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New Directions in Animation
Creative Suite 6
Projection Mapping
Happy Illustrations
Make a good impression
Interactive apps using paper

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF INTERACTIVE DESIGN

Whether you’re designing multimedia desktop applications or engaging kiosk experiences, Microsoft’s WPF offers huge potential for creativity.

Interactive design is undergoing a revolution – driven by a Microsoft technology called Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). It enables creative agencies working on high-powered multimedia applications to access the full graphics power of Windows Vista and XP to build engrossing experiences.

WPF can be used to create applications that range in purpose from full-screen in-store kiosks to graphics-driven tools designed to be deployed across thousands of consumer or business desktops.

The substantial potential of WPF is explored here, where we detail the powerful functionality offered by Microsoft’s technology. Here we see how WPF’s graphics system takes best advantage of the platform it’s used on – including tapping the host computer’s graphics card for high-end 3D effects. We also see how WPF can bring together online and offline experiences for the end user – and how it allows teams of designers and developers to collaborate efficiently and effectively.

We also see how WPF has driven innovative technologies including Microsoft’s own Surface multi-user tabletop computer.

Tap your current skillset

Creatives can bring the skills they already have to the design and development of WPF applications by using Microsoft’s powerful and intuitive Expression Blend software – along with the rest of the Expression Studio suite. Here we detail the creative tools within Blend and how it can help you turn your wildest creative imaginings into fully-functional multimedia applications.

WPF’s place in the interactive design landscape has been set by its use in some outstanding real-world projects. Here, top creative design agency AllofUs tells us how it used WPF to create a state-of- the-art interactive canvas for the ReMix UK08 conference, while here, we see how WPF was key to the building of an advanced in-store kiosk for fashion chain Next.

Following on, you’ll see how easy it is to use Expression Blend to create high-end animations and interactive tools. Our tutorials show you how to create a 3D interface elements, and how to build an automatically-updating image gallery in Expression Blend.

Here you’ll learn how to deploy WPF applications using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and ClickOnce tools.

Finally, here you’ve got the change to get your hands on one of 30 copies of Expression Studio or Expression Blend for free with our incredible competition.