PromptKit and The Dark Dungeon Featured on the Automators Podcast, Episode 29

Published by

Adam Tow

August 2, 2019

I was interviewed on Episode 29 of Automators, a podcast on Mac and iOS automation hosted by Rosemary Orchard and David Sparks.

We talk about my long history using Apple products, MsgFiler, my wireless photography workflow with the Canon 5D Mark IV, and the various shortcuts that I’ve written to automate iOS.

We spent a lot of time discussing PromptKit and my text/voice RPG The Dark Dungeon. It’s a proof of concept on how you can create interactive stories and games using PromptKit. With all of the changes in the iOS 13 betas, I have yet to convert PromptKit to work in Shortcuts on iOS 13, so for now, you’ll have to use your iOS 12 devices to play the game. See if you can defeat the three monsters guarding the treasure in the dungeon of Lashadoom!

One response to “PromptKit and The Dark Dungeon Featured on the Automators Podcast, Episode 29”

Don Brosseau

August 13, 2019

Any chance I can reach Adam Tow through this message. I found his name on a SPUG dormant user group page. I have an unusual situation. I need to transfer a system running on a Palm with Palm OS 4.1.2, preferably to an available portable platform that can communicate with Bluetooth.

What I have is a tennis ball machine system that is programmed remotely (Bluetooth) by a Palm PDA, the Aceeca Measura1000 which went End of Life in 2012. The system still works, but once the batteries for the Measura1000 will no longer take a charge, I’m out of luck. The program in the Palm is relatively simple. It informs the ball machines of the speed settings of top and bottom wheels which propel the balls. It also instructs the machines at what angle to fire the balls for both height and direction. I can program the machines to fire a sequence of up to 9 different shots, each with a different combination of top and bottom wheel speeds, height and direction. And there are two machines so the ball can come from either corner. This enables me to create very realistic drilling situations for my tennis students. There are 4 motor drives in each of the machines which are programmed to determine the shots that come out of the machines. The balls are fired by activation of a simple remote; this means I can create realistic rhythm of play as well as geometry by firing the sequential shots as the student’s shots reach the other side of the court and from either corner. The machines hold one drill at a time, but in the Palm, I can hold a library of up to 25 different shots and almost an unlimited number of drills. And I can always adjust the setting for those shots. Furthermore, this particular Palm device accepts chips which enable me to store individual drills on those chips. I imagine that particular capability will be lost with a new platform, but the device should have a larger memory which enables it to store a large number of drills.

Anyway, that gives you an idea of what the Palm program does. I need someone who understands how to load that program onto a portable device that is currently available, preferably a smartphone. And that device needs to have Bluetooth to be able to send the instructions to the machines. One of the machines receives the instructions and also the instruction to fire. It is connected to the other machine by RCA cabling.

Originally, the Palm was programmed by cabled connection to a Windows computer. The company that made the machines and system is essentially dead, but I think I can get the original software. However, they were unable when they were active about 8-10 years ago to get someone to transfer the system from the Palm to some other hardware device.

I need a lead to someone who understands this kind of stuff and who might be able to handle this problem.

Don Brosseau
donbrosseau@earthlink.net

Reply

Adam, here

Welcome to tow.com, my home on the internet since 1995. I’m an indie software artist and creator of apps such as MixEffect, MsgFiler, AlbumFiler, Wipe My Screen, and more. I’m also the producer and co-director of Autumn Gem. Enjoy your visit here!