page@ulowell.UUCP (11/18/86)
[] A GAME CALLED NOGGIN
Is there anyone interested in FORTH & EDUCATION & MATHEMATICS?
Well, I need some help. Last year I wrote
an educational game in Forth for the Commodore 64. It is
called NOGGIN and it is, roughly, a mathematical pinball game:
the game allows you to play with and meditate upon
the properties of numbers while scoring points and winning
free games.
There are three versions of the game: one for elementary
schools (it deals with multiplication, division, addition, etc.);
another for highschools (logs, bases other than decimal); and a third
for math types (distribution of primes and composites,
modular arithmatic, prime divisors, stuff).
At the moment, the game is being used by numerous school
districts in Vancouver; in alternate schools; in a hospital
for work with the learning disabled; and as a research tool
at universities (memory and learning disabilities).
As educational software it is somewhat revolutionary because
(1) it is a GAME that teaches (i.e., it's fun) and (2) it's
free (I'm giving it away (I charge $5 for postage and handling)).
NOGGIN NEEDS HELP
I'm sending this message because the game needs help. I want to put
Noggin on other computers, however, because it is free I
haven't the cash to hire people to do it and because there
are so many types of computers, I haven't the time or inclination
to do it myself.
The game is written in Forth thus if anyone would like to
make a version for their own computer (and this is altruism
because all programming is hard work and time consuming),
please send me a note over the network. We'll talk.
(It would be great to get it up and running on the Amiga.)
If you prefer languages other than Forth (APL, C, COBOL),
you are welcome to make versions in those languages
for any machine imaginable (IBM 370 , Dec Vax, Atari 400).
In other words, if you have pent-up programming energy
and need a project, here it is. All I ask is that your
version of Noggin retain the spirit of the original (you
give it away for free).
Finally, anyone with access to a Commodore-64 who is interested in a
copy of the game (I'll mail you all three versions), send
a letter containing your return address and $5 (postage
and handling, cost of floppy) to:
Jon Steeves,
7310 Imperial St.,
Burnaby, British Columbia,
Canada, V5E 1N7
You can reach me through the net at:
Jon_Steeves%sfu.mailnet@mit-multics.arpa
(for mailnet, ARPA, and Internet)
userjons@sfu (bitnet)
...!seismo!ubc-vision!sfu.mailnet!jon_steeves (UUCP)