text/Hypertext:

Play Animation/Video (see

Animation/Video Form)

Use extra forms if needed

The storyboard for the product menu

script. The files are in the <technology/on-the-cdrom/

chap02/2-8/project> folder on the CD-ROM. Your
network administrator may have copied the CDROM files to a file server on your school network so
please ask your class teacher.
You will also need the PowerPoint files that you
created in 2.5 Practical skills Using authoring
systems and you will need to save the edited images
that you will create.
Step 1 Preparing the menu images
The storyboard above shows that the
menu screen contains images that will be
used as hyperlinks. We want the images to
look like traditional (old-style)
photographs with white borders because
the borders will help separate the images
from the screen background. This effect is
easy to create.
The storyboard indicates that the
images will be placed on the screen
slightly rotated rather than horizontal.
You can rotate an image only if part of its
background can be made transparent.
The JPEG file format does not allow any
part of an image to be transparent.
Therefore, you will need to use a format,
such as PNG, that allows a transparent
background.

The storyboard shows the

filenames of the images that we
will use from the CD-ROM and
the filenames to be used when
saving the altered images for the
product.
Unit 4.6 Practical skills Using
digital media products and data
describes how to prepare highresolution images from digital
cameras for use in digital media
products such as multimedia.

the-cdrom/chap02/2-8/project/
menu> folder.

b According to the storyboard,

all menu images must be reduced
to 200 x 150 pixels. Therefore, to
allow room for a narrow border to be created
around the image, reduce the image (see 4.6
Practical skills Using digital media products and
data) to a size that is 10 pixels smaller than this size;
that is, 190 x 140 pixels (you will have to turn off the
Keep aspect ratio feature in the Arrange dialog box).
You can see the width (W) and height (H) of the
image in the status bar at the bottom of the screen.

Screen 1 Setting the image borders

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

39

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

c As shown in screen 1, click the button in the
Arrange dialog box so that the image will move to
the lower left corner of the composition space (the
white background).
d As shown in screen 2, drag the top border
(dotted line) of the composition space down until it
is at the correct height for the final image (150 pixels)
and then drag the right border to the left until it is at
the correct width (200 pixels). This will make the
border area 10 pixels bigger than the image.
1. Drag top page border down to
a height of 150 pixels.

g When you are happy with the result, save the

image using the Save As option; this will save the
image and its white background border. Select *.png
as the file type and make sure that the Keep
Transparency check box is Off. Add the word menu
and an image number to its filename (for example,
menu-01).
h Close the image to clear the screen. Reload the
altered image you have just saved (menu-01). You
can see that the image now has a white border.

2. Drag right page border left

to a width of 200 pixels.

j Open the File menu and

click the Save Selection As
option so that only the rotated
image with its permanent border,
but not the white background,
will be saved. Make sure that the
Keep Transparency check box is
On. Use the same filename
(menu-01) when saving the
image.

3. Click
Centers
icon.

Screen 2 Centring the image to

create a border

e Click the Centers tool button on the

Arrange dialog box to move the image
to the centre of its new borders as
shown in screen 2. There should now
be a narrow white border around the
image.
f You can make any adjustments to
the border that you feel are necessary.
Use the Centers tool to move the image
back to the centre after each size
adjustment.

40

i Click the Arrange tool and

enter a small rotation angle as
shown in screen 3. A positive
number will rotate the image
clockwise, a negative number
anticlockwise. Click the Apply
button.

Information and Software Technology

Screen 3 Using the image rotation feature

Page 4 of

Multimedia Storyboard
Scene Description Form
Locomotion
Project Title:
Scene Number: 2.1

Graphics Details:

Scene Stage Diagram indicate positions of graphics and text

Background
Graphics Filename:
suitable background image blurred or
Description:
semitransparent
800 x 600 JPEG/PNG

Screen Size and Format:

Living Steam
Video clip

Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene
Original File:
CD-ROM

Text block

Graphics Filename:
Description:

the resized image and not

the background will be
saved. Include the words
background and orig
(for original), and an
image number in its
filename (for example,
background-01-orig).

b Select the Effects tool

and then the Blur option
as shown in screen 4.
Navigation bar
Graphics Filename:
Click the Apply button
Description:
and observe the effect.
Screen Size and Format:
Scene Background
Photo
Clip art
Hyperlink to Scene
Clicking the Undo button
Colour:
Original File:
Texture:
(or pressing [Ctrl]+[Z] )
background
Image:
Text/Hypertext: Living Steam title about 48 points
will return the image to its
Text block from file LOCOMOTION-ONE. txt use
Play Audio (see Audio Form)
Play Animation/Video (see
Animation/Video Form)
1214 point
original state. You can
Checked By:
increase the blurring
effect by increasing the
Use extra forms if needed
two values found in the
Details tab use Undo to
Part of the storyboard for the first branch of the product
cancel each change before
trying again. When satisfied with
k Repeat steps 1a to 1j for
chap02/2-8/project/backgrounds>
the result, save the image with
the other two images in the
folder on the CD-ROM. Reduce
the words background and
<technology/on-the-cdrom/
the image size to 800 x 600 pixels
blur, and the same image
chap02/2-8/project/menu>
and save it using the Save
number in its filename (for
folder on the CD-ROM, using
Selection As option so that only
example, background-01-blur).
appropriate filenames.
Screen Size and Format:
Photo
Clip art
Original File:

Hyperlink to Scene

Step 2 Preparing background

images
The storyboard above indicates
that a suitable background
photograph is to be used for
the screens in each branch of
the product and on the menu
slide. Most digital photographs
are not suitable for use as
screen backgrounds unless they
have been altered to avoid
problems such as clashing
colours. Two special effects
commonly used to alter
background images are blurring
and transparency. Both make
hard edges or clashing colours
softer and less obvious.
a Select any image from the
<technology/on-the-cdrom/

Screen 4 Blurring a photograph for use as a background

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

41

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

using a different image number for each
one. This will give you three choices for
each background image (original, blurred
and transparent) for use in your
multimedia product.
Step 3 Preparing the menu slide
a Open a new PowerPoint presentation
with a blank slide. Insert the menu pictures
you created in step 1. Screen 6 shows one
possible design.
b Add a title and menu labels as shown
in the storyboard on page 39.

Screen 5 Using transparency to prepare a photograph for use as a background

c If you are using the JPEG image format, reload

the original image from the CD-ROM and again
reduce it to 800 x 600 pixels. You should not keep
loading and resaving JPEG images as they will lose
quality every time they are saved. However, if you are
using a lossless image compression format (such as
PNG which does not cause a loss of data
and, therefore, image quality), reload the
reduced original image you have already
saved (background-01-orig).

c Select one of the background images

that you prepared in step 2. Add the image
to the background by opening the Format
menu and selecting Background. As shown
in screen 7, click the Background Fill dropdown menu bar and select Fill Effects.

In the Fill Effects dialog box, select the

Picture tab. Click the Select Picture button and select
one of your background images. Try several
different backgrounds to find one that will not clash
with the text and images.
d Save the menu slide using the filename
LOCOMOTION-MENU.

d This time, select the Transparent

option of the Effects tool as shown in
screen 5. On the Details tab, set the
control to 75 and click Apply. The Undo
button will return the image to its
original state. Try a few different values
using Undo to cancel each change before
trying again. Lower values make the
image look more transparent and paler.
When satisfied with the result, save the
image with the words background and
trans (for transparency), and the same
image number in its filename
(background-01-trans).
e Repeat steps 2a to 2d for all the
images in the <technology/on-thecdrom/chap02/2-8/project/
backgrounds> folder on the CD-ROM,

42

Information and Software Technology

Screen 6 An example menu slide with images, text titles and a selected background

 Locate the new menu slide

LOCOMOTION-MENU and click
OK twice.
e Repeat steps 4a to 4d for the Return
to the main menu button on all three
slides.
f This presentation will now be used
as the template for each of the branches
in the new multimedia product. Save
this presentation three times using the
following names: LOCOMOTIONONE, LOCOMOTION-TWO and
LOCOMOTION-THREE.
g Open your menu slide
(LOCOMOTION-MENU) and set the
hyperlinks for its menu images and text
labels to each of these three new
presentations. Resave the menu slide.
Screen 7 Setting a background image

Step 4 Preparing the presentation templates

a Open PowerPoint presentation MULTIOne
that you created in 2.5 Practical skills Using
authoring systems. You will need the navigation bars
from this presentation for some of the slides in your
multimedia product. The middle slides have the
complete navigation bar but those on the first and
last slides are slightly different.
b Keep the first and last slides, and one of the
middle slides. Delete all the other slides.
c Delete the text boxes, backgrounds (if any) and
all the graphics except for the navigation bars on
each slide.
d The last button (the Return to the main menu
button) in the navigation bars must be altered so
that it will link to the new menu slide in your
multimedia product.
Right click on the Return to the main menu
button.
Select Action Settings from the menu.
In the Action Settings dialog box, select the
Hyperlink to: control button and click on its dropdown menu bar.
From the drop-down menu, select Other
PowerPoint Presentation.

You should now test your product (see step 10).

Step 5 Adding slides

You will need new slides for each presentation. The
complete storyboard supplied on the CD-ROM will
tell you how many slides (scenes) are needed in each
presentation.
a Go to the middle slide of each presentation, the
slide with the complete navigation bar at the
bottom. Open the Insert menu and select Duplicate
Slide. This will copy everything on the slide
including the navigation bar.
b Repeat this until all the necessary slides have
been created. Resave each presentation.
Step 6 Adding images
The storyboard identifies all the images needed for
every slide.
a Open each original image in Microsoft Image
Composer and resize it to the width and height
shown in the storyboard. Save each image using the
product filename also shown in the storyboard.
b Once all the images have been edited and saved,
insert them into their correct positions on each
PowerPoint slide.
P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

43

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

Step 7 Adding backgrounds
a Use the instructions in step 3 to add one of your
altered background images to one of the slides in the
first presentation. However, in the Background
dialog box, select Apply to All to add the background
image to all the slides in the presentation.
b Repeat this process with the other presentations
use a different background image for each
presentation.
Step 8 Adding text
The text for each slide is stored in text files on the
CD-ROM in the <technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/
2-8/project/text> folder.
a Open a text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad
or Microsoft WordPad, and load the text file
LOCOMOTION-ONE.txt (for the first
presentation). The text in each file is divided into
slides numbered in the same way as on the
storyboard. The title and body text for each slide is
identified in the file.
b Highlight the title text for the first slide and
copy it onto the clipboard.
c Switch to your PowerPoint presentation and
create a text box on the first slide for its title. Use the
storyboard as your guide. Paste the title text into the
text box. Adjust the text properties (font, size,
alignment, colour and style) and the text boxs size
and position until you are satisfied with its
appearance. This is a slide title so it should stand out
more than the body text.

Screen 8 Adding text

CD-ROM in the <technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/

2-8/project/videos> folder. No editing of these files is
needed but they will load faster if you copy the files
to a local hard disk drive.
Your network administrator may have copied the
video files to a file server on your school network so
please ask your class teacher. Try running the files
from the file server first before attempting to copy
them to your local hard disk drive. If your version of
PowerPoint will not insert or play the video clip, try
the instructions in the Audio and video hyperlinks
Infobox on the page opposite instead.

d Create another text box for the body text. Again,

use the storyboard as your guide.
e Switch to the text editor and highlight
the body text for the first slide and copy it into
the clipboard.
f Switch back to PowerPoint and paste the text
into the body text box as shown in screen 8. Adjust
the text properties (font, size, alignment, colour,
style) and the text boxs size and position until you
are satisfied with its appearance.
g Repeat steps 8a to 8f for the slides in each of the
other presentations.
Step 9 Adding video
The storyboard indicates that some of the slides will
have video clips. These files can be found on the

44

Information and Software Technology

Screen 9 Adding a video to a slide

a Go to a slide identified in the storyboard as

having a video clip. On the Insert menu, select
Movies and Sound and then Movie from File, as
shown in screen 9.
b Locate the video clip identified in the
storyboard. You will be asked if you want the video
to play automatically in the slide show. Click Yes to
have the video played as soon as the slide is
displayed. Videos can be played at any time by
clicking on them.
c Repeat steps 9a and 9b for each slide that needs
a video clip added to it.
Step 10 Test, test and test again
Always test your product while you are developing it.
Also, test it on as many different systems as possible
especially on older and slower computers. The
more complicated a multimedia product is, the more
likely it is to have problems. It is far better to discover
and fix the problems before you send your product
out to your customers than to have them discover
the problems for you.

Failing to test a product properly before it is

released will almost certainly result in a flood of
consumer complaints and a bad public image for
the company that developed the product.
Computer software attracts more complaints for
poor quality and other problems than many other
products. This is partly because a software
product is installed and used on systems with a
wide range of performance characteristics not
all of them reaching the minimum hardware
standards.
Commercial multimedia developers test their
products on a wide range of different systems.
Their test systems normally include all the
common hardware configurations different
graphic adaptor and sound cards, and various
CPU versions, RAM sizes and types of
motherboards. This type of testing is obviously
expensive and could never cover all the possible
hardware combinations. For this reason, most
multimedia developers indicate clearly the
minimum hardware system needed to run the
product, and some also list a more advanced
system as the recommended system.
Game developers, in particular, use a variety of
techniques to test their products including:
using automated test programs to apply
random mouse clicks to each display screen to
detect hidden links that need to be removed

Audio and video hyperlinks

If PowerPoint will not load or play an audio or
video clip, you could try playing the clip through a
hyperlink instead of using PowerPoint to play it. By
using a hyperlink, your operating system will select
a program to play the file. The selected program
will open as a new window on the screen to play
the clip. The following steps show you how to do
this.

employing young people to play the game,

recording errors such as faulty links, videos and
sounds that do not play correctly, misspellings
and other problems.

design, produce and evaluate a simple

product for a real-world application?

1. Add a graphic button to your slide to represent

the command play a movie the AutoShapes
Action Buttons feature has a suitable video
camera icon.
2. Right click on the graphic and select Action
Settings from the menu.
3. In the Action Settings dialog box, select the
Hyperlink to: control button and click on its
drop-down menu bar.
4. Select Other File from the drop-down menu.
5. Locate and select the audio or video clip file
and click OK twice.

Create
Use this project as a model to create another
multimedia product based on an educational,
informational or entertainment theme. The

<technology/on-the-cdrom/chap02/2-8/
project> folder on the CD-ROM contains blank
copies of the storyboards shown in 2.7 Scripts and
storyboards that can be used to plan a multimedia
product, or you may prefer to design your own.

P R O J E C T Creating a multimedia product

45