Isn't that too complicated for kids? I like TuxPaint's simplicity and am wondering if too many buttons on screen would confuse them. Traditionally, Macintosh made things simpler for its users by leaving "advanced" options off the screen, and transferring advanced options to mouse-key combination (option-click, control-click, etc.), and people seem to really like that. What do you think about implementing stamp flips that way? It would (1) be less confusing for beginners, (2) teach kids to learn to use key-mouse combinations, and (3) it would be easier to implement (probably :) I'm just throwing out an idea; I don't know if it's really better for kids. What do you think? More importantly, what do kids think?
-Mark On Fri, 26 Sep 2003, Bill Kendrick wrote: > > I've thought of an interface to let users manipulate stamps in Tux Paint > (flip, mirror and resize). > > > For many stamps, there'll be an option to simply mirror-image or flip the > stamp, and Tux Paint will do it itself. The Tux cartoon stamps would > benefit from this. > > For other stamps, when mirroring or flipping, an alternative graphic > will be loaded. Think of a picture of a fire truck with "FDNY" written > on the side. You wouldn't want that text to be mirrored, too... > > Finally, for some stamps, mirroring and/or flipping wouldn't be an option, > because, generally, it's not appropriate. The numbers and musical symbols > are an example of stamps which couldn't be flipped or mirrored. > (Of course, you can do the old trick of using the Magic tools, but that's > beside the point :^) ) > > > I'm thinking, initially, to allow ALL stamps to be mirrored or flipped. > Then use corresponding ".dat" data files to 'disable' the feature for > certain stamps. (Again, think of the numbers stamps) This would require > the least work. :^) > > For alternative graphics, I'm guessing I'll need to do something similar > to how I allow locale-specific sound effects. Something like: > > stamp.png > stamp_mirror.png > stamp_flip.png > stamp_mirrorflip.png > > ...or somesuch naming convention. > > > How does this sound? > > > > Oh, and as for the actual INTERFACE, I'm thinking I could just use > the bottom four button positions on the right to provide Mirror, Flip, > Shrink and Grow buttons. > > e.g., change from this: > > \ [Stamps] > / [ ^ ] <-- 'scroll up' button > \ [ ][ ] > / [ ][ ] > \ [ ][ ] > / [ ][ ] > \ [ ][ ] > / [ ][ ] > \ [ v ] <-- 'scroll down' button > > to this: > > \ [Stamps] > / [ ^ ] > \ [ ][ ] > / [ ][ ] > \ [ ][ ] > / [ ][ ] > \ [ v ] <-- move 'scroll down' button up two rows > / [<>][v^] > \ [O.][.O] > > > > Make sense? Seem reasonable? > > > -bill! > > -- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Got kids? Get Tux Paint! > http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ http://newbreedsoftware.com/tuxpaint/ > > _______________________________________________ > Tuxpaint-dev mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://tux4kids.net/mailman/listinfo/tuxpaint-dev > -- Mark K. Kim http://www.cbreak.org/ PGP key available on the website PGP key fingerprint: 7324 BACA 53AD E504 A76E 5167 6822 94F0 F298 5DCE _______________________________________________ Tuxpaint-dev mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://tux4kids.net/mailman/listinfo/tuxpaint-dev
