Adobe Director

How to Give a Fading Effect in Adobe Director

Adobe Director is a multimedia authoring program that allows you to create a variety of digital presentations including videos, computer games and interactive CDs. One of the basic effects that can be used in Director is fading. Use this effect to fade into or out of an image for smooth transitional moments or to create a ghost-like image.

Fade-in Effect

Step 1

Select the frame where you want the fade-in effect to begin. Hold the “Alt” key and click if you are using a PC or hold the command key and click if you are using a Mac.
Step 2

Select “10%” from the “Blend” pull-down menu in the “Property Inspector” box. Hit “Enter.”
Step 3

Select the frame where you want the fade-in effect to end. Hold the “Alt” key and click if you are using a PC or hold the command key and click on a Mac.
Step 4

Select “100%” from the “Blend” pull-down menu in the “Property Inspector” box. Click on “Enter.” The fade-in will begin at the first frame you chose and gradually build until the last frame.

Fade-Out Effect

Step 1

Select the frame where you want the fade out to begin. Hold the “Alt” key and click on your PC or hold the command key and click on a Mac.
Step 2

Select “100%” from the “Blend” pull-down menu in the “Property Inspector” box. Hit “Enter.”
Step 3

Select the frame where you want the fade-out to end. Again, hold the “Alt” key and click if you are using a PC or hold the command key and click if you are using a Mac.
Step 4

Select “10%” from the “Blend” pull-down menu in the “Property Inspector” box. Hit “Enter.” The scene will gradually begin to fade out beginning at the first frame you chose and ending with an almost complete fade at the last frame.

How to Make a Slideshow in Adobe Director

Adobe–formerly Macromedia–Director is one of the leading presentation software programs on the market. It is commonly used to create presentations for business and educational purposes, but it’s also ideal for personal needs. You can use it to create custom slideshows, complete with a personalized soundtrack, for special occasions such as weddings, graduations, and birthday parties.

Check your files to ensure that they fall within the software’s acceptable parameters. The maximum size for photos is 480 pixels by 640 pixels. They should be 72 DPI (dots per inch). Color pictures should be 16-bit files; black and white should be 8-bit files. Audio files should be 22Khz, formatted in 16-bit files that are mono saved as .iff files, and may not exceed 30 seconds in duration.
Step 2

Open Adobe Director and allow it to load completely. Select “Preference” from the File Menu, and then scroll over and select “Sprite.” After the Sprite dialog box loads, enter “3″ in the Span Duration text box.
Step 3

Select “Import” from the File Menu. Select the photo and audio files you want to use in the Import Files dialog box. To select more than one at a time, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking on each file. After you have selected all of your files select “Import.”
Step 4

Make your Cast Window visible. Just minimize your Windows Menu and you will see it. Drag each file found in the Cast Window into the Score Menu in display order. Each of these files are now known as Sprites. Now drag and drop all of these Sprites within the Score Menu into “Channel 1.” Select “Save As,” name your file, and choose the .DIR file format. Do not close your file.
Step 5

Select the double-arrow icon on the Score Window; it is the one that resembles a bowtie above 1. Select the “X” you see in the Score Window. Adjust the tempo and the wait time to your preferences then select “OK.” Select the “X” again and you can add transition. The Transition dialog box will load. Select the category then the transition of your choosing then select “OK” to apply it.
Step 6

Select the rewind button (same as on a DVD player) on your Director Control Panel (minimize your window menu if it is not visible). Select the play button to play your slideshow. When you are finished viewing your slideshow press the stop button. Select “Save and Compact” on the File Menu.

What Is the File Extension X32?

Macromedia is a software company that was acquired by Adobe in 2005. A number of the programs that were once sold by Macromedia are still available from Adobe, and some of these programs use x32 files.

Identification

A file with the x32 file extension is known as an Adobe Xtra file.

Function

X32 files are updates created by Adobe for programs that were originally produced by Macromedia. The x32 file extension serves as a marker to these programs, allowing the contents of the file to be properly accessed.

Benefits

X32 files may contain security updates, new features, repairs or improvements on file encoding.

Programs

Programs that use the x32 file extension include Adobe Director, Adobe Flash player, Adobe Shockwave player and Adobe Authorware player. These programs are available both for Mac OS and Windows.

Sources

X32 files are downloaded directly from Adobe.

How to Make a Hidden Object Game

A computer hidden object game is a digital version of the find-a-picture games found in children’s magazines. You search a large image for several smaller items, such as a baseball or an umbrella, hidden somewhere on the page. Using custom artwork and one of several software packages, you can create your own hidden object games for selling or sharing online and also select a platform for distributing it.

Develop a theme for your hidden object game. This helps brand your game, potentially increasing recognition. Popular themes include murder mysteries, Gothic horror, Victorian and film noir.
Step 2

Construct a narrative or story line for your game. For example, each screen may represent a scene in a treasure hunt across time or one leg in a race around the world. This narrative keeps the player interested in completing the game by slowly advancing the story with each completed puzzle.
Step 3

Create your own object or find a contract artist to complete the artwork for you. In addition to several background images, you will need dozens of objects to hide in your different scenes.
Step 4

Purchase and install a game-building or programming software package. Popular platforms include Adobe Director, Adobe Flash, BlitzMax, Game Maker and Multimedia Fusion.
Step 5

Each software package has different instructions and steps for developing the actual hidden object game. Some, such as Adobe Director, are intended for experienced programmers while others, such as Game Maker, are better suited to novice designers.
Step 6

For the less experienced programmer, software such as Multimedia Fusion offers a simpler option. In these packages, create a game screen by importing one of your larger pictures as a background image.
Step 7

Add the individual elements to be hidden in the picture as separate objects. For each item, you will assign characteristics based on the software that identify it as a hidden object. You can also add special characteristics, such as bonus points for difficult-to-find objects.
Step 8

When the individual scenes are complete, the software will walk you through sequencing your scenes in the correct order and adding between-scene images or text (called “cut scenes”) to help advance the narrative.
Step 9

Finish the game by adding an introduction and instructions to the beginning and a closing scene. The introduction should begin the story and explain the purpose of the game. The closing should offer the player a satisfying conclusion and, perhaps, a segue into a sequel game.
Step 10

The software package will help you compile the game into a Web-ready format, such as a Flash file. This is your game file for distributing to friends or websites.
Step 11

Test your finished game with several friends to ensure clarity of directions and ease of use. What may make sense to you may not be so clear to a first-time player.
Step 12

Distribute your game online through your own website or through review or game-submission sites such as Jay Is Games (Jayisgames.com) or Big Fish Games (Bigfishgames.com). These sites will either review your game and help drive traffic to your own hosted site or host it for you with other similar games, letting visitors vote and review your game for other players.

How to Add Text to a Director Movie

By adding text to a Macromedia Director movie, you can give information, offer instructions or help, ask viewers for input, or provide any text-based content you want. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

Creating a New Text Cast Member

Step 1

Open your Director movie.
Step 2

Go to the Windows menu and click on Text. The Text window appears.
Step 3

Enter your text in the space provided. The Text window offers some of the same features that you find in a word processing program.
Step 4

Click on the Adjust Member Properties icon (the italic “I”), then indicate whether your text is to be cropped, adjusted to fit or scrollable. Click OK.
Step 5

When finished, click the “X” on the top right-hand side of the Text window to close it.
Step 6

Realize that your text appears in the first available space in the Cast window.

Importing Text

Step 1

Go to the File menu and click on Import. A pop-up window appears.
Step 2

Click on Text.
Step 3

Select the text file you want to import. Click OK. The text is imported to the first available space in the Cast window.
Tips & Warnings
- You can import ASCII text or rich text.
- When importing a text file, Director places each hard page break or each section break as a new Cast in the Cast window.
- When you create a Projector (that is, a stand-alone Director Movie), your text will be bitmapped.

How to Test Lingo Scripts in Director

You can test Lingo scripts in Macromedia Director by using the Message window. This allows you to test scripts immediately without first having to place them in the movie. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

Choose Message from the Window menu.
Step 2

Type a Lingo command in the Message window.
Step 3

Hit Enter. The results appear in the Message window
Tips & Warnings
- For example, type “put random(6),” then hit Enter. The Message window will display a number between one and six that has been chosen at random.
- You can also use the Debugger window for debugging activities.

How to Become a Video Game Director

Video game directors, also known as video game creative directors or lead designers, are in charge of overseeing the core team of professionals during the development and creation of a video game. A video game director typically reports to the lead video game producer and transports vital information to the rest of the video game development team. An educational and work background within the video game industry as a designer, programmer or producer is required to begin a career in this position.

Obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in visual communications, game design or other related fields. To become a video game director you must have at least five years of experience as a video game designer. Most video game designer positions require a four-year degree as the technologies within this industry are advanced. Ensure that the degree program you choose not only provides a solid education within game design and development but also provides courses in game distribution and game production; both are vital areas of expertise for video game directors.
Step 2

Study as an intern within a major video game design company. This may require relocation; however, after you graduate with your bachelor’s, an internship will help establish your name within the industry as well as provide you with ongoing education in this constantly changing industry. Create a resume and cover letter and call the HR department of larger video game design companies, such as Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Sony Computer Entertainment. Visit the career counseling department of the college you attended and ask for their assistance in obtaining an internship within a game development company.
Step 3

Complete the internship and develop your portfolio. A video game designer portfolio is vital for gaining employment within this highly competitive field. Gather your resume, cover letter and portfolio and submit them to as many game development companies as possible.
Step 4

Work as a video game designer, or other related position, for at least four to five years before applying to be a video game director. In many cases, if you work on a successful video game series you may be approached to oversee the development of a new game. Like most industries, the video game industry requires time and patience to make it to a management level position, such as a video game director.

How to Make Shockwave Games

Programming video games from scratch can be incredibly time consuming and hard to learn. Some programs, such as Macromedia Shockwave, make this process much easier by integrating all aspects of game development into one package. Instead of having to create an engine to display graphics and then having to write out all of the code for how your game will work, you instead just have to import objects and then write simple scripts for what those objects do during the course of the game.

Come up with a general game design and a hook that will draw the player in and keep them playing. Try to put a new spin on an old game idea or come up with an entirely original style of game play.
Step 2

Open the Macromedia Director program by either double-clicking the icon on your desktop or navigating through the “Start” menu and finding it in the “Programs” list. You can download a free trial of the Director program from the Adobe website if you do not already have the software installed on your computer.
Step 3

Import the images that you have already created in another graphics program that you will be using in the game or draw your own 2D images using Director’s drawing features.
Step 4

Access the scripting menu for any object that the player will interact with in the game by right clicking on the object in bottom tool bar and selecting the “Cast Member Script” option.
Step 5

Use the “OnMouseOver,” “OnMouseClick” and “OnMouseOff” commands to create the code that will govern how your game works. Be sure to script out each aspect of an objects behavior, such as when it should first appear on the screen, what happens when it collides with another object, if it ever needs to be removed from the screen.
Step 6

Save your project once you have finished the scripting and then export it to a website so that people with Shockwave enabled web browsers can play it online.

Tips & Warnings

The scripting language for Shockwave is very similar to Javascript. If you are not familiar with that sort of programming you can access Director’s extensive help files for step by step instructions on how to make objects interact with each other in your game.
Shockwave games are primarily intended to be played through a web browser with a mouse or keyboard, so you will be unable to create executable files for distributing the game to non-internet connected machines without downloading extra third party plug-ins.

How to Create a Frame-by-Frame Animation in Director

You can create a frame-by-frame animation in Macromedia Director by using Step Recording. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

Open the Score from the Window menu.
Step 2

Click in the cell where you want to begin recording.
Step 3

Open the Cast from the Window menu.
Step 4

Drag the Cast Member to be used in the animation onto the Stage. A red indicator light appears beside the channel to let you know that Step Recording has been activated.
Step 5

Open the Control Panel from the Window menu.
Step 6

Click on Step Forward in the Control Panel. The seleted sprite appears on the Stage in the next frame.
Step 7

Continue clicking Step Foward until you have added the sprite as many times as you want.
Step 8

Repeat the procedure using a different Cast Member.
Step 9

Play back your movie to test it.

How to Use Preload to Make a Director Movie Play Smoothly

If you’re creating a Macromedia Director movie that contains a lot of “heavy” files such as sounds or images, playback may be jerky. This is because Director is adding your sounds and images to RAM as you move from frame to frame. The Preload command will increase playback quality by sending the entire movie to RAM before it begins to play. These instructions apply to Macromedia Director 5.0. Procedures for other versions may vary.

Open the Script window. Click on the “X” sign to create a global script.
Step 2

Create a movie script. Enter the Lingo code “On StartMovie (hit Enter) preLoad (hit Enter) end.”
Step 3

Close the window. Before the movie plays, all Cast Members will be loaded into RAM.