Product

I kind of need to promote this only as a demo/beta version. 

First thing first though, one company really really angered me. I've had a major problem with my supplier for the  vinyl graphic for the mat. They were absolute asses and safe to say, I havent received my order which lead me to think they didn't know what the hell they were doing. So , I had to reorder it with a different company by the name of Supersize Print who were extremely helpful over the phone with information on what I should and shouldn't get etc. 

Further-ado, my graphic came today. I'M SO PLEASED WITH IT. 

One problem on my part, is there's a slight difference in size but I can be saved from that, rest assured. 

Dora the Explorer

Similarly again, Dora the Explorer, from the same network shows signs of similarities with my designs and character. The illustrations stand out, they are clear and obvious to what they are meant to be portraying. 

Here, she tells you to click the totoises until you have five. Not very hard as there are only five anyway. When a tortoise is clicked, they disappear under the water and then surface again to form a line ( as seen below ) 

What I have come to terms with now, is I don't know why I was stressing about how difficult I should make me game. Even though the project has a niche of similar age ranges, its far more gamelike than this for example. Childrens games are meant to be simple and straightforward ! This particular one from DTE, has two stages. One where you click a fox on screen (ONCE) and and this one where you click the five heads and that's it. Game is complete.

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom

I looked at Nick Jr; a popular children's television channel which is aimed for children under the age of 6 and stems from the ever so popular nicklodeon. On their website, they have their shows and games to go with it which seem to fit in the category of my genre, style and audience.

The first looked at was something titled, Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, which is apparently set in their back garden and like to dress up in silly outfits etc etc.
Anyway, this particular game, is somewhat familiar to mine in slight ways.

Screen 1 - There is a little ' i ' in the corner of the screen which as an adult, I've learned to understand means information, however would a child know what this meant? This is the screen we're led to which contains instructions on how to play the game.

Second Screen - Here, there's a voice over of her (the fairy whom I presume is Holly) holding a wand, dressed as a fairy and awaiting for you to cast 'magic' . Much like my game, in construction, you have to click one of the symbols at the bottom for it to interact and thus do exactly on the screen. three of the images are obvious, but the yellow dots? I didn't know what they were until the 'wand' scattered a load of 'seeds' on the grass.

When you've clicked certain symbols, they result in different outcomes, a few I tried didn't come up with this chicken, and I purely print screeened this because of the chicken; looks a lot like my bird, well it doesn't but has similar stylistic references.

When clicked the sun, the sun came up.
When clicked the spade, a rabbit appeared. So it has similar aesthetics as my game.

ControlMK

1) Singleton A, "XBCD - Red Cl0ud's Place" September 2004

1. This finds the in-putted device or controller
2. Allows you to read and add the device
3. A profile is what you have to create to allow you to map your computer with said device
4. Controls come up here, where you have to map computer buttons with the buttons on your device e.g. X-Axis w/ Button W , which is apparently associated with going forward. 
5. ?
   
6. ?

WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IS, IT ACTUALLY WORKS!! 8-)

I think this piece of software is primarily used to use xbox controllers but it works all the same with my dance mat which is very good! It's an PC alternative to USB Overdrive. It can be downloaded from Red Cl0ud's software page