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multimedia @ VU
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assignment(s) -- (project) interactive multimedia

2008


topic(s)

 The choice of topic and approach is free. Some topics that may be dealt with are suggested by the following:

tag(s)



   amsterdam        media          society                 
     urban     pleasure(s) / dangers          
        vrije universiteit    social network(s)        
   life is a game      studeren     connect
The interpretation of such tags is relatively free, but must be justified in the documentation.

Final delivery includes both a clip and interactive video application. In your documentation or business plan, it must be clearly explained what their relation is to the topic(s) indicated above.

interactive video application

You must develop both a clip, as well as an interactive video application, which may contain elements of game play, based on the indicated topic(s).

For the interactive (video) application XIMPEL is used, which stands for:

XIMPEL


eXtensible Media Player for Entertainment and Learning,

The XIMPEL platform is based on Flex, and allows for interactive video applications, that can be extended with animations, as well as mini-games or interactive visualizations, as far as your programmer's imagination can lead you!

In developing an interactive video application it is useful to develop story lines, which, to get a better overview, may be structured as a tree or graph. Experience shows that such story lines, in combination with proper choice points, can also be used to develop game-lime applications, by offering the user/player appropriate challenges.

short clip or trailer

Based on the indicated topic(s), you must develop a short (viral) clip or trailer that promotes the concept of your game or interactive video.

The presentation(s) must be entertaining, not to say compelling. It may be usefull to see the final clip as the top-level video for the interactive video application. The viewer must be able to enjoy this without any interaction. The interactive video application may, on the other hand, demand more effort from the user, and must provide either information or challenge(s), possibly including elements of game play.

development phase(s)

The clip and interactive video application should be developed in parallel, more or less according to the following phases:

phase(s)


  1. determine concept(s) -- message, perspective and contents
  2. scenario(s) -- storyboard, with scenes and transitions
  3. story or interaction graph(s) -- for interactive video application
  4. asset(s) -- selection of images, clips and audio
  5. mini game(s) -- (optional) extension of story graph(s)
  6. technical realisation -- elaboration of scenes and (visual) effects
  7. final production -- (web) deployment, and packaging (zip)
  8. justification -- description, with explanation of design choices
Obviously, designing and developing a complex application may in practice be difficult to organise following strict sequential phases. Nevertheless, it recommended to keep these phases as a reference, and produce your deliverable(s) accordingly.

deliverable(s)

 Each group must maintain a web-site where all the deliverables of the project are available for inspection.

deliverable(s)


  • week 1: concept -- title, synopsis, plan van aanpak
  • week 2: interaction graph(s) -- max 2 pages, with brief explanation
  • week 2: detailed scenario(s) -- max 3 pages, with timeline
  • week 3: asset(s) -- sketches, photo material, (links to) clips
  • week 3: storyboard(s) -- scenario(s) illustrated with asset(s)
  • week 3: technical realisation -- keep a record of the work done
  • week 4: (viral) clip (on youtube), max length 2 min.
  • week 4: interactive video application -- final production online
  • week 4: justification/essay (min 2 pages, up to ten pages)
  • week 4: review(s) -- using online review form
The final production as well as the storygraph and justification must (also) be packed in a zip file, which must be made available through the groups web-site.

For the planning and delivery there are rather strict deadlines. Actual deadlines are indicated on the practicum page. If any of these deadlines cannot be met, this may result in being exluded from the practicum, which means consequently that you cannot finish the course!

review(s)

peer review(s)


Developing an interactive media application requires good judgement, as well as an open mind to alternative approaches. To train your critical faculty, each student must (peer) review the work of all other groups, as well as give a brief self assessment, using the online review form.

disclaimer

Regulations of how to make such an assignment should always be regarded with some suspicion. After all, what counts most in the end is the final product. Requirements, however well written, can not compensate for a product or presentation that is boring, lacking in inspiration or what is commonly called creative spark(s). In other words, try to follow these rules, but take them as supporting your creative process, and not as a constraint. Let yourself be inspired by what a famous artist of the previous century called the rethorics of the material.

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