- interactive identity/brand/mood-board/space(s) -- why?
(*)
approach: scenario-based visualisation(s)/game(s);
technology: unity, ximpel, html5/js, flex/as3;
recommendation(s): low * -- ***** high
- technology -- detailed discussion of examples
- style -- problems and solutions in interactive applications
- frameworks -- explorative discussion and comparison of tools, APIs, SDKs
- application(s) -- description of (existing) visualisations and solutions
deliverable(s) -- interactive visualization 
- concept(s) -- (short) synopsis, with (optional) sketches
- requirement(s) -- with shareholders, planning, MOSCOW
- story board -- storyline(s), non-linear storygraph, assets
- prototype(s) -- partial version(s) of interactive application(s)
- final application -- full interactive application
- accompanying website -- with application and support
- promotional clip -- one/two minute trailer
- justification -- explanation of design decisions, reflection(s)
- package -- all the material with documentation
remark(s)
Students will work in groups, and manage themselves.
Representatives from the group are required to contact the
stakeholders in an early state, and obtain the requirements
and wishes, and organise these in suitable documents,
using e.g. the MOSCOW division into
must have,
should have and
will not have categories
of properties.
In general, each project will result in a series of such documents,
that should be part of an online working site, an interactive
video (using ximpel.org), which gives interactive access to the
video material obtained, a 3D game space (developed with unity3d.com), which provides
spatial exploration of the various scenarios and/or animations,
as well a clip, that may serve as a trailer.
The end result will be delivered online, as a website,
in such a way that it can be packaged an put on the website
of the person or institution that gave the project assignment.
Documentation, must be sufficient for installing and using
the material delivered, and should include a justification of
design decisions.
In a way
this may seem like a rather constrained approach, that may
limit your creativity. Indeed, it is, and it may limit your
creativity!
But, it does allow you to create products that are really worthwhile,
and that will be appreciated by others, and hopefully praised
for its creativity.
And, keep in mind that working in a group, although not easy,
is the best if not the only way to develop your skills and
creative insights.
and finally,
don't forget that
together we create
a great collection of applications contributing to
the
CTSG,
so don't forget to mention that also this project
is
powered by CTSG.
... stop thinking about your game and start thinking about the experience of the player:
- what experience do I want the player to have?
- what is essential to that experience?
- how can my game capture that essence?
If there is a big difference between the experience you want
to create and the one you are actually creating,
your game needs to change ...
session(s): interactive visualization
- mention -- your name(s)
- state -- title & concept
- present -- your application
- discuss -- issues for improvement
- emphasize -- (y)our message!
- finalize -- grading
contents
The course will address the development of rich media applications using current web-based media technology, with a
special focus on animation and interactive visualization(s) of dynamic complex systems.
The platform used will be Adobe flex / as3.
Recommeded literature: Foundation Actionscript 3.0 Animation: Making Things Move! by Keith Peters
Online reference(s):
prerequisites:
CA1, CS1, NM1, MA1
goal(s) & attainment target(s)
During the course students are expected to learn the skills to create moderately complex media applications.
After following the course, students are expected to have
- awareness of issues in information visualisation
- familiarity with XML-based data and program configuration
- fluency in scripting (actionscript) and the use of lfex.
- full literacy in developing simple physics based animations
Students are expected to have an explorative attitude, and will be stimulated in developing aesthetically interesting
animations and dynamical visualisations.
place in curriculum:
NM2 is meant to be an intermediate course, required for both ST and NM students. The course will enable students to
apply their knowledge of dynamic systems and mathematics in a (media-rich) context, as a preparation for more advanced
projects in virtual enbironments and game development. In relation to DE-courses, the focus of NM-courses
Is primarily on technical issues and programmatic authoring.
application area & motivating example(s)
Physics based animation is an effective means of visualizing complex information structurs. Effective information
visualization morever depends on intuitive ways of interaction to support exploration. Interactive information visualization is
increasingly being used in web 2.0 applications, for giving access to huge amounts of user-contributed data such as blogs
and video.
teaching method(s)
The course will be organized around lectures in which both technical and conceptual issues, related to animation and
visualization, are dealt with. The assignments will consist of a series of basic exercises and a final exercise
In which the students are required to develop a moderately complex dynamic web application.
Regular feedback will be given in classroom sessions where students present their work as well as via online comments or
email. Grading will be based on basic assignments, the final assignment project with documentation, as well as an essay
in which a topic of choice, either technical or in relation to issues of animation and information visualisation, is discussed in
more depth.
special facilities:
computer lab & presentation facilities, installation of flex 3 SDK.
advice for the student(s)
The
interactive visualization course
provides you the opportunity to apply what your
have learned in previous mathematics and programming courses
in an integrated way.
You may even try to apply what you learn in
dynamic systems in an application that
may primarily be meant to be entertaining.
Keep in mind that, as testified by the use of
physics simulation(s)
in games, that
visual appeal may well be served by
more or less deep
computational/physical principles
and, as you should have learned in the
creatove explorations,
mathematical insight(s).