Online Animation

Animated GIFs

Animated GIFs are used on so many different programmes and applications. From websites to emails they are used on a regular basis.

Advantages and Limitations

The colour limitation makes the GIF format unsuitable for reproducing colour photographs and other images with continuous colour, but it is well-suited for simpler images such as graphics or logos with solid areas of colour. This is due to the fact that GIFs have a 265 colour limit.

Simpler images mean smaller in file size this is an advantage because if the file size is too big the animation or image will be changed, resized resulting in a decrease in quality. Another advantage is that with file size being smaller animations can be run on the most basic of internet speed without limitations in speed and quality.

Dynamic HTML

Dynamic HTML is basically a browser feature that enables your browser to be more dynamic. Dynamic meaning that it is able to be changed and modified as feature this applies to certain functions, content and layout. Dynamic HTML is not JavaScript although it relies on it, but JavaScript used in webpage relies heavily on the fourth generation browser features. Dynamic HTML features allow better controlling of HTML codes and HTML. The four primary features are the ability to Changing the tags and properties, Real-time positioning, Dynamic fonts and Data binding.

Advantages:-

1. Fast and Zippy: - DHTML loads content on fly. Your whole page does not loads but only the content part that needs to be altered, so saving the crucial time for the users and giving the snazzy look to the website.

2. Plug-ins, we don’t need them:- DHTML uses most of the features already present in the browsers, so there is no need to download any sort of Plug-ins.

3. Great Utility:- The dynamic features possessed by DHTML are helping web designers to create Web pages that posses compact looks, downloads fast, have graphic effects, provides greater functionality and can hold much more text or content all at the same time.

Disadvantages:-

1. Costly Editing tools: - although DHTML provides great functionality but the editors’ available for that in market are pretty expensive. Examples of DHTML editors are Dreamweaver and Fusion.

2. Long and Complex coding: - DHTML coding is long and complex. Only the expert JavaScript and HTML programmers can write them and edit them with good degree of functionality.

3. Browser Support problems: - DHTML suffers from browser support problems for different browsers. For example, a code written for Netscape might not work in Internet Explorer and Vice-Versa. The problem arises due to the different features of browsers.

Shockwave

The purpose of shockwave is to allow creation of interactive animations and applications such as games short animated clips on the internet. Shockwave also allows sounds to be coded into web page script this is a very useful feature. Shockwave features a streaming audio format that allow for long, high quality sound files to be played across low bandwidth connections. Shockwave also has the ability to communicate with web server programs.

The advantages that shockwave provides are

• rich media integration
• non-linear playback
• Shockwave audio
• wide developer base
• packaging of media
• streaming of media

The disadvantages that shockwave has are

• requires Director software to create
• plug-in needs to be installed
• complications between browsers
• limited supply of re-usable code

The alternatives to using shockwave are

• GIF animations
• Flash
• DHTML
• JavaScript
• Java

Matt Damon

Matthew Paige renownedly known as Matt Damon was born in October 8, 1970. He is an actor that has appeared in numerous films such as ‘Saving Private Ryan, the Ocean’s trilogy and his most successful role as Jason Bourne in the Bourne Series.

His breakthrough into his thriving established career began during the 1990’s when he and good friend Ben Affleck wrote a screenplay about a young math genius, which was then pitched around Hollywood for a good period of time. The script was eventually changed after they received advice from numerous directors and screenwriters. The script eventually became Good Will Hunting and received nine Academy Awards nominations then eventually winning them both Oscars for Best Original Screenplay. But this wasn’t the fuel the official launched his career into what it is today. In 1997 after Damon picked up an Oscar nomination & an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for co-staring with Robin Williams,  where he met Steven Spielberg.

He picked up the role James Francis Ryan in the saving Private Ryan. The movie was well received by audiences and garnered considerable critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew as well as earning significant returns at the box office. With the success of this movie he was able to maintain his career success featuring in several films which included The Talented Mr. Ripley and Ocean trilogy where he worked along side a star filled cast consisting of headliners George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts.

My favorite movies of his are the Bourne movies, which in he plays an assassin agent who is suffering from amnesia. Throughout movies he tries to piece back his past to find out whom he really is. The reason why Matt Damon is one of my inspirational actors is due to intellectual mind and whit that he portrays in out of his movies. He’s is a great inspiration as actor, someone who got better and better in the industry throughout his career continually exceeding himself with every movie.  I look forward to his future films and appearances on the big screen. 

Animation

Entertainment 

Animation is viewed frequently for entertainment; there are many different outlets of which it viewed. We view animation through film. Many films use special effects especially action and sci-fi films. Animation is also viewed in animated films such as toy story, monsters Inc created by Pixar and Shrek created by DreamWorks.

 Since the 21^st century the gaming industry has become one of the most lucrative entertainment industries. The animations in this industry have become so advanced they rival the special effects in films. As the animation in games progressed so did the special effects in film and television. You can really see the progression in such game titles such as Fifa created by EA (Electronic Arts and GTA by Rockstar Games. The game graphics in its self undeniably Astonishing and almost life like.

Animation in the music industry has become one of the most viewed outlets. The music videos use the same computer animation technology that they use in the filming industry. They use green screens to animate special effects a good example would be the video by the recording artist Laroux, they used a lot special effects for that music video. Previously videos were not recorded using computer generated animation they were just filmed and edited.

Television is one of the main outlets for animation from children programs to animated films these sources for entertainment are viewed regularly. As we use this source everyday you can see the evidence of animation in the news for example when a bulleting pops up onto the screen and also on children programmes some shows are animated. There are many more programmes that use animation even adverts are beginning to use animation more regularly. 

Advertisement

Adverts are becoming less simple as animation progresses but you can’t argue that it isn’t very effective way of selling an idea or a particular item. The advertising industry uses animation to illustrate a point or an opinion across. You usually see animation in adverts on television adverts like the Halifax advert where they animate the staff and also in the car advert they animate the car into a robot however they are also make appearances through other media sources. Animation is also displayed on billboards even though the animations are limited they do capture the eye. Most billboards are only poster but you can see the difference in effectiveness.

Education

Educational games such as simulators for driving test require animations. Also there are animations for sites like Bitesize during games and revising tests.  In science books comic strip like illustrations are used to help students visualise what is taking place for an example a chemical reaction between an acid and an alkali. Also in science they use animation in the form of a video to show how the solar system is aligned.  They will show the way each planet rotates and the direction that it orbits around the sun.

Persistence of vision

Persistence of vision is when the eye is misled into thinking that sequences of image frames are in motion as one. This is when the frames are shown at a faster rate to the human eye. The eyes send messages to the brain identifying that the photos are single frames. As the images are shown with increase of speed the eye merges the images into one to make a single moving image. When the rate of the moving image is shown at a slower rate the animation can be seen as less smooth and stuttered decreasing the fluidity of the overall animation. The more frames per seconds the smoother the animation is shown.

There were 3 inventors that helped develop the animation industry during the 19^th Century these inventors are known as the pioneers of animation.

In 1833 the first recorded animation invention was made. William George Horner invented the Zoetrope. This small invention produced enough frames for half a second of animation. This was the beginning. Though it was new and exciting it lacked duration the small cylinder had limited viewing time. 

Later on Thomas Edison invented the Kinetoscope in 1888. This was a big step from the previous invention Zoetrope producing longer frames of animation. The animation would be viewed by a person standing over the box and looking into the glass. A later version was invented allowing the viewer to experience sound with animation. This was a giant leap for the animation industry.

In 1895 Auguste and Louis Lumière were the first to show film publicly. Never before had animation been show to a large audience. The earlier cinema was easily superior compared to its predecessors the zoetrope and the Kinetoscope allowing more than one individual to view animation for longer periods of time. Now that sound was available with animation it was more enjoyable. One of the first films ever shown was the workers leaving the factory.

Factors of a Website

Images files such as bitmap are used for websites. They don’t require a lot of memory and are suitable for website applications. This is because this format only uses basic colours provided in simple images. Vector is used for images that are mainly used on website as a link to image this format requires much more memory than the bitmap. This is due to the there being more colours in this formats palette.

Sound files such as mp3 are used for voice audio and music. They are the most ideal format that is used for website because they don’t require a lot of memory. Wav files are much larger are not used as regularly because mp3 is far more compatible with other programmes applications software. Smaller the files

Video files such as SWF provide the ideal basic animations which are used on websites. 

Mp4 files are used to support moving images on a website these files are much bigger than SWF files but provide more graphical quality compared to SWF. It is important to keep websites simple so user can load content on page much faster.

File conversion between file formats takes a good amount of time that is usually wasted if there is a constraint on time. It is wiser to save to the most relevant file format to the most suitable purpose of use. The format conversion may change the quality of the content or remove some features that user are entitled to.

Modem connection speed is very important for a user. The faster the internet the more files and information can be processed on a continuous basis. The faster into will provide the user with video with audio in sync. Links and images will become quicker to view and navigation around website will become progressively easier. Fibre optic provides such internet speeds and allow user to “surf the web”.

The performance of a computer’s process speed attributers greatly to online performance. RAM and cache memory is a big factor against speed of which the whole system process. The more memory that is available the more data can be store immediately allowing applications to be used at one specific time. This will allow the content to download from the website much faster.

Server capacity is a factor that will effect how much information and data can be sent at one time. The greater the bandwidth the better the quick the formation can be sent and downloaded to the user. With less capacity page will load much slower and content may be changed to match the bandwidth the user.

Movie Watch :The Chronicles of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking (2013)

I am a great fan of the Chronicles of  Riddick films in fact I am a great admire Sci-Fi action films. From Star Wars to Avatar I always enjoyed how futuristic societies were portrayed similar to our own. I also like how technology is so advance beyond our present day but the one factor I'm looking forward is the characters especially Riddick.

Why I Like : Tumblr

Tumblr is one of the most interesting micro blogs that I have ever come across. It allows users to post and repost video, music, images and text. You find your posted content resurfacing at random times also after making a lot of post you develop a continuous archive which you can go through and look a back on. What is really good is the sheer amount of variety that  is posted every day which is good as you can spend hours looking through the dashboard. What I really like about this micro blogs is that everything is visually interesting and not huge bodies of text like full blogs which require more focus to read through. I also like how each individual blog has it own personal touch where you can change the layout had a play list as well as links to other sites which well integrates with other networks as it allow post to be posted on Twitter and Facebook at the same time.

Dance Videos : The Music Box

This video is a great example of creativity and talent contributing to make a great video.The video begins with Daniel Cloud looking for a place to live he is then given chance to look around an he experiences some amazing features. Daniel Cloud is one of the most known B-Boys in the braking community. He has made appearance in films and competitions such as Step Up 3D and the Red Bull Breaking Championship one. What I like about this video is how well objects are given a specific sound to produce music. Both location  and dancers fit the bill I can definitely say this a memorable piece that is worth the watch.

Impact Videos : Plan B

After just watching this video today I can say that I hope this video shocks people and gets them thinking about why these series of events took place. There is still questions that go unanswered and this video displays the many sights of how the youth is portrayed in Britain. In an interview Plan B talks about his motives behind shooting such a powerful video. I myself greatly understand where he is coming from and I am support his decision to tell the story of young people. Both videos give a great incite into society's misconceptions which are brought out through media broadcasts and if you haven't seen both i can say they are both worth the watch.

What really spoiled the Spider-man game series

I have fond memories of the Spider-Man game series as a past frequent viewer of Marvel comics Spider-Man has always stuck out as the ideal hero. A great balance between intelligence and physical capabilities was the most defiant thing about the character. The hero expressed same level humour in the videos games titles which was originally presented in the comics and animation series.

The first series of games I played was the Spider-Man game which was released on the original PlayStation. The game was pretty much what you expected providing relevant gameplay heroes and villains. There were great boss battles that were very memorable from shocker to hammerhead. The most memorable thing about this was the fact you could run out of web cartridges and it was crucial that you collected pickups when they were available. Another feature that really stood out was the training room which was like simulator allowing the user to practice and learn how to use the control as well as providing challenges that equally enjoy as the actual story mode. The final feature that stood out was the webbing types you could select ice cartridges would freeze your opponents allowing the delivery of the knock-out blow.

The next game I played was Spider-man 1 title which was released on the second generation PlayStation console the PS2. It was a movie game which was taken directly from the film itself and had some good content and features however this title seemed artificial compared to its predecessor. The web swinging was absoluteness displeasing where the hero had himself swing in fin air while moving in a straight line. It had seemed that a step back from the original 3D games had been made and all was lost.

Several years later a new Spider-Man game was released. For the first Spider-Man was in an open city and the web swinging mechanics were a delight. The mechanics allowed you run jump a swing the way the character was intended and the combat was much closely demonstrated. As a movie title game it also followed a rich storyline but it was the open world element and freedom that really gave this title the edge. It seemed that all the future games were going to be built upon this style.

The more recent release has been interesting due to the costume features and concepts that were used. All current game titles have brought gameplay and ideas to life but not in the same way Spider-Man 2 did. The most interesting of recent releases is the Web of Shadows which seemed to match the gameplay of the second title however the repetitiveness that was in the earlier games was still in this title which was became tiresome and frustrating just like Spider-Man 2's side missions where there would only a be few different objectives.

Overall what really hurt the series was the repetition of the gameplay and the lack of freedom which was the basic essence of the characters personality. Even though new combat was added they never really recaptured the web swinging mechanics which is absolutely fundamental to hero himself.

Video Games: Friend Or Foe

From a young age I’ve always enjoyed playing video games, at times video games would take me out of reality allowing me get lost in my own imagination, the days when you were literally so connected to the consoles that you were unable to remove yourself or be distracted. The gaming industry has change dramatically since then allowing user like me to connect to other user all worldwide to share in the latest entertainment. This has all been a great addition thanks to the internet and wireless technology however many aspects that provided us all with fantastic memories that have be slightly removed from gaming existence.

Multiplayer formally known as online play has become the selling point for many gaming titles. Newer gaming titles seem to empathize on connecting users across screens and monitors other than the classic offline multiplayer. In past times you were able to play alongside friends in same location enjoying such titles as Mario Kart Racing, Streets of Rage and Fighting Force. If you are looking for the offline multiplayer you are subjected to playing sports or older titles. The first person shooters have become online based with only a few titles providing an offline platform co-op.

The problem is that most users have to now depend on an internet connection to play with another user. Even though technology has allowed us to be more connected socially it hasn’t really enabled those who are somewhere in the middle between casual users and consistent users to really step out of their comfort zones and play the less known titles. The ideal solution would be to implement offline multiplayer in more games allowing users to engage in to a wider gaming experience. Users should have option to play with a friend as well as over a network.

The future is visual

Every day I find myself wondering how technology will change in the near future. I usually get lost in my imagination and my thoughts become something like a Sci-Fi movie. It challenges my comprehension of what is available to us now and what technology that could be in development in the present day. Technologically we have come very far from the telephone to the computer the advancements are surely amazing. It I just not the technology that has been developed it how these newer technologies have been integrated in to our daily existence.

In the past technology has been made specifically to allow an audience to hear and experience music and radio having us to rely on one sense for technological entertainment. In last several decades visual media has taken huge leaps. The creation television spurred this on 20^th century, providing colour pictures and audio entertainment in one visual experience. It was the first time both auditory and visual senses were in tune to one technological device and from then on we have found ourselves in front visual interfaces.

Since the television more and more technology has been re-adapted to provide entertainment. We already had computers with interfaces and the gaming industry was still in its early development. At this stage games were created simple but viewed on visual interfaces much like flat monitors today apart from the fact they were much thicker. It was until the development of handheld gaming consoles did we see the small visual monitors on devices such as the Gameboy which sparked a trend in new mobile media technology.

Focusing on screens, on smaller technologies we have seen the mobile phones (cellular devices) adapting the new advancements of the visual interface. Screens are becoming larger with higher resolutions that might one day rival television itself however technology is forever advancing and the next bit of tech is just around.

My thoughts on the how screens will be further implemented into media entertainment is based crucially on the tablet technologies. The tablet has the great potential in its practical use. Imagine world where paper is used less frequently allowing tablet to be like what the motorised vehicle are to the use of horses. Instead of using a great amount of resources all information and entertainment can be accessed at your fingertips.

In the present day screens have become more practical for example photo albums and picture frames can be digitally displayed in high definition allowing less physical space needed to be used. Imagine a world where posters are digitally displayed like billboards in time square menus are bright on tablets allow food to be ordered from a tablet like device. Books already seem to be replaces with digital as how the CD’s and the iPod. In my eyes I can truly see that screens will have permanent place in the future technology, well maybe just until virtual simulation and 3D holograms.

Week 23: Digital Audio and Academic Skills

In terms of learning I am not too sure that I have been able to say that I have retained a good amount of information due to this learning method however I do believe that this method works most effectively when used as a recap while it is still fresh and new. As a recap it allows you to mend any false answers that you would have selected enabling the correct information to be retained almost instantly. I found that this method has most success as it doesn't provide too much information to support key material points. What I like about this method is that it supports the lectures and covers the more memorable content but its limitation is also that it doesn't provide more information to really empathize what was spoken or mentioned in lecture.

As for improvements I believe it is more down to the subject being taught how it is has been presented as a learning style. Also its effectiveness is contributed by individual interest more than the content provided. Overall as recap I believe it is the most useful as a recap summary of the topics covered but to use it as a main learning source would prove much more costly for many.