Barrie,
Yeah I've taken a look at everything on the OneSwitch site (and every other site I could find for that matter, lol) so I think I finally have a pretty fair idea of the software avaiable for 1-switch users. I am sure there must be free versions of many of the applications, but I have been really shocked by how expensive everything is! The other thing i've noticed is that most of the games, and even some of the applications, look very crappy and unprofessional. Half of them look like they wouldn't be out of place stuck to someone's fridge and signed with a crayon. :D
The project I'm working on right now should act as a complete 1-switch system (since I havn't found any single program out there that does this). Once loaded, everything is handled with 1-switch using one of 2 methods for X,Y coordinate selection. Similar to icons on a desktop, the user can change settings, run games (good quality games is the plan), or run any of the tools. All games, tools, and menus still take place in a 1-switch environment so technically they should never need anyone to come help them with anything.
I am already working on a typer as one of the tools. It will have the same 2 XY methods, as well as a morse code option, for typing. All text is stored within the program so it can be saved and loaded easily. I dont' have it done yet, but I want to have an option to export the completed text to outside programs. The word-predictor feature obviously. The user should be able to easily create their own set of folders and sub-folders for storing things... even putting passwords on them if desired (everyone Should be able to keep things private if they want). A calculator, calendar, music player (for any mp3's on the comp), generic SFX player (allowing the user to save sounds to be quickly accessed and played out loud to communicate with other people), virtual dice, photo album, clock with timer+alarm, ... I think that's all the tools I have planned so far.
As far as games for the system go, I am already building a fairly nice version of a "Gem dropper"/"Bejeweled" game. Graphically it is below Bejeweled, but it is flashy and animated to look nice. I have things like Battleship, Cards, Tetris, and Simon on the drawing board. The system will allow the user to link icons to external games as well. Lets say, for example, they have Strange Attractors 2 on their computer. They can set it up to display as an icon within the system just like the built-in games. Running it will execute Strange Attractors and switch back to my system after the game exits. I am also thinking of putting in some type of safety feature that can be set by the user. If set, the system will automatically move itself to the foreground after X minutes. This would be good incase the user has found himself/herself stuck at a screen they cannot control. Instead of waiting for someone to wander by and notice, they will know that every X minutes the system will kind of "check in" to give them control again. A few clicks will shink it back down if they so desire, otherwise they are no longer trapped and can go about their business.
I would absolutely Love to build in some multiplayer games but I know I wouldn't be able to commit my own personal server to the cause. :( It would be pretty cool though if this system had a built-in online multiplayer community. A virtual role-playing world would be pretty cool since everyone would be basically at the same level. No one would feel disadvantaged compared to everyone else.
It's a big project planned, but I think it will be really cool if I can get it done. (Oh I also didn't mention that I want this to be free software)
Last edited by Aprone (2009-02-08 06:13:22)
