Multimedia Corner

Multimedia Training Creation System

Multimedia CD-ROMs are the perfect way to train new employees or students for their job tasks or academic subjects. With computer networks that can cover a school, business building, or multi-site company linked connection, the need for multimedia authoring systems has increased. Asymetrix has created a special version of their "Multimedia ToolBook" for computer-based training.

The CBT version allows courses and presentations to be created using video captured images, bit mapped artwork, animated art or titles, hypertext, plain text, background music, foreground music or sound-effects, OLE (object linking and embedding) objects and user controls. The package can build book-like presentations to teach a subject with all media used as appropriate. A test can be designed to allow the user to select buttons or boxes. Testing can be graded for reporting to the instructor, automatically graded to allow the user access to the next level of training, or interactive to display correct answers in real time.

Although the system creates the object orientated programming language OpenScript(R), the program allows the author to be a non-programmer. The book can be designed using supplied templates or as a truly original multimedia presentation. The program contains a full featured word processor, including a spellchecker. The graphics element handles both bit mapped and draw type art. All features, including the additions of sound, video, and animation can be handled with point, click, drag, or size commands with your mouse.

The product of the system is called a book. The book can be packaged into a compressed self installing application for commercial distribution without any royalties. Corporate environments will like its ability to be organized for multi-user access on most networks. Where distribution is to be on a CD- ROM, there is an optimizing routine to increase the speed of access for music, movie, and animated portions of the presentation.

Asymetrix is to be congratulated for their documentation and user training provided with the system. The system has an interactive training element that can be set to self run or allow the user to test each feature of the product. The four user manuals allow the purchaser to read only the information they need to create their type presentation. The partially completed training "example" book is both easy and instructive. A half day of self training should allow most computer users the knowledge necessary to create their first multimedia training program.

The package is available for Windows-based systems. Our tests of the system under Windows 95 did not reveal any compatibility problems. The system requires a 80386 with 8Mb of RAM, 20Mb of hard disk space, a VGA or SVGA graphics adapter, a Windows compatible mouse, and a CD-ROM drive. Optional supported equipment includes most sound cards, VISCA-compatible VCR's, wave form, MIDI and CD audio devices, and all MCI-compatible devices. Most graphics file formats of popular, draw, paint, artwork, photo, and scanning programs are supported.

The program is available on CD-ROM complete with artwork. Asymetrix also supplies a 3.5" disk version for non CD-ROM users that does not include their free art library. The product was designed for the corporate or educational institution user, but it can be used by commercial multimedia developers easily. The application compression routines, executable program development, runtime library, and install program make it worthy of consideration for non- programmers who wish to create multimedia programs from their intellectual materials.

The major criticisms for the program are few. The installation element for the program itself does not allow for new CD-ROM drive locations after installations or second CD-ROM drives on the same machine. The spellchecker is limited, and most users will want to develop the text outside the program, spellcheck it, and import it into the application as a rich-text format (RTF) document. While the product can be installed on 20Mb of hard disk space, a more realistic assumption should be about 40Mb of space.

Contributed by C. W. Mann, who also writes the syndicated computer column, BuzzBytes. Please direct your personal computer questions to him at cybercast@bogfoot.com.

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