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Eye Candy for Authorware, Part 1: Building the Graphics

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Amy Blankenship

Amy Blankenship
Magnolia Multimedia

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

Build the Background Graphic

  1. Create the Basic Shape
  2. Give the Shape Texture
  3. Give the Shape Dimension
  4. Give the Shape a Shadow
  5. Shade the "Crumb Trail"

Build Buttons

  1. Build the "Real" Buttons
  2. Build the "Fake" Buttons
  3. Export your work

E-Learning applications built in Authorware don't have to have a boring appearance. This tutorial, the first in a two-part series, will show you how to create engaging graphics in Fireworks and integrate them into Authorware to show them off. The point of this tutorial is not to show you one way to create one interface, but to give you an idea of what's possible.

Note: the following link to the finished interface will prompt you to install the Authorware player if you don't already have it installed. Please check the list of supported browsers for the Authorware player before proceeding.View the finished interface.

Requirements

To complete this tutorial you will need to install the following software and files:

Authorware 7


Fireworks MX 2004


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About the author

Amy Blankenship is a native of Gulfport, Mississippi. She graduated with a degree in Graphic Design and Photography from Mississippi State University. Her graphics background landed her a position on a team doing interactive Multimedia training for the Air Force, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The graphics aspect of that project began spilling over into performing the programming for the Authorware side. Though the job ended when the project did, Amy went on to do more Authorware work for several companies, primarily supporting military and government clients.

The government contracting market is not really the place to find lifetime employment, so after one too many layoffs, Amy started her own company, Magnolia Multimedia. As an independent contractor, she has had the chance to more fully explore the capabilities of both Authorware and her second favorite Macromedia product, Fireworks.