|
NZ Macguide Issue 11eZediaMX allows the creation of digital portfolios, storyboards, multimedia
slide shows and interactive CD-ROMs that, interestingly, require no programming
or scripting. While HyperCard users might have just gone into shock, HyperStudio
users are going to find a lot of comfort in the product. eZedia's site (www.ezedia.com),
software, communication and general level of support has always impressed me.
They have an obvious awareness of the needs of the education sector (who are
often looking for the kinds of tools that they offer) and it's pleasing to
see material on site aimed squarely at this market.
 |
The 'Go To' object is very similar and
as powerful as options in HyperStudio.
|
My investigations of the product were using the newly released 3.1 beta for
OS X and Windows. While version 3.0 of the product is also available for OS
9, the 3.1 beta is confined to OS X on the Mac. The company is still investigating
whether to continue updating the authoring tool for OS 9. Let's hope that they
do!
The program is based around Java, QuickTime and OpenGL - three technologies
that sit comfortably in the cross-platform, multimedia world. Keep in mind
that people viewing your work using the eZedia Player - which you can distribute
with your work - are also going to require OS 9.2, OS X or a PC capable of
using OpenGL, and all with QuickTime 5 installed. OpenGL is an important factor
in how distributable your work is going to be. I found that on an old PC (running
Windows 98) and one running WindowsXP, the player warned me that my hardware
did not support OpenGL, so frame transitions were noticeably jerky.
 |
Transitions are based on QuickTime technology
|
Getting started
eZediaMX is a 34MB download or you can get a CD version that includes tutorials,
over 200 object wells filled with media, as well as the eZediaMX Tour to
introduce you to the program. Installation is easy and the program comes
with an extensive 366-page PDF manual, as well as a 30-page tutorial and
supporting files. The eZedia website also has a large number of movies and
tutorial projects to view or work through.
The program sports a nice, simple interface and while I should try to avoid
too many comparisons to HyperStudio, users of that product will feel right
at home. A document window is the area where you place your various items;
the toolbar contains buttons for adding the kinds of media objects you'd expect
(graphics, text, buttons shapes, movies) but also includes other objects such
as a 'Go to' navigation object, branching object, multi-choice object, as well
as a reporting object which can track the performance of users.
I've got to Edit and Run
Development is very HyperStudio-like, with you not only placing images, sound
and movies on screen, but able to place buttons that move you to the next
frame in an exceedingly similar way. By basing itself on pre-existing technologies
such as QuickTime, when you add in a transition, it's based on QT technology.
eZediaMX also has a lot of advanced graphics, motion paths and animation
features that are easy to edit once created. With a simple key combination,
you switch from editing to running your presentation via the eZedia Player.
The toolbar objects are effectively grouped into four categories (Media,
Interactive, Logic and Special Objects) although some minor interface changes
would make these groupings more visibly obvious. The power of many of the objects
won't be clear until you delve deeper into the properties and actions you can
apply to them. The program uses the term 'Frames' to represent each screen,
but it might seems a bit odd to then say that a frame can comprise a number
of buttons and a movie that can play for any length of time. I tend to think
of a frame as a 'scene' and would actually like to see this term used by eZedia.
 |
A button and graphic object linked, with
options for the button showing
|
Oh! It's O-O
The program uses an object-oriented approach to help avoid scripting, which
is achieved through linking one object to another. You place a button and
a movie on the layout area, tell the movie to play once linked to, and tell
the button that it it's a standard button. Then you literally link these
two objects by dragging a link line from the button to the movie.
Imagine if you then wanted the movie to trigger a number of text objects
to appear, based solely on how far into the movie we'd got. You link the movie
to a Container Object that links to a Branch Object (that has time intervals
settings stored in it), which then links repeatedly to different text objects,
which will activate at a set time.
While this avoids unnecessary scripting, it does require getting in to an O-O
frame of mind.
Drag a link in the wrong direction and you've got the wrong object controlling
the other, which you may not realise without understanding some of the programming
principles you are employing. While the link includes an arrow to indicate
control, I'd like to see some sort of prompt that could guide you through the
process of linking. You may recall that HyperStudio had a preferences setting
that allowed you to switch on more helpful prompts. Perhaps by incorporating
some sort of feedback, guide or wizard when linking two objects, ensuring your
O-O principles are sound would be easier to determine.
 |
Linking objects is incredibly easy, but
linking in the wrong direction is hard to problem solve
|
Well, well, well
eZediaMX contains an object well system, similar to that of an object palette.
These wells store objects for reuse, maintaining all of their properties
including their position in the frame from which they were dragged. You can
create Object Wells, drag objects to and from them and have multiple wells
open at the same time, as well as download collections from the eZedia site.
Like programs before it, eZediaMX does not embed your media files into the
program or create a single projector file for you. It's important to maintain
a good file structure and keep the media you are linking to in one folder.
If you are then going to create a multimedia CD, you could easily make this
folder hidden, while ensuring that the main project file is accessible and
can be played by the Mac or Windows eZedia player.
Educationally speaking
I have no doubt that as I delve further into eZediaMX, I'm going to experience
the same realisation I experienced when first using HyperStudio - that it
has a wide range of functions. I can already see many new features to explore
in the program that make will it an incredibly powerful development tool
and can think of a number of advanced tricks to reshape the interface to
make the player less obvious.
Teachers looking for a simple-to-start-with piece of multimedia software
should look at this product. I can see it being of tremendous use in many of
the curriculum areas schools need to cover, with no need to simply confine
it to use in ICT. It has enough basics in its operation to fit comfortably
in upper-primary, as well as being flexible enough to extend users in secondary
to create advanced programs. So download the demo today and make a start on
easy and enjoyable multimedia.
© Parkside Media 2003
For permission to use this document, email
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Related Articles
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
