/articles/ en matt.braun@magnateinteractive.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-05T15:28:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/codehintingcom_my_new_programming_blog/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/codehintingcom_my_new_programming_blog/#When:15:28:00Z I've (Matt Braun) recently launched CodeHinting.com, a blog site dedicated to all things code related. There I'll be writing on topics like Adobe Flex and ActionScript development, JavaScript, PHP, Java, and .NET programming, and writing apps for interesting platforms like Adobe AIR, iPhone, Android, and more. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. I'm open to topic suggestions and requests, just drop me a line on the contact form over there. 2008-07-05T15:28:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/smallworlds_the_sims_like_flash_game/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/smallworlds_the_sims_like_flash_game/#When:14:20:00Z SmallWorlds, a "The Sims"-like game which appears to be a Flex application using Papervision 3D (or some other 3D library), is in open beta. The avatar creator is similar to the Mii creator on Nintendo's Wii. The site talks about having a developer API for creating Flash games. All in all it looks pretty promising. Learn more at http://www.smallworlds.com/ 2008-06-04T14:20:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/xfl_the_new_file_format_for_flash_cs4/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/xfl_the_new_file_format_for_flash_cs4/#When:12:17:00Z via Colin Moock For a couple years now a trend has been developing in the realm of document file formats. Software producers are moving away from using fully binary formats for their document files, which are inherently obfuscated. For instance, Microsoft Office document formats for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have moved away from having their contents – text, graphics, and otherwise – totally embedded in a single file, and are instead (starting at the Office 2007 version) wrapped in a compressed ZIP file. You can see what I mean by changing the extension of a Word .docx file to .zip and opening the resultant file. Inside you’ll find the pieces and parts of the document readily accessible, including an XML file that describes the structure of the content and any graphic files that have been included. Adobe has joined the movement toward file format transparency. Of interest to Flash developers is the upcoming XFL file format to be used in Flash CS4, which is a .zip formatted document containing an XML file describing the structure of the Flash document along with a folder containing graphics, sounds, and other assets. The .fla format… 2008-05-22T12:17:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/toledomenu_featured_on_design_meltdown/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/toledomenu_featured_on_design_meltdown/#When:22:17:00Z ToledoMenu.com, a side-project I've been working on for a few months now, was featured on the homepage of Design Melt Down today. It's included under an article on muted color palettes. Design Melt Down, run by Patrick McNeil, is a site dedicated to the principles of design and showcasing examples of design concepts. Be sure to read the article at http://designmeltdown.com/chapters/Muted/Part3.aspx UPDATE ToledoMenu.com has also been listed as a site of the day on The Daily Slurp. 2008-04-28T22:17:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/streamlining_the_design_workflow/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/streamlining_the_design_workflow/#When:01:24:00Z One of the key goals of any professional designer is to create a streamlined workflow, typically by using keyboard shortcuts in their design apps, clearly defining the creation process from concept to final product, and having libraries of reusable (yet customizable) layout elements and code. With deadlines approaching and change orders coming in, it’s vital to have a solid system in place for producing. Be careful how that’s read – designers have a need, by their very nature, to be creative, but the misnomer is that creative-types shun rigid processes because “working loose” helps them to be more creative. Having a measure of structure in certain aspects of a design workflow can allow for the fluidity required to produce creative work. It all boils down to balance. These tips for streamlining workflow are geared more towards interactive designers, but could be adapted to commercial art, 3D animation, game design, ActionScript coding, and many other job titles in the creative field. Make sure your workspace is conducive to doing work. A large black L-shaped desk, matching filing cabinet and shelves from (gasp) Big Lots, along with a comfortable chair, cost me far less than any… 2008-04-07T01:24:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/making_the_grade/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/making_the_grade/#When:06:57:00Z Although at an early age we are taught to not judge a book by its cover, often as children and as adults, we do not heed this advice and make a quick decision to either give the book a chance or put it back on the shelf. Today with the vast majority of people judging websites rather than book covers, it is vital that your school website receive more than just a cursory glance. Knowing that the average web user will assess a homepage in less than 15 seconds and form an opinion about his overall user experience in just minutes, we at Magnate Interactive want your educational institution to engender professionalism and establish interest within moments. Private schools must demand excellence when commissioning a website in order to increase enrollment. Since the fate of private institutions relies on increasing enrollment, why do so many leave this unparalleled recruitment resource in the hands of students or computer teachers? Imagine a family moving into a new city in search of a private school. Naturally, they have been scouring the internet for… 2007-06-20T06:57:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/good_user_experiences_create_passionate_users/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/good_user_experiences_create_passionate_users/#When:23:42:00Z Want to get your customers excited about your brand? We all love to have a good experience when purchasing a product or service. When we hear about wonderful experiences that others have had, it can cause us to think about what life would be like if ours were more like theirs. And when we have a great experience ourselves, we invariably want to tell others about it. The goal of user experience design, as applied to creating websites, is to make best use of the interactivity and multimedia capabilities available to increase the overall satisfaction of your site’s visitors. Creating the best possible user experience lets your customers know that you’re a brand they can trust and take pride in being involved with. When a person is using your website, your brand’s message should be communicated through even the minutiae, from choices of type and photography, to the vocabulary used in the body copy. The impression that your site’s users get from your brand must be good, because they’ll be pairing that impression with their experience on your site. Correspondingly, this experience must be equally as good as, if not better than, the impression they get from your brand.… 2007-01-14T23:42:00-05:00 http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/the_importance_of_having_a_website/ http://www.magnateinteractive.com/articles/the_importance_of_having_a_website/#When:20:12:01Z In the 1980s and early 1990s, having an 800 number meant you were a somebody. From the late 1990s to the present, a company is considered less reputable without a website. For a business or organization not to have a website is essentially akin to spraining one’s own ankle: while it is possible to struggle along and get where you’re going, you won’t be winning any footraces. Today’s business world is more like a marathon, and only those leading the pack get recognition. And as in the world of running, of those that gain recognition for their performance, the ones able to make the best impression - the most charismatic, clean living, or attractive - find themselves with a loyal following. A company’s presence on the web has a profound effect on that company’s ability to efficiently reach potential clients. Many companies have websites, but fewer have yet achieved a significant and dedicated following. Much like the atmosphere of a retailer’s brick-and-mortar establishment entices the customer to spend time and money there, solid web presence turns online visits into purchases, and encourages them to come back time and again. The difference between having an inviting atmosphere and one… 2006-06-04T20:12:01-05:00