The Cubes in action. Image: The Creativity Hub
Along with Rory’s Story Cubes and Rory’s Story Cubes: Actions, now Rory’s Story Cubes is available for the iPhone/iPod Touch. If the cubes themselves aren’t portable enough for you, or if you’re worried that the kids might lose one, the perfect solution for creating stories and games on the go is to get the Story Cubes app. It has the same dice as the original Story Cubes, and adds on some useful app functionality.
Having the Story Cubes app always with me, I have been able to use it with my kids anytime, anywhere. You don’t have to remember to bring the Story Cubes along, and it doesn’t take up any extra room in your bag. Even if you’re alone, it can be used for fun, story generation or for when you’re writing stories or even games. Its uses are the same as for the physical sets, which we reviewed recently. One advantage that the app has, however, is that it is so portable. You don’t have to worry about losing dice, having a surface on which to roll them or packing yet one more thing for a trip.
Using the app is very intuitive. Shaking the iPod will roll the dice, or you can touch a button to do the same thing. It comes complete with excellent rolling sound effects, which can be turned off if you prefer. You can lock all the dice in place so they don’t accidentally roll while you’re creating your story. You can also interact with the dice, touching and dragging to move them, or stretching and twisting to rotate them. Instructions for how to use the app and how to play with the cubes are also included. One of my favorite features, though, is the camera button, which will save a picture of your dice to your Photos area. This way you can use the same dice combinations over and over, for different uses, or to later remember what you had rolled.
Future plans for the app include an iPad version, which will be out in August 2010. It will be almost identical to the iPod/iPhone version, except for some minor changes, making it easier to use the larger cubes. Later on, there will be various free and in-app purchased expansion sets, to add variety to your education and play. You will also be able to type your creative story inside the app itself, and choose to have the cubes auto-rotate to make them easier to organize. There may be other new options as well.
Currently for sale in the iTunes store for $1.99, this portable version of Rory’s Story Cubes is a great addition when you forget to bring the dice with you, or you worry about losing them. Development for the Rory’s Story Cubes app was supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland / Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure “Creative Industries Innovation Fund.” It’s good to see that the value of the Story Cubes is recognized in their home country as well as abroad.
Wired: Same dice as the original, allowing for infinite story and game possibilities. Nice rolling effect. The perfect app for summer travels. Future additions will make it even more useful.
Tired: You do lose out on the tactile experience, and, at present, you can’t select which dice to roll. It’s all or nothing.
