"...In the days when you were hopelessly poor; I just liked you more..."

The blog I have assigned to me today asks what I would do to support the topic of my game if I had the resources to do so; I felt the title would be appropriate. (from 'Half a Person,' "The Smiths")

I don't know what I'd do if I had enough money to help schools afford musical instruments. I probably wouldn't really help; there are many other causes I would support more than greater stress on musical education. I've never really had a formal musical education class, but I've explored it to a point. That, to me, seems to be evidence that a child will find his or her own interest in the creation of music if he or she will truly apply it.

I think I'd spend my money on a sea turtle refuge, to be honest. Sea turtles don't seem to have many refuges. For example, when I see a sea turtle at an aquarium, it's always exposed to predatory animals, usually sharks. What's the point in that? Sharks attack turtles, I'm sure. I know turtles naturally live with sharks, but humans live with bears; we separate ourselves from bears, right?

Sorry for the digression, anyway, I've also been asked to place compilation of Klangfarbenmelodie's game scenes on my blog, here it is:

Adding Sound

After a relatively extensive break from classes, we finally return. I've rather enjoyed myself on this week or so away from school, but I cannot complain about returning.

Anyway, back to the subject, adding sounds. It's a fairly simple process, importing sound and timing it correctly with animation. Originally, I was quite relieved by the simplicity, for my final scene will contain a plethora of sounds. However, I do wish the tutorial had been a bit more in-depth. All of the information within the tutorial is relevant and builds the basic skills I need to add sound, but I will need to go beyond these fundamentals for my final scene to live up to personal expectations.

Class in General

Well, my assignment today is to articulate a review of my Digital Imaging/Globaloria class so far.

Personally, I am enjoying the class for a multitude of reasons. More than anything, however, this class has offered me a new medium through which I may share my writing. I've always been a typewriter or pen type of person, but I realize how convenient technology can be for drafts. (I still prefer to assemble final drafts on paper for the sake of formality and my preference for less modernized distribution of ideas or opinions. [I feel primarily using a classic medium can keep one closer to the predecessors of his or her respective art or skill.])

I've yet to find anything I particularly dislike about this class. Possibly, the days in which we are unable to work; those days seem to drag by very slowly. Oh, and yes, I also dislike that people are able to point out flaws in my work rather easily. For example, in my book review post, I had listed a work by Henry David Thoreau as "Nature." The actual name of this work is "Walden;" 'Nature' is simply a section within this work. (I have neglected to fix this thus far.)

Motion Tweening, Shape Tweening and Animation

We are currently working on Motion Tweening, Shape Tweening and Animation in digital imaging. It's fairly simple to coordinate, however, exporting and uploading the files has proven to be quite a task. My code is correct, and my projects are complete, but everything beside my shape tweening will not export correctly. My morale is surely faltering because of this complex situation.

Moving Several Posts to New Blog

Over the next week or so, I will be moving all blogs that have nothing to do with my digital imaging class to my second blog. Link here: http://blakesotherblogandstuff.blogspot.com/

Recreational Blogging

It has been some time since I posted anything for recreation. Or rather, something on the topic of my personal interests; aside from my digital imaging class. That being said, I shall attempt to assemble such a post today.

I've been reading quite a bit lately. A few authors that have caught my attention are Fitzgerald, Thoreau, Bryant and Salinger. Let's start with the former, Fitzgerald.

I find Fitzgerald to be in direct concurrence to modernism in "The Great Gatsby", but in opposition to modernism being catalyzed by the economy of the time. That is to say, more freedoms for the individual in a superficial way - through blind consumption - destroy the ideology associated with modernism. Now on to the second author that has interested me, Thoreau.

Thoreau's 'Nature' inspired me semantically; he seems to be the first formal author living in the United States to take full advantage of the first person. Besides that, I didn't much care for Thoreau. Everything I read besides 'Nature' prompted evidence of my original assumption; he is a poor man's Hawthorne with, in my opinion, more interesting politics.

(William Cullen) Bryant's poetry amazes me. Lines 25-29 in the third stanza of 'Thanatopsis' has offered me a better understanding of Deist theology than anything else I have ever read. Other than that, I didn't delve as deeply into Bryant's work as any of the other authors I have mentioned. Not out of a lack of interest, rather the physical limitation of time stood in my way.

The only work of Salinger's I have been able to read is "Catcher in the Rye." I would be very interested in seeing Salinger's writing style in his other works, for I can see his potential for writing advanced literature. However, the point of view in "Catcher in the Rye" does not allow this potential to flourish, due to the age of the narrator. I do not see this as conveying laziness in his writing, though. I loved reading the story, and realize if it were written any other way, it would have been artistically inferior.

Drawing in Flash

Today marks my second day working with Flash's drawing template individually. The process is a bit tedious if one chooses to attempt to be as precise as possible, but this is not really a problem considering our class has an entire year to complete this project.

Graphic Designer

Today, our groups assigned individual roles. I chose the role of "Graphic (Visual) Designer," for that is the field in which I feel I could shine due to my older brother's experience in the same field. Having a personal consult from which advice will be distributed could be an extremely useful tool. Also, I would have access to his plethora of design tablets, which he does not use; this will greatly improve the quality of the artwork I will eventually create.

Paper Prototypes with Video

Yesterday, our class completed a paper prototype for our game idea. I believe it was a great way to organize each member's individual ideas frame by frame, and it was one of the better ways to colaberate our ideas in a tame manner. (There might have been more animosity within other groups, I don't know, Klangfarbenmelodie is full of some pretty indecisive people. "Tame" doesn't really seem fitting for our group's experience, but it's the only word that pops up in my gray-matter lexicon; maybe a common indifference toward less significant details, which led to many concurrences in development, would be more appropriate.)
Klangfarbenmelodie - Paper Prototype

Klangfarbenmelodie

A few days ago, the teams of our class were developed. After one joined his or her respective team, he or she had to decide upon a core idea for the game he or she going to create over the course of this class with his or her group. My team, for example, decided upon the topic of music and musical education. How it is taking a back seat to other, seemingly more pertinent subjects in education; despite studies that conclude partaking in the creation or recreation, as the case will usually be, of music can lead to applicable results in one's intellectual development.

(Our team is named "Klangfarbenmelodie," thus explaining the title.)

Mini Game Project

Last Thursday, our class finished a mini game project, and for some reason, I neglected to type a post that explained what we had done. Basically, we developed a game in which we learned how to do certain functions in Flash, mainly gaining information pertaining to action scripting. The process was a bit tedious due to inevitable human error, but the experience was quite informative.

Movie Clips with Flash (and an Explanation)

Today our assignment was creating movie clips through Adobe Flash. It was fairly simple, but one couldn't help feeling somewhat accomplished after making the pixelated object on his or her screen move from one side of the screen to the other.

(I remember I had promised a blog pertaining to an epiphony I had. However, I found my great-grandfather's collection of [classic*] literature in one of my aunt's bookcases, and I could not pass the opportunity to thumb through his second edition copy of "Of Mice and Men.")

*(I suppose it would not have been considered "classic" in my great-grandfather's lifetime. Steinbeck's first editions were published in 1937, yes?)

Game Topic

Today is another day dedicated to work, not personal interests. (It is plausible I will be posting a blog Saturday pertaining to an epiphony I've had while reading 'A Hunger Artist' for the hundredth time. Spoiler alert: it might sound pretentious!)

Everyone in the class has been asked to pick a topic for the games we plan to develope. It must contain information on a relevant social issue. I have chosen the environment and destruction of ecosystems. (This was originally a latter option to a issue I found more pertinent. However, creating a game using that particular issue would not translate well. Not every subject can be used in multiple mediums. For example, the illustration on 'The Metamorphisis' was rejected by Kafka, for even a silhouette of Gregor would reveal too much information that the reader would need to infer with his or her own imagination in order to relate to Gregor's plight.)

I feel it necessary to cite the catalyst that sparked my interest in this subject. Frank Black's lyrics, "There was a god // an underwater god that controlled the sea // got killed by ten-million pounds of sludge from New York and New Jersey," allowed me to truly grasp certain aspects of environmental conservation I had not previously understood. The mystical personification of the Earth, particularly the sea, creates a vision that is quite poignant. (One might have gotten the impression I despised such mysticism. To the contrary, I love adaptations of theology in art. I simply dislike it in politics.)

Game Reviews (Continued)

The surplus of text necessary to cover the key points of my reviews has been quite the disadvantage. I know I promised an edit on yesterday's post that would contain a summarized review. However, text space did not allow this, so I will answer the following questions today, September 16, 2009.

The first question that must be answered would be, "What is the concept of the game?" Second, one must offer commentary from a learner's point of view and a developer's point of view. After that, he or she must give a "design analysis," which contains opinions on the visual and conceptual aspects of the work. Then, he or she must make suggestions on improvement (easily the most difficult task). Finally, he or she must type what he or she wishes to learn pertaining to that particular game.

My reviews:
Jimmy versus The Splurge:

1. I suppose it is intended to discourage one from indulging in unhealthy choices when concerning his or her diet.
2. From a learner's point of view, it doesn't seem very complex, for it's very cartoonish. However, from a developer's point of view, this game seems very well designed and the game has no significantly noticeable flaws in gameplay.
3. It looks very nice. This is one of the better games I've seen graphically, and the concept covers an issue that is very popular today. I must say, the disguise is quite clever, and will surely trick many children into absorbing a few nutritional facts.
4. The only suggestion I could make is to possibly include more information pertaining to nutrition. It seemed more entertaining than informative.
5. Well, this is the begining of the class, so to write a list of the things I would like to learn from this game would take a nearly infinite list. The fluid-like motions of the objects one can interact with would be the first thing that comes to mind. Second, keybinding that is cohesive, like this game's.
http://www.myglife.org/usa/wv/resources/en/play/Social/jimmy

The Cost of Life:

1. The game is meant to represent government. How difficult it is to maintain balance in government. The choices government must make pertaining to the well-being of individuals, but still remaining economically competetive.
2. Once again, from a learner's point of view, games like this look very simple. From a developer's point of view, it quickly becomes apparent that things such as this are not easy to create.
3. It's a lovely game. The graphics create an ambiance that goes well with the concept. (Once again, great concept.)
4. The only suggestion I could make would be making the seasonal waiting period shorter. I never lost interest, but I came close.
5. Once again, the sheer number of things I'd wish to understand better would be astounding to one whom carried any of this seemingly esoteric knowledge. Possibly the ability to open multiple windows in a game, and once again, character movement.
http://ayiti.newzcrew.org/ayitiunicef/

Game Reviews (Class Assignment)

Today is the day I begin to steer away from personal blogging, and begin to blog more about my assignments in Globaloria. (This is not to say I won't blog about other things. I have enough ideas to make this blog fairly balanced with my class work and my thoughts on various things.)

My first class related blog post is a series of game reviews. The point of this exercise is to learn to give constructive criticism without being too rude or too lenient, I suppose.

(Actual reviews to be posted on September 16, 2009.)

Second Entry, Additional Information

Due to my current case of writer's block, I've decided that it may be possible for one to offer additional information other than what sorts of music one enjoys and one's love of 19th to 20th century literature and culture.

However, I must first address a question that has been proposed to me indirectly: why the 19th and 20th centuries? This is an extremely easy question for me to answer. The late 19th to early 20th century was the true age of enlightenment, in my opinion. First, literature began to dabble in the metaphysical and surrealistic realism (which is truly a monumental idea, such known contradictions being used constructively can be described as nothing short of genius), politics began being based on reality (such things as spectral evidence were completely dismissed in courts, women were granted suffrage [note: 1920s are about as close modern as I'd wish to go]and such) and philosophy began paralleling with some of the more realistic ideas suggest in both literature and politics, thus reducing the amount of mysticism tolerated in legitimate discussion.

Many apologies if this seemed more like an opinion based history lecture instead of a blog.

First Entry

This, obviously, is my first blog entry. The purpose of this blog is personal recollection. In other words, what I expect from this blog is an accurate depiction of my progress in this program. Hopefully, what I'll see is knowledge being gained, problems being solves and an overall metamorphisis from relative technological ignorance to a better-rounded, more relevant individual living in the 21st century, however reluctantly. (Would have prefered to live in the late 19th to early 20th century, for personal insight.)

I am now going to take this being my first blog entry into consideration, entailing I must offer significantly more personal insight than an off-subject comment suggesting I would have preferred to have been born in the late 19th century. I enjoy many types of literature, everything from Kafka to Keys. I'm quite the music fanatic, my musical heroes include David Bowie, Daniel Bejar, Ian Curtis, Peter Hook and Thurston Moore. Other than that, I really have nothing to say. I do realize this makes me sound quite boring, but I personally believe one should not even attempt to offer the entirety of one's being in a single paragraph.