Freesci Port In Progress; Feedback Requested

[The Phantom]

I've nearly completed porting FreeSCI to GP2X. I'll put up a binary when it's done.

This binary will use the same virtual keyboard that's used in the GP32 and Dreamcast ports of FreeSCI. The virtual keyboard is not very convenient and as there are no keyboard devices available yet (I believe), I would like to investigate other possible input methods:

1) A dictionary-assisted SMS-like input method that's controlled with the stick.
2) A word-list interface similar to that of GBAGI (see screenshot).

I would like to know which one of these would be preferred by users. If you have any comments on these two methods, or know of another method that might work well, please let me know.

 

[Yono]

I personally would like chioce 2, but I cannot speak for the whole community. By the way, I really appreciate you porting this over and wish you luck on it.

 

[Draken]

Personally, I hate the SMS-like input so I'd prefer input 2.

Cool you're working on this btw.

 

[Wite_Noiz]

Best of luck on this, can't wait to play with it
I vote 2.

 

[DJWillis]

A GBAGI style word list would be great. Be really nice to see FreeSCI on the GP2X for the later games.

I know a GBAGI word list (well the code from GBAGI is going to be used) is what is being planned for the Sarin engine support in ScummVM (and yes, when I pull my fingre out I do plan on getting ScummVM's sarin engine up and working on the GP2X).

 

[nem]

Ooh, nice one. Looking forward to this!

 

[BradN]

Keyboards could always be used via USB and a breakout board...

 

[skeezix]

In my Palm OS Kronos port (text adventure interp for Infocom/zmachine, Magnetic Scrolls and Scott Adams) I let people 'type' in as normal, but also have word lists and 'suggestiuve lists'; one option is to let people build up their own lists in config files, as well.

ie: In mine its pen based, so if you 'tap' on a word with a stylus (you could allow for 'word selection' as well, with a travelling highlight) it pops up options like..

OPEN _word_
CLOSE _word_
READ _Word_
GO _word_

Some of them force a return after (READ _word_), but others just add them to the input buffer withotu a return, so you can add more stuff to it, like just _word_ itself.

ie: you might 'select' a verb you already entered such as "open" and thus you dont' want a return after, so you can 'select' another word, or enter it yourself.

As you can see with Kronos you can play a text adventure without writing anything, with luck.

ie: you tap on word list and hit "open", then 'select' the 'door' from the room description, which forces 'return' afterwards.

Then later you select 'open' and type in "box" or whatever.

That works equally with with graphics+text adventures; the trick is sensible defaults, and context sensitive stuff, and allowing user word lists.

jeff

 

[Hanz™]

2

 

[Tobriand]

Word list. Ok, it potentially takes some of the fun out of it if you can see all the items/people/whatever that you can interact with in an area, but it's so much more fluid than typing using a joypad...

 

[The Phantom]

Thanks for all the replies! Word lists it is.

The first release won't support them yet though (implementing that is somewhat involved).

 

[The Phantom]

Hi everyone... unfortunately I haven't gotten around to implementing the word list stuff yet, sorry about that.

Is there any demand at all for a version with just the basic virtual on-screen keyboard? I guess the BoB may work too, but I don't have one yet, so I can't test it.

 

[Muncher666]

It feels weird, but I'm for the wordlist. With the BoB coming out though, you're surely making it an option for USB keyboard support though right?

Allan.

 

[The Phantom]

It feels weird, but I'm for the wordlist.

I'm still planning to implement a word list, but the current situation is that I can only release a version with virtual on-screen keyboard. I'm just not sure that anyone actually wants it.

With the BoB coming out though, you're surely making it an option for USB keyboard support though right?

I expect the BoB to "just work" with SDL. I'll try and get a hold of a BoB in the near future.

 

[steverowe58]

A very different way of doing text entry can be found here

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/

I think it would work well though some practice is required.
Cheers

 

[kevcal]

A very different way of doing text entry can be found here

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/

I think it would work well though some practice is required.

Hehe - that's weird
Just tried the windows version.

 

[Muncher666]

It feels weird, but I'm for the wordlist.

I'm still planning to implement a word list, but the current situation is that I can only release a version with virtual on-screen keyboard. I'm just not sure that anyone actually wants it.

With the BoB coming out though, you're surely making it an option for USB keyboard support though right?

I expect the BoB to "just work" with SDL. I'll try and get a hold of a BoB in the near future.

Oh, dude - if the virtual keyboard is a stopgap solution I'd be more than happy to beta test the crap out of it. I love SCI games. Bring it on!

Allan.

 

[Yono]

At least that way compatibility can be tested and graphic bugs detected. Glad to hear you're still around.