Moho Animation Forum

I tend to put manuals or instructional materials into two categories:

Technical Reference
Tutorials

I don't often use tutorials. I use references all the time. If the tutorial is specific to a technique or process then that is fine.

I have a book for another application that I absolutely can't use. The whole book is a series of "tutorials". It is impossible to find that specific thing I need to do. I have to read through the steps of the tutorial until I get to it.

I love technical references where you look up a topic and find everything there is to know about it in one section of the book. If I have to bounce around and extract info out context from a tutorial I get frustrated.

I like to see a feature demonstrated in the simplest form possible. I want to see the minimum that is required to make it work. If there is a lot of other things going on it can be hard to tell what is required and what is just there as part of a bigger project.

This is just my preference I suppose. Those are the types of reference manuals I LOVE! If I write one, I plan to write the kind of manual I wish existed when I first purchased Moho. If it doesn't sell... I can always do a second edition.

-vern

Vern, in the end run, do what you do best and I'll feel lucky for your contribution and the effort that goes into it.

While I understand what HUMAN is saying and lean toward that approach, I have no doubt that your deep knowledge as an actual user of the program will result in a great book.

Regarding task-oriented vs feature-oriented instruction, it's hardly a matter of Either/Or.

Both kinds are really needed.

There's probably less disagreement about this than it sounds, but unfortunately, when making a forum post, one tries to make one point and not go into all the "buts" and "however."

(I know -- I tend to go on too long as it is.)

I would, however, not agree with Vern's characterization of task-oriented documentation as merely "a tutorial."

I think if Vern can transfer any significant part of his profound understanding of this application to the rest of us (especially to the slow learners among us--like me!), it will be like Prometheus bringing fire to mankind (but on a somewhat smaller scale).

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about it is Vern describing writing the document as a difficult task. If he made it sound easy, I'd be worried, very worried.

Since this is a new guide. Will ASP users get it free, because I didn't got this guide alongwith Anime Studio Pro

Since this is a new guide. Will ASP users get it free, because I didn't got this guide alongwith Anime Studio Pro

No. Nobody has received it with AS. It's a separate book that you can buy.

Writing clear tutorials/documentation that leaves little margin for misinterpretation is a really long process because words are terribly imprecise. But you know that.

I swear, I can demonstrate something in 10 minutes that takes me two hours to write about - but then again, maybe I should learn to type. My hat is off to anybody that tackles written tutorials.

I always thought that there should a brief pdf tutorial accompanying all video tutorials that lists the tasks that need to be done but not the steps or how to do it. You watch the video to see and learn then try it yourself using the included pdf task list. If you can't do a step then you go back to the video and learn how to do it. Once you can do the steps without referring to the video you have mastered the content of that tutorial and time to move to the next one/another one.

heyvern wrote:No promises on this. No way I can get this done anytime soon. I keep plugging away at it. This is a TON OF WORK.

Sooooooo...how is your book writing coming along?

I imagine Vern is way too busy with the thankless job of moderating the "SPAM" that gets posted on this forum, writing Lua scripts, getting his own work done as well as helping people on the forum who have actual problems. I can't speak for him but I imagine writing an advanced AS tutorial would be way down on his "to do" list. Though if he were to do it I would be standing first in line for it.

D.K

The book is sort of on hold at the moment. I'm looking into other options to "sell" my knowledge. Keep you informed.

-vern

Are you still working on the A:M movie project?

No, not working on the AM movie. The first one is done. I worked on a teeny tiny bit in the middle of it that was still in the movie. They are working on the second one now.

The director and I have a "personality conflict" and some "creative differences". I've decided to stay focused on my own "free" work instead.



-vern

Good enough. Your doing a great job. Keep at it...

There are plenty of AS basic and intermediate level tutorials available online and even MSpaint user knows how to draw, create shapes as well as how to etc.. so why dont you focus on something a lidddle more complex that is bones, explain their behavior and add some extra spices wid advance usage of diff. tools tips'n techniques... Something different from those that has already been mentioned (on forum and official manual)...

I believe he said the book project is in limbo...