Branching scenarios

Report · Aug 06, 2007

I've reviewing Captivate as an author tool for soft skills scenarios. I've created one from the Wizard, changed the questions and answers to the ones I've scripted, but can't figure out how to get different answers to branch to different slides. The most I can see in the Advanced Interactions window is branching based on whether the question is answered correctly or wrongly. My questions aren't simply right or wrong, they lead to consequences which is what I want to show. This is so fundamental to this learning approach that I can't believe Captivate doesn't include it but I just can't find it. The Branching View just shows a linear progression from one slide to another, and there's nothing in the timeline. How do I do this?

Report · Aug 06, 2007

Think of Captivate branching like one of those old "choose your own adventure" books. Captivate is linear exactly like a book is linear... branching just means "which section of the book do you want to go to".

You'll need to create a number of conceptual sections within your file, and then jump users to that section depending on their answers. In this case a section is just an arbitrary sequence of slides. For example, if the user chooses answer A on slide 1, you may have them see slides 2-6, if they choose answer B on slide 1, you may have them see slides 7-11, if they choose C, show them slides 12-15, and so on. Each of these sequences of slides is a "branch" and you'll probably find it helpful to name each of the slide in a branch using a common naming convention.

If your scenario decisions are built using a normal slide and buttons/click boxes, change the On success option in the properties of each button/click box to jump to the branching slide associated with that option. If using a question slide, click the Advanced button to designate where each answer should send the user. You can also specify the branching of an existing question slide by right-clicking the slide and choosing "Edit Question...".

To keep from going bonkers, make sure you end each branch by jumping to a common ending slide (typically the slide after your last branch slide). Always ending all branches on a common slide allows you have clearly defined starting/ending points for each scenario, and allows you to take advantage of the "end of project" options in the project preferences if it's the last slide in the project.

Report · Aug 07, 2007

"You can also specify the branching of an existing question slide by right-clicking the slide and choosing "Edit Question...".

Aha! That's what I needed! Thank you. I searched and searched for that kind of option but couldn't find it before.

Coming back to your 'adventure game' analogy, I'd like to 'collect' points for various things as we go along, for example a yes/no for whether a particular learning point was met, and a cumulative score for customer sensitivity where some answers will accumulate more than others. I'd then feed back on that in the closing slide.

Is there a standard way to do this? I note you can trigger javascript from answers but not sure if I could then access the final values to feed back at the end.

Report · Aug 08, 2007

> "You can also specify the branching of an existing question slide by
> right-clicking the slide and choosing "Edit Question...".

Or look at the Advanced Interaction option - it gives you access to details
about every slide that you can edit, including branching options.

Steve

--
Adobe Community Expert: Authorware, Flash Mobile and Devices
http://www.magnoliamultimedia.com

You need to go to MAX - http://adobemax2007.com/na/

Report · Aug 23, 2007

I feel very stupid at the moment. I have just purchased Captivate and seem to find alot of info describing branching but not the actual how-to. I cannot figure out how to select different options for the answers on my slide. I think what I am wanting to do is elementary -- direct users to a certain slide if they choose yes and allow them continue to the next slide if they choose no. Can anyone tell me what steps I would need to take? I have right clicked and can make the change for the whole slide -- no matter what the response, the user is taken to the indicated slide; and I've tried the advanced interaction and just can't figure out what to do from that screen. Can anyone help?

Report · Aug 23, 2007

Hi frustratedlearner and welcome to our community

Exactly what you need to do and choose will depend on the slide. How are you attempting this? Via a Click Box object, a Button object or as the result of a Question slide?

Very generally speaking, if you are using Click Box or Button objects, you may need two Buttons or Click Boxes. One for each action. For a Question slide, there is a different section for the correct and incorrect responses.

If you can post back with that info, we can better direct you.

Cheers... Rick

Report · Aug 23, 2007

I am attempting question slides.

Report · Aug 23, 2007

Is there an easy way to eliminate all of the branching that has been placed and starting over from scratch? I seem to have several different branching options in my project that are incorrect.

Report · Aug 23, 2007

Hi again

I suppose the easy way (at least as I see it) would be to simply create a new project and start over. But something tells me that this may not be what you are looking for.

Have you tried the Advanced Interaction dialog? (Press the F9 key to see it)

Cheers... Rick