Digital Workshop

Hi,

I was looking through the Opus Component Galleries and in Highlight Pages -> SpotWipesLoop page I see that the various elliptical shapes use a circular/elliptical feathering.

I cannot see how this is achieved.

It is an effect that I would like to reproduce can someone explain how this is done please?

Kind regards

Martin

Properties - Effects Tab - Blend - Circle.

Mack

Many thanks Mac,

Much of the time I tend to use Opus in the Flex mode and of course the blend property is not available in Flash.

So when I go to Effects (in Flex mode) I only have Stretch and Transparency available!

Things are always simple when the expert points them out.

Kind regards

Martin

PS It always amazes me how versatile Opus is, I cannot understand why it is not more popular. Makes Powerpoint seem pedestrian, limited and boxy!

In general, this is the phenomenon characteristic of the masses, the mainstream, and the 'corporate nod'. A lot of people just are not capable of searching out and experiencing a tool or application on its own merit. There's less independent effort and more group-think. And it's found in more than just the .PPT space. my2cents.

But it's more than that. In order to make the most of a program like Opus the independent thought has to continue into the creative & design process. The dots need to be constantly connected including those outside of the box. But those constructs require intelligence from multi-areas - much like e-learning itself which is why you see the potential of Opus shine in different disciplines.

The notion of Opus as a PowerPoint rival is antiquated but people still equate presentations to the death-by-PowerPoint model. This is fault of people, both those transmitting and absorbing information, as PowerPoint, in it's credit has much potential than is rarely released. But if people, cannot or will not maximise on the features of a program that is presentation orientated then the chances of people needing to stem into far better solutions is limited.

But Opus, is and always has been ahead of the game. Information, traditionally presented through programs like PowerPoint is making it's way to the masses in every walk of life - but the reciprocates are no longer coffee drinking business persons, but everyday Joe's who don't (in a good way) understand the concept of 'static'.

But even here, Opus continues to blur the lines as interactive information interweaves with what people traditionally consider the domain of the computer program. But then an application is nothing more a collection of objects interacting with other objects and providing information - so if the development program has the right tools these 'information application' appear.

Has anything new been created? Probably not. Information has always existed and transmitted in varying formats and computer languages from humble BASIC to C# have created programs that have helped fly mankind to the moon, but in the same way as the iPhone, these technologies and concepts are being used in a slightly different way to address very modern requirements.

So compare me not to a presentation (summer has long since gone) but to other platforms.

Opus = Flash = Silverlight && Opus !=Flash != Silverlight

Each of these programs enters the ring with it's own unique background - all of which are different and thus appeal to different audiences - there are similarities and there are differences which one day might get discussed.

As for which I would choose, it's probably self evident and not so important as to why I would choose. Opus has a fundamental intuitiveness that is in tune to the necessary because it is developed in a way that appreciates what the very real possibilities will be tomorrow.

It doesn't bolt-on every extra need for today as and when a fad occurs and this annoys and discourages some. It adds both user-friendly features and features that are extremely powerful but require skill and experience to capitalise. Like most things in life - it rewards patience and practice.

Mack a coffee drinking businessman?

Wow!

Apologies for going so far off topic but I am a member of a Rotary Club and have a brilliant duty each year to provide two half days of instruction to the Senior Students (prefects to the oldies) at a large local comprehensive school.

The first half day is to talk about Responsibility and relate that to their task of being Senior Students and the second is to talk about presentational and communication skills; this is to help equip the students for a role that the school has generated. This role requires the Senior Students, at a special event, to 'sell' the school to the parents of prospective new students.

I think allowing the students themselves to help generate the new intake of students is a great example of thinking outside of the box, also a great privilege for an industry based 'outsider' to assist them in this endeavour.

The point of this off-topic post is that I use Opus for the presentations and always the staff in attendance are amazed by the versatility and flexibility of the presentations. Particularly, that because I have introduced a navigation system into the presentation it can be modified as the various discussions with the students develop.

To prepare a similar presentation in Powerpoint I am sure would end up very pretty but wooden and clunky in execution.

Martin

So very true. PPT lets you embed links to branch and jump w/i PPT, and also hyperlink to docs outside, ...embed spreadsheets or other files/views. But so few people perceive a need or benefit to navigate anything other than linearly.

In their defense, one pivotal issue is 'leverage'. That is, what is the level of recurrent use of the presentation... is it all one-way telling (vs. interacting/adapting)... and ratio of benefit to effort of something more creative and steerable?

Martin provides the example: