TopoLoco

A Game to learn Topography

Search the asked location on a map or type the name of the asked location!

Ever extending online library of levels created by you or myself

Here, get a glimpse of how it looks: video

For now: only German is available

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Installation

Windows

Just run the provided installer executable.

You can follow the manual installation as well.

Other Operating Systems

Untested!!! Built-in Levels should work but nothing is guaranteed. (See Currently Known Limitations)

Look Manual Installation

Manual Installation

1. Install Python 3.9 (min. 3.8) from here

2. Download source code and unzip it to a new folder.

3. Create a virtual environment if you don't want to clutter your Python installation. (Skip if you don't care [if you don't use Python regularly, you probably don't ])

   1. Open Terminal and navigate to your previously created folder (probably using cd command)

   2. Execute python -m venv venv, install python-venv if necessary

   3. Activate virtual environment:

      • Linux & Mac: source ./venv/bin/activate

      • Windows: ./venv/Scripts/activate

4. Install dependencies:

   • Execute pip install pygame==2.0.1 requests==2.25.1 packaging==20.8 easing-functions==1.0.3 (if you didn't use a virtual environment use python -m pip install ...)

5. Pretty much done:

   • To run TopoLoco activate

6. Create a shortcut for convenience:

   • Windows:

     1. Create a .bat file to launch topoloco.py :

        If you are using a virtual environment:

        1. Locate topoloco.py in downloaded source folder and copy its path (something like C:\<User>\Documents\topoloco\topoloco.py)

         2. Locate `pythonw.exe` inside `venv/Scripts/` and copy its path (something like `C:\<User>\Documents\topoloco\venv\Scripts\pythonw.exe`)
        
         3. Open a text editor (like notepad / editor / notepad ++) and type:
        
                ```bat
              @echo off
              start "topoloco" /D <path-to-sourcefolder-root> <path-to-pythonw.exe> topoloco.py
                ```
        
                Example `run.bat`:      
        
                ```bat
              @echo off
              start "topoloco" /D D:\<user>\topoloco\py_topoloco D:\<user>\topoloco\py_topoloco\venv\Scripts\pythonw.exe topoloco.py
                ```
        
              4. Save file as `run.bat` be sure that the file ends with`.bat`!
        

        If not:

        1. Locate source folder and copy its path (something like C:\<User>\Documents\topoloco\, it contains topoloco.py )
        2. Open a text editor (like notepad / editor / notepad ++) and type:

        @echo off
        start "topoloco" /D <path-to-sourcefolder-root> pythonw topoloco.py

        Example `run.bat`:  
        

        @echo off
        start "topoloco" /D C:\<User>\Documents\topoloco\  pythonw topoloco.py

        ​ 3. Save file as run.bat be sure that the file ends with.bat!

     2. Right-click on your run.bat file and select Send-To/Desktop. There you have your shortcut!

   • Linux:

     • If you have a solution, let me know

   • Mac:

     • Here too, let me know if you know a solution

Currently Known Limitations

• Update mechanism works only on Windows

• Online Library only on Windows working (probably, idk because I haven't tested it)

Custom Levels

If you've created a level, feel free to create an issue or contact me, so I can include it into the Online Library

How to create one

A level contains of a json file and a png or other image format file.

The json file is pretty straightforward, just look into existing levels.

A hint though:

• The coordinates are relative to the image

Todo

• Localization
• Platform independency
• Code clean up (like Dependency injection)
• Level creator/editor
• More levels
• smarter marker choosing algorithm than just random
• category selector
• different colored marker
• better animated UI, improve overall UX
• idk, whatever bug appears or feature suggestions

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Now, the more technical things

Installer

The installer is built using pynsist.

pynsist installer.cfg

Contributions

Feel free to create PRs and or contact me directly if anything bothers you.

Bugs/Issues/Suggestion/Feature requests etc.

Create an issue or if don't know how this works (like me) contact me directly

Other Platforms

You are welcome to contribute your improvements on platform compatibility. Like fiddling around with pyinstaller to create executables that work :)

Dependencies

On Python 3.9.1 developed and tested (Windows only for now)

Pip packages:

• pygame==2.0.1
• easing-functions==1.0.3
• packaging==20.8
• requests==2.25.1

Helpful Links

• Structure of game using scenes in PyGame (I forgot where it was :( )
• uuhm, if I remember them again, I will update

Now again: drop in every single comment, feedback and contribution somewhere on GitHub or into my mail-inbox,

I'd really appreciate that! :)

You find contact information on the about page inside TopoLoco and here somewhere.