The class wanted a brief introduction to computer programming for interactive exhibits and installations. Since there is a lot of ground to cover, the work is split up over two weeks.
Before 14 Nov
- Download and install a trial copy of Max 6 + Gen
- Read What is Max? and watch the introductory video
- Watch the Tour of Max 6 video
In class we will work through a few example programs slowly, so you can become familiar with the Max programming interface and some common building blocks.
Before 21 Nov
Read these blog posts
- Turkel, “Designing Interactive Exhibits” (17 Dec 2011)
- Ogglesby, “Interactive Exhibit Design: Reflections and Roundup” (12 Apr 2012)
- Ayers & Van Dyk, “Still Immigrating to the Digital World” (22 Apr 2012)
- Petry, “The Arduino Diaries: The Final Chapter” (17 Apr 2012)
- Rivet, “The Wonderboy – ‘Sweet Spot’” (16 Apr 2012)
- Simpkin, “Homeward Bound Penguin” (8 Apr 2012)
Work through the following tutorials
- Getting Started with Max 6
- Ordering and Choosing Events in Max 6
- Continuous Values and Discrete States in Max 6
(If you run out of time, don’t worry about finishing the Max basic tutorials that I provide links to.) In class we will continue our exploration of computer programming to support exhibits.
Assignment (after 21 Nov)
Start by learning a little more about using Max for
- Visual Programming
- Audio and Music
- Video with Jitter
- 3D Graphics with Jitter
- Physical Computing
- Show Control
and spend some time looking at other people’s projects. Now write a blog post with two parts. The first part should reflect on your experiences with Max programming so far. Which things seemed easy? Which seemed hard? Which were surprising? In the second part of your post, think of an exhibit, installation, game, gizmo, or something else that is interactive and might be used to communicate ideas about history. Describe it in a paragraph or two. What would you need to learn in order to implement your vision?
William J Turkel 