We have featured articles about Jonas Hielscher's homebrew game called CollecTic. Not aware with this game? This very interesting piece of homebrew meat is actually a standout among the collective. CollecTic is a game that uses the standard features of the PSP, specifically on the handheld's ability to scan for wireless access points to the Internet which means that you'd have to really move around to play the game. Now whoever said that gamers are such couch potatoes?

CollecTic can be played anywhere where WLAN access points can be found by a PSP. The objective of the game is to search for different access points, to collect them and to combine them in a puzzle in order to get points. In the game, the player has to move around in her/his local surrounding, using her/his PSP as a sensor device in order to find access points. By doing this, the player is able to discover the hidden infrastructure of wireless network coverage through auditive and visual feedback.The game is designed as a single player game, but it can be easily played competitive after each other or at the same time with two PSPs.

The game is pretty different, and as they say, different is always interesting and interesting is always nice. So if you could use the workout, then you might wanna give this game a go so that you'll also be on the go. It also wouldn't hurt if you read the readme.txt that comes with the download.

With all that said, don't hesitate to hook us up with your suggestions, opinions and other what-nots through your comments. Have fun!

Download:[CollecTic v.0.13]

When we first read about Jonas Hielscher's PSP game CollecTic, the first question that came to our minds was "When will the game come out?". Recently we decided to pay Jonas' CollecTic site a visit. Scrolling down to where it says "download", we suddenly felt a rush of excitement upon reading these words: "Will Be Available in August 2006". Why, August is just a few days away!

You might be wondering why we're so excited about CollecTic. Well, it's a game that will require players to search for wireless access points - a unique game concept (and a little bit of exercise for us)! Just think of it - a game that actually requires you to walk all around. We're raring to give it a go, even if it means leaving the confines of our office.

In CollecTic, everytime your PSP comes within range of a wireless access point, the point registers and is represented by a square, triangle, or circle. These collected shapes will then be placed in a big black square on the screen, arranged in a grid of 3x3. Three equal shapes in a row give extra points. Just pray you don't get unsecured wireless access points, represented by a black star. Why? Because when you do so, all your figures get thrown out of the puzzle - and bam, you're back to square one.

We'll give you a heads up as to when the game becomes available.

 

CollecTic is a game developed by Jonas Hielscher that uses the standard features of the PSP, with emphasis on the handheld's ability to scan for wireless access points to the Internet. Yes, that's an indication that you'd have to really move around to play the game. Well, some of us could use the workout.

The game lets players search for different access points. These will then have to be collected and combined in a puzzle in order to earn points. It's basically using your PSP as a sensor device, similar to what some of you do with a metal detector when looking for buried treasures in the beach. With all the access point-finding exercise, you'd be able to discover the hidden infrastructure of wireless network coverage via auditive and visual feedback. It's designed as a single player game, but you can play competitively with another player using two PSPs.

Every time your PSP gets a wireless access point signal, the point will be visualized as a square, triangle, or circle, having a specific color and size determined by the signal strength of the access point. So, logic dictates that if you want a bigger form, you'd have to move closer to a point with stronger signal.

Hielscher further explains, "All visible figures are starting to blink and to play a sound after each other. The length of time a figure blinks, depends on the strength of the signal. The kind of sound depends on the form and color: the form determines the waveform of the sound (sine, triangle or square wave); the color determines the note (frequency) of the sound. If the player presses the button corresponding to the figure that lightens up, s/he collects the figure, meaning the access point. The collected shapes will be placed in the big black square on the screen. During the game, an access point can only be collected once. So, in order to find new access points the player has to move around."

The puzzle part comes in when you have collected enough figures in the black square. The figures can be arranged in a grid of 3 x 3. When the maximum amount of shapes (9) is collected, the grid will check for three equals in a row. Same-shape combinations give you extra points.

Now, here's the twist. Unsecured wireless access points are represented by black and white star. That may not be intriguing enough, but this star can either have a positive or negative effect, unknown to the player before selecting it. The black star serves as the villain in the game as it throws all selected figures out of the puzzle! The white star, on the other hand, helps complete a row. So, better wish for a white star.

Though CollecTic is not yet available for download, it will run on PSPs up to firmware version 2.0.