Designing for Constraints

Mouses and Keyboards in Flash

Going over Flash_101_mouse and then Flash_101_Template_example_timer

Create links to force, tensions, and familiarities with the real world: switches, dragging, growing, shrinking: not just one click commands

the designer that remembers to take these connections will always make more engaging

always have on-screen confirmation of click/activity from user (the red box blinks while the circles are growing - before you can see the circles)

how is the user represented? in all projects it’s very important to have an understanding and realization of the user’s representation on/in the interface

using _xscale and _yscale instead of width and height work better for keeping control of the symbol’s original ratio/size

///////// CODE FROM AMIT

var mDown:Boolean = false; // is mouse held down?

this.onMouseDown = function(){
mDown = true;
doOnceOnClick();
}

this.onMouseUp = function(){
mDown = false;
doOnceOnRelease();
}

this.onEnterFrame = function(){
// do continually on mouse DOWN
if(mDown){
doContinuallyOnDown();

// do continually on mouse UP
} else {
doContinuallyOnUp();
}
}

timer_heldDown = 0;
circle_animation._xscale = 0
circle_animation._yscale = 0;

function doOnceOnClick(){
//trace(“******Clicked******“);
square.nextFrame();
}

function doOnceOnRelease(){
//trace(“******Released******“);
circle_animation.play();
timer_heldDown = 0;
square.prevFrame();
}

function doContinuallyOnDown(){
//trace(“still DOWN“);
timer_heldDown ++;
circle_animation._xscale = timer_heldDown;
circle_animation._yscale = timer_heldDown;
}

function doContinuallyOnUp(){
//trace(“still UP“);

}

After talking to friends at Adobe and Colin Moock before hand… http://www.moock.org/ and the best way to begin teaching interaction design with Flash - decided on AS2, and also Adobe will be

A few thing AS3 is missing:
a good button (forces import and listeners, etc)
accessing parent scripts (class definitions)

One button [game] design and interaction:

oneSwithcGames_gamasutra (decompiled code available)

what are the paradimes and things that they can hold on to to put purpose in what they’re looking at?

angles, distance, proximity, naming

position is scientific and to people it doesn’t matter: distance is important

relation in graphical form of one to another: shapes, colors, naming

deep seeds in real world, it’s not just abstract relations between graphics and design

these things are the primary principles of graphic design and are NO different than interface and interaction design

emotion, feeling, attention, passive/active, personality, character

are there sounds that activate? resistance? haptic?

One switch gaming (especially in Asia)

Using the keyboard in Flash:

Flash101_keyboardTemplate etc.

event listeners, on/off flags, etc.

Control -> Disable Keyboard Shortcuts
- then focus on the preview screen

I-PAC

Left side is Player 1 (PS2 to USB)
Right side is Player 2

two screws different are two top ones: ground.
anchor the cord (why weren’t we taught this? it’s a stupid easy thing)

close the circuit between ground and any other slot to press the keyboard button

“it just works”

simple switch to activate key command

best to use more flexible wires

Project assignment: create something with a button. :)

Button options:

Assistive Tech:
Large mono mini switch
large wireless, velcro, tongue
Entire industry based around it. (all of these switches available in the assistive tech box in the ER)

Other options (not necessarily assistive tech):
tilt switch: mercury or rollerball
tilt switches option with multiple tilts
vibration switches
REED switches (magnetic pull)
doorbell
anything that’s binary.