NOTE: this outline is a work-in-progress. Material will be continuously added during the semester. Also, expect changes!


week


+ description

1

Jan.31, Feb.2

Tuesday - Introductions and general organization of the semester, goals, expectations, etc.

Prepare for Thursday: View the fofllowing 3 multimedia works on the web. Consider them in relation to the following eight concepts or categories: game, system, feedback, interactivity, agency, narrative, puzzle, contest. Do these catorgories apply? If so, how? If not, why?

Thursday

feedback, interactivity, agency, immersion - a page of quotes

In-class view excerpts from interactive works and relevant works from history of film:

  • Michael Mateas and Andrew Stern, "Facade", a one-act interactive drama (2005). You can find out more about this work, and download your own free copy (pc windows) at www.interactivestory.net.
  • Emerald Levick, "Chloe" (2005 student project),
  • Michiko Charley puzzle-game (2003 student project)
  • Max and David Fleischer, "Puzzle" (1923 film, from "Out of the Inkwell" series)
  • Fernand Leger, Ballet Mechanique (1924 film, France, 11min.)
  • Pierre Hebert and Bob Ostertag, "Between Science and Garbage" (media performance excerpt)
  • Video documentation of interactive installation by Camille Utterback (2005)
  • John Klima, Jack and Jill (downloadable PC software linked at the bottom of the page of source code)
  • This Spartan Life - A Talk Show In Game Space, machinima series by Chris Burke - episode 2 - module 3 on gun control

Workshop

Quick intro to authoring in Flash

2

Feb. 7, 9

Tuesday

Continue viewing/discussion of interactive works (listed but not viewed last week), as time allows.

Playable Media and Media Instruments: View/discuss examples of interactive video and vjaying, in context of reading assignment from textbook, First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game.

Prepare for Tuesday: Pages 1-10, essay by Janet Murray, "From Game-Story to Cyberdrama".

ALSO bring to class on Tuesday the following:

  • 4 jpeg images of any subject matter ("non-progressive", various sizes are okay but maximum dimensions should be no larger than 320w x 240h pixels)
  • 3 SWF Flash files. Each one of the SWF Flash files should be: 5 seconds duration (at 12 frames per second). one-layer only of a simple, abstract graphic that is motion-tweened across the entire 5 seconds, maximum dimensions of 550w x 400h pixels.

For a simple collaborative exercise, you will be referencing this unedited video. Details will be discussed in class.

Thursday:

  • View previous student work specifically illustrative of first project assignment.
  • Continue overview of Flash authoring, review/discussion of relevant interactive video.
  • Bring in text for collaborative exercise discussed in class on Tuesday.

Workshop:

  • Review of video camcorder
  • Overview of Flash "authoring" environment. Simple ActionScript in-class exercises.

3

Feb. 14, 16

Video and audio "raw" material for first project - interactive video instrument.

Continue work on "interactive video instrument" project:

  • 12 to 26 Video clips (each 5-sec. or less duration) collected
  • minimum of 4 short interface audio clips
  • Longer audio "narration" or other original, continuous sound

4

Feb. 21, 23

Continue work on "interactive video instrument" project. Demo of use of miniDisc audio recorder and ActionScripting for Sound. (Here are audio basics and recording tips.)

Thursday - TBA (instructor will be out-of-town for conference)

5

Feb. 28, Mar.2

Tuesday - First project due Feb.28 - interactive video instrument.

Thursday - Revisions of 1st project.

Wrap-up with screening additional examples of interactive video, and vjaying (documentation).

6

Mar. 7, 9

Discussion of next project.

Sketches begun for collaborative, 24-hour, generative (system-interactive) web animation

7

Mar. 14, 16

 

8

Mar. 21, 23

Spring Recess - no classes

9

Mar. 28, 30

Continue work on collaborative, 24-hour, generative (system-interactive) web animation

Thursday - TBA (instructor will be out-of-town for conference)

SPECIAL NOTE: THE INSTRUCTOR WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE DDS LAB ON SUNDAY, APRIL_2 FROM 2PM UNTIL 5PM. USE THAT TIME, IF YOU ANTICIPATE NEEDING HELP WITH YOUR ASSIGNMENT!.

10

Apr. 4, 6

Complete work on collaborative, 24-hour, web animation

See this week's citations page for examples other than those viewed in class.

11

Apr. 11, 13

Storyboard due for final project: viewer-interactive narrative or game.

See last week's citations page for examples

FLASH ACTIONSCRIPT for review starting this week (have your ActionScript book handy):

  • Variables are the containers into which you can store data, properties of images and sounds, and other things ((think of a fruit basket in a kitchen that holds changing types and numbers of fruit)). Examples of variables are "_height" and "_width" that store the dimensions of a MovieClip. Variables that are "properties" of some object, usually appear to the right of a period. For example, "myMovieClip._x", indicates the x location of a movieclip object named "myMovieClip".
  • Functions are the set of tools ((think of a carpenter's hammer, nails, screwdriver, etc.)) for making things happen with code. An example of a function is the MovieClip-specific function called "gotoAndPlay(x)". Functions always use parentheses at the end. With the function "stop()" there is nothing within the parentheses. However many functions hold data (called "parameters") that give the function extra information, e.g., "loadMovie("specialmovie.swf");
  • Objects (including MovieClip objects that you have already used) are bundles of Functions (aslo called "Methods") and Properties. These functions and properties are specific to types of things that you want your interactive project to do: XML objects, Key objects, Mouse objects, Sound objects, Date objects, Array objects, Color objects. There can be many objects of the types listed here. There are also types of objects - called "classes" - that are unique (only one of a kind). Math is a class that is designed in ActionScript to be a unique object that can be used without having to create new ones (as you would normally do with movieclips: "createEmptyMovieClip(myclip, 1)"
  • Note that Object methods (built-in functions or custom-made functions of your own) can be used to make your MovieClips more interactive.
  • Control statements enable you to design how the computer handles the ActionScript statements and commands: conditional (if/then) statements primarily, and also repeat loops, switch statements, and others.

Interactive multimedia as "philosophical toy"

"I've deliberately stuck with the word 'toy' to describe my CD-ROMs because to my mind, the cinematic toy is not simply a machine in miniature; it has an extra expenditure of energy invested in play, in the pleasure of the moment. 'Machine' suggests something altogether too functional, too goal-orented. In the conventional cinematic apparatus, a film is put on the projector and the machine is switched on for a certain duration until the film runs out. However, most philosophical toys are constructed around loops, which remove us from linear time into an altogether more hypnotic state. Classical cinema knows only 'next', the philosophical toy, on 'now' and 'again'."

-- statement by new media artist, Zoe Beloff.

 

12

Apr. 18, 20

View selection of game narrative cdroms.

Continue work on final project

Invitation: instructor screening/presentation at 5:30pm Thursday, Apr.20, Graham Hall, Hillyer Building.

 

13

Apr. 25, 27
 

THE INSTRUCTOR WILL BE AT THE DDS LAB
AT THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL DATES / TIMES:

Sunday, Apr.30: 2:00-5:00pm

Monday, May 1: 6:00-8:00pm

Tuesday, May 2: 4:00-5:30pm

14

May 2

May 4 - Final class meeting.

Final projects and semester portfolio on cdrom or dvd due on Thursday May 4.