Duolingo - Best free app for language on Andriod

Duolingo is a fun and creative app that is rather genius in it's way of teaching.

As described in the video above the app is free and the people behind it get money by students translating documents while they're learning. Not only is there reading and writing training, but there are listening based challenges as well which can be a little unclear to hear but useful in learning. It's a shame one can't switch listening based questions off as it not only excludes Deaf and hard of hearing users but also those who simply wish to learn how to read and write the language. When progress is dependent on listening it makes the app hard to use discreetly while travelling without earphones. Yet that's my only real complaint. The app is wonderful, and while the languages offered are currently europe-centric, by offering various free languages to learn for free in a single app without any adds and with a fun gaming element, it is defiantly a must-install for anyone interested in learning languages.

Ipswich

 

 

Ipswich is a quirky little town in the heart of Suffolk.

 

For example, check out the detail on the buildings.

 

 

I'd say this could be 'quirky'.

 

 

 

 

 



They are easy to not notice, but I like this subtleness in the town. Ipswich doesn't like to be too different after all. For example, there is the dry dock that the council recently poured a lot of money into.

 

 

 

 

But it's still in Ipswich so...

 

 

We have to put our little mark on it.

 

 

And then something different too. The TARDIS belongs to the Isaccs Pub. A busy and popular pub on the waterfront that's although its loud - is a nice place for most kinds of people to meet.

We have a fair good many pubs in fact.

And like most towns, we have graffiti, Ipswich style.

 

 

Just joking, we have more artistic artists too.

 

 

There's a lot more to the town, but I'm coming end to the photos I've took.

Until next time.

Friend

Still breaks my heart, you know. I miss you.

Osman Hamdi Bey

Since this blog has a little bit of everything, I thought it was about time I wrote a little about painters and paintings I admire. This is a small post about Osman Hamdi Bey's work.

 

 

Both of these paintings were done by the artist Osman Hamdi Bey. Not only did he create a variety of beautiful paintings, but he was also the founder of two museums in what is now Istanbul. As readers may know by now, I am particularly found of instruments, and I like the subtle-ness of the woodwind instrument behind the ladies back, the redness of the dress, the leaning forwards to greet the tortoise. I would love to see the painting live. In the second painting you see a woman reading the Qur'an. I like the religious connotations, the detail, the bright golden colour of her dress, her expression as she reads, the art in the background. The window in particular is wonderful.

 

I think in the future I will study Hamdi Bey's work and perhaps try to draw inspiration from it, though I have a feeling it'd be rather tricky.

Designing ahead

I've been feeling quite happy lately and have been enjoying my summer break. Spending time with friends and family has been great, and I have been learning here and there too. I'm currently planning to make a little game as a side project while I work on starting my third and final year of university. The game will be inspired by what I have learnt of Indonesia. I am going to design a new world based on the idea of multiple cultures and take inspiration from the interesting temple designs and symbols Indonesia has inherited. My research into the country has advanced since my last post.

I've also decided later on I'll be writing about something quite close to my heart yet potentially controversial to my friends and possibly even my family, though I hope I manage to be academic in my approach.

Also, I plan to review some games here and there, apps, write about more philosophers, books, le etc. I need to write about my excellent holiday in Hungary - which'll probably be in two posts with plenty of photography! Alas, I enjoy thinking about these small things ahead.

I've also written a horror story called Born to Learn. Do check it out if you have time.
That's it for personal life.

AdventureBar Story Lite

Time to update my blog with an app review. In this entry I will be reviewing AdventureBar Story Lite available on the Android.

This was quite an exciting app to test out for me, because I immediately recognised that the game was made using RPG Maker XP. I was curious how the 'bar' was involved, and was up for creative use of tiles, interesting characters and possibly some nice little boss fights. But did the app meet my expectations?

 

 

 

Yes and no. AdventureBar Story is defiantly a refreshing story-focused RPG, with light-hearted (if not damn cheesy) dialogue and a clear aim. To create an exceedingly good and profitable restaurant or 'bar', to prevent some blond dude in a purple suit stealing your home.

Sounds fair enough to me.



  



 

The maps are small which makes them good for tablet uses, yet they are pretty, creative and during towns leave little empty space. Overall, the game is astatically pleasing to the eye.



 



 

The game runs almost like a typical romance rpg - you can do a limited number actions each day. In this game, every time you open your bar, the day is over and you receive the profit (if you manage to make any!) from the sales you make. For the bar to make profit you need to sell food. To sell food, you need to make it, but first you need to find it.
In short, you go out in the morning, slay the monsters, and bring their flesh to the kitchen to boil into stew.
You with me?

Fighting is not too tiresome but repetitive - though most rpg fans will be willing to settle for the varied skills characters can learn from fighting monsters. Levelling takes place only when party members eat food - so one needs to be strategic about levelling up and keeping their bar profitable.

AdventureBar Story is the kind of game that you should feel guilty for playing, but you're too addicted to care.
The Lite version ends shortly after the tenth day which is quite the disappointment. It is not an overly complicated game, yet it is fun for what it is - a light hearted, adventure bar story indeed. For a one off £2.32, it seems good value for money in the app world. If I have a long journey ahead, I will consider unlocking the full game.

That's it for now, expect more app reviews in the future.

Bulbsaur no tail

I always thought Bulbasaur had a tail. But I was wrong. So wrong. In Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village you can clearly see an image of Bulbsaur's behind which lacks a tail. And that concludes this entry today.