[micropolis] / src / ASSETS.txt

Micropolis Assets:

  This is a list of required and optional assets for Micropolis. 

  As noted, some of them are for the current TCL/Tk based version of
  Micropolis that we want to get out right away.  Others are for the more
  advanced Python version that we're developing after releasing the
  TCL/Tk version.

  The TCL/Tk version currently works ok with its current assets, and
  these are just suggestions that would improve it but are not
  necessary. The Python version is not yet fully designed or
  implemented, and it will be more open-ended and powerful, so this is
  just a rough estimate of the assets it will need. 

  User Interface Graphics and Icons

    These aren't all necessary, but it would be nice to have some of
    them to make the interface look nicer, more graphical, and kid
    friendly.

    The style should be international, kid oriented, big, bright,
    saturated, simple. 

    Icons should look good and be readable when shown in desaturated
    gray scale on the OLPC's monochrome screen in low power reflective
    mode. The the brightness detail can be full resolution but the
    color detail should be lower resolution by about half (not
    depending on color detail as fine as brightness detail), because
    of the nature of the OLPC's screen: 200 dots per inch monochrome
    gray scale, with lower resolution color. For example, text on an
    icon should be a noticeably different brightness than the
    background color, instead of relying on color variation, which is
    not as detailed and won't show up in monochrome mode.

    SVG is the idea source format, because it can be scaled to any
    size, rendered with antialiased edges, and will be easily used in
    the Python version. Illustrator exports SVG. For now the TCL/Tk
    version can use versions of the SVG files converted to "XPM"
    format (which I can do).

    Later, the Python user interface will require a bunch more icons
    and graphics, depending on the user interface and features we
    decide to support. It would be great to be able to use the same
    SVG source graphics in the Python version, scaling them as
    appropriate to adapt to the screen layout. We should revisit the
    icons and graphics after we port Micropolis to Python.

    What follows is a complete list of graphics we could use in the
    TCL/Tk version. SVG is ideal but PNG is sufficient for this time.

    Micropolis icon for use in Sugar user interface, in SVG or PNG. 

    Logos:
      Micropolis logo
      Micropolis lettering
      OLPC Project logo
      XO Laptop logo
      Linux Penguin logo
      Python Programming Language logo

    Small menu item icons for map overlay menus:
      Zones
        All
        Residential
        Commercial
        Industrial
        Transportation
      Overlays
        Population Density
        Rate of Growth
        Land Value
        Crime Rate
        Pollution Density
        Traffic Density
        Power Grid
        Fire Coverage
        Police Coverage

    Small menu item icons for File menu:
      Save City
      Save City as...
      Add Player...
      Choose City!
      Quit Playing!

    Small menu item icons for Options menu:
      Auto Budget
      Auto Bulldoze
      Disasters
      Sound
      Animation
      Messages
      Notices

    Small menu item icons for Disasters menu:
      Monster
      Fire
      Flood
      Meltdown
      Air Crash
      Tornado
      Earthquake

    Small menu item icons for Time menu:
      Pause
      Slow
      Medium
      Fast

    Small menu item icons for Priority menu:
      Flat Out!
      Zoom Zoom
      Whoosh Whoosh
      Buzz Buzz
      Putter Putter
      Drip Drip
      Snore Snore

    Small menu item icons for Windows menu (maybe the same as ones used in buttons):
      Budget
      Evaluation
      Graph

    Small menu item icons for Map Options menu:
      Auto Goto
      Palette Panel
      Chalk Overlay

    Small "OK" button for confirmation dialog buttons.

    Small "Cancel" button for confirmation dialog buttons.

    Large "Question" icon for dialogs asking questions (ok/cancel questions).

    Large "Notice" icon for notice window (informational).

    Large "Query" icon for zone query window (zone tricorder).

    Medium "Generate New City" icon for button to generate new city, on start screen.

    Medium Game Level icons for start screen radio buttons:
      Easy
      Medium
      Hard

    Big "Load City" icon for load city dialog.
    Meduim "Load City" icon for button to load city, on start screen.

    Big "Save City" icon for save city dialog.
    Small "Save City" icon for button to save city.

    Big Evaluation icon for evaluation window. 
    Small Evaluation icon for button to bring up evaluation window.

    Big Graph icon for graph window. 
    Small Graph icon for button to bring up graph window.

    Big Simolean/Budget symbol for Budget window. 
    Small Simolean/Budget symbol for button to bring up budget window.

    Big Quit symbol for Quit confirmation dialog.
    Small Quit symbol for button to bring up Quit confirmation dialog.

    Big About symbol for About dialog.
    Small About symbol for button to open About dialog.

    Big Choose City symbol for Choose City confirmation dialog.
    Small Choose City symbol for button to open Choose City confirmation dialog.


  Simulation and User Interface Sounds

    Right now it's using the original sounds, plus some interface
    sounds I recorded. I can convert them to the format required by
    the Linux sound interface we use. 

    I can supply a list of required interface sounds, but I think we
    can go with the sounds we have right now without any trouble.

    Later, the Python version will require a bunch more sounds for its
    user interface, which will depend on the user interface features
    we decide to support. So we should revisit the sound effects
    later once Micropolis is ported to Python. 

    To be authentic, I would like to use the original sounds that the
    simulator made (like the Skywatch One helicopter), or re-record
    high quality replacements. Maybe we can get Will to record a fresh
    version of "Skywatch One reporting heavy traffic!" in his own
    voice (he made that original sound) and the sound people can add
    in the helicopter sound over his voice to re-create the original
    sound at high quality. The other sounds could be re-made from
    scratch without any problem or help from Will. 

    Voice overs reading the user interface text, notices, help text
    and documentation would be great for pre-literate children. Would
    need to be translated to other languages. 


  Update Documentation

    I have translated the Micropolis manual to HTML. 

    It's the original version that applies to the multi player
    X11/TCL/Tk version, which needs to be update in a few places where
    it's specific about the user interface or installation instructions.

    It would benefit from some nice reformatting and CSS styles, as well
    as some illustrations and screen snapshots.

    After we port Micropolis to Python, the interface-specific
    documentation will have to be rewritten, re-illustrated, and then it
    will have to be translated to different languages.

    The documentation consists of the following files:

    Index
      Introduction
      Tutorial
      User Reference
      Inside the Simulator
      History of Cities and City Planning
      Bibliography
      Credits

    Help Text

      There are also HTML files corresponding to user interface help text.
      The user interface components are tagged with help ids that are the
      base names of html files. The existing HTML help files are just
      placeholders that don't have any useful help text, and there are
      some help files for user interface components and windows that have
      since been removed, as well as some help files missing for user
      interface components and windows that have been added.

      To finish implementing help, we need to go through the code and
      identify all help tags and opportunities for adding missing help
      tags to the user interface, then make all help files corresponding
      to the existing tags, delete obsolete help files, and write all the
      help text. It would be nice for the help text to hsve illustrations
      of the corresponding windows and components in use.

      After we port Micropolis to Python, the help files will have to be
      re-inventoried, rewritten, re-illustrated, and translated to
      different languages.

    Courseware

      We need to include any Micropolis courseware or teacher's guides with
      the documentation, and update it to relect the current user
      interface.

      After we port Micropolis to Python, we will need to update the
      courseware to reflect the features and user interface of the new
      user interface.

--
Micropolis, Unix Version.  This game was released for the Unix platform
in or about 1990 and has been modified for inclusion in the One Laptop
Per Child program.  Copyright (C) 1989 - 2007 Electronic Arts Inc.  If
you need assistance with this program, you may contact:
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