create an interactive PB newbies tutorial , help needed

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 2:40 am

Hi,

I want to create an animated PB tutorial for begginers, but need help in the english part and in plannign the chapters.
Im planning to use MSAgent character (Merlin) to make it easy to understand, just like a teacher.

My english is very good (:oops:) but i want to give someone else the opportunity to excercise his own english.8O (its a joke of course!!)

Also i need someone that helps plannign the content, etc.

Download some little zip that could give you an idea of what i have in mind

http://www.getafile.com/cgi-bin/merlot/ ... SAgent.zip

LarsG · Post by **LarsG** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:23 am

I like this idea... I hope you get somwhere with this..

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 3:38 pm

LarsG wrote:I like this idea... I hope you get somwhere with this..

Thanks.

I know it can be seen as something just for kids, but i cant imagine an easier way to explain step by step.

Of course i need someone that helps in the english part or the student will get more confused by my english

Post by **Dare2** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:04 pm

Great Idea!

Any way you can hook this in with a speech control like those used for accessibility?

There is also a speech example by Leo in his ActiveX zip ( viewtopic.php?t=7483&highlight=activex ).

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:16 am

Dare2 wrote:Great Idea!

Any way you can hook this in with a speech control like those used for accessibility?

There is also a speech example by Leo in his ActiveX zip ( viewtopic.php?t=7483&highlight=activex ).

Yes, thanks.

But the character could help to make it easy to understand and to point and interact... i think.

Maybe can use another character if ppl dont like Merlin

Post by **Dare2** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:27 am

Actually, I was thinking to send the speech goodie the text to be voiced, and capture output to disk using something like AlsRack.

Then use the captured sound for Merlin (or who/whatever) in your app.

If that is possible then you could produce audio for the app whenever you liked, without having to look for people each time there was a change. And could offer some voice choice as well.

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:23 am

Dare2 wrote:Actually, I was thinking to send the speech goodie the text to be voiced, and capture output to disk using something like AlsRack.

Then use the captured sound for Merlin (or who/whatever) in your app.

If that is possible then you could produce audio for the app whenever you liked, without having to look for people each time there was a change. And could offer some voice choice as well.

But merlin can speak using speech too.
In fact it does by default, if you cant hear it just need to configure

Post by **Dare2** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:54 am

Ah. My bad. Sorry, I thought you wanted spoken stuff for merlin to use.

So is it the writing of the tutorial you want some help with? More manpower?

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:15 am

Dare2 wrote:Ah. My bad. Sorry, I thought you wanted spoken stuff for merlin to use.

So is it the writing of the tutorial you want some help with? More manpower?

Yes i need some ideas on how to teach the firsts 'chapters' (remember that should be interactive!) and of course a good english text because mine are a little 'peculiar'.

Lets say:

The first chapter should show the user Â¿what?

Variables?
Loops?

Could the interactive tutorial could be done in a non typical way?

Maybe analizing some source-code?

Could a code-analizer could be done to let the begginer load some code and get explained by the speaking character?????

Well, if someones want to help developing this stuff, are welcome!

thefool · Post by **thefool** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 11:17 pm

This sounds like a great project. I will definantly check it out if it goes well.

scurrier · Post by **scurrier** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 12:23 pm

if you need any code I have 2 of 4 or 5 part tutorial on my site that you can use. download it here http://www.3dcurrman.com/tutorial.htm
it's a little more advanced than where you want to start. but it's all yours if you need it

Sean

Uncle B · Post by **Uncle B** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 12:03 pm

Sounds like a nice project.

Being a beginner myself I could write some stuff about the problems i've had (and solved of course), Don't have the extended knowledge on programming but I do have extended knowledge of being a beginner.

topics so far:
- DLL's
- Procedures
- linked lists
- and some more stuff, got to go back to work now....

Bart

dagcrack · Post by **dagcrack** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:03 am

Start teaching the very basics from BASIC first

I like the idea.. If you want manpowa I'm here but don't expect too much while I'm on work time

ricardo · Post by **ricardo** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 9:09 pm

@UncleB, @dragcrack, etc.

Ok, all work is welcome!!

I think the best idea is to write first the Total Begginer Chapter, to explain the basics of the BASIC language and the loop to handle the window/gadgets events.

I was thinking on use vbs to let the user manipulate in real time some BASIC code.

What do you think?

Uncle B · Post by **Uncle B** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 10:34 pm

do you think it would be possible to incidentaly have a popup window with a small animation in it, just to clear out the topic that is beeing explained?

I could give you an example, just need some time to work it out.

vbs means visual basic, right? Don't know anything about that.

regards

Bart