Web Animation II Scripting Syllabus
Contents
Web Animation II:Scripting (35-2411-01)
Interactive Arts and Media
Columbia College Chicago
600 S. Michigan Ave,
Chicago, IL 60605
www.colum.edu
Instructor
Brian Nielsen
cell: (708) 254-3658
email: brian@iam.colum.edu
email: bnielsen@colum.edu
email: manvsfriction@gmail.com
AIM: manvsfriction
Course Description
Course further guides students through time-based software applications for future applicability in movement-enhanced web design. Students learn advanced ActionScript for animation, special effects, dynamic content, interactivity, and games. Students combine a variety of software programs for finished projects and will further their study of cross-platform hardware and software troubleshooting for motion-enhanced design.
Course Information
Web Animation II:
Scripting (35-2411-01)
Mondays, 3:30 - 6:20pm
623 S. Wabash Ave. Room 411
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, the student will:
- will apply the
fundamentals of computer programming through the use of Flash ActionScript.
- have an
understanding of developing software in Flash.
- carry several
ActionScript-based project to completion using Flash.
- effectively see
projects through from conception to implementation
- participate in class
critiques of work.
Required Texts
Foundation Actionscript for Flash 8 by Kristian Besley, David Powers, Sham Bhangal, Eric Dolecki (ISBN:1590596188)
Additional Recommended Texts
Essential Actionscript 3.0 by Colin Moock Flash 8 Cookbook by Joey Lott
Departmental Attendance Policy
Two late arrivals equal one absence. You are expected to be in class on time;
attendance is taken at the beginning of class. Two absences (even excused absences)
may result in a failing grade. Three absences and you FAIL- NO EXCEPTIONS. If an
absence cannot be avoided, it must be discussed with your instructor ahead of time.
Medical and other emergency leave of absences follow a different policy. Please contact your instructor if such a situation arises.
Conaway Center Statement
Students with disabilities are requested to present their Columbia accommodation
letters to their instructor at the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can
be arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department or the faculty member,
as appropriate. Students with disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should
visit the office of Services for Students with Disabilities in room 520 of the Congress
building (312.344.8134/V or 312.360.0767/TTY). It is incumbent upon the student to
know their responsibilities in this regard.
Grading Policy
Grades are based upon a combination of course projects, completion of the required
reading, and participation in class discussion, projects, and lectures as follows:
Project 1: 15%
Project 2: 20%
Project 3: 20%
Class Participation: 10%
In-class Projects: 15%
Homework: 20%
Final Points / Letter Grade
94-100 A
90-93 A-
87-99 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
60-69 D
0-59 F
Course Overview
9/10
Course Introduction & Syllabus Review.
Homework Bring in 2 examples of Actionscript driven Flash sites that you find interesting
9/17
Fundamentals of Actionscript mini-review: variables, event handlers, functions, relationships, syntax, properties
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapters 1 & 2 Make a movie that uses an event handler to trigger Actionscript-controlled movement
9/24
Trivia Game
Discuss Project1.
Pre-planning Flash projects: storyboards, flowcharts.
How to trouble-shoot your own files
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 3 & 4 Make a storyboard and flowchart for Project 1 and bring to class next week
10/1
Datatypes, conditional statements, arrays & storing data in arrays Complex conditionals if, else if, else / switch, while, for. HANGMAN!
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapters 5 & 6
10/8
Hangman code review.
Creating your own functions, passing arguments.
Homework Project 1 DUE NEXT NEXT WEEK
10/15
Properties, Methods, Constructors, OOP.
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapters 7 & 8 Project 1 DUE NEXT NEXT WEEK
10/22
Project 1 Due - Class Presentations and Analysis
Continued OOP
Discuss Project 2
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 9 Make a storyboard and flowchart for Project 2 and bring to class next week
10/29
Discuss Project 2 ideas
Working with XML in flash
Variable Scope
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 10 Project 2 storyboards
11/5
Games & sprites; collisions, boundaries, movement, dragging, using the keyboard as a control Making your own components, using Actionscript to create movement with inertia, making your own tweens, swarming
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 11 continue to work on Project 2
11/12
Scope, Duplicating and attaching movie clips.
Homework Project 2 DUE NEXT WEEK
11/19
present project 2
Discuss Project 3
The Drawing API.
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 12 Make a storyboard and flowchart for Project 3 and bring to class next week
11/26
Sound in Flash and linkage, the Sound object, controls, loading external sounds and streaming
Homework Read Foundation AS Chapter 13
12/3
php and databases?
12/10
Project 3 -Class Presentation and Analysis
Potluck?