I have an idea for a utility DVD that I want to create. (Something similar to Avia.)

This DVD would need to have extremely detailed interactive menus. It would be completely impossible to create this using one of those home-movie-dvd-creation-template-thingys that give simple indexing of the videos on the disc.

It would need to be created using the same kind of tools that the big movie studios use to create their most advanced and complicated DVD menus. The kinds of tools that they use to create easter eggs, and interactive DVD games and such. That sort of thing.

How is that kind of DVD interactivity created? What tools do they use, and are there publicly-purchasable versions of those tools?

http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/dvdstudiopro/ is one I know of, should be on demo at any Apple store/Reseller. It supports the full scripting interface DVDs use, and should be able to replicate something like your example.

You're just feeding my insatiable habit of mentioning DVDlab on this board, aren't you?

IMO, it's the best DVD authoring tool out there (granted, as far as Windows goes - I don't know nothin' 'bout no Macs). Sadly, it doesn't have the great price it once did ($70), but the philosophy behind the program is still as solid as ever.

The author was sick of the gap between wizard-based programs and professional tools, so he created something that was very easy to use but had the ability to go as in-depth as you wanted. There's some seriously technical stuff you can do with the program that I don't understand at all, but I've made some sweet menu systems using the basics (and some intermediate stuff).

I think there's a free trial, so give it a shot. It's the aforementioned philosophy and its implementation that's made DVDlab one of my favorite applications.

One that I've used in the past was Vegas and DVD (more info on DVD Creation is on the menu on the right). Not sure if it meets your needs or buget (kind of expensive for a hobby piece, but getting it from B&H right now gets your Sound Forge 8 for free). There is a demo you can download and maybe that would answer the question 'is it right for you?'.

Thanks, guys. I'm hoping one of these tools can do what I want it to do.

If nothing cheaper works well for you, and/or if you have a familiarity with Adobe products, Encore DVD has worked pretty well for me and my company. It is now bundled into Premiere CS3.