Vocabulary practice section 1

1. Look at Key information section 1 and find the following.

1. the type of text that contains links to other texts

2. a system that combines hypertext and multimedia

3. the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement

4. the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion

5. groups of information that represent the qualitative or quantitative attributes

6. sound that is capable of being heard

7. devices used to store and experience multimedia content

8. synonymous for interactive multimedia

9. a computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals

10. an optical disc recorder that records video onto blank writeable DVD media

11. presentation that contains some form of animation or media

2. Complete the article with the words from the box.

graphics interactive video games consoles multiplayer

Video Games

There are games you play on video (1) … such as Nintendo, Sega, and the PlayStation.

And there are games you play on a computer, either alone or at multiplayer online sites such as Microsoft's Internet Gaming Zone and Battle.net.

(2) … have been made into films, such as ‘Mortal Kombat’ 1 and 2, and film stars now sometimes appear in video games. The (3) … in many games have taken on such a high degree of realism that they almost seem like film. The ‘X-Files’ game was practically an (4) … movie, full of actors from the show and sections of dialogue and video. Some people claim that the ‘Blade Runner’ video game was better than the movie - not only were the sets incredible but you also got to control the action and the ending. (5) … online gaming is the next wave in the video game world. It provides a better gaming experience, simply because people are more creative and more challenging adversaries than computers. Thousands of people can play simultaneously all over the world.

KYE INFORMATION SECTION 2

Recognizing file formats

Multimedia content may be viewed live on stage, or may be projected or transmitted. The content may also be played locally using a media player. If the content is broadcast, the broadcast may be live or recorded earlier. Digital online multimedia may be accessed by downloading the content or by streaming, which may be either live or on demand. Interactivity in multimedia is enhanced by combining several forms of media content. Many forms of online multimedia are increasingly becoming object oriented as well as data driven, which makes it possible to have applications with end-user collaboration and innovation as well as personalization of various types of content over time. This would include photo galleries with images accompanied by text that is user updated, as well as simulations whose parameters, illustrations, animations, and videos can be modified, allowing the multimedia experience to be altered without the need for reprogramming.

To identify the type of file, an extension is added to the filename when it is saved on disk.

	Common text extensions: .pdf (portable document format) .doc (MS Word document) .rtf (rich text format) .htm or .html (hypertext markup language for Web files)
	Graphics include charts, photos, drawings, buttons, etc. .gif (graphics interchange format) .jpg (jpeg - joint photographic experts group) .tif (tagged image file)
	Video refers to recording, editing and displaying moving images. Common formats: .avi (audio video interleave) .mov (QuickTime movie) .mpg (mpeg - moving picture experts group)
	You can hear sound such as songs, movie soundtracks and speeches. Common audio formats: .wav (Windows wave audio format) .ra (RealAudio file) .mp3 (compressed music files)
	Animations are made up of a series of independent pictures put together in sequence to look like moving pictures. Common formats: .gif for animated gifs .swf for Flash files
	Files compressed with Winzip have a .zip extension. A popular format used to compress and distribute movies on DVDs or over the Net is DivX, a digital video codec (COmpress, DECompress).

Multimedia applications

Multimedia has become a huge force in culture, industry and education. Practically any type of information we receive can be categorized as multimedia, from television, to magazines, to web pages, to movies, multimedia is a tremendous force in both informing the public and entertaining us.

Advertising is perhaps one of the biggest industry's that use multimedia to send their message to the masses. Where one type of media, let's say radio or text can be a great way to promote an item, using multimedia techniques can significantly make an item being advertised better received by the masses and in many cases with greater results.

Multimedia in Education has been extremely effective in teaching individuals a wide range of subjects. The human brain learns using many senses such as sight and hearing. While a lecture can be extremely informative, a lecture that integrates pictures or video images can help an individual learn and retain information much more effectively. Using interactive CD ROM's can be extremely effective in teaching students a wide variety of disciplines, most notably foreign language and music.

Software engineers use multimedia in applications such as computer simulations for industrial/military training or even entertainment.

In public places (e.g. museums and stations), there are information kiosks that use multimedia. Kiosk systems are being used in a variety of applications, including information directories, customer self-service terminals, electronic catalogs, internet access terminals, tourism guides, and more.

Several software packages can be used in kiosk environment, including a presentation development package and an on-screen keyboard package.

On the Web, audio and video are integrated into web pages. For example, RealPlayer supports streaming, which lets you play sound (e.g. from radio stations) and video files as a continuous stream while they are downloading.

In virtual reality, users interact with a simulated world: doctors train using virtual surgery; pilots use flight simulators to do their training; people visit virtual exhibitions, etc.

You can play games on a computer or video game on a dedicated machine, called a video console, which you connect to a TV set. You can also play games on the Net; some websites have a multiplayer facility that enables lots of people to play the same game at the same time.

As technology progresses, so will multimedia. Today, there are plenty of new media technologies being used to create the complete multimedia experience. For instance, virtual reality integrates the sense of touch with video and audio media to immerse an individual into a virtual world. Other media technologies being developed include the sense of smell that can be transmitted via the Internet from one individual to another. Today's video games include bio feedback. In this instance, a shock or vibration is given to the game player when he or she crashes or gets killed in the game. In addition as computers increase their power new ways of integrating media will make the multimedia experience extremely intricate and exciting.