Digital Workshop

Hello,

I'm currently a 3rd year student training to be a primary school teacher, and as part of my course I have to do an assignment using Opus pro 6. To be honest I am stressing out completely as I have no idea how to use it!! Just wondered if anyone could suggest some simple tips or any advice at all. In all, im looking to make about 8 pages of mini games all linked by the theme of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Any very easy tips would really help as im a complete computer dummy!

Natalie

hello,

you are asking how to build the piramids of egypt in one day !
anyway I started 7 years ago to use this program , I didn't know nothing about programming , but now when my friends see what can I do with opus they say that I am a computer genius....
when they ask me how you do these things , I say well, it is complicated , I use advanced complicated java programming which uses a self indipendent mathematical hybrid logic!
and everyone says....wooooooooooooow

start like baby steps, .....make first simple staff , what I see you want to make a simple animation game,
so, make 4 pushbuttons , for each pushbutton make an action which will make four different sounds...

then make 4 shapes, make 4 pushbuttons , now try to move the shapes with the pushbuttons , for ex pb n.1 moves shape no.1 vetically, pb n.2 moves shape n.2 horizontally,
pb n.3 let disappear shape n.3 etc.... I started like this, it is like playing an instrument first you play the simple notes or scales.
make 4 pb's that will let you go on different pages with different content and different pushbuttons , etc
it is similar to powerpoint ...
remember the mouse it is very power tool in opus, if you left click on an object you have properties and options that you can use on this object, if right click you have another menu that will give another options,
try to explore first...

..before I tried to use macromedia or flash and the learning curves are very hard ,
but with opus it is very easy, it is like powerpoint but on steroids !

good luck

Hi Nat,

The VHC lends itself to a simple drag and drop game. Something like dragging the correct number of food items onto the caterpillar on each page. I.E. drop one apple on the first page, two pears on the next. Once the correct number is dropped, you could animate the caterpillar off the page and on to the next.

Mack

Natalie,

Welcome to the world of Opus and our Forum. Welcome too to the whole world of multimedia creation and authoring.

May I simply suggest this? Take a few deep breaths and assure yourself 'this is doable'. Next, take stock of this small project... specifically, list or sketch-out your ideas on just a couple pieces of paper. You can later mark it up, expand it.

Now choose one or maybe two of those "8 pages" you mentioned, and keep just those pages in mind. Think: 'what do I need to draw on this page?', 'what kind of movement do I want to create?', 'what will my students be asked to do on this page?', 'are there any things I want to appear or disappear?'.

Okay... you now have a few specific things to focus on, and we can help you learn each one.
For example, if you want to move a 'square' and a 'triangle' toward each other... we can help you build that specific animation. You could learn/achieve that in 20 minutes. (it takes <2 minutes once you have a bit of Opus know-how).

So simply continue to Post back here with some specific things you want to learn/achieve.

In the meantime, a few 'tips' to know 'what is possible' and 'where to look':
-- Opus has an Object Tool to draw a PATH. It is as easy as drawing a straight, curved, or wavy line.
-- once you draw your square or circle objects, you can add Opus actions to move those shapes along that path. (you can do this easily without any computer programming language knowledge --- you do it by point and click method... making choices in easy to learn dialog windows.)
-- if you made your catepillar 'touch a shape', it is very easy to add a ready-made animation effect so the shape magically disappears. Learning time -- 10 minutes to 45 minutes (really it is 5-15, but you will WANT to play around a bit... also play to know what's possible.)
-- once you have created just a couple objects and an animated action or two, Save your work, and then Opus has a quick Preview feature so you can view your end-result (click the Menu/Icon, watch the Preview, press Escape key when done... and you are back to your work).
-- lastly, do read the Opus Help File for a few minutes. Read at least the "Getting Started" parts, and also take a glance at what other kind of topics are there.

There's so much more to 'tell', but it's best if you get behind the wheel.

As Sherif has said... many of us have been 'newbies'. So jump in, and then ask-away.

Cheers
Larry

Firstly, thank you for all your help so far!!

ive managed to create a very simple wordsearch so far!

if anyone could give me more info on the drag and drop game that would be great as i really like that idea, ive had a little look and cant even work out how to get images onto the page! (completely a dummy im afraid!) i would like to do something simple like putting the correct amount of apples into a basket with the number on it, ie a picture with 3 apples needs to stay on the baskt with the number 3 on it, but not on the rest? is this possible?

Ive als been looking through the samples and seen a treasure map thing? i thought i coulddo something like that, but can work where to start?

would really be grateful for anymore pointers, and that you again for the replies already!

Nat

First, start with your Images. It is best to resize these in your photo-viewing application or other graphic-handling application. (when I say 'resize' here, I mean do not use a 2500 pixel by 1800 pixel resolution image for a game where you only need something a little larger than a postage stamp -- and also, just resize to get it somewhat smaller, does not have to be exact or even close. ).

Now let me contradict myself a bit. You could skip that 'resizing' step, since Opus program will accept that large image and automatically display it in a smaller box --- but Opus will still be dragging around a quite large image file.

Here are the easy steps:
method 1:
Go to the "Insert" Menu and click on "Image".
On your blank or working Page, simply stretch a small rectangle. (i.e., click and drag to create that box)
Don't worry about the exact size right now.
As soon as you release your mouse, a pop-up window (dialogue box) will appear... you simple click on the "Browse" button/icon to locate the image file you want to use.
That's it. Click "Okay" (note: my Preference settings use the default: Automatically "Scale-to-Fit", so the image will be made to fit whatever size object you want on the Page).
Now you can Click on the image object and drag its corners or its side handles to make it the size and shape you want.

method 2:
Let's say you are viewing your images in your graphic application or elsewhere, simply Copy it.
Go over to Opus and click on an empty area of the Page.
Right-click and Paste.
Now you have the "Image Tool" and all you have to do is stretch a small rectangle.
-- You'll notice the pop-up dialogue again and it will show you the location of the file in your Opus working directory.
-- I strongly recommend 'method 1', since the Copy & Paste approach results in larger image filesizes (.bmp type).
-- BTW, you can use this method to copy and paste pics from webpages... however please be aware of and respect copyrights.

Remember to Save your Opus work after you've made some progress.

Yes it's "possible"! It's Opus.

At this point, you should have 3 images:
image A -- the basket with the number "3"
image B -- pic of 3 apples
image C -- pic of 8 bananas

Double-Click on image A. ( "hey, that was simple... it brings up the object Properties where I was before!" )
Click on the Tab labeled "Drag and Drop"
Make this image 1) able to have objects dropped on it, and 2) specify specific objects that you will allow. (i.e., image B)
see attached illustration (you must be logged in to the Forum to see it -- Click on it to view larger -- Browser Back to forum)
While making the above settings, notice the other "options" on the right side. Click "Okay" to finish.

The next step is similar... and is the "flip side" of this set-up.
Double-Click on image B.
Modify its Drag and Drop settings... check "This object can be dragged" and leave "return... if not dropped".
Notice your other "options".
Click "Okay" to finish.

Lastly. Double-Click on image C.
Make the same set-up as done for "B"... to be "draggable" and "return... if not dropped"

Suggest Save your work (or "Save As" with some added 'version': Game_02B.imp --- so you have a fall back position).
Now just Preview and test. Discover what you can drag and what happens when attempted drop.