Crazybiocomputing; The mini-games

This blog CrazyBiocomputing − dedicated to image processing using ImageJ − is completed by a series of mini-games located in another CrazyBiocomputing web page [Link]. This is a good opportunity to practice with ImageJ and work/understand the various concepts described in the posts of this blog. Here are some explanations about how it works...

1- Configuration

To play correctly with the CrazyBiocomputing mini-games, you need a web browser (see the remarks below) and the last standard version of ImageJ (without any additional plugin) available for download in NIH [Link].

Note: As these mini-games are created and tested with the standard ImageJ, the use of other ImageJ distributions like Fiji may lose interest in some games because of additional plugins automatically solving them.

First, all the mini-games are tested with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome(ium) and I recommend to use them. However, I assume that it works for the other browsers (like Safari, Opera, etc.).  If you experience some problems with these browsers, let me know, I can try to fix them.
Second, you must enable the JavaScript − to run some interactive puzzle games − and the cookies to keep the history of the solved mini-games.

Note: Due to the various updates of Java (and incompatibilities), the Java applets presents in the first version of CrazyBiocomputing mini-games were converted in JavaScript and PHP.

2- How does it work?

Each mini-game contains no explanation of what to do, you have to find out yourself by interacting with the mini-game. But, there are some clues available...

1. in the help
2. in the URL of your browser, for example, http://[...]/click_and_drag/image.php

Moreover, the games are roughly classified in three different families:

• The "Just for Fun" is a click-and-drag or puzzle game not always related to image processing and ImageJ. They are mainly located at the beginning of a series. They sometimes simulates a specific behavior of ImageJ.
• The "Secret Sentence" contains a word corresponding to the end of the URL of the mini-game. By processing the image, this sentence can be unveiled.
• The "Fill in the form". In this case, a form is hidden (or not) and you have to answer the questions − by processing and analyzing an image − and then to find the 'Submit' button to validate your request.

Each time you solved a mini-game, a thumbnail is displayed in the home page as shown in Fig.1... When all the enigmas of a series are completed, a bulk is appearing signaling a hyperlink to a small animation.

Fig.1: Screenshot of the crazybiocomputing mini-games. Each thumbnail corresponds to a solved enigma. The bulk indicates that the whole series of the level is finished.

3- Contents of the various levels

2-1-  Beginners

− Level Get Started

This level is composed of step-by-step mini-games to understand the philosophy of the enigmas.The three families of games are demonstrated ("Just For Fun", "Secret Sentence", and "Fill in the Form").

− Levels Toolbar, Colors, Exploring are a good introduction to the various tools (rectangle, magic wand, line tools, color chooser,etc.) and basic functions (transforms, colorspace, gray-levels, plot profile, etc.) available in ImageJ.

− Level Noise is one of the first series dedicated to Image Enhancement

− Level One, Two, three, four... is an introductory level dedicated to Analyze Particles. The second series 1+1+1+1... based on the processing of real images is a summary of what you know about image enhancement and analysis.

2-2- Intermediate users of ImageJ

− Levels Fourier, Segmentation, Morphology, are more complex and requires  a good knowledge of ImageJ.

− Levels Import Images (basics and expert) are dedicated to the various strategies available for reading an unknown file format. Through these mini-games, the various parameters of the File > Import > Raw... dialog window are explored.

−Level Scripting is composed of mini-games requiring scripts (in ImageJ Macro Programming language or JavaScript).


Have fun with these mini-games!


If you have some trouble with mini-games, please post a comment below, I'll try to improve the game.

References

• CrazyBioComputing Image Processing mini-games [Link]
• General Table of Contents of this blog [Link]
• How to use this blog [Link]