Here is a great way to use animation with a three dimensional effect

Things to remember: 

• Clip Art can be made into a Graphic Object!
• Add a mixture of Clip Art and Graphic Objects.
• Animations float over Clip Art, but they can be made to float over or behind Graphic Objects. 
• The Button Runner NBA is useful in activating numerous buttons for this 3D effect.

The important steps:

• Create a Scene
• Get a Graphic
• Add the Graphic as Clip Art
• Scale and Rotate the Clip Art
• Copy and Paste the Clip Art
• Convert the Clip Art to a Graphic Object
• Add the Graphic Object to the Scene
• Add a Button that Plays an Animation
• Edit the Animation Path
• Add the Clone Feature

Creating a Scene

Make a seascape such as the one below in a 640 x 480 screen size.

Getting a Graphic from the Web

Next, you need some kelp.  Just right click (Windows) or click and hold (Mac OS) on the image below and "Save Image As..." to the folder containing your stack. 

Now, you'll need to add this "kelpbar" to one of your scratch cards.  Scratch cards are blank cards, say Cards 2, 3 and 4, where you add Clip Art that you can select and copy without ruining the precious background that you created but forgot to save (yeah?) in a previous card.  Remember, Clip Art is part of a background, so if you select, copy, and paste, you may get part of the background that you don't want.  You achieve a degree of background control when you use a scratch card.  There are also some tricks to selecting on a scratch card that I'll reference later.

Adding Clip Art

On your scratch card, go to "File => Add Clip Art..." and navigate to your folder containing "kelpbar".  Choose "kelpbar" and select the kelp with the lasso tool and hit OK.  Just double click on the lasso tool and HyperStudio selects the kelp for you.  Amazing! (Double clicking the selecting tool selects all the graphics. Naturally, you want to use this when you only have one graphic available to select.) You'll see the kelp surrounded by the marching ants.  Click OK.

Once the kelp is on your card, click outside it to place it.  Now, select it again with the rectangle selecting tool. You can double click the rectangle tool to select the Clip Art.

Scaling and Rotating

You're going to scale this to 75% and then rotate it 90 degrees.  Don't worry if you get it upside down.  You can make lots of these, and it's good practice anyway.  To scale and rotate, select with the rectangle tool as shown above and go to "Edit => Effects => Scale and Rotate" and you'll get this window.  Make your choices.

Click OK and you'll be back to your scratch card.  Click outside the kelp. 

Copy and Paste the Clip Art

The next thing you are going to do is to reselect the kelp by double clicking on the lasso.  That will select the Clip Art on your scratch card as you see at the left. (Remember, if you have more than one Clip Art on the card, they all get selected when you double click.)

Now, copy the kelp with Control C and go to Card 1. Use Control V to paste it to your nifty little seascape.

Since this is Clip Art, animated graphics will float over them.  Place these clips toward the back.  You can repeat the steps above to scale lots of kelp clips to different sizes.  Here's what your Card 1 might look like.

Converting Clips to Graphic Objects

Now, the next part is pretty slick, so pay attention.

• Go to your scratch card.

• Select some kelp with the lasso tool. Double click the lasso.

• Go to "Objects => Add a Graphic Object".

• A question is asked.

• Just click "Yes" and name your graphic in the window that opens.

• Click OK, and you will be returned to your scratch card.

Adding the Converted Object to the Scene

The Clip Art you once had is now a Graphic Object.  The rules change!  You select the Graphic Object by clicking on the Graphic Editing tool.   Copy the Graphic Object with Control C and go to Card 1 and paste the converted Graphic Object in the scene towards the bottom.  The scene doesn't really change much, but you should realize that the fish that we add to this scene will be able to swim in front of the Clip Art and behind the Graphic Objects.  We'll do that now!

Adding the Animation.

Animating is easy. 

• Go to "Objects => Add a Button".

• Give the button a name. Fish 1 is a good name.  Click OK.

• Place the button in a corner so it's out of the way. Click outside the button.

  • In the "Things to do" section of the window that opens, make the button invisible and automatic.  

  • Select "Play an Animation" also from the "Things to do" side of the window.  Your animation will be selected from the "Library Disk" (hard drive folder), so choose the Fish from the HyperStudio Animation folder that opens. Click OK and follow the animation procedures given on the screen.   

• Once you click "any key", the Animator window opens.  You're ready for the next step.

Editing the Path

You've probably never done this before.  Be alert!  You're schmoozing with Vygotsky right now!  Click on "Path" and choose "Path Options" from the menu.

In the "Path Options" window, click in the area under "Begin" and then uncheck the little box next to "Float over".

Hit OK and you're done!

Clones

If you click on "Allow Clones" in the "Frame Options" part of the "Animator" window a new fish appears whenever your button is clicked.  Kids love this.