Test Construction Kit

Electronics is a part of physics that makes it possible for all our devices and machines to run. All of them are based on complex schematics for electricity flow, with computer applications serving as a more practical means of design. However, for learning purposes, Circuit Construction Kit comes with a friendly interface, suitable for youngsters for basic studying of circuit design.

The interface is more than intuitive, with cleverly arranged elements and clearly visible icons. The workspace is available in three different size specifications, but does not really hold a lot of room for more advanced schematics.

Placing objects is easily done by grabbing them from the panel they are stored in and dragged over the desired location. Each element has two connectors that need to be joined in order for electricity to flow. What’s more, this is properly emphasized with an animation that simulates the path of electrons.

Amongst the elements a circuit can be composed of, you can find the common conductor, which is the wire, resistors, battery, light bulb, switch, capacitors and a few more. The list is pretty shallow with little extra content. However, it’s enough to get a beginner up and running. Measuring tools are also included, with functionality and connectivity done in the same manner as the rest of the objects

In addition, there are several more items that allow you to test out the conductivity of different materials. These are all stored in the “Grab Bag”, and you can choose from a dollar bill, paper clip, penny, eraser, pencil lead, hand and a dog.

To sum it up, Circuit Construction Kit is one of the first steps you need to take in order o understand electronics. The interface is intuitive enough, with no accommodation problems whatsoever. Little effort is required to create a circuit and view as electricity flows through wires, making you better understand electronics.

If you’ve dreamed of writing the ul-timate arcade game, but you don’t want to spend months learning how to program a com- puter, help has arrived. Shoot ‘Em Up Construction Kit allows you to design your own action games without writing a line of code — or even touching a keyboard.

Shoot ‘Em Up consists of several powerful mouse-driven editors that let you control virtually every aspect of a typical arcade-style game. The Sprite Editor, for instance, allows you to create and modify your own heroes, nasties, projectiles, and explosions. Then, using the Object Editor, you can add animation by telling the program to quickly flip through a series of sprites.

The Background Editor lets you create a battlefield for your melee. The Level Editor lets you determine which backgrounds should be associated with each level of the game. Each level’s backdrop can be fixed, scrolled continuously, or scrolled by the movement of your hero. With Shoot ‘Em Up’s Sound Editor, you can assign sounds to objects. You can use the sounds supplied with the three sample games, or add any digitized sound stored in IFF file format.

The Attack Wave Editor determines which enemies will appear on each level and the paths they will follow. If you feel like battling the Mongol hordes, large formations of individual foes can be combined to attack en masse.

The Player Limitations Editor lets you control the variables that determine the overall playability of the game. It’s also a godsend for those with less than lightning-quick reflexes. Heroes can be granted additional speed, up to ten lives, and more firepower.

A Test Game option lets you try your creation without exiting the editors. There’s a normal mode and a cheat mode that gives you unlimited lives.

When you’re done, you can share stand-alone versions of the game with your friends. Shoot ‘Em Up even lets you use any 32-color, 320 x 200-pixel picture as a title screen.

Although building a polished, playable arcade game won’t take months, don’t expect to knock off a masterpiece in a few hours. Creating an original game that will stand the test of repeated play may take days or weeks.