[Tux4kids-discuss] [Tux4kids-tuxtype-dev] TuxEng Design Methodology

[Melissa Newman]

Here is an idea.  Instead of building a game, build a tool.

 

There was an old product that was written for Windows 95 / 3.x /98 that was a fantastic product, but it was dropped.

 

·         Imagination Express : Destination Ocean

·         Imagination Express: Time Trip USA

·         Imagination Express: Neighborhood

·         Imagination Express: Destination Castle

·         Imagination Express: Destination Rain Forest

·         Imagination Express: Destination Pyramids

 

Anyway, this was how the program worked.  A child would create a “book”.  On each page of the book, they would select a background.  Then they would add characters and objects to the background.  But the program was very intelligent.  When an object was placed towards the back of the scene, the object would automatically resize smaller.  When the object or person was put into the foreground the object is made larger.

 

The program was fantastic, but alas, as with a lot of great software products, it ended up in the world of oblivion.  This is a tragedy.

 

You should dig up these products and update them to either work on linux or current versions of windows, but with an added twist.  Add the ability to send these electronic books to WordPress, Mahara, and Moodle.

 

Another great “writing Program” that has gone into oblivion is “Comic Book Creator”.  The program would create a template of boxes (the comic book).  The author (child) would add a background to the box, add characters, and then add text.  The product had different packages: penguins, Marvel, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.  If modules were added for different periods in history, it would be a great educational tool.

 

And just an FYI, my 5th grader tried to learn to touch type using typing programs like TuxType, and others, and it was not a success.  This year we used “Barron’s Typing The Easy Way”.  He liked it better than all of the other “learn to type programs”.   The moral of the story is that sometimes, a “low tech” way of doing something is more than fun than a “high tech” way of doing something.  That is probably why “Minecraft” is so successful.  It is in some ways “low tech”, but requires “high imagination” from the kids.  In my opinion, that is what you should aim for in any TuxEng type of program.  The program should require high imagination from the child.  The child controls the program.  Not the program controlling the child.  And definitely a “module add-on” / “plugin” type system where others can add backgrounds, characters, objects, and “pre typed in text” to share.

 

Last year for homeschooling, my kids used Minecraft to create a reenactment of the American Revolution, including all of the major events.  Is any program that you are going to create going to have the ability for a child to do that?

 

Remember the basics of writing:

·         Who (characters)

·         What (objects)

·         Where (background scenes)

·         When (clothing and objects from different time periods, historical as well as futuristic and present)

·         How and why – problem (idea text).

 

Melissa

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