Computer Arts Projects issue 93

Not so long ago, people were saying that the web was old hat. Sure, it was ‘interactive’, in the sense that you could click on a hyperlink and something (eventually) happened – a new page opened, or a movie clip or Flash animation played, or... well, that was about it, actually. So, really, interactivity was a bit boring.

It’s all very different now. With the breathtakingly rapid rise of ‘Web 2.0’ technologies, websites and services are interactive and responsive in ways we wouldn’t have dared hope for. If the mantra used to be ‘content is king’, now it’s ‘the user is king’. At the same time, these new technologies are driving a convergence of platforms and media that designers and developers dreamt about in visions of a time when it would become possible to ‘create once and deploy everywhere.’

In recognition of this new world, this issue of Computer Arts Projects explores the outer limits of interactive design, from cutting-edge Flash animation effects to designing for mobile phones and beyond. We’ve also got a uniquely interactive cover which will react to your touch, thanks to the amazing ‘thermochromic’ printing technology. (Well, nobody said all the technological innovation was on the web!) To make it even more about user choice, we’ve even got a split cover run this issue, with alternative white and black covers – collect them both!

Dom Hall, Editor

IN THE MAG

FEATURES

Showcase
Design work from agencies who are pushing the boundaries of the interactive format

Interactive design
From the emergence of the web in the mid- 1990s to broadband connections and now Web 2.0, we bring you bang up to date with the latest interactive technology for designers

Classics
Milestones in the history of interactivity: the videogame, the GUI, and the World Wide Web

Flash films
As Flash's capabilities have increased, so has the quality of the movies created with it. We look at the Flash film phenomenon as well as the international festivals it has spawned…

The future of web design
Is Web 2.0 technology already yesterday's news? Find out why new is the new old

Flash forward
Mark Anders, Adobe’s chief Flash scientist, reveals what the future holds for Flash

PROFILES

MagneticNorth
With clients including the BBC, Kellogg's and Diesel, mN's straight-talking Brendan Dawes demystifies the evolution of interactive design

Hue.visualab
Malaysian studio developing its own heady blend of graphically embellished cinematics

Glue London
Some of the world's biggest brands, such as Virgin, Coca-Cola and Sky, have joined up with Glue to find interactive media solutions

TUTORIALS

Flash animation
Flash animation is everywhere: TV, films, video games, mobile phones, the web, even computerised ATMs. Add your own anime-style movie effects to the mix by following animator Tom Baker's guide to creating a high-impact action sequence in Flash

Interactive websites
Paul Wyatt, head of design at Lycos, introduces you to the latest web technologies and shows you how to add a podcast, AJAX, Flex and video interactivity to your website without having to get bogged down with code

Interactive design tips
Follow our 20 expert tips to create better websites, DVD menus and interactive TV content – leading practitioners offer advice on everything from identifying your audience and testing your website to making dynamic DVD menus and choosing the right type

Design for mobiles
Harness the power of Flash to build an interactive menu and photo browser for use on mobile phone screens – all you need is a couple of plug-ins, our expert tutorial, and some really really tiny graphics…

ON THE CD

Create your own SWF pieces within XPress using Quark Interactive Designer trial software.
Zinc 1.0 full product and Zinc 2.5 trial for PC
100 royalty-free images from Fotolia
41 FlashDen files worth $150, and much more.