Interactive Media of Note - Narnia.com

Sometimes you come across a piece of interactive media that you just wish you had been a part of producing. Narnia.com is one of my favourites.

What I love about this particular piece of interactive media is the richness of the experience it provides. You know the designers have been allowed to go to town, and they really have. For a start they really know how to set the scene and they use visuals (static and animated) along with sound to do it. You can hear the wind buffeting the attic room with the wardrobe, you feel cold as the icy wind of Lantern Wood blasts you and you feel warm as you wander through Aslan's Camp.

Beyond the ambience it is really nice to just explore the world they have created. You can look around by moving the mouse in any direction and click on objects. Selecting the Globe reveals a map allowing you to change your location. There are even games built in to test a level of wits.

I really appreciate the attention to detail. These designers have gone much further. At the beginning, instead of the standard loading bar, you see the door handle of the attic room turning. The same "alternative" approach to the loading bar has been taken throughout, as you watch emblems of the various factions from the story slowly appear instead. Details such as giving the lamp in the wood a flickering flame have not been missed.

Truly this is a feast for the senses, and a great example of what multimedia can be made to do if you have the imagination, and the client is willing to pay for the time.