Latest Release

From WorldWideWorkshop-OLPC wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

Image:Mama4OLPClogo(40%).jpg

Joke Machine: Create multimedia jokebooks

Flipsticks: Use keyframes to animate a stick figure

Jigsaw Puzzle: Make and solve puzzles with friends

Slider Puzzle: Have a puzzle solving contest

Poll Builder: Poll your friends for their opinions

Cartoon Builder: Create cel animation sequences

Learning Center: Starter ideas for using the XO

Creative Center: "Make Your Own Favorites"

Our activity criteria: 1) good quality and well produced; 2) impact learning of XO users; 3) engaging and fun; 4) Sugarized (UI, Journal, Internationalization, etc.); 5) integrating XO core activities, libraries, and resources; 6) fully open; 7) expandable and transformable by the user community; 8) adding new experiences and features to XO Core; 8) suitable for children, teachers, and families worldwide, plus G1G1 and other OLPC initiatives; 9) low barrier to entry, yet empowering and encouraging complex activity, learning and growth.

Contents

Release Notes (OCTOBER 30, 2007):

Highlights:

Volunteer Opportunities (We'd love to get YOUR help!):

  • OLPCGAMES BUG FIX: NO progress has been made on the OLPCgames bugs that continue to indefinitely stall production on Story Builder. We cannot complete this activity until someone addresses these issues, pending since August. Check out the 'projects/games-misc' git repository in dev.laptop.org. The file you want is olpcgames-src/olpcgames/eventwrap.py.
  • WRITE LESSON PLANS: Custom Learning Tips and Lesson Plans are integrated with each activity. We will accept submissions for additional lesson plans for any activity! Send a note to shannon at worldwideworkshop.org if you are interested.
  • TRANSLATE: Spanish and Portuguese translations have been started for all activities, but more help is needed to complete the Lesson Plan translations.
  • PLAY and TEST: Download... Play... Test (by yourself and with kids)... and Tell us what you think. THANKS!

XO bundles (Fully tested on BUILD 622; further testing underway on Joyride)

IconDocumentDescription
Joke Machine.xo historyJoke Machine activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Flipsticks.xo historyFlipsticks activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Jigsaw Puzzle.xo historyJigsaw Puzzle activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Slider Puzzle.xo historySlider Puzzle activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
PollBuilder.xo historyPoll Builder activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Cartoon Builder.xo historyCartoon Builder activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Learning Center.xo historyLearning Center activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Creative Center.xo historyCreative Center activity bundle, updated October 30, 2007
Story Builder.xo historyStory Builder activity bundle, updated August 24, 2007

Joke Machine

Graphic Design: Choose a joke book

Graphic Design: Joke book cover

Graphic Design: Edit jokes

Graphic Design: Review submitted jokes

Joke Machine allows kids to create a set of written jokes – a project that helps with reading, writing and cultural learning. Kids can enhance each joke by adding an image that they created with other XO activities, such as Paint, Record and Flipsticks. They can also include a sound effect (to play with the punchline delivery) made with Record.

Features:

  • Ability to create a jokebook with a title (i.e. Knock Knock jokes) and cover image.
  • Each joke entry is composed of text-based question and answer, and an optional image and sound to accompany it.
  • Images can be imported and should be dynamically resized to fit a specified display area in the jokebook page.
  • Interface for creating and editing original jokebooks (title, cover image, sound effect, text for jokes, optional image for each joke.)
  • Ability to preview the jokebook and make further edits before publishing
  • Ability to delete a jokebook
  • Interface for selecting and reading jokebooks.
  • Joke sets stored in the Data Store and accessible via the Journal.
  • Integrated Language Chooser feature; currently contains an Afrikaans translation
  • Integrated Lesson Plan feature (same format as in Poll Builder)
  • Jokebooks can be shared with other XO users over the mesh.
  • During the sharing process, users can submit jokes for one another’s jokebooks
  • Detects and includes the name of the remote user who contributed a joke.
  • Alert messages for when joke submitted and approved over mesh; also one advising patience when joining a shared jokebook
  • A jokebook author can delete or edit any submissions they receive.
  • While a jokebook is being shared, users can submit new jokes for it from their XOs.
  • Author’s XO will be updated with joke submissions during the shared activity.
  • If you disconnect or close the activity, others cannot submit jokes, but can still see the jokebook as it was when you disconnected.
  • Provide submission interface with text fields for joke question and answer, option to browse journal to find an image file and import it for use on joke display page.
  • Editing Interface for Jokebook author contains a screen for reviewing and approving remote joke submissions.
  • Once approved by author, new joke merged back to onto the Joke set author’s XO. New jokes can be seen by other users next time the jokebook is shared.

Flipsticks

Flipsticks Interface

Flipsticks is a keyframe animation activity that lets you pose and program a stick figure to walk, run, rotate, twist, tumble and dance. You can save your animations to the journal and will soon be able to share them via the mesh. Flipsticks can be used to explore concepts in geometry, computer programming and animation; it helps develop spatial and analytical thinking skills.

Features:

  • Single stick figure that can be mainpulated to learn about keyframe animation.
  • Pose by “Click and Drag”. Sticks can be manipulated by clicking and dragging.
  • Pose by Numeric Input. The character’s sticks and joints can be manipulated by selecting a part on a provided text list and changing the angle and/or size numeral.
  • Adjustable Body Parts: Head, Neck, Right Shoulder, Upper Right Arm, Lower Right Arm, Right Hand, Left Shoulder, Upper Left Arm, Lower Left Arm, Left Hand, Torso, Right Hip, Upper Right Leg, Lower Right Leg, Right Foot, Left Hip, Upper Left Leg, Lower Left Leg, Left Foot
  • Figure positioning. The whole character can moved around on the stage as a unit (dragged up, down, left right and rotated 360 degrees.)
  • Keyframes. When the user is happy with a pose, s/he can save it as a keyframe by clicking on one of the round keyframe buttons to select it, then clicking on Camera button to capture the pose. When the animation plays, the application produces intermediate poses between the keyframes so the motion appears fluid.
  • Timeline. The Keyframe buttons can be dragged and rearranged on a provided timeline. User can complete change the order of the frames, and can control transition times by making the fames closer together or further apart.
  • Play/Pause. After saving at least two keyframe poses, user can click Play button to animate the character between the different positions.
  • Play Backwards. Animation can be played forwards and backwards.
  • Speed Control. Slider control allows user to adjust animation playback speed.
  • Storage of Animations in the Data Store and accessible via the Journal.
  • Mesh sharing of Flipsticks animations; when others join a shared Flipsticks session, your XO will update them with latest animation you have created.
  • Joiners can play with shared animation and manipulate it on their XO, with no impact on original shared version.
  • Customized Lesson Plans integrated in the activity
  • Language Chooser
  • Launches independently and through MaMaMedia Creative Center

Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle Interface

Jigsaw Puzzle is based on the classic picture-constructing game, plus you can add your own pictures. It strengthens visual, spacial and problem solving skills and offers a context to creatively reflect on and explore any subject.

Features:

  • Puzzle play functionality includes Picture Selector, Timer, Change Shapes, Change Number of Pieces, Board Hint, Solve
  • Fixed set of 'kid made' starter images, organized by subject
  • “My Picture’ feature. Lets user add a photo or drawing made in another program (i.e Paint. Record) and turn it into a puzzle.
  • Uses Journal to keep and resume puzzle instances and for finding your own images and turning them into puzzles.
  • Collaborative Puzzle solving. Share a puzzle with friends via the mesh and solve it together.
  • Mesh status messages alert users to load progress and friend actions
  • Customized Lesson Plans integrated in the activity
  • Language Chooser. Multiple translations will be made available (user selectable on-the-fly.)
  • Launches independently and through MaMaMedia Creative Center

Slider Puzzle

Slider Puzzle

Slider Puzzle is a classic logic game that challenges a player to slide tiles around to form a picture or pattern. This digital version provides a fun context for learners to explore basic functions of the XO, learn problem solving skills, and develop creative projects that reflect understanding of a topic they are studying.

Features:

  • Puzzle play functionality includes number of pieces (9, 12, 16), timer, solve, jumble
  • Fixed set of 'kid made' starter images, organized by subject
  • Includes a category of Sequencing puzzles and corresponding lesson plans
  • “My Picture’ feature. Lets user add a photo or drawing made in another program (i.e Paint. Record) and turn it into a puzzle.
  • Uses Journal to keep and resume puzzle instances and for finding your own images and turning them into puzzles.
  • Puzzle Solving Contest. You can share a puzzle with friends via the Mesh and have a contest to see who can solve it most quickly.
  • Mesh status messages alert users to load progress and friend actions
  • Customized Lesson Plans integrated in the activity
  • Language Chooser. Multiple translations will be made available (user selectable on-the-fly.)
  • Launches independently and through MaMaMedia Creative Center
  • Initial Keyboard shortcuts impemented for all game interface buttons: 
 '1' - select 9 pieces
 '2' - select 12 pieces
 '3' - select 16 pieces
 'enter' - jumble selected image
 ',' - show previous image in category
 '.' - show next image in category
 '/' - show/hide Category Selector
 '?' - My Own Picture
 '=' - Solve
 'Escape' or 'q' - end activity

Poll Builder

Choose a Poll

Vote

Build a Poll

A poll is a research tool that helps explain what a group of people think about a topic. Poll Builder allows you to create your own poll, collect votes, examine the results and think about what they mean. Users can write original opinion poll questions and answer choices, then invite friends to vote in their poll via the mesh.

Features:

  • Polls are stored in the Data Store and accessible via the Journal
  • Can share a poll with a buddy (shares application and current data) who can vote on it from their XO
  • Polls can be multiple times (e.g. X can share it with Y who can share it with Z).
  • Uses Telepathy for interacting with other XOs
  • Updates all XOs that are sharing the activity with current data (while Poll is being shared)
  • When receiving data, author's activity eliminates duplicates and updates votes with the latest vote from a given XO
  • Ability to create multiple polls, each with a title, question, 2-5 answer choices and a "votes to collect" limit
  • Display running total with number of votes (numeric tally) and percentage of total votes cast (bar graph) for each answer
  • Ability to “Delete” the Poll
  • Ability to “See Results’ after the Poll closes
  • Set of customized Lesson Plans accessible in-app via "Lesson Plans" button
  • More mesh status messages (alerting users to load progress and friend actions) will be added
  • Multiple translations will be available (English, Portuguese and Spanish to start)


Cartoon Builder

Cartoon Builder Interface

Cartoon Builder allows you to create your own cel-animation sequences, by positioning and manipulating a playful cartoon character inside a filmstrip, and by using provided media assets -- backgrounds, characters in multiple poses, sound effects. You can play the sequence at different speeds, and save it. “Make Your Own” functionality lets you produce original cartoons that incorporate backgrounds and sounds you made yourself using other XO applications (Paint, Record, etc.)

Functionality:

  • Place 6 character poses in a filmstrip by selecting the cel/frame and then select the character pose you want to go in it.
  • Character, Background and Sound selectors (Scroll through background options using "Back" and "Forward" buttons. The one in view will be used in the cartoon.)
  • Three starter characters (Space Blob, Elephant, Turkey), 12+ starter backgrounds, and four starter sounds
  • "Add Background" functionality
  • "Add Sound" funcctionality (coming soon)
  • Changing the animation speed -- fast and slow range
  • Clear All (removes images from all cells of the filmstrip)
  • Play/Pause
  • Saving/loading animations (locally on the XO)
  • Can take images created with Paint and Record and make them into images in Cartoon Builder.
  • Can take sounds made with Record or other sources and use them in Cartoon Builder. (Coming soon)
  • Full journal integration for Keep and Resume of Cartoon projects
  • Full journal integration for selecting images and sounds made in other programs to use as backgrounds and sound effects in Cartoon Builder.
  • Ability to share animations via Mesh
  • Full screen interface with Toolbar
  • Additional translations as available

Learning Center

Learning Center

Learning Center is a space, filled with starter ideas on how to begin using the XO laptop and the MaMaMedia activities. It includes an overview of Constructionist educational philosophy and design principles, a glossary of useful terms, and an overview of the play experience and learning impact for each MaMaMedia activity. It is a model and a starting point that we encourage educators and developers to expand on with more ideas and features.

It is a simple text-based framework which offers five tabbed sections:

  • Welcome - orientation and explanation of what to expect
  • Explore the XO - lesson ideas for exploring the XO as a class
  • Activities - List of MaMaMedia activities that describes the game and its learning value.
  • Glossary - definitions of key terms from lessons and XO interface
  • About - Background on Constructionist educational philosophy

Pending: Links to an Educators wiki -- for those with an Internet connection who want to contribute their own lessons. Down the road, we are also considering including mesh functionality for educators in the same community to exchange lesson plans, teacher-to-teacher tips, and more.

MaMaMedia Creative Center

Creative Center

MaMaMedia Creative Center a menu page, that is in itself a creative activity. It is a user-modifiable interface design and content display -- a "Make Your Own Favorites Screen." Students are able to make a personalized view of their favorite MaMaMedia Creative Center Activities and XO content; they will be able to choose which XO activities to display prominently (all activities will still be accessible) and they can add their own background image.

In the default state, prior to the students design work, the page introduces all the World Wide Workshop Foundation developments for OLPC. At the center, we feature our playful Logo of the Idea Child and it is surrounded by Idea Bubbles -- buttons for the learning activities -- filled with creative ideas for how to use the XO laptops for learning and teaching, and lesson plans for students, educators and families in the OLPC communities. One of the bubbles is the Learning Center which includes an overview of our educational philosophy and design principles, a glossary, a summary of activities and lesson plans, as well as links to our Educators Wiki. In addition, the Creative Center as an intreface design activity is explained on that page, teaching students how to make their own designs, backgrounds, and buttons to look and feel the way they want it to be!

NOTE: This BETA 1.4 version has a static 'starter' set of MaMaMedia activities. Look for more interactive functionality in our BETA 1.5 release on NOVEMBER 30. Users will be able to make a personalized view of their favorite XO content; they will be able to choose which XO activities to display prominently (all activities will still be accessible) and they can add their own background image.


Story Builder (COMPLETION STALLED PENDING OLPCGAMES BUG FIX)

Story Builder Interface

Story Builder is a graphical story constructor tool. Drag & drop a variety of characters (stamps) into a background, and create an imaginative scene. Simple word-processing capability is included to encourage and facilitate free-form creative writing and the saving of original stories. When finalized, users will also be able to add their own images (created with Paint, Camera, etc.) and share their stories via the mesh.

Beta 1.4 update (Oct 30): No advances made. Still need resolution of olpcgames bugs before development can resume.

Beta 1.3 update (Oct 11): HELP! A few OLPCgames bugs have indefinitely stalled production on Story Builder since August. We cannot complete the project without this fix. Lincoln Quirk was working on it, but no one has taken it on since he left. Check out the 'projects/games-misc' git repository in dev.laptop.org. The file you want is olpcgames-src/olpcgames/eventwrap.py. The priority of the issue was downgraded recently, but we hope you will reconsider and try to address it for FR1. Please let us know if this is possible. Once that is done, we can complete the full functionality (Scroll to see "Full Functionality" list below).

Beta 1.2 update (Aug 24): Story Builder v1.0b launches in Sugar and has sound, thanks to recent enhancements made to the olpcgames wrapper by Lincoln Quirk. However, the ability to type in your title and story is not working correctly under Sugar yet. While this bug is being addressed, you can test the writing and saving of text by running the application from the Developer's console on your XO. We recommend looking at it both ways.

To test the activity outside of Sugar:

  • Alt+0 and select Terminal tab, then type the following:
  • su
  • mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
  • cd /mnt
  • cp StoryBuilder-8.xo.zip /home/olpc
  • cd /home/olpc
  • su olpc
  • unzip StoryBuilder-8.xo.zip
  • sugar-install-bundle StoryBuilder-8.xo
  • cd Activities/StoryBuilder.activity/
  • python ./StoryBuilder.py
  • Alt 0 to see the activity
  • Press Esc to quit Story Builder


Full Functionality List:

DONE:

  • Select a background / theme (from fixed set of provided themes and images)
  • Place the animated characters freely on the background
  • Select placed characters and move them around or remove them
  • Selecting a character which overlaps with others brings it to the front
  • Clear Picture


PENDING:

  • Add the story title and text
  • Save (Store the story in the Journal)– a file format will need to be developed which stores the story as compactly as possible so that the graphic components are not duplicated multiple times on the Data Store, if possible.
  • Allow students to take drawings created with the XO painting tool and use them as background images.
  • Allow students to take photos with the XO camera and use the photo files as background images.
  • Friends can share saved stories and read them together over the mesh. A group of students will be able to look at a story together simultaneously.
  • Students should also be able to save story asset files (images, sounds) onto their clipboard and use them in new stories.
  • Print (if possible in current version of Sugar – otherwise printing may be deferred)

FEEDBACK

Please send your feedback and ideas about Beta 1.4 to info at WorldWideWorkshop.org

PREVIOUS RELEASES:

Beta Release 1.0 (JUNE 20, 2007)

Beta Release 1.1 (JULY 17, 2007)

Beta Release 1.2 (AUGUST 24, 2007)

Beta Release 1.3 (OCT 11, 2007)

Beta Release 1.4 (OCT 30, 2007)

UPCOMING RELEASES:

Beta Release 1.5 (NOV 30, 2007)

Retrieved from "http://www.worldwideworkshop.org/olpcwiki/index.php/Latest_Release"
Personal tools