OLPC Games

I tried to connect the OLPC to another university network that "only" hat WEP Passwords enabled (5 letter), but this did not work. It appeared to be a problem of the university, however, as the EeePC couldn't get an IP Address, either.
The OLPC Wiki has a list of programs you can install on the OLPC, I downloaded some games so I could test the OLPC in Playstation Modus (completely on the basis of scientific endeavor, you understand).

First up was BlockParty, a Tetris-like game. Strange, you click on it, it is supposed to install, I don't get any message. But looking through the "dock" I do see a new thing, and wow, it starts! Hmm, click Enter to start. No enter key when I have the screen turned out. Okay, trial and error, the arrow keys on the left work: left, right, down is drop, up is rotate. But the stupid power source is right next to the arrows! Bad enough that it is for the left thumb, with the power cord in the way it is almost unplayable.

But wait, you can swap the screen! So I flip it 180 degrees, the screen flips nicely, now I can grab for the arrow keys okay, but they do *not* switch. I now press left to get the block to move right. Suboptimal. An interesting exercise, but I cannot swap my brain left-to-right. I keep hitting down to drop, but down is up and rotates, okay. Opening up the keyboard, the left and right arrows work, but down does not. Okay, thumb on one control, fingers on the arrows, I make it to level 8 and then it forgets my score. Forget this. I want a high score list!!!!

Next up is Maze. Okay, cute little maze-thingy. Gets harder as you go along. Seems to be a collaborative thing, as I keep being announced a winner (I suppose). It is hard to communicate without words! I think it is giving me the time to solve the exercise. For that last one, it counted the time I took to write the last sentence.....

Now for Implode, a logic game. Hmm, what do I do? Ah, click. Okay, groups go away. I clear the board, and get a red smiley. Yeah. Next one I clear on 5 clicks and get a green smiley face. I suppose that means I am better! Got one where a single color was left - couldn't go on. I suppose that means I lose. Can't get rid of 2er blocks, either. Ahh, I can make the blocks smaller, more on a page. Not bad. Took a bit, now I can clear medium. Oh oh, where did the time go? I still have real work to do! Still trying to get less than 5 tiles left with hard. Good game, and habit forming :) But it needs a score and a high score list!

Still to test: 3DPong, Jump, Mimic, SimCity.