FIT2012 Flash animation and applications - Semester 2, 2014

This unit provides a focus on specialist tools and techniques that are used for developing content-rich interactive multimedia systems using Adobe Flash. This unit will cover fundamental multimedia principles, practical development processes, the integration of mixed-media assets, interactive design and animation for digital media and different technologies for product deployment. Students will create content-rich interactive CD-ROM and Web-based products using industry standard authoring tools and will gain an understanding of the role of digital media within the broader technology environment.

Mode of Delivery

Workload Requirements

Minimum total expected workload equals 12 hours per week comprising:

(a.) Contact hours for on-campus students:

• One 1-hour lecture
• One 3-hour laboratory

(b.) Additional requirements (all students):

• A minimum of 8 hours independent study per week for completing lab and project work, private study and revision.

Additional workload requirements

Broadly the time required to complete this topic is shown in the following table, but note this is just a rough indication. You may need to spend more time on some activities depending on your background and knowledge. In addition, you need to spend extra time on assignments and review.

Attending lectures and reviewing notes (1 hour)
Doing activities in lab classes (3 hours)
Major Project Development (7 hours) 
Contact - i.e: e-mail, consultation, etc. (30-60 minutes) 

Total (12 hours)

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

FIT1035, IMS2402, MMS2402
This unit is prohibited to all students enrolled in the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems multimedia development major.

Prerequisites

FIT1012

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

The lectures are still a "bone of contention" with the students, with attendance being less than ideal. So, in consultation with the other lecturers delivering this unit, the previous version of the lectures have been removed and a new interactive approach has been implemented. In the lecture, students engage with interactive activities to consolidate the weekly concepts/topic covered working through collaborative discussion and practical examples, before attending the labs. In the labs, the application of these concepts is easier when working through the practical and project-related material.

The most common theme in previous student feedback indicated that many enjoyed the assessment tasks - particularly being given the creative freedom to explore the features of Flash. The unit focuses on using practical activities both in the lecture and in the labs to help students understand complex programming principles and practices before working them into their assignments.

Student feedback has also informed improvements to this unit including ensuring a better balance between the design and development aspects of producing a complete interactive/multimedia application. The assignments have been redesigned in order to be better aligned with the concepts taught.

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

• identify and apply the formal processes undertaken for preparing and documenting the design specification and prototype development stages of a multimedia application;
• construct a functional interactive project given a specific brief using a graphical authoring environment (eg: Adobe Flash CS6);
• identify, design and develop appropriate assets for the creation of a functional user interface using an appropriate navigational structure;
• execute a range of special effects which are commonly required for interactive design in multimedia applications (eg: animation, visual and audio feedback, etc.);
• demonstrate fundamental programming techniques using the required authoring language (eg: ActionScript 3.0) using a procedural approach to programming development;
• identify and interpret the nature of technical issues that are encountered during the development and testing of a multimedia application.

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Teaching Approach

• Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
  This semester students will be introduced to programming, design and development aspects of the unit as preparation before attending the lecture and lab sessions ("flipped" classroom approach). In the lectures students will examine and explore the concepts covered in greater depth through interactive learning techniques (eg: discussion, worked examples, etc.). In the labs students will then apply their learning to various programing tasks related to their major project.
• Laboratory-based classes
  This approach is hands-on learning where you interact with fellow students in a laboratory workroom. Techniques will be demonstrated and then problems for you to solve will be presented. New skills and techniques will be added each week, culminating is the presentation of a major application, submitted at the end of the semester.

Assessment Summary

In-semester assessment: 100%

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

There is an expectation that all students will attend lectorials and labs, to participate in the duscussion and activities conducted during them. These activities are designed to help you understand the various aspects covered in the unit and will help you successfully complete your assignment tasks.

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  Flash Development Project

  Description:

  The practical project will be developed using the Flash CS5+ authoring environment. The development of this project will be over the semester with 3 major development milestones – the Interface Design Specification Document, a Navigation and GUI Prototype with a Development Strategies document and the Final Project. Full details are available in the individual Project Brief documents available on Moodle.
  
  The Project Interface Design Specification documentation is designed to outline the interface and interactive design of the project. Part of your final assessment will include how well you develop your project in accordance to what you stipulate in this document.
  
  The Splash Animation + Navigation/GUI Prototype will demonstrate how you have structured your project and show the majority of your interface design. The prototype should include a clearly defined internal structure on the time line (as demonstrated in tutorials), clearly show the main screen elements of the project, and an example of each major screen of the project. The Development Strategies document should outline how you plan to develop your project including a breakdown of each screen and the assets required. The Splash Animation will demonstrate your skill in applying Flash animation techniques to produce a variety of different animation effects.
  
  The Completed Functional Project, developed according to the project specification documents submitted in Week 3. Each scenario requires that you successfully integrate the specified project enhancements as described in the Project Brief.

  Weighting:

  80%

  Criteria for assessment:

  The practical project will be developed in the Flash CS6 authoring environment using techniques covered during the semester. The practical project will be worth 80% of the final grade. The marks for the project will be assigned as follows:

  Project Design (35%)

  15%     Project Design Specification Document submitted in Week 3. The criteria for this component will include:

  • structuring the specification document correctly covering the required sections
  • well-designed storyboards including detailes notes for development of the project (template provided)

  20%     Splash Animation / Navigation / GUI Prototype submitted in Week 6. The criteria for this component will include:

  • a 5-10 second animation to introduce your project using at least two different animation techniques
  • demonstration of an appropriate navigation structure for the project with the navigational elements functioning
  • appropriate interface design and theme development of the project's graphic assets

  Project Implementation (45%)

  30%     Successful completion of in-class project related tasks to be demonstrated during Weeks 2-11 in scheduled labs.

  15%     Successful integration of all the scenarios into a single Flash movie submitted in Week 12. The criteria for this component will include:

  • a fully functional Flash movie structure using appropriate timeline structures
  • appropriate interface design and theme development including the overall look-and-feel of the project's graphics/interface
  • all internal and external assets must be organised in a logical structure
  • successfully integrate and demonstrate various interactive features in Flash
  • the project working without error demonstrating logical and efficient coding with all extraneous code eliminated
  • the quality of solutions demonstrating the effective use of programming and interactive strategies
  • the appropriate application of good programming practices - using naming conventions, commenting code, removing redundant code, etc.

  Due date:

  By midnight Friday of required submission week (3, 6, and 12) and midday Friday for weekly tasks (weeks 2-11)

  Remarks:

  Full details are available in the individual document briefs that are available for download from the MOODLE site.

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Game Analysis Report

  Description:

  The Game Analysis Report is a 1000-2000 word report on the analysis and evaluation of a game. The report requires the analysis of various aspects of a game including an overview, a navigation diagram, the media used, user interaction and feedback, game responses and performance, potential programming issues and enhancements to improve the game play. 

  Weighting:

  20%

  Criteria for assessment:

  The game must be selected from the website provided. The report is worth 20% of the total marks, using the following marking criteria:

  • document presentation, formatting and length (including spelling and grammar)
  • the inclusion of all the appropriate sections of the report
  • the quality of the analysis given on the features and issues with the game selected
  • the inclusion of appropriate examples and/or screenshots to illustrate the various points being discussed

  Due date:

  By midnight Friday of Week 9

Learning resources

Feedback to you

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Quiz results
• Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Assignment submission

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning system for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Required Resources

All software required for use in this unit can be accessed from allocated campus labs/tutorial rooms.

The software used in this unit consists of:

• Adobe Flash CS6 Professional
• Adobe Photoshop CS6
• Adobe Illustrator CS6

30 Day Trial/Evaluation versions of the named software can be downloaded for personal use if necessary from the following websites:

• http://www.adobe.com/  

Student-priced full versions of the software can also be purchased through:

• http://www.edsoft.com.au (Flash CS6 Professional)
• http://success.adobe-education.com/en/au/students.html (Adobe Creative Cloud)

Recommended Resources

Foundation Flash CS5 for Designers by Tiago Dias and Tom Green, Friends of Ed (2010) with files for the exercises available from: http://www.friendsofed.com/download.html?isbn=1430229942 (also available in the Library)

ActionScript: Your visual blueprint for creating interactive projects in Flash CS4 Professional by Rob Huddleston, Wiley (2009) (also available in the Library)

Flash CS5.5 The Missing Manual available from http://fbooks.ueuo.com/digital-media/flash-cs5-5-the-missing-manual/

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