Basic Description
(click on the images to see larger versions of each)

Illuminatus Opus is a "multimedia authoring tool". In short, it is a program that allows you to create other programs. Without having to learn any programming languages, you will be able to combine text, graphics, sound, video, and other elements into your own creation that can run by itself, viewed as part of a web page, or as a screensaver. The program's creators at Digital Workshop have put in considerable effort to ensure that the program is as easy to understand and use as possible, as you can see by the screenshots below.

Opus can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

• Presentation Graphics
• Photo Albums
• Product Catalogs
• Computer Based Training
• Documentation
• Narrated / Animated Books
• Screen Savers
• Games
• Internet-Based Publications
• Advertising
• On-Screen Tutorials & Directions
• ... and much, much more!

Your creations are organized as if they were a book. Each program is a "publication", which is made up of pages organized into chapters.

You add objects to each page by clicking on the corresponding object type in the button bar, then marking the location of the object on the page itself.

The properties of objects are easily changed via a variety of menus - you need not write a single line of programming.

Actions are just as easily added. First, you select a trigger. For example, you might want an action to occur when a button is left-clicked. This is done by dragging the desired trigger icon from the "tray" and dropping it on the name of the object in the "tree".

Then to each trigger, you drag and drop action icons. Actions are configured the same way object properties are - through easy to understand menu selections.

Actions occur in the order they appear in the tree - so you can set up one click to trigger several actions.

You can preview your publication while you edit it, to make sure everything appears as you'd like. When you're finished, click "Publish" to turn your work into a program that can be run outside the Opus editor. Your final product can either be a "stand alone" program that can be run like any other program, a "for the internet" which creates files ready to be uploaded to the web and viewed in an internet browser using the [iO] plug-in, or a screensaver.

And if you publish for stand-alone files, you can even have Opus create an installation program for your publication using the Distribution Wizard. Users can then run a setup.exe program, which copies your publication onto their hard drive, places icons for it in the Start menu and on the desktop, and creates an uninstall program so it can easily be removed.

How much do you need to know to use Opus?

• You need to have a good working knowledge of files and directories. If you can copy, move, delete and rename files and directories using Windows Explorer, then you should be comfortable enough using Opus. Remember that Opus is used to pull together multimedia files into your publication/program - you will need to use a Windows Explorer-style interface to select the files you want to play or display in your project.
• You should be at least superficially familar with the common graphics, sound and video types. You should know that files with the extention .bmp, .gif and .jpg are graphics files; .wav, .mid and .mp3 are sound files; and .avi files contain video of one type or another.
• Opus is used to create programs/publications using previously created multimedia resources (graphics, video, sound). Although the boxed set of Opus comes with a CD full of resources for you to use, it is helpful to at least understand the use of a graphics editor so you can create and/or edit images on your own. The Paint program that comes with Windows is probably too basic for this purpose - you would be better served by a program such as Paint Shop Pro (see Digital Workshop's web site for Paint Shop Pro details).

That's it! If it sounds pretty simple, it's because it IS. You don't need to know any programming to create programs. Download the fully functional evaluation version, and try it out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them on the Forum's Discussion boards to seek the help of some of the best Opus users in the world. No question is too basic, and you'll find a lot of people ready to jump in and help out.

Opus (standard) Features

Opus is an extremely powerful yet flexible program, which provides you with a wealth of features and capabilities:

• Royalty Free Distribution! - This means that you can freely distribute the publicatons you make with Opus. There is no need to pay royalties to the creators of Opus, and there is no requirement to place "made with Opus" advertisements anywhere in your work.
• Tons of Transitions! - Easily change how pages and objects appear and disappear from view: 3D spins and tumbles, fades, scrolls, shapes, fire & water, blinds, and more!
• Many Graphic Types Supported - Opus gives you the flexibility to the most popular graphic file formats in your publications, including bmp, jpg, gif, png, wmf, tif, cgm, and others.
• Vectors - A powerful tool for drawing graphics inside your publications. Vector objects resize extremely well and are very small in (byte) size compared to a similar bitmap.
• Internal Browser Windows - Allow web pages to be viewed from inside your publication (requires Internet Explorer installation on the end user's computer). Actions are available to control doucments in browser windows - moving forward, home or back, or to a user-specified URL.
• DirectX Media - Through these standard set of drivers, Opus provides improved support for video and audio, including MPEG and MP3
• Quicktime Support For the Quicktime video format, and for embedding Macromedia Flash programs right into your publications.
• "Doc View" - Add a "window" to a page in order to view other documents - such as Word .doc files, PowerPoint .ppt files, Adobe Acrobat .pdf files, and more (requires the end user to have the proper viewer installed).
• New Effects - 3D twist, turn, rotate. alpha channels, flare, shear (apply these even to video!).
• Animation - Move an object to given x,y coordinates, or along an animation path.
• Animation Wizard - For quickly and easily adding effects to your objects.
• Timelines - Helps synchronize actions by coordinating them over time.
• Improved Actions Dialog
  • Drag and drop interace for triggers, actions and programming objects.
  • More intuitive and informative tree for action flow.
  • Copy/paste/move/insert actions, even between objects.
• Scrolling Frames - Place text and other objects together in a frame, and scroll everything together without using the "scrolling image" trick from v4.
• Streaming Internet Plug-in - Display one page at a time as they download instead of waiting for the entire pub to download.
• Additional Publish Options - Publish to a single .exe file, or traditional .exe/.ilm combos which include one .ilm file for the whole publication, or separate ones for each chapter or page.
• Better Data Compression - Internal jpeg compression for images, plus overall compression for the entire publication to make it as small as possible.
• Font Embedding
• Transparent Backgrounds - For irregularly shaped windows.
• Push Buttons and Radio Buttons - Easier to create and configure.
• Multiple Sound Channels - No more having your .wav background music interrupted by the click of a button!
• Built-In Spell Checker - Checks your spelling as you type.
• Master Pages - Create page "templates" which can be used as backgrounds for other pages. then change the look of all the linked pages by modifying just the master page itself.
• Question Wizard - Enter the basic information about each question, and Opus creates the objects and actions for you on the page!
• Printing Actions - So users can produce paper copies of a page.
• Resource Galleries - For quickly adding objects or groups of objects to a page.
• Auto Narration - Allows you to create text objects, where each word is highlighted in coordination with a narration of the text (great for children's read-along programs, etc).
• Bookmarks - Users can set and clear bookmarks in the publication, so they can mark and go back to places as needed.
• Drag and Drop - Create publications where objects are dragged around the screen and dropped into place
• Upload Wizard - Quickly upload your publication to the internet as soon as it's done, instead of taking the additional step of using an external FTP program.
• ...and lots more!

Opus Presenter Features

Opus Presenter is an updated edition of Opus (standard). Presenter adds the following features:

• Startup Wizard allows you to customise the Opus workspace to suit your publication.
• Interactive Presentation mode provides the basic tools for quickly producing slide-based presentations
• Extended mode provides the full range of features for producing more advanced, interactive publications
• Author Information - allows users to attach notes to any page, so you can easily share your work and comments with clients and colleagues.
• A new preview timescale allows you to mark activity in your publication to note precise timings.
• Customisable, graphical bullet-points
• Show In Turn and Hide In Turn actions (can be used in conjunction with bulleted lists to display each bullet in turn)
• Over 100 publication templates to ensure cohesive design and layout throughout the publication
• 30 page templates to simplify the creation of video interfaces, slideshows and most common page types
• Improved organiser pane provides easier access to page thumbnails, objects, actions, resources and page templates

Opus Pro Features

Opus Pro has basically the same features as Opus Presenter, but with many professional level capabilities added. Projects created with Opus can be edited with Opus Pro, and Opus Pro source files can be opened and edited with Opus (although Pro-specific options will not be visible in the editor, and therefore will be unchangable). Additional features and capabilities added in Opus Pro include:

• Database Support - Including Run and Stop Query Actions
• Scripting Language - based on Javascript
• Resource Wizard - A powerful resource manager to give you better control of the resources (graphics, sound, video, etc.) used by your publication.
• Collision Detection - with Collision Enter and Leave Triggers
• Advanced Vectors - multiple object drawings
• MultiFrame objects - allowing easier control over combination objects
• Rollover Frames - useful for tool tips and much more
• Select Case statements
• Set Variable to Expression - advanced expressions from 4.5
• File Actions - Copy, Delete and Browse
• Move Object to Layer - allows you to move objects from front to back while the pub is running
• Count Words, Count Lines actions
• Post Data to Web Server action - and store the results into a variable!
• Send Email action
• Clock actions
• Show/Hide Next Object from list - allowing Powerpoint style forward and back - will also be in Standard via SR2
• PreShow & PreHide triggers - lets you execute actions before an object or page comes into view or just before it is hidden
• Mouse Move trigger
• Drop Zone Full & Drop Refused triggers
• Multiple Window Pubs - each chapter can appear in its own "pane", similar to html frames

Opus Pro XE Features

Opus Pro XE has the same features as Opus Pro, but with additional capabilities. Projects created with Opus and Opus Pro XE can be edited with Opus XE. Currently, Opus Pro XE files can NOT be opened in Opus or Opus Pro, so make sure you make a backup of existing files before opening them with XE (this restriction will be rectified by the next Opus/Pro Service Release). Additional features and capabilities added in Opus Pro XE include:

• Embedded Video - Allows MPG and AVI video files to be compiled into, and played back from, the published publication file. This prevents end users from "stealing" the video files. Note that not all AVI codecs may be compatible and in particular DivX is not currently compatible.
• Evaluation Mode - A publication can be published so that it times out a given number of days after it is first run. An action is provided to ignore the evaluation period thereby allowing you to provide an action to upgrade the publication to a registered copy.
• Simple CD Protection - A publication can be made to check for the presence of a given CD name before it will run (and optionally that the publication is being run from that CD).
• AICC Publication Support - Produce publications that are compatible with AICC learning management systems (a standard method of logging how a publication has been used, scores achieved, etc).
• Publication Timer and Information Tab - A new tab on the Publication settings to store author and notes about a publication, plus a timer to track how long the publication has been open in the editor. (Editor only, does not affect published files). Useful for billing or accounting
• Notes View - Every page now has a notes view to store information about the page. Supports full rich text formatting (colours, alignment etc). The notes can be printed out as part of the Storyboard print. (Editor only, does not affect published files)
• Event Marker - When previewing a publication marker points can be stored for reference later when setting up actions and other events. (Editor only, does not affect published files)
• Any Key key-press - A new trigger that responds to any key press, rather than a specific one.
• Permissions - This is a forward compatible function. Objects can have permissions set so they cannot be moved, deleted, resized or copied (in any combination). These permissions affect the editor, so Pro owners can create publications with elements that Standard users cannot edit or remove. (Editor only, does not affect published files)
• Reordering of Show/Hide In Turn lists - Reordering of Show/Hide In Turn lists
• Opus Flex is built into Opus Pro XE (which is why there is a discount for people who already own Flex). This allows you to publish your projects to the Flash format. (see the Flex description on the Forum's shopping page for additional information on this capability)
• Plus lots of performance improvements (including Video) which will also be in the next Opus/Pro Service Release.

Boxed Set vs. Downloadable Version

You have the option to purchase either a full box set of the program, or a downloadable version. The main program and functionality are the same in both cases, but the box set comes with many more templates and resources. Specifically...

The downloadable version comes with:

• The core program files
• In-program help fules

The box set comes with:

• The core program files
• In-program help fules
• Several component galleries
• Several templates for the Question Wizard
• Tutorials
• Resource CD - A whole CD packed with graphics, backgrounds, icons, buttons, cursors, sounds, and more, which can all be used royalty free in your publications.
• User manual - an excellent source of information, even for the seasoned user.

Links for the downloadable versions of the programs will be provided to you via email immediately after your payment has been processed. These links will only be active for a few days, so make sure you download the program as soon as possible. If you have any problems with the download, you should promptly email support@illuminatusforum.com . The size of the downloads are 12M for Opus, and (? - over 12M) for Opus Pro.

System Requirements

Opus Editor:

• Any system capable of running Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, NT4 (with Service Pack 4).
• Pentium II (recommended)
• Monitor and graphics card capable of 256 colours at 800x600 (minimum)
• 16 million colours at 1024x768 (recommended)
• 32Mb RAM
• approx 20-50Mb HD space depending on installation options
• Sound card
• Mouse
• CD Rom
• Direct X v3 or better (recommended)
• Windows Media Player (recommended)
• Quicktime v4 (recommended)

Publications:

The system requirements for publications will depend largely on the content. They will run on any system capable of running Windows 95 or better, but to use the full range of effects and transitions successfully your users will need the recommended elements of the specification above.