Digital Workshop

Has anybody successfully built a gameshow-style interactive Opus publication where a number of users can use buzzers to race each other to answer a quiz? ie only the first on the buzzer can answer. A client is interested in having something developed. Also what could one use for buzzers?

what about multiple mouse on a PC. Each having their own button on display. Check out Multipoint Technology

"As if one mouse wasn't enough, Microsoft is in the process of developing software that will allow you to have multiple mouses on a single PC, known as Multipoint technology,"

I have similar interest, but sometime in the future. Here's some info, though not a direct answer...

try this Search in Ask.com (copy and past the entire string, quotes and all)
"simultaneous input" students OR "simultaneous input" quiz OR "simultaneous input" window

Take a look at Quizworks there...

Let us know what you come up with.

Quick workaround: I also think kids could simply be given Numeric USB keypads and told to input "their" 1-digit number... a variable is read and updated immediately with that number in Opus. (doesn't account for a student hitting wrong number and or early)

Output any sound you want on triggered response.

I have written a number of simple Cause and Effect publications using switches. This could easily be adapted to create an interactive quiz (albeit with a maximum of 5 inputs).

Lar_123 has already mentioned Quizworks and information on their Interface can be found here:

http://quizworks.com/usbswitch.html

Crick make an alternative here:

http://www.cricksoft.com/us/products/access/usb.asp

You will also need a switch for each team or contestan, examples here:

http://www.techready.co.uk/Assistive-Te ... n-Hardware

A word of warning - none of this stuff is cheap!! The switch interface will cost between £60 and £200 (for a wireless version) and switches at around £30 each.

I have found Inclusive to be fairly competitive:

http://www.inclusive.co.uk

One Page, two Buttons with Left Click Triggers to two different "winning" Pages. Get a second mouse. Each contestant will click only their Button. First one to Left Click has their Page displayed announcing them as winner.

forgive the diversion to a 'lounge' comment but I must mention that the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney had an interactive gameshow kiosk where the gameshow host comprised pre-recorded video footage of the host, responding to user input.
The figure, from the waist up, was delivered on a 42 inch LCD screen in portrait format, so the figure was almost lifesize. It was very impressive.
User input was via 2 large buttons, conceivably modified mice.

Another source (of information). Single display groupware.

www.crpit.com/confpapers/CRPITV28Tse.pdf
Topic is quite a bit 'broader', but info may help propel others to take Opus into new directions.

Interesting direction 3D shared space is taking.
Good tutorials elsewhere on site, but check out the screenshots and mention of including Flash, interactivity, (slide 4, and later... and next to last)
http://www.opencroquet.org/about_croque ... shots.html

Perhaps some way to combine Opus for content, users make choices in common space. In this case Croquet works in a Lan/Wan (NAT issues aside).

I now have a software interface in Opus for the Velleman 8055 USB board. http://www.velleman.be/ot/en/product/view/?id=351346 The board is available at Maplin for £35. Up to 4 boards can be addressed by the software.
The board has 5 digital inputs which can be connected to push buttons and 8 digital outputs, one of which can be connected to a buzzer. A small C# program continuously monitors the buttons, when one is pressed, the buzzer sounds. At the same time, the C# program writes the board status to a file. Opus reads the status and announces (by name) who pressed the button. The system can also read out the questions using real time speech synthesis.
It can't make tea though!!

Thanks everyone. That's given me some food for thought. I can see why my client is interested - it could add a lot of fun to a conventional training session.

The Quizworks company makes a wireless buzz in system that uses up to 30 players and using the quiz-all software which allows who buzzes in first to answer the questions locking out others. They have other software also so it sounds like what you need.