Motion Studio Makes an Animator Out of You

30.04.2009
Motion Studio is a tool for creating executable files with frame by frame animation and vector objects. Those creating a simple menu for their homebrew CD-ROM will find this app useful. (US$40, free demo/trial) would also come in handy for anyone who wants to put together a slideshow of family photos, such as for a wedding.

It's simple to set up a new Motion Studio project file and begin creating vector-based objects. You can set up actions to be performed on these objects on a mouseover or a mouseclick. By default, clicking anywhere besides an object will move the presentation to the next frame.

There's one missing feature, though, that would make Motion Studio accessible to an even wider audience. It only outputs in EXE format. There's no way to create an AVI file suitable for upload to, say, YouTube.

The learning curve for some of the more advanced features is somewhat steep, and the manual PDF is poorly organized, leading off with an unorganized FAQ before continuing with the manual proper on page 14.

Still, it's easy to import existing images, animate them and create clickable links to other frames or websites. Motion Studio is pretty versatile and is worth a look.

Note: The 15-day demo allows a maximum of 3 frames.