I have decided that writing up project-based research requires an approach that utilises writing in bits. I am spending to much time writing in a linear fashion the background to what I should be really getting down on paper. This is perspectives on the projects in relation to the proposition that has been raised in that chapter. I know I should be getting to that material first but old habits die hard. Namely writing in a linear mode. Therefore, a better approach would be to scrutinize the projects in relation to the proposition and then look at what is needed to join up those bits. This would be a lot more economical as you only end up writing what you need. Also, the benefits of following a linear thread (developing an argument and subsequent theory) would still be in there in these linking sections.
This it it after a session with Miek.
On opening the website starts with a video interview playing in the top left window that is allocated to a specific painting. (Each time the website is opened, a random setting provides any interview to appear with its assigned painting…)
The top right window starts with a painting image. (…the first image to appear in this window with any chosen interview is always set to an image of a painting before other media assets appear in that right hand top window)
Other media assets follow this painting image and are selected randomly from the pool of visual media assets assigned to that location/painting.
This right hand top window has a forward, back and pause button for the user. The user can then change the media assets in the right hand window as the interview runs.
The marker in the regional map in the bottom right is marked out with a highlighted colour that indicates the location/painting that has been chosen and is being represented in the two top windows.
The bottom left window displays the media assets that can be chosen in relation to the chosen location (same as current prototype).
The regional map (bottom right) brings together the wide and close up map feature that has already been developed. If a location marker is chosen the map then zooms in closer to that location. This will allow for markers that are to close together to be seen further apart in the close up mode and also provide the close up image in relation to the painting set at that location
The user moves to a different location/painting and its accompanying media assets by choosing a different location on the regional map. (There is some return feature from a close up map back to the wider regional map)
A few things came up from a look at the LP work with JY. (his sketch – doodle below)
The administration Add/Edit/Delete Files can be streamlined to location only, dropping the GPS Lat/Long as each media assets is assigned to a specific location. This means it does not require coordinates to be added to each media asset as it takes on the coordinates of a key location. Doing this will cut down on administration and simplify things.
With the video files the database needs to know that there is a difference between interview video files and visual moving-image video files. This will allow for any visual file that is assigned to a location to be called up in the right hand top window to play alongside an interview.
This gets around having to assign specific related clips to each interview or individual video clip. When an interview is selected video/photo files play alongside that are assigned to same location as the interview. These video/photo files are called up randomly which means the rest of the content needs to be recorded in a way where it responds to the breath of that interview material and specific perspective.
Although, I wonder if there would be a (sub) tier of media asset clusters assigned to varying interview people and the perspective they offer. In other words, if Joan for example was talking about soldier settlement then those videos/photos would be recorded in relation to that interview material and assigned to all her interviews to appear randomly.
This will require an administration feature that allows you to assign specific media assets to the key media asset (in this case interviews). Back to the related video concept.
After the user has viewed the geotagged photo in the left hand window and the corresponding google satellite map in the right hand window this map is ‘turned off’ and replaced with visual images/moving-images form the group of media assets assigned to that chosen location. A move to a play stage ie playing the media assets related to that location.
The video files need to play be calibrated to fit across the entire area of that window (top left) and play in place rather than up out of the browser. (need to check if the exported size matches the window size – they are currently 512 x 288) The player symbol like the thumbs need to move on top of these files.
With the regional map there is an issue as the shire location have pushed out vertically rather than horizontally. This means the map is becoming very small in scale. Solutions a customised Shire map drawn as an illustration. Also, the painting thumbs could be added to the location points (as rollovers or something). (Still may need a solution here?) Possibly this map may be better in satellite view as a fixed map where the road text etc is not important?
In the bottom right hand window, the painting image which displaces the regional map when a painting/location is chosen can be changed back to the regional map with a click rather than a rollover.
