TASK 1 P3: Discuss the advantages and limitations of animated GIFs P5: Describe factors that need to be taken into account when creating animations for the web M2: Compare different animation formats M3: Explain particular techniques that are used to minimise the file size of animations D1: Compare different specialist computer animation software packages
ADVANTAGES • A GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) is the most used and most popular file format for animations, this is because a GIF has a variety of colour depth, 2, 4, 8 16 or 256 each with colour palettes, it also supports transparency and interlacing. • GIF file format is the most popular file format to date, it also preceded SWF.
ADVANTAGES • GIF’s are supported by all web browsers, this is because GIF’s are very small files sizes, and because of this web site developers use GIF’s in there websites for animation. GIF’s been so small it will take up less space on a server so it is easier for web developers to store GIF’s
ADVANTAGES • GIF’s allow website developers to use GIF’s to peace together images to make them into an animation. This allows web developers to cut down on the amount of GIF files there are on a website, as all the GIF images are in one GIF file format . • GIF’s support transparency and interlacing, this means a GIF file can support both video and audio, this widens the possibility of what you can do with a GIF file format.
LIMITATIONS • GIF’s support 8 bits per pixel which allows for a palette of up to 256 colours. • This is a limited colour palette so the quality of the images will be degraded. • The quality will be degraded as there are not many colours to use.
LIMITATIONS • GIF file formats will require a Plug-in for it to be support by a web browser. • People may not want to download the plug-in as they may see it as a threat to there systems • The need of a plug-in to allow it to work on a web browser may also slow down the browser if the plug-in does not close once used.
LIMITATIONS • GIF’s are not support on all devices, these devices may be some mobile phones, tablets and even some PC’s • Some hardware manufacturers do not want to support GIF’s in there hardware, this is because they may see it as a security risk. • Some hardware might not be able to support GIF’s as the website might not be supported. This limits people to what they can see.
FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CREATING ANIMATIONS FOR THE WEB • When designing an animation for the web, there are many factors that need to be considered, one of these factors is compatibility. • When designing a website, the designer needs to think about what browsers people will try and view there site with. Some browsers may not be compatible with some of the content on a website, this would mean some parts to the website will not load and in some cases the website will not load. • This is the same for animation, this is because some animation formats are not supported by web browsers, this means the animation wont play if someone is using an unsupported browser.
FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CREATING ANIMATIONS FOR THE WEB • Another factor that needs to be considered is the file size. When creating an animation the content inside it will increase the size of the file. • When uploading an animation to the web, the size of the file may limit people to see it, this is because the animation will take to long to load as the huge file size will have to be downloaded or streamed which at some point the person may close the web browser or click off. No one wants to wait to see a video over the internet.
FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN CREATING ANIMATIONS FOR THE WEB • When creating an animation the interactivity of the website needs to be taken under consideration. The buttons used to connect web pages could be animated so the button changes when the mouse is put over it. This would improve the website but some web browsers may not support it. • If a web browser does not support the animation file format or the images contained with in the animation, it will be unable to work. With the animated button, if a web browser does not support the animated button, the button would just be one colour and not be animated.
COMPARE DIFFERENT ANIMATION FORMATS • A SWF (Shock Wave File) is an Adobe Flash file format, this means only Flash can be used to save in this format. SWF allows people to create animation but this format also supports more, allowing people to create and save games in this format. It also allows people to fit more into an animation and still have a small file size. SWF files also has no limitations to colour depth. Whereas a GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) is not limited to Adobe products, this means there is a wide range of programs that can be used to make GIF’s. GIF is the most used and most popular file format for animations, this is because a GIF has a variety of colour depth, 2, 4, 8 16 or 256 each with colour palettes, it also supports transparency and interlacing. The GIF format also allows people to create games using flash. GIF file format is the most popular file format to date, it also preceded SWF.
EXPLAIN PARTICULAR TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED TO MINIMISE THE FILE SIZE OF ANIMATIONS • When creating an animation one of the best ways to decrease the file size is to use less objects within the animation, this would mean less layers used when creating the animation. This will require the animation to contain less content or content that has a low file size themselves. This will decrease the animation size dramatically as there is less running with the animation.
EXPLAIN PARTICULAR TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED TO MINIMISE THE FILE SIZE OF ANIMATIONS • One way of reducing the file size of an animation is to reduce the content within the animation. This would mean the animation would run for a shorter time. This would lower the file size as the animation would not have to load up as many objects or key frames within the animation. This would mean the animation would run for a shorter time but the animation file size would be much smaller. • Another way to decrease the file size is to save the animation when completed as an SWF. An SWF file format allows an animation to have a lower file size but still contain a large animation.
EXPLAIN PARTICULAR TECHNIQUES THAT ARE USED TO MINIMISE THE FILE SIZE OF ANIMATIONS • When creating an animation, one of the best ways to have a low file size and still have a large animation with loads of content is to decrease the quality of the animation. The quality of the animation would be decreased meaning everything in the animation would be decreased in quality, but it will mean the size of the file will be smaller as the animation content would be lower in size. • Another way to decrease the file size of an animation without loosing any of the quality is to compress the animation. This is best to do if the animation is be sent off through an email or needs to be shortened to fit on a memory stick. The animation can then be decompressed and the quality of the animation will be the same as before.
COMPARE DIFFERENT SPECIALIST COMPUTER ANIMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES • Adobe Flash and Go Animate are two very different animation software packages, these two software packages are used by different people depending on there skill level and what they are planning to do in there animation. • Flash is one of the best software packages available to people, this is for many reason, one of these reasons is that Flash has an easy to follow set up, meaning it is easy to understand and make basic animations out off • Go Animate is available for free on there official website or on YouTube. Go Animate is similar to Flash in one aspect, it is easy to follow and easy to create very basic animations.
COMPARE DIFFERENT SPECIALIST COMPUTER ANIMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES • Flash is the best program around to create amazing and complicated animations, the quality of the animations has no limit, the only draw back to using Flash is that when creating a complicated animation, the file size can be massive. However Flash file sizes can be easily shortened by compressing the Flash animation. • Go Animate cannot be used to create complicated animations, this is because the program is very basic and is only web based. The file sizes are always small but the quality of the animation is quite bad. The Go Animate file size cannot be shortened as it is unable to be compressed unlike Flash.
COMPARE DIFFERENT SPECIALIST COMPUTER ANIMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES • Go Animate is a free service, the only thing needed is an email address and anyone on the web can use it. There are costs to what backgrounds, animated characters and objects that can be used within an animation, but these costs are for buying pre made objects, it is free to create your own backgrounds, animated characters and objects. • Flash is a paid service, it is one off cost to buy Flash but the only limitation is what you are able to create, this is because Flash can support many different file types allowing people to add any form of image or set of images to be animated together to form an animation.
COMPARE DIFFERENT SPECIALIST COMPUTER ANIMATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES • In conclusion Flash is the best animation package on the market to date, even though you would have to buy it to use it. However Go Animate does have an advantage, it is free to use, but together Flash is a much more superior animation software package than any other that can be found on the internet. Like almost every one on the internet will say “Just use Flash”