Illuminatus Opus Pro

Pro

1 April 2005

One of the buzzwords associated with the new Windows XP is ‘multimedia’. To create a multimedia application requires that you draw together media from various sources such as still images, video, sound and of course text. As you can imagine, this frequently involves several people working on a project. Complexity (or confusion) can arise on two fronts during the creation of a multimedia project: the cluttered desk syndrome (with files of every type scattered through out the computer) and the difficulty in maintaining a coherent story line. The success of a multimedia-authoring package is frequently directly related to how it can reduce this complexity. There are other criteria for success; the availability of useful templates, libraries of reusable objects and ease of distribution.

Illuminatus Opus Pro is the professional version of Illuminatus Opus. It uses the design of a book (publication, chapter, page) to carry the multimedia objects of graphics, text and actions. Illuminatus Opus has a substantial following, particularly in the education area. The product’s low price and ease of use allowed it to compete with the more expensive Mediator Pro. The Opus Pro edition is over twice the price of the standard version. The combination of a high price tag plus a substantial number of new features makes it comparable to Macromedia’s Authorware.

Bang to rights
For example, it is now possible to detect when objects will collide: synchronise this with start of a video and the effect is as professional as you can get.. The stroke (width) of lines and the fill may be controlled. Database support includes the ability to start and stop queries. A scripting language, named OpusScript, (along the lines of Javascript) has been implemented. OpusScript gives greater control over objects such as buttons; the properties of objects can be changed by the script. Interactions with databases and mathematical calculations may also be accessed from the scripts. OpusScript will run within an application posted to the Web. Time saving features include the ability to copy file actions and the ability to pre-load files. E-mails may also be sent from within the application.

The manual is well written and easy to follow, although the index is lacking many entries. After installation you can run a demo to get a quick overview of the product. 

Specs
Illuminatus Opus Pro

Overall, Opus Pro is a well thought out product. The list of new features is admirable, but with the new price tag, it faces direct competition from Mediator Pro.
Price: Stg£250
Contact Digital Workshop 0044 1295 2583 35 • www.digitalworkshop.co.uk
Rating 65%

 

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