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Game Maker:
I use a Product called Game Maker for all game creation, it's a great program
that strikes a good balance between interactive "drag-and-drop" development and more traditional programming with a "C-like"
syntax. This product is available as a freeware or if you can spare $18 you can get the full version. I strongly encourage you to
consider the purchase option, honestly it's so little money and you get good features and reward someone who's worked pretty
tirelessly on a great commercial grade product (there are commercial options of this quality but they will cost you hundreds of $$$).
At any rate how you chose to do it is up to you, your first step though should be to follow the links I've included (there are some
additional with other resources to the left) and download Game Maker.
I've included several related links to games I have developed as zip files here, these are goverened by a simple open source license,
you can use, distribute and change them as long as you retain the copyright information and license file (so I don't get sued), they are
free for you to use in any non-commercial sense. If you add some interesting features consider sharing them with the world as well,
and drop me a line.
There are two programs (and a third I'm working on that I will publish later). They share a common theme in that they are very visual
(since Rachel is deaf) and there is no sound in them. You will also notice the larger controls on the screen, these are because I use a
touch screen with her to overcome physical handicaps as well since Rachel has some limitations in hand eye coordination. It's not
necessary to turn the mouse off and not advisable if you don't have a touch screen monitor (and it's a simple option to turn it off/on as well by the way).
The first program is a picture matching program (screen shot) ,
the digital equivalent of putting a bunch of cards on the table face down that have matched pairs and picking them 2 at a time, each
matched set is moved to a side strip and at the end of the game a reward screen with fireworks plays and prompts for another game.
The second program (screen shot) is more complex
and offers the kernel of a picture symbol based communications program with picture categories across the bottom, picture symbols
across the left hand side and commands in symbol form across the top. There are 6 rectangular squares that are in the middle of the
screen and you place the picture you press in the highlighted square, you can edit the text associated with the picture, change the
story and even print out your pages. There is a text search engine built in (primitive) to allow you to scan your pictures to find a
particular word and hence picture) as well. A lot of work went into this and it's very flexible, you can add and catagories as you see fit.
Future enhancements might offer the ability to change the size and number of the squares, control the printing better (you need to
preset your printer to landscape mode before you start), etc.
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