Fisher-Price Children's game for Linux

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Fisher-Price Children's game for Linux

Posted by CmdrTaco on Friday November 12, 1999 @05:02AM from the it-could-be-true dept.

Isaac-Lew noticed a bit from LinuxToday about a Fisher Price Childrens Game that actually has a Linux version. Then again it also has a DOS, a Windows 3.x version, an OS/2 version, and a PDA version, so they've either really go their bases covered, or there is a mistake. Regardless, its interesting to see such a name brand releasing a Linux port of childrens software: there sure isn't much of it right now, thats for sure. Unless you count Emacs (insert rimshot here).

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There is no Linux version. by bmc · 1999-11-12 00:10 · Score: 3

Uh, someone already called Amazon and Fisher-Price, and the listing is incorrect. There is no Linux version of this game. It was posted at LinuxToday before this story went up.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

--
-bc
1. Re:There is no Linux version. by Eccles · 1999-11-12 01:34 · Score: 3
  
  ok, so I know it's not real, but why not? My kids have lots of silly little games from Fisher-Price and whoever makes those Freddy Fish and Pajama Sam games, and these are blatently simple games.
  
  I was able to get Pajama Sam running with Wine under Linux. The colors were messed up (and I think I saw a bug report for that Wine version about color probs), but it had the sound and such.
  
  An extra-nice thing about this is that you can "lie" to Wine about which drive is the CD. Get a big ol' 20+ gig drive, copy the games to the drive, and the kids don't need to mess with the CD-ROM. I'm planning to do just that. Add a wireless mouse (which I have -- Logitech) and there's not even the risk of cable problems. Set them up with an account and icons for each of their games, and boom Linux works *better* than Windows. The only issue is the login, and I was thinking about seeing what it would take to set up a U.are.U fingerprint scanner for that...
  
  (Now I just need to add some fans to the cabinet I store the computer in, to prevent overheating.
  
  --
  Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
2. Re:There is no Linux version. by Eccles · 1999-11-12 01:35 · Score: 2
  
  [...] and boom Linux works *better* than Windows.
  
  For kids as well as geeks, that is.
  
  --
  Ooh, a sarcasm detector. Oh, that's a real useful invention.
3. Re:There is no Linux version. by Pascal+Q.+Porcupine · 1999-11-13 03:51 · Score: 2
  
  Well, although it's not very educational, Stephen Baker is working on Tux: A Quest for Herring, a Mario64-esque game. I mention this because he uses his kid as his primary beta-tester. :)
  ---
  "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  
  --
  "'Is not a quine' is not a quine" is a quine.
  Quine "quine?
Anyone do *any* research on this? by Anonymous Coward · 1999-11-12 00:23 · Score: 3

Next time go straight to the source.
(Since they use frames, the game in question is the second one listed on the right.)

They say it's for For Windows® 3.1 or higher & Macintosh® Quadra or better.
...you'd think someone would twig when the Amazon page claims it's for ALL platforms.

-Hmm, suppose I should get around to making an account sometime...
Not according to Fisher-Price web site. by rd · 1999-11-12 00:27 · Score: 2

Here it is directly from Fisher-Price.
1. Re:Not according to Fisher-Price web site. by Col.+Klink+(retired) · 1999-11-12 00:47 · Score: 3
  
  Well, according to your link, it runs on "Macintosh® Quadra or better". I'd say Linux is better.
  
  --
  -- Don't Tase me, bro!
Emacs is fun for all ages by Jerky+McNaughty · 1999-11-12 00:36 · Score: 2

Emacs is great fun! M-x tetris RET, M-x blackbox RET, M-x psychoanalyze-pinhead RET, the list goes on and on...
This gives me an idea... by color+of+static · 1999-11-12 00:40 · Score: 3

While this seems to have been a mistake, doesn't it make sense to write a child's game in a protable language. The graphics need to be bright and happy, not fast and fancy. The game play isn't some super duper high performance AI, it should be simple and reliable so the little ones can discern the set rules as part of the learning experience.

Seems to me a scripting language such as Python, Perl, or TCL with a graphics toolkit like TK on top would be able to do everything but sound and be portable across a wide range of platforms. Development time should go down, thus reducing the cost of the product to a level that parents don't think twice about buying it, and they wouldn't have to worry as much about having the latest PC for the kids.

I'm not a GUI/game development type person, but for someone that is this could be an idea to start a small company around. The first game would be most of the work. Then with a language like Python you could reuse the modules in each new game thus reducing the effort level and keeping the games coming at a significant pace. In a year I'll be in the market for something like this and I'd buy it.
1. Re:This gives me an idea... by Kiaser+Zohsay · 1999-11-12 01:23 · Score: 2
  
  Take a look at how many kids cd-roms are built with a "high-level multimedia" tool like Macromedia Director (my kids have a couple) or something similar. Port the tool, and I'd wager that you've ported a significant number of titles along with it.
  Macromedia for one has released Flash/Shockwave plugins for linux, so theyre not *completely* out of touch... (anyone from Macromedia listening?). Probably only a matter of time. :)
  
  --
  I am not your blowing wind, I am the lightning.
Where are the GOOD children's games? by Frank+Sullivan · 1999-11-12 01:10 · Score: 4

My kids have a copy of this. They actually enjoy it, but it isn't very educational, and it positively *reeks* of crufty Windows 3.1 16-bittiness. I'd be surprised if it even stays in their product line without some significant revision.

That being said, i fervently wish and hope that the major children's game companies start working on Linux releases. A lot of children's software is really excellent - worth having Windows, if that's what it takes to use the stuff. One game i really like is Treasure MathStorm. From this game, my five-year-old son has learned to do two-digit addition and subtraction, with carries! This is something school wouldn't get around to doing for another couple of years, and would bore him silly by then.

What i'd really love to see is Linux-based diskless workstations as cheap school networks, but it won't happen unless the children's software happens.

---
Maybe that's just the price you pay for the chains that you refuse.

--
Hand me that airplane glue and I'll tell you another story.
Maybe under WINE? by AJWM · 1999-11-12 01:24 · Score: 3

The Fisher-Price site says the program runs under Windows 3.1 (and up), so perhaps it works alright under WINE?

I'd love to see more of the popular kids' educational/entertainment titles for Linux. My daughter has been playing with this stuff on the Mac since she was three, but most of the machines in the house run Linux (x86 mostly). I really should try running some of her stuff (many of the CDs have both Mac & Windows version on them) under WINE.

Meanwhile, interested parents (uncles, aunts) might check out LinuxForKids and Childrens Linux Titles for more. (I haven't checked out these sites very thoroughly, they seem to be fairly new).

--
-- Alastair
Among good company! by gad_zuki! · 1999-11-12 08:44 · Score: 2

For a minute there I was expecting to find a Win, Mac, Amiga, Palm, Atari, and OS/2 version but not Linux.

"Take that OS/2, Amiga, and Atari!"
"Not much of a victory is it?"
"Every little bit helps."