Jigsaw from GAMZ

Contact

GAMZ, 25 Albert Park Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 1HW, U.K.

Tel / Fax: 44 (0) 1684 562158

Email: support@gamzuk.com 

Web Site: http://www.gamzuk.com

Program evaluation

 I say:

Click here to visit the GAMZ web site front page.
Jigsaw is not compatible with the Vista O.S. but is with XP. Phone Bobbie Hill  to check availability for your O.S and to order - not available online now.

Jigsaw creates an on-screen jigsaw from pictures from a variety of sources - from digital camera, the Internet, scanner, from pictures on your own computer or from its own extensive library of pictures.

What is impressive is the ease with which you can do this and the quality of the finished jigsaw. These jigsaws are extremely lifelike - the option to create jigsaws with bits missing, with cup rings and with other signs of wear is yet again a neat touch from GAMZ. Just adds to the fun and realism of the whole experience - for GAMZ programs ARE an experience. The animation as the pieces are scrambled is a delight - as are the accompanying sound effects.

You shouldn't need an excuse for buying this program - it's just great fun, but if you do . . .

The possibility of using your own pictures opens up a whole range of curriculum uses. As a geographer by training long ago I immediately thought of a simple use with jigsaws created from different maps. A fun way of familiarizing students with local, national and global maps.

Why have I included this in my literacy section? Well, it had to go somewhere and GAMZ programs tend to be so multi-faceted that classification is sometimes not easy. But, imagine the spoken language as a pair or small group of children use the program. Like many other computer programs this one provides a focus for talk where children have to exchange points of view and try to convince others of the validity of their views. I suspect it will facilitate the use of language in much the same way that adventure programs do. And, now that Chris Woodhead, the arch-fiend of Ofsted has gone, maybe some flexibility may return to the classroom?

I've used the program to provide a way of settling sometimes angry or upset students. They have to concentrate on solving the jigsaw and so their initial anger disperses.

Of course the logical thought needed for an efficient solution goes without saying. It's been great to watch students devising strategies like moving all the non-edge pieces off the "board" so that they can get the edges in first - and Jigsaw actually does this for you automatically if you want it to.

Finally, the price. It's the price of a Chinese take-away for two.

GAMZ say:-

• Create and solve Jigsaws, with various piece shapes, based on supplied pictures or use your own.
  
• It’s just like the real thing.
  
• Make rectangular or circular Jigsaws. No two Jigsaws will be the same.
  
• Make old Jigsaws with added stains, cup rings, crazing, white spot paint flake, missing pieces, missing pegs and pieces cut from other materials.
  
• Sound effects and background music.
  
• Print the Jigsaw with or without the picture.
  
• Export Jigsaw artwork to files in various formats, or copy Jigsaw artwork to the clipboard.
  
•  Includes Speak Text!

 

GAMZ Jigsaw CD (including Speak Text!)

Item

Basic Cost (GBP)

EU with VAT (GBP)

Non-EU including delivery (GBP)

1 off GAMZ Jigsaw CD	17.87	21.00	21.00
GAMZ Jigsaw CD Site or Network Licence	53.61	62.99	62.99

Simon's Tech note

Worth noting is that the program needs 32-bit Windows, at least a Pentium 130MHz, 32Mb of RAM and at least 256 colours. 

I've run it on a P150MHz PC with Windows 95 and 16Mb of RAM only. This minimum spec machine slowed creation of the puzzle, but did not affect the fun when solving it. On a higher spec. PIII 550MHz machine with 128Mb RAM it was a breeze to use.

It can also be run on a Mac using Virtual PC - see the GAMZ site for details.