Interactive examples

“CNN Challenge” tests users’ knowledge in immersive environment

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In conjunction with CNN’s recent site redesign, they launched “CNN Challenge,” an interactive news quiz allowing users to test their knowledge and compete against others. Although small bugs still exist, I am overall impressed with the innovation and attention to detail that went into the production.

My major qualm with the site came during the registration process. I filled in the information as asked, but received countless error messages. After being told three of my email addresses had already been taken, I gave up. Low and behold, five minutes later I was bombarded with three emails containing three different user registrations with my email accounts. I assume that each time it returned an error message, it had actually worked.

The ten virtual hosts were a nice touch, and the videography and compression of each was high quality. While using green screen technology to place people within a virtual environment is not a new trick (Seth Gitner, for example, utilized it for a Roanoke Times’ job advertisement back in 2007), it was arguably one of the best I have seen.

I appreciated the swift animation between questions as each was projected on a wall. The sound effects and music might have been a little over the top, but an on/off audio button was nicely positioned at the top. I also really enjoyed the lightening round where users had to drag and drop content, rearrange letters, and scroll through answer choices quickly as the clock counted down. Surprisingly enough, the producers were able to make a quiz fun and exhilarating for the user, which is proof of its success.

I wonder, though, why users are required to sign in to see the leaderboard and/or utilize the news bin. I understand the sense of community is greater for those who log in, but for those who don’t want to compete with others or give away their personal information to register, it is a shame that they can’t also receive the complementary news articles and resources.

Regardless, I can only imagine the time and effort that went behind this piece and I applaud CNN for investing in it. They have historically not been well known for innovation on the Web in terms of interactive storytelling components, so I hope that “CNN Challenge” is just the beginning of the new and exciting interactive experiences yet to come!

Other posts that might interest you:

• Roanoke.com launches a virtual museum for the opening of the Taubman Museum of Art
• USA Today tracks US federal taxes in customizable graphic
• American Heart Association promotes CPR with interactive “hand symphony”

© 9 November 2009 Innovative Interactivity.