Forum Discussion
Animated path and variable changes
Trying to have a little fun with this one and I am racking my brain on two issues.
1- I set an animation path to move a video off screen once the learner moves the slider, The slider then opens a layer. However, each time another layer appears, the video returns and leaves. Can't figure this one out.
2- I created a variable "showcontinue" and set my continue button to hidden. The trigger should change the state of button 1 to normal when the variable reaches 10. Each layer gives different points - Layer 1- 1 point,
Layer 2- 2 points, Layer 3- 3 points, and Layer
4- 4 points. However, i cannot get the button to show on the base layer after the 4th and final layer has been hit.
I included the slide if anyone wants a challenge, or to make fun of me for not getting it. Either way, your help would be appreciated.
I'm happy to take on the challenge đ, LeonardSaucierâ . A small modified .story file is worth a thousand words, but basically, here's what I did.
-Since all the âbtn-continue 1â buttons have the same name and appearance on all layers (which is confusing), I took the liberty of coloring the one on the base layer red (the one youâre trying to make ânormalâ) and renaming it, to help me create a trigger later.
-You donât need the Showcontinue variable; you already have the Slider1 variable.
-To prevent the video from reappearing/disappearing on every layer, use this trick: click the small triangle below the list of objects on the layer, and uncheck the eye icon next to the video: This element will not be visible when the âFeet-Weight-Applicationsâ layers appear. Do this on every layer except on the first one because you need your âquick exitâ animation once. Look at the attached image: itâs in French, sorry, but youâll recognize your file.
-Finally, on the last âApplicationsâ layer, simply create a trigger: âChange the state of âBtn Continue on the base layerâ to Normal when the learner clicks on âbtn-Continue 1â.â Place this trigger before the trigger that closes this layer, just to be safe.
All done.
Andrew is right. We should do something to prevent the learner from dragging the slider too quickly to the top of the scale.
4 Replies
Hi Leonard. I like your style, this was a fun and funny course. I was able to get some fixes, but with some caveats.
The video hang-up seems to me to relate to it occupying the entire timeline. I removed the motion path and replaced it with an Exit Animation, and then dragged the end of the video on the timeline to a little after where the video finishes. I've experienced issues both with animation paths in general as well as with videos stretched to fill the entire timeline. Since the video is still technically "visible" on the timeline even after your motion path has removed its visibility to the learner, I've found Storyline tends to still try and act on/with it. Maybe the animation path settings are related, but strangely I wasn't able to see the actual animation path on the Animations tab. Regardless, exiting the video ensured it was well and truly out of the picture for every subsequent return to the base layer.
I was able to get your final Continue button to show, but weirdly I'm not quite sure how since I was trying a number of different things. Your showContinue variable is making it to 10 but the Set state trigger on the base layer doesn't seem to be reacting the way we think it should. Again, I was able to get it to trigger in my edited file, but after comparing it to yours, I don't visually see a difference. I expect a workaround might be to have the Applications layer's Continue button simply progress learners to the next slide rather than return to the base layer only to show a second Continue button.
I was also able to break your course while experimenting. Your layers adding values to showContinue is novel but can produce situations where showContinue becomes greater than 10 since each time I click a layer's Continue, its value is added to the variable once again. Since I can revisit layers, the addition to the variable can happen more than once. A bulletproof trigger might check the value of showContinue is >= 10 to account for revisits; however, I was also able to move the character multiple spaces up the ladder if I moved my mouse quickly, skipping layers. This would naturally allow someone to make it to the top with a showContinue less than 10.
1. Here's why the video kept showing:
Every time the user moves the slider and the variable changes, the video moves along the motion path. The path hasn't been set to have a relative start point. That means when the path replays, it starts with the video in its original location. Setting it to "Relative Start Point" would make the path replay from its last location (which, in this case, is off the slide).
As AndrewBlemings-â pointed it, it'd be easier to just give the video an exit animation.
2. All of the slide's continue buttons have the same name. Your trigger to change the base button to Normal is actually set to change the state of the button on the Feet layer.
This is a great example of why giving each object a meaningful name is so useful.
Unasked for advice: Keep in mind that the user could slide the person all the way up the ladder, skipping rungs below. So you might want the instructions to mention that they have to stop at each level. I'd also add some markings on the "wall" to show where each level is.
One more thing: "Family Guy" is copyrighted, so it's illegal to include that video in your course, unless you have received explicit permission from the copyright holder.
Including the video is also bad instructional design. It doesn't provide any necessary content about ladder inspection. Thus, it's a distraction that increases cognitive load/decreases learning.
I'm happy to take on the challenge đ, LeonardSaucierâ . A small modified .story file is worth a thousand words, but basically, here's what I did.
-Since all the âbtn-continue 1â buttons have the same name and appearance on all layers (which is confusing), I took the liberty of coloring the one on the base layer red (the one youâre trying to make ânormalâ) and renaming it, to help me create a trigger later.
-You donât need the Showcontinue variable; you already have the Slider1 variable.
-To prevent the video from reappearing/disappearing on every layer, use this trick: click the small triangle below the list of objects on the layer, and uncheck the eye icon next to the video: This element will not be visible when the âFeet-Weight-Applicationsâ layers appear. Do this on every layer except on the first one because you need your âquick exitâ animation once. Look at the attached image: itâs in French, sorry, but youâll recognize your file.
-Finally, on the last âApplicationsâ layer, simply create a trigger: âChange the state of âBtn Continue on the base layerâ to Normal when the learner clicks on âbtn-Continue 1â.â Place this trigger before the trigger that closes this layer, just to be safe.
All done.
Andrew is right. We should do something to prevent the learner from dragging the slider too quickly to the top of the scale.
Thank you all for your insight. Here is what I did to solve the issues. I went button crazy
- Ensuring all layers are viewed before the continue button appears and revealing continue button- Created 4 more fake buttons off screen on the main layer. On each layer and named them differently (good eye) . When the continue on the layer is selected, I changed the state of the corresponding fake button on the main screen to visited.
- Then I created a trigger to show "main screen continue button" to normal when the 4 fake buttons are changed to the state of visited.
- Moving video along path- The "hide on base layer in layers" was probably the easiest way to go, but again.... buttons! Created a button and kept it off screen. Called it Fake button. Set a trigger to change the state of Fake button 1 to visited when slider one is clicked on.
- Then created a trigger, move the video along motion path 1 when the state of the fake button is visited. (no more repeating)
A little extra work, but i liked the flow. Thanks!
ThierryEMMANUELâ JudyNolletâ AndrewBlemingsâ Yall are awesome!
- Ensuring all layers are viewed before the continue button appears and revealing continue button- Created 4 more fake buttons off screen on the main layer. On each layer and named them differently (good eye) . When the continue on the layer is selected, I changed the state of the corresponding fake button on the main screen to visited.
