How to create typewriter effect?

Oct 28, 2013

HI I'm fairly new with Story Line - my question is.. is it possible to create a typewriter effect.  I have a web address that i would like the letters to look like they are being typed in.  I'm sure this is going to be a DUH! moment - but thanks in advance for your assistance!

CK

16 Replies
Steve Flowers

Few ways to go about this. The least complicated is creating a variable first, something like "myURL". Then create shape (such as a square) just off of your stage. Create a trigger on this shape so that when the timeline starts, your myURL variable is set to the full URL.

Make copies of this shape and delete an additional letter from each copy until you end up with one shape with a single letter. Now arrange your shapes on the timeline, pretty close together, to produce an animation that builds the letters one at a time.

Now when you add %myURL% to a text field, you can position it wherever you want without having to worry about a one letter at a time build arrangement. 

Nancy Woinoski

Hi Christina, Steve's idea is very clever but I built one using the "old school" method which is adding each letter as a separate text box to the timeline. To make it seem more realistic you should use a font like new courier and drop some of the letters a bit.  Here is an example of a title screen where I used this method.

I just updated the link to this one so it should work now. Example

Rob Logan

For anyone still looking for a quick and dirty way of doing this without sacrificing quality, the technique I use works pretty well. Basically, I use Microsoft Powerpoint's typewriter text animation to type out any text that needs to be animated (my preset attached below). Then, I use Camtasia, or any other screen-recording software to record the animation when it's previewed in Powerpoint. I save the custom video and "insert" it into my Storyline project (example attached). It's that simple!

I experiment a lot with gamification and have uncovered a lot of nifty hacks like this one. Maybe one day I'll upload em all! (the female robot speaking is actually my recorded voice with a ton of effects on top heh heh... and I'm American. "MY GOD HOW DID HE DO IT?!"

Hope this helps!