Re: [kidsgames] SMLUC on Kidsgames

[jeff@smluc.org]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2000, Steve Baker wrote:

-->Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 15:07:24 +0000
-->From: Steve Baker <sjbaker1@airmail.net>
-->Reply-To: kidsgames@smluc.org
-->To: kidsgames@smluc.org
-->Subject: Re: [kidsgames] SMLUC on Kidsgames
-->
-->Jeff Waddell wrote:
-->
-->> The screen shot sure looked GREAT!!!!  What a nice airplane...  Anyway the
-->> download page didn't have great instructions on what EXACTLY to get...  It
-->> has a 4.1 M pieces.tgz and a 2.8 M pieces.zip (I assume you only need one)
-->> and a 200+k tgz of the source code as well as what looks like a windows
-->> version of the source code. Looks like a very promising piece of
-->> software.  Did anybody get a chance to mess with it yet?
-->
-->Yep - I have it.
-->
-->LeoCAD is an amazing piece of work - it's a CAD package for
-->Lego.  The *huge* database you have to download contains just
-->about every single Lego brick there has ever been - with the
-->exception of LegoTechnics.  It's amazing just to be able to
-->see the insane variety of 'specialised' bricks there are out
-->there.
-->

Wow!

-->There are (adult) Lego fanatics shipping out LeoCAD files
-->with many of the original Lego models - and some original
-->ones too.
-->

Hmmmm....

-->The Linux version of LeoCAD is a little behind the Windoze
-->version - some features are missing - one major one being
-->the 'minifig' editor that let's you play with the little
-->Lego people.  However, that doesn't stop you messing with
-->them as individual bricks - so it's no big deal really.
-->

:)

-->The user interface takes some getting used to - it's certainly
-->not a program for kids who are not extremely computer-literate.
-->The menu's and icons are not especially kid-friendly.  You can
-->tell that it's designed for adult Lego enthusiasts.
-->

Ah, so it's for the adults then...

-->It has one HUGE problem.  Whilst it's altogether wonderful
-->as a software package, it's nothing like as much fun as
-->actual Lego bricks.  My 9yr old loves Lego - and he's a
-->big computer user - but he just couldn't understand what
-->the fuss was about.  I agree with him.
-->

Makes sense.

-->I could see a use for this package as a way for adult Lego
-->fanatics to 'save' their finest creations whilst still
-->recycling the physical bricks - and also perhaps to
-->create build-instructions that look as nice as the ones
-->you get when you buy a Lego set.
-->

So do you have any saved creations to share?  :)

-->This is one of those packages you should certainly
-->download - it'll give you a couple of evening's entertainment.
-->

I think I have more "entertainment" then I can take at the moment.

Thanks for the evaluation Steve.

We've been playing with zoob lately.  They aren't perhaps as addictive as
legos but the are REALLY quite neat.  More of a polar coordinate scheme
then linear... Check them out at http://zoob.com 

-- 
Jeff Waddell
jeff@smluc.org

Kids Games Project Coordinator
main website at http://smluc.org/SIA/kidsgames/


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