Interaction Design - Firework Safety

Much like my fireworks banner, my flash lecturer David Downes has set me another design task. This time a multiple slide flash animation promoting firework safety. The project must have between 6 and 8 flash sections that include both animation and interaction.

I have several design ideas already, all of which are centered around "The Firworks Safety Code" that I found on saferfireworks.com.

My favourite idea so far is a virtual safety guide, a book that you click on to open and presents you with the 10 rules of the fireworks safety code. I have literally just been set this task so of course no ideas are set in stone yet, I will post some initial ideas when I have them.

An Interview With Dan Saffer

Dan Saffer, an experienced design director at the design consultancy Adaptive Path, was interviewed by designinterviews.com mid August. The interview starts by discussing the benefits of self directed study and learning under tuition. "You need a (for lack of a better word) Master standing over you while you do your apprentice work." I found this to be the case last year whilst learning 3DS MAX with Andy Love but as do I Saffer finds value in learning things on your own. I learned a lot of the summer teaching myself HTML and CSS but as Saffer says "he doing is important; you can read every book in the field and be a terrible designer. You have to practice it, live, preferably with a client and (eventually) with users." As Theodore Roethke noted, "I learn by going where I have to go." As well as reading about HTML and CSS, I really put it to work and worked on a few sites for companies such as hrbusinessdynamics.com.

One thing Saffer mentions I have been coming across ever more frequently, understanding Interface design. I have helped build a message board forum for the gamer society website (Which I also built) and have received some concerns about interface design by the users. "Interface design is the physical expression of the interaction design: the skin over the muscles and bone. Interaction design says, 'We need a button to turn on the siren.' Interface design says, 'The button should be here and it should be red.' They are deeply intertwined, since you cannot have one without the other." Although a client/user has hired you/uses your UI, you can still learn a great deal from them.

Another issue I empathised with Saffer is getting to attached with your creations. "I'd say there are two mistakes that new designers make: one is not coming up with enough variations—or, more accurately, not being able to come up with more alternatives. Which is to say, falling in love with one direction and not being able to see others. Often, this is direction is something familiar, that the designer is comfortable with. It is hard to kill your babies, but sometimes you have to." Last year I felt like I missed the chance to create something great by hanging on to some 3DS Max animation just because it took me a ridiculous amount of time to make.

This interview also made me reconsider interactive design. I initially thought only of web design but technology appears to be ever leaning towards touch screen, motion sensor or more anthropomorhphic methods of interaction. "If you don't already, you'll probably own a touchscreen device or a Wii or at a minimum have used a public restroom where you put your hands under a sink to turn it on. Learning about how these work and how you could design them might make you a better designer." Even if I do focus on web design it appears interactive design will be unavoidable, I think this is a good thing.

'The Way you know is not The Way.' –Tao Te Ching

'A body in motion tends to stay in motion.' Newton's First Law

'If it was easy, then everyone would do it.'

Interactives Finished

I feel I may have squandered my time for this project, even though I lack experience I still only managed to link frames via buttons using the tutorial on the VLP. Perhaps if i spent less time getting photos ready, thinking about narrative ideas etc. I may have figured out how to include music, sound effects and things of that nature. Regardless of the lack of special effects in my narrative, I think I have learned a fair amount just from the tutorial and look forward to using flash again. The game is rather amusing and I believe the narrative works well so not all was lost.
If any thing this task has shown me that when working in unfamiliar territories and will need to apply myself more to achieve the outcome I want. I'm looking forward to using action script again for the next project "Identities" and also using 3D rendering and animation tools like 3D studio max.

Escape from Zombie Halls

I've planned out my interactives piece frame for frame and convinced my flat mates to dress as zombies. The Total piece is 15 frames long with title, there are 3 alternate endings and the longest linear path is 7 frames. I couldn't figure out how to embed the flash game into my blog so for now all I can offer you is a picture of me dressed as a zombie.

Interactives

For the final part of the narratives project we need to produce a interactive narrative using flash and action script 3.0. The task is to create a series of still scenes that are linked by question boxes to make a sort of manipulable story board. As simple as the task sound I have no doubt I will find it challenging as I have never even attempted action script before. I have thought about my ideas for this narrative and after rewatching George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead I will make a Story about escaping from zombies, "Escape from zombie halls".