citylimits/notes/ASSETS.txt
2024-05-03 22:50:34 -04:00

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Micropolis Art Assets:
This is a list of required and optional assets for Micropolis.
As noted, some of them are for the current TCL/Tk based version of
Micropolis that we want to get out right away. Others are for the more
advanced Python version that we're developing after releasing the
TCL/Tk version.
The TCL/Tk version currently works ok with its current assets, and
these are just suggestions that would improve it but are not
necessary. The Python version is not yet fully designed or
implemented, and it will be more open-ended and powerful, so this is
just a rough estimate of the assets it will need.
Sound
NeWS and TCL/Tk sound servers supported playing sounds back at different rates, and repeating.
Sound effects for tools.
Currently playing vocal vowles at different pitches.
User Interface Graphics and Icons
These aren't all necessary, but it would be nice to have some of
them to make the interface look nicer, more graphical, and kid
friendly.
The style should be international, kid oriented, big, bright,
saturated, simple.
Icons should look good and be readable when shown in desaturated
gray scale on the OLPC's monochrome screen in low power reflective
mode. The brightness detail can be full resolution but the color
detail should be lower resolution by about half (not depending on
color detail as fine as brightness detail), because of the nature
of the OLPC's screen: 200 dots per inch monochrome gray scale,
with lower resolution color. For example, text on an icon should
be a noticeably different brightness than the background color,
instead of relying on color variation, which is not as detailed
and won't show up in monochrome mode.
SVG is the idea source format, because it can be scaled to any
size, rendered with antialiased edges, and will be easily used in
the Python version. Illustrator exports SVG. For now the TCL/Tk
version can use versions of the SVG files converted to "XPM"
format (which I can do).
Later, the Python user interface will require a bunch more icons
and graphics, depending on the user interface and features we
decide to support. It would be great to be able to use the same
SVG source graphics in the Python version, scaling them as
appropriate to adapt to the screen layout. We should revisit the
icons and graphics after we port Micropolis to Python.
What follows is a complete list of graphics we could use in the
TCL/Tk version. SVG is ideal but PNG is sufficient for this time.
Micropolis icon for use in Sugar user interface, in SVG or PNG.
Logos:
Micropolis logo
Micropolis lettering
OLPC Project logo
XO Laptop logo
Linux Penguin logo
Python Programming Language logo
Small menu item icons for map overlay menus:
Zones
All
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Transportation
Overlays
Population Density
Rate of Growth
Land Value
Crime Rate
Pollution Density
Traffic Density
Power Grid
Fire Coverage
Police Coverage
Small menu item icons for File menu:
Save City
Save City as...
Add Player...
Choose City!
Quit Playing!
Small menu item icons for Options menu:
Auto Budget
Auto Bulldoze
Disasters
Sound
Animation
Messages
Notices
Small menu item icons for Disasters menu:
Monster
Fire
Flood
Meltdown
Air Crash
Tornado
Earthquake
Small menu item icons for Time menu:
Pause
Slow
Medium
Fast
Small menu item icons for Priority menu:
Flat Out!
Zoom Zoom
Whoosh Whoosh
Buzz Buzz
Putter Putter
Drip Drip
Snore Snore
Small menu item icons for Windows menu (maybe the same as ones used in buttons):
Budget
Evaluation
Graph
Small menu item icons for Map Options menu:
Auto Goto
Palette Panel
Chalk Overlay
Small "OK" button for confirmation dialog buttons.
Small "Cancel" button for confirmation dialog buttons.
Large "Question" icon for dialogs asking questions (ok/cancel questions).
Large "Notice" icon for notice window (informational).
Large "Query" icon for zone query window (zone tricorder).
Medium "Generate New City" icon for button to generate new city, on start screen.
Medium Game Level icons for start screen radio buttons:
Easy
Medium
Hard
Big "Load City" icon for load city dialog.
Meduim "Load City" icon for button to load city, on start screen.
Big "Save City" icon for save city dialog.
Small "Save City" icon for button to save city.
Big Evaluation icon for evaluation window.
Small Evaluation icon for button to bring up evaluation window.
Big Graph icon for graph window.
Small Graph icon for button to bring up graph window.
Big Simolean/Budget symbol for Budget window.
Small Simolean/Budget symbol for button to bring up budget window.
Big Quit symbol for Quit confirmation dialog.
Small Quit symbol for button to bring up Quit confirmation dialog.
Big About symbol for About dialog.
Small About symbol for button to open About dialog.
Big Choose City symbol for Choose City confirmation dialog.
Small Choose City symbol for button to open Choose City confirmation dialog.
Simulation and User Interface Sounds
Right now it's using the original sounds, plus some interface
sounds I recorded. I can convert them to the format required by
the Linux sound interface we use.
I can supply a list of required interface sounds, but I think we
can go with the sounds we have right now without any trouble.
Later, the Python version will require a bunch more sounds for its
user interface, which will depend on the user interface features
we decide to support. So we should revisit the sound effects
later once Micropolis is ported to Python.
To be authentic, I would like to use the original sounds that the
simulator made (like the Skywatch One helicopter), or re-record
high quality replacements. Maybe we can get Will to record a fresh
version of "Skywatch One reporting heavy traffic!" in his own
voice (he made that original sound) and the sound people can add
in the helicopter sound over his voice to re-create the original
sound at high quality. The other sounds could be re-made from
scratch without any problem or help from Will.
Voice overs reading the user interface text, notices, help text
and documentation would be great for pre-literate children. Would
need to be translated to other languages.
Update Documentation
I have translated the Micropolis manual to HTML.
It's the original version that applies to the multi player
X11/TCL/Tk version, which needs to be update in a few places where
it's specific about the user interface or installation instructions.
It would benefit from some nice reformatting and CSS styles, as well
as some illustrations and screen snapshots.
After we port Micropolis to Python, the interface-specific
documentation will have to be rewritten, re-illustrated, and then it
will have to be translated to different languages.
The documentation consists of the following files:
Index
Introduction
Tutorial
User Reference
Inside the Simulator
History of Cities and City Planning
Bibliography
Credits
Help Text
There are also HTML files corresponding to user interface help text.
The user interface components are tagged with help ids that are the
base names of html files. The existing HTML help files are just
placeholders that don't have any useful help text, and there are
some help files for user interface components and windows that have
since been removed, as well as some help files missing for user
interface components and windows that have been added.
To finish implementing help, we need to go through the code and
identify all help tags and opportunities for adding missing help
tags to the user interface, then make all help files corresponding
to the existing tags, delete obsolete help files, and write all the
help text. It would be nice for the help text to hsve illustrations
of the corresponding windows and components in use.
After we port Micropolis to Python, the help files will have to be
re-inventoried, rewritten, re-illustrated, and translated to
different languages.
Courseware
We need to include any Micropolis courseware or teacher's guides with
the documentation, and update it to relect the current user
interface.
After we port Micropolis to Python, we will need to update the
courseware to reflect the features and user interface of the new
user interface.
--
Micropolis, Unix Version. This game was released for the Unix platform
in or about 1990 and has been modified for inclusion in the One Laptop
Per Child program. Copyright (C) 1989 - 2007 Electronic Arts Inc. If
you need assistance with this program, you may contact:
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Micropolis or email micropolis@laptop.org.
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at
your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
General Public License for more details. You should have received a
copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If
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