Page 160 - DCAP303_MULTIMEDIA_SYSTEMS

Multimedia Systems

notes Though Director can create complex multimedia events such as CBT, a bit of programming
experience is still required to pull them off. For time line-based interactive titles and demo CDs,
however, Director is an exceptionally useful tool that exploits a logical metaphor to achieve
spectacular results.

Multimedia authoring tools can be evaluated by performing certain tests,
which include the creation of non-interactive multimedia, CBT applications,
catalogue creation and even authoring for the World Wide Web.

9.2.4 types of authoring tools
The various authoring tools can be classified in three categories based on the metaphor used for
sequencing or organizing multimedia elements and events.
• Card or page based tools

• Icon base, event driven tools
• Time base and presentation tools
Now let us discuss each of them in detail.

1. Card or page Based tools: In these authoring systems, elements are organized as pages of
a book or a stack of cards. These tools are best used when the bulk of your content consists
of elements that can be viewed individually, like the pages of a book or cards in a card file.
The authoring lets system you link these pages or cards into organized sequences. You can
jump, on command, to any page you wish in the structured navigation pattern. It allows
you to play sound elements and launch animations and digital video.

2. icon Based, event Driven tools: In this authoring system, multimedia elements and
interactions cues are organized as objects in a structural framework or process. Icon base,
event-driven tools simplify the organization of your project and typically display flow
diagrams of activities along branching paths. In complicate structures, this charting is
particularly useful during development.
3. time Based tools: In these authoring systems, elements and events are organized along
a time line, with resolutions as high or higher than 1/30 second. Time based tools are best
to use when you have a message with a beginning and an end. Sequentially organized
graphic frames are played back at a speed that you can set. Other elements are triggered
back at a given time or location in the sequence of events. The more powerful time based
tools let you program jumps to any location in a sequence, thereby adding navigation and
interactive control.

9.3 Components of an authoring tool

Authoring can be described as creating highly interactive applications in which the information can
flow in both the directions i.e., from application to user and from user to application. Multimedia
authoring tools has helped in creating higher-quality audio and video applications with very
little expertise.
Most authoring systems provide facilities for:
• Loading and saving media assets (graphics, sounds, videos, text, etc.)

• Creating or editing audio and graphic images
• Page or slide building (layering multimedia data to create a single page)

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