DS #3212: 100 Classic Book Collection (Europe)

[Orusaka]

This wasn't too impressive for me. It works, I guess, but the resolution of the DS screen doesn't really make it fit for reading. Moreover, the lack of options in the software isn't helping. It's straining on the eyes, to read black text on white backgrounds. Most people making this kind of software realize that, and let you change the colours, but here there is no go.

Could be good if you're in the market for some e-books and you only have a DS. This doesn't come remotely close to Bookr on the psp, though.

 

[jesterscourt]

This would have massive support if it did the following:

Had variable text like the News Viewer in the News Channel on the Wii (scalable text?)

Would allow for personal material to be uploaded. I'm thinking that having a H.P. Lovecraft Collection would be amazing on the DS. He's out of copyright as well, as so far as I understand it.

I wonder if intrepid individuals will tear this one apart a bit to see if we can make the library larger, with the small size of text files and the massive capacity of SDHC cards, one could literally carry a library with them.

 

[iPikachu]

any screenchots fo this? lol
i was wondering, what happen if you unpacked the .nds? will lots of .txts come out?

 

[linkje]

no if you unpack the game with dslazy you will get a data folder witch has a book folder witch has 111 bin files with the books if someone cought get something to make a txt file into a bin then maybe it will work

 

[jesterscourt]

Isn't a bin just a container format? I wish I had more skills in this department, it seems very feasible to add to the collection or even replace it with other work

 

[Shelleeson]

I suppose you could just get DS Reader and a whole bunch of Project Gutenberg books

i was wondering when someone would say that

 

[Gimmy]

WOW great idea!!!
never tried to read a book on handle console, hope it will work out for me, there are some very interesting books there...

 

[youxi]

been reading GBAtemp for a while, just decided to register and post for this Topic... I am amazed that with all the warnings that people still ask for roms...

anyhow, I unpacked the rom and had a look at the files, decided to open the smallest one, which is The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare, and well it's very interesting. opening it in notepad you can read the title, but the rest of the file is complete nonsense. So the key question here is what kind of format are they rolling with.

I suspect it may be some kind of compressed format because I downloaded the text of The Comedy of Errors and stuck it in a text file and the file is 88KB, and the .bin from the rom is only 67KB.

I hope someone with more knowledge of these things can make some headway in understanding how to put custom books.

 

[youxi]

haha, in proper 19th century romantic novelist fashion, the biggest book is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.

heh, I think I'll read it again... it'll be easier to carry around the DS than that massive tome... I think Victor Hugo needed an editor, just like really popular authors nowadays need editors to keep their books shorter (like JK Rowling, or Stephen King..)

anyhow, I'm gonna go load this up on my DS and see how it is as a book reader.

 

[youxi]

Just discovered a problem-- I went online and downloaded the additional 10 books they offered, but each time I try and return to read, the program locks up. When I restart, it tells me the download data is corrupt, and it deletes two of the files. When I attempt to go back online and download the two books again, it does the exact same thing.

I'm going to try it with an untrimmed ROM and see if it makes a difference.

EDIT: Still does it with an untrimmed ROM... the books it keeps deleting are Turn of the Screw and Waterbabies. Not sure if this is the same for everyone.

Is this happening because the 512KB standard save size on the CycloDS is too small?

well i noticed that at first it says you have a more than 900KB free to download books, so that's a pretty clear evidence that it's got a 1MB save. I suspect that you can avoid the problem by only downloading some books and then deleting them when you're finished reading, or use a 1MB save from something else. I have no idea

anyhow i like the presentation cuz it's pretty slick to see the pages turn. but I gotta be honest the font is too big, and I kinda don't like the book view cuz you get 4 words per line. I've read all 7 Harry Potter books on my DS in DSOrganize so I am not against reading on the DS... but I'm not sure how well this works for reading. I mean Les Mis is 11,000 pages with the small font and nearly 18,000 with the big font

 

[IzzehO]

Wow interesting list. Have to disagree with the addition of all the Shakespeare 'books' though - seriously can't understand reading plays. Rest of the titles I have already read, including that hunk of Les Mis everyone is on about

I'm really surprised there isn't C.S. Lewis on there: I thought all his books were public domain? I finished reading Great Expectations about 2 hours ago, incidentally how bad was that movie?!!?!?!?!?! Bleh ruined a classic...

Meh peace out people and remember, there is a lot to be learnt from books.

 

[tokyotenshi]

I absolutely love this. I didn't like using the homebrew app to read books on DS, but this one changed my mind. It has some of my all time fave books including A Christmas Carol and The Count of Monte Cristo along with many others.. I rather have 100 of ebooks in my DS than have 100 printed books collecting dust in my bookshelf. Plus, I"m not gonna bring all my fave books when I go on holiday or waiting for the bus etc Using just one DS to read the books is much more easier and convenient.

Plus I really like the idea of background music and effect. The sound of water or chirping birds or beach or even crackling fireplace gives some sort of relaxing mood to read books.

I wish it has horror-themed books though like Dracula or Frankenstein. Lol, now my mom won't have any reason to yell at me when I'm using the DS. "No mom, I'm not playing game, I"m reading classic English literature!"

 

[gokujr1000]

Do you actually read books in this?

 

[hova1]

i'm reading alice in wonderland on this and i am currently at chapter 3. i think this will stay in my flashcart for some time.

 

[Ruri]

Do you actually read books in this?Yes. It's very well done, with a nice 'tactile' feel to it.

QUOTE(jesterscourt @ Dec 24 2008, 02:05 PM) Isn't a bin just a container format? I wish I had more skills in this department, it seems very feasible to add to the collection or even replace it with other work

.bin is just short for "binary"; it's used by a huge number of things, and means next to nothing as an extension on its own.

Maybe someone could figure out the format used to store books, but it'd probably be easier and more efficient to just use DS Reader or code another good ebook-reader yourself...

 

[svnelvn]

i wonder how many hours the ds battery can last running this app
since it doesn't use up a lot of processing power

 

[rest0re]

100 classic books = books that don't have copyright anymore

 

[gokujr1000]

Do you actually read books in this?Yes. It's very well done, with a nice 'tactile' feel to it.

QUOTE(jesterscourt @ Dec 24 2008, 02:05 PM) Isn't a bin just a container format? I wish I had more skills in this department, it seems very feasible to add to the collection or even replace it with other work

.bin is just short for "binary"; it's used by a huge number of things, and means next to nothing as an extension on its own.

Maybe someone could figure out the format used to store books, but it'd probably be easier and more efficient to just use DS Reader or code another good ebook-reader yourself...

Wow I think i might get this on my FC it seems like a good idea if you are studying a book at school.

 

[fishsticks]

i like this.. some copies of the classics i have are so old, it's nice to have an ebook version of them concised into one.

 

[NatsuMatto]

can anyone hack up a 1MB save file for this game?