Huge Interactive navigation project. need ASAP

[chief]

first time poster and first time DVD author. I know programming in Director and all that, but this is all new to me. I need help finding out if this is possible to do and what limitations am I going to run into. I've been playing with Adobe Encore DVD 2.0 so let me know if this is the best program to use for this. if not what is?

- need to create 1,100 "yes or no" questions for a kids game to be controlled via DVD remote control... whats the best method of doing this? menu's?
- need to store how many they got right so we can provide a report card on how well they did.
- can they pick up where they left off after they turn it off?
- they want to use this remote from http://www.weemote.com/


questions i have:
- is there a limit to how many menu navigations you can have?
- how do i use variables to save how many right/wrong they got? need details or links to tutorials on how to do this.
- how do i let them start from where they left off?

thanks

[guns1inger]

This might help

http://mediachance.com/dvdlab/tutorial/quiz.html
http://mediachance.com/dvdlab/tutorial/quiz2.html

[Cornucopia]

You'll need a DVD authoring app that can use GPRM (General Purpose Register Memory) bits for the scorekeeping math, etc. This narrows down the field considerably. Adobe Encore won't work (unless it has changed alot recently).

You'd need one of these:
Spruce Maestro (defunct, bought by Apple, now incorporated in DVDStudio Pro) $$$$
Apple DVDStudio Pro (obviously--but only 2 most recent versions) (Mac Only) $$$
Sonic Scenarist (the rolls royce of DVD authoring) $$$$
Sonic DVDCreator (nearly defunct, also tops) (Mac Only) $$$$
Mediachance DVDLab Pro $$

Or, you could use DVD-Extra Studio $$$, which does alot of the "game programming" grunt work for you. See their site--http://www.zoo-tech.com/.

Good luck,
Scott

[chief]

very nice links gunslinger for DVD Lab software. seems perfect for what I want to do... It kind of assumes you know how to use the program a little but that's ok, I can figure it out I'm sure.
unless I can find a better tutorial on how to make a big questionaire, I may just end up using DVD Lab based on those links to help.

will I be running into any limitations as far as how many menu's you can have and how deep you can make these? I need like 1,100 images asking you questions so I just need to know that DVD Lab will allow me to go that deep?

it's good to know that Encore DVD won't do it... thanks also. I'll uninstall that bad boy since it's not what I need i guess.

[chief]

does anybody know how to display dynamic text for a score using DVD Lab Pro? the tutorial says you can't but with me having 1,100 questions I need an easier way than the tutorial from link above.

I would like to have a section on the screen at all times that always displays their score... so each menu gets displayed with different questions, but I display their correct score every menu in the bottom right.

any ideas?

[chief]

is it also true that once you turn off the DVD player all data is wiped out? meaning there's no way you can tell where they left off if they shut dvd player off and try again the next day?

[guns1inger]

Many DVD players can keep track of what disc and even title/position was played last (usually the last 5 or so discs), however all registers are cleared, so you can't keep a running tally across sessions.

You have to remember that the DVD Spec is for movie playback first and foremost. The programming available is limited and relatively simplistic, which is why most DVD based games follow a simple format, and use a board to keep track of progress.

You may have to either scale back your ambitions, or change platforms to make it a PC based exercise instead.

[chief]

it's already in flash and CD based... they want to convert it to DVD now. do you have to program the DVD players to keep track of what disc and title/position was last played? or is that something that just happens automatically? either way the score would be erased like you said.

[Cornucopia]

"...Or, you could use DVD-Extra Studio $$$, which does alot of the "game programming" grunt work for you. See their site--http://www.zoo-tech.com/."


I wrote that for a reason. This is exactly the kind of project this product was made for. When my company was looking to produce some "Choose Your Own Adventure" DVDs, this is what we found would be the only thing to ease the workflow burden. (We decided against doing the series at present for other non-production reasons. )
Otherwise, you're going to be doing a HELL of lot of menu screen generation the hard way.
Read their white paper, it helps understanding their focus and utility to these situations.

**(I am in no way connected with this product--I just like it)

Scott

[chief]

I checked the site out and seems cool, but the company has to be stupid and not provide a "trial" download or anything to see if we like it. I don't think they even have any "screen shots" of the program on their website.

anybody know where i can get a copy of this to try?

[Cornucopia]

This page: http://www.zoo-tech.com/products/studio/features/index.html
about 1/2 way down the page.

...practical with conventional tools. Contact us to request your free 30-day trial.

Reliability...

Gotta read...

Scott

[iameggybread]

I'm a DVD Game creator - I expressly use scenarist.
The problem with Dvd Extra is that you buy the software and then have to pay a royalty per disc. pointless.