(12th September 2016: Monday night before Tuesday morning’s class)
While it may look like “cramming for the exam” than having a last minute enlightenment, I think I have realised how I need to set up the file in order to make the interactivity work.
I originally thought I needed to create 6-9 different ‘pages’ within the Animate document, but had no idea how that would work. I then discovered (while testing out the button functionality) that I just needed to create 6-9 scenes along the one timeline, adding 2 interactive buttons at each junction where a decision must be made at points located in frames at end of scenes A, C and E (see image attached). The interactive buttons will have code attached that allows it to jump to a frame and continue to play on with the story.
Yes, it looks like a dogs breakfast, but with a few tweaks here and there I think it makes sense…
I’m wondering if I could set this all up as a blank template (with scenes and buttons) without the artistic content at this stage? I’m only pondering it as I may want to change my story. I just want to make sure the model works digitally.
Will check in with Scott tomorrow to see if this is viable.
(14th September 2016)
So my thoughts on the structure were right, but with a little more complexity it turns out. “Scenes within scenes” or “tweens within scenes” is basically how I need to think of it, the 9-frame line I am showing above (A, B1, B2, C, D1, D2, E, F1, F2) is the ‘master scene’, and then each of these branches off into other scenes, where the action scripts and attributes all fall into. It’s a crude way of explaining, and probably not 100%, but I understand it in my head, and my tutor knows this, so that’s all that matters for now (although my glazed-over expression during his explanation might not have convinced him of this at the time).
I’m still yet to design the whole thing, I’m just working to make sure the functionality of the whole thing works. Am also wondering if I need to change the story book I’m modelling this off.