Interface Redesign

Here is a screen shot, of the changes and adjustments which we decided to make to the news interface.

• The large triangle in the top right of the sheet navigates the News Reader to a new RSS source.
• The Move arrows will move the character around the screen.
  

• The grid of articles available to the user has been limited to 9, and the articles have been centered.

• Two large image holders have been placed above and below the articles, and coded to change when the RSS source changes, however this can be altered later if required.

• The Status Bars, at the bottom of the GUI have been created and coded to change either by a user feeding a word which holds its value, or if a lower bar is filled to the top.
  

1. A full Mood bar now changes the avatars expression, and adds one to the Health bar.
2. A full Health bar now changes the avatars chothes, and adds one to the Wealth bar.
3. A full Wealth bar now changes the background or scene.

• Finally, I have created and coded for, the two main external Xml files. One file holds the values for the default character position size and settings along with other settings for the application. The other file holds,
  

1. All the search terms.
2. A count value used by the application to count each term during a search.
   
3. Their relevant Wealth, Health and Mood scores.
4. A setting to make any word positive or negative for the character.
5. And the ability to specify which action each word will execute on our character.

By locating this information outside the FLA files and within the Xml, the content and values of the application including any word or search term or the values associated with that word, including the action or animation carried out by the character, can now be altered without needing to recompile the .swf files.