Quark's new toy: Interactive Designer

Blue Velvet · Oct 26, 2006

For once, Quark produces an extra something of value to me:

Quark Interactive Designer is an optional module for QuarkXPress 7 that extends the capabilities of QuarkXPress to allow designers to include motion, sound, and interactivity in their designs and to output SWF (Flash®) files. This software combines the precision of the QuarkXPress 7 design tools with the power and flexibility of the SWF (Flash) format for the creation of projects with rich design and robust interactivity.

All for only £69 until April 1 2007 (I like the date)... if it works as advertised, then this could do for our plasma screen in reception without getting bogged down in Flash as some print designers are loathe to do.

http://www.quark.com/products/interactivedesigner/

bousozoku · Oct 26, 2006

The price is definitely right, if you already have XPress. Hopefully, it's a lot simpler than using Flash.

How many people use XPress for website development, though?

MacBoobsPro · Oct 26, 2006

bousozoku said:
The price is definitely right, if you already have XPress. Hopefully, it's a lot simpler than using Flash.

How many people use XPress for website development, though?

7

Sdashiki · Oct 26, 2006

Wait.

Adobe owns Flash now.

Why havent they created an Illustrator, Photoshop...n' more that integrates Flash?

I havent seen anything touting it in CS3....why not dammit!? am i jus ignant?

After Effects (PRO only) ----> Live Paint

Illustrator + Flash = Live Paint for flash and possibly more...

Quark gets this though?

I think I just vomited a little.

decksnap · Oct 26, 2006

Seems a bit silly to me. It's like the built in web features. Does anybody actually use them? Right tool for the right job, I say.

digitaldean · Oct 26, 2006

decksnap said:
Seems a bit silly to me. It's like the built in web features. Does anybody actually use them? Right tool for the right job, I say.

I agree. But there are those who need to use Flash on an infrequent basis. It appears that this app does the trick (at first glance anyway).

I hope it's less buggy than QuarkImmedia (Quark's last stab at interactive design production). While nice in theory, it required a separate web viewer and crashed like crazy when I beta tested it.

zero2dash · Oct 27, 2006

Sdashiki said:
Wait.

Adobe owns Flash now.

Why havent they created an Illustrator, Photoshop...n' more that integrates Flash?

I havent seen anything touting it in CS3....why not dammit!? am i jus ignant?

After Effects (PRO only) ----> Live Paint

Illustrator + Flash = Live Paint for flash and possibly more...

Quark gets this though?

I think I just vomited a little.

Creative Suite 3

Adobe Creative Suite 3 is due for release in the first half of 2007. The suite's programs will be the Universal binary version for the Mac platform. [1] [2] In CS3, GoLive will be replaced by Macromedia Dreamweaver, a similar but superior product acquired from Abobe's purchase of Macromedia. The suite is also likely to add Macromedia Flash to its collection of programs, but the fate of Macromedia Fireworks has yet to be decided (it will likely either replace ImageReady or be sold as a standalone application).

(link)

radiantm3 · Oct 27, 2006

decksnap said:
Right tool for the right job, I say.

I agree. Might as well be using the windows version of quark while your at it.

ATD · Oct 27, 2006

Mmmm, Quark wants $250 to upgrade to 7 and $100 for this (Interactive Designer). The whole Creative Suite is a $150 upgrade. I would think that Quark has to start getting far more aggressive with their prices to stop losing ground to CS.

Blue Velvet · Oct 28, 2006

Let's put this into a little perspective. As an optional module (sure to be integrated into Quark 8) this isn't intended as a replacement for Flash nor is the use of Flash solely restricted to web-use. It's widely used for signage, POS and kiosk work as well...

What this does (on a cursory look) is enable a print designer (like me) to export Flash content as SWF files or Projector apps without having to get tied into timelines and action scripts with (apparently) over 100 pre-defined actions and visual tools for animating.

I can now take existing artwork and modify it for our website or our plasma display without having to import it into another app with all the problems that it entails. This is a good thing. Mind you, I haven't tried it yet so wait for the cursing and spitting to start sometime at a thread near you.

G.Kirby · Oct 28, 2006

Saw the demo at MacExpo in London yesterday. The interface looks easy to follow and works in a logical way. Baring any browser bugs this looks to be a sound piece of software that will quickly introduce print designers to interactive design without the headache of flash scripting and time lines.

YES it will have limitations and YES Flash may allow you to do more but I think this is more accessible and user friendly than Flash so will hit a large market. As for price it is FREE for students that buy QuarkXpress 7 and once they get use to using it I dont think many of them will look at Flash because its a pig to use and is more advanced than it needs to be for the average designer.

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Quark's new toy: Interactive Designer

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