Blithering Blathering Blurbs

Official Fractal Game Guide

2012-01-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

Finished work on the Fractal Game Guide yesterday. It's now available for viewing at CipherPrime.com. Also finished work on the Penn Back Then template earlier this week for the School of Arts & Sciences. Now, need to continue work on the 60-Second Lecture template for submission next week. Also lining up projects at Cipher Prime. It's going to be a busy next couple of months.

Stressed

2012-01-10T12:34:00.000-05:00

I haven't slept in a few days. Haven't really been able to. I'm at the point where my perception of the world around me is completely surreal. While both physically and mentally exhausted, I still can't quiet my mind enough to rest. Oddly enough I am able to focus on work. Can't remember the last time I was this productive, or creative for that matter. Sleep weighs heavily on my brow, though. It's only a matter of time before my mind caves.

Video Reviews of Fractal

2012-01-04T07:47:00.000-05:00

This morning's stroll through the CG Society

2011-12-05T10:01:00.009-05:00

These inspiring works just gave me the kick in the pants I needed to start my day. Especially this first one, a work of fan art based on one of my favorite PSP games, Jeanne D'arc.

Fractal Releases on Steam!

2011-11-30T01:09:00.025-05:00

After long last, Cipher Prime Studios achieves the coveted milestone of publishing its first title on the Steam platform. Tuesday saw the release of Fractal: Make Blooms Not War in the Steam Store. Before the day's end, it had risen to the #1 position on the Top Sellers chart for Casual games; and held the #7 position for Top Sellers in the Indie genre. If you haven't had the chance to play it yet, show some love and check it out. Fair warning though, the addictive nature of this game may induce visions of fractals blossoming in your dreams.

Fractal: Make Blooms Not War is available for both PC and Mac, on sale now for $6.99 through the Steam Store, the Mac App Store, and the Cipher Prime Store; and is also available on the iPad through the iTunes App Store.

Here's a look at what some people are saying:

“Great game in the genre of Chime or Lumines. Move existing blocks or slide new ones onto the board to form hex clusters which then clear off the board. Gameplay ramps up in head scratching ways as new colors and powerups are added into the mix. If you are one to get sucked into puzzle games for hours at a time, stay away from this game (or buy it right now).”

—Devin M.

“Are you looking for a fun, original, addictive puzzle game? If so, then look no further than Fractal. It's a game that is simple to learn and very satisfying once you understand the strategy involved. The game comes fully loaded with a variety of fun modes. Why are you still reading this? Go buy it now and you won't be disappointed!”

—Eric B.

“What makes Fractal such a fantastic game is its fresh feel and ability to cater to any puzzle fan. From fans who like frantic and spontaneous gameplay to those who like to take it slow and precise to even something right down the middle. Fractal’s 3 modes offer such a vast array of gameplay that it will feel like 3 entirely separate games.

“Arcade mode offers high speed gameplay that will bewilder even the fastest Tetris player. This mode has you racing against the clock as you try and make as many blooms to add time and up your score.

“Puzzle mode offers a pace more fitting to any fan of bejeweled as it has you clearing out all the hexagons or making certain chain reactions using a limited amount of moves to complete each stage. The difficulty ramps up quick, giving players a nice challenge and it keeps itself fresh by adding new colored hexagons and insane chains that feel so satisfying when completed.

“Campaign is a nice mix of the two as you attempt to match a score to complete the level. Campaign is also the mode I recommend first for all players as it introduces you to the mechanics of the game while never feeling like a boring tutorial.

“Each mode is a different beast entirely which keeps this game feeling fresh. Definitely a purchase that you’ll thank yourself for making.”

—Steve C.

Find out more at www.PlayFractal.com

Fractal Re-releases on PC & Mac

2011-11-19T11:09:00.015-05:00

Thursday saw the release of Fractal on the Mac App Store, as well as the re-release of Fractal for both PC & Mac through the Cipher Prime Store. Anyone who previously purchased the Flash version of this game through the Cipher Prime Store will have the option to download the latest Unity3D rendition of the game for free. Fractal is currently on sale in both stores for $6.99.

For those of you who have joined the ranks of Steam—a community of more than 35 million active users and the largest digital distribution platform to date for games and related media—Cipher Prime will be releasing Fractal on the Steam Store for both PC & Mac in the near future. So keep your eyes peeled folks, Cipher Prime is on a roll and they're not about to slow anytime soon!

www.PlayFractal.com

Full Disclosure

I currently hold an internship at Cipher Prime Studios, Inc.; maintain Core membership with the International Game Developer Association (IGDA); and am an active member of the IGDA Philadelphia Chapter, the IGDA Philly Art SIG, and the Philly Unity User Group.

The Valve Store

2011-11-09T22:53:00.013-05:00

Just discovered the Valve store only moments ago. Pure sweetness. As I sat drooling over the newly found stash, two items caught my eye that immediately made their way to my wish list. The first is a 70s style movie poster for the game Portal 2.

The second is the same t-shirt that I had picked up at E3 in 2004 with a buddy of mine. I wore the shit out of that shirt! A favorite of mine, one I look forward to wearing yet again.

Visit the Valve store:

Get 'em while they're hot!

2011-10-31T11:52:00.003-04:00

Cipher Prime Studios has three titles out across multiple platforms. These are the distros I personally recommend:

Auditorium HD on the PlayStation®3 — $2.99 on PSN
Pulse: Volume 1 on the iPad — $2.99 in App Store
Fractal on PC & Mac — available soon through Steam

Top 5 Titles

2011-10-31T10:46:00.001-04:00

These top five are games I'm dying to get my hands on:

Happy Halloween!

Industry Artifacts

2011-10-24T12:05:00.000-04:00

These are equivalent to the Holy Grail for some of us in the industry. They are to me, which is why I'm re-posting them here. I'd hate to see them ever be lost.

The whole point of a bug report is to identify issues so that they may be fixed before a title is released into the wild. If all goes well, the issue is never seen or heard of again. So it's no wonder that bug reports are such a rare find. They may not be as glamorous as concept art, but they do serve an equally important role in making a great video game, and can be just as well appreciated.

These two bug report sheets are from 1991 and document bugs found during the making of the DOS game Monkey Island II. They were originally posted by Ron Gilbert in his blog at GrumpyGamer.com.

Study in Sculpture

2011-10-10T11:43:00.000-04:00

So this is my first serious attempt at studying sculpture. I'm starting with a bust of my fianceé.

Medium used is Van Aken Plastalina Modeling Clay. Using multi-ply corrugated cardboard as a base with a 3-inch steel bracket as the core armature. Unfortunately the armature only supports up to the neck. Considering extending the armature with wire to give the head more support.

Steps for Troubleshooting a Home Network

2011-10-10T10:06:00.000-04:00

My sister had a few questions about how one might troubleshoot a residential router. Figure I'd post here for anyone else who might find the steps helpful as well.

First off, be sure the trouble isn't with your browser. Make sure network connection settings (web proxy, VPN) in browser preferences are correct. Reset to default settings if necessary. For the purposes of troubleshooting, the best approach for testing connectivity would be to use the "ping" command from the command prompt.

Check the IP address of the computer used to connect to the router

If address begins with 192.168.*.*, proceed to step 2
If address begins with 169.254.*.*, proceed to step 5

Power cycle the router and the modem.

Steps to power cycle: pull power supply plug from outlet, wait 1min, return plug to outlet.
Check status lights for both the router and the modem.

Power cycling the router clears memory and hard boots the system with a fresh session. Most routers also have the option to reboot the system using the system's administrative software—accessed from a browser with the router's IP address (http://192.168.0.1). If status lights do not eventually show the modem to be connected to the internet, check the cable modem.
Power cycling the modem forces it to reestablish a connection with the ISP. If status lights do not eventually show the modem to be connected to the internet and active, contact your ISP for support.

Check the router setup.

Open a browser window and connect to the router at http://192.168.0.1, sign in using the administrative user name (admin) and password.

If the password is forgotten, press and hold down the reset button found on the router for 5 to 10 seconds to reset to factory default settings.
Log in to the system using the factory default password (admin, password, motorola, etc.) found in the user guide for the device.
Reset passwords (admin and wireless access), reconfigure wireless security and any firewall settings that may have been set.

Check the IP address and gateway information for the router. Make sure the router has obtained an IP address from the modem, and has populated DNS server addresses from the modem. If not, release and renew the IP address. Takes a few seconds. May need to refresh the window to view the new address.
If still no IP address, check modem status lights. May need to power cycle again.

If using wireless, remove the preferred network from Wireless Network Connection Properties and reconnect.

Go to Start > Control Panel > Network Connections.
Right click Wireless Network Connection, select Properties, select the Wireless Networks tab.
Remove all networks under Preferred Networks: select a network, then select Remove.
After all saved networks have been removed, select OK to close the window.
From the Network Connections window: right click Wireless Network Connection, select View Available Wireless Networks.
Select the wireless network setup with the router, and select Connect. Enter the password when prompted.

Restart the computer to begin fresh. After loading the OS, recheck the IP address of the computer. If address begins with 169.254.*.*:

Release the IP address, flush the DNS, renew the IP address.

Go to Start > Run. Type "cmd" and select OK.
From the command prompt, type "ipconfig /release *" and press the Enter key.
Type, "ipconfig /flushdns" and press Enter.
Type, "ipconfig /renew" and press Enter.
Type, "ipconfig /all" to check IP address, DNS, and gateway information.
If IP address is still 169.254.*.*, proceed to the next step.

Re-install network device drivers.

Go to Start, right click on My Computer, select Properties > Hardware > Device Manager.
Expand the Network Adapters section.
Find the problem adapter, select it and press the Delete key to remove the device.

If the device is not found, look for devices with a yellow question mark for an icon. Device drivers may not have been installed properly in the first place.
If the network device has a yellow question mark for an icon, select it and press the Delete key.

Select Network Adapters. From the menu, select Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Follow instructions for installing drivers for devices found. May need to use a second computer to download the latest drivers.

Also, when using wired connections, be sure to check the cables. Sometimes the answer is as simple as replacing a damaged cable. Keep in mind, damage isn't always visible from the outside.

And use whatever resources you have at hand. Try different configurations, such as connecting the modem directly to the computer in order to remove the router from the equation and narrow the issue to the modem or the computer. However, the modem must be powered down before switching it over to a different device. The modem is only able to serve one specific device at a time, and retains the hardware address of that device in memory. Powering the modem down will clear memory and allow for a different device to be connected.

Finally, check to make sure network cards are firmly seated inside the computer, and that all cables are securely connected.

System Upgrade

2011-09-29T12:12:00.000-04:00

Really getting tired of wasting time due to working with obsolete equipment. Here's the spec out for a system upgrade. Still pricey but slightly more affordable.

Desktop Upgrade — $2,055.95
- Intel Core i7-980 Gulftown: 3.33GHz, LGA 1366, 130W, Six-Cores — $598.99
- EVGA X58 Classified3: 6x240-pin DIMM, Triple Channel DDR, Max 24GB of DDR3 1600MHz, EATX Form Factor — $344.99
- 2x Mushkin 999000 Triple Kits: 12GB (3x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800 1600MHz 7-8-7-24 Ridgback Redline Heatsink — $165.99/ea.
- NVIDIA Quadro 4000: 256 Cuda Cores, 2GB GDDR5, 256-bit, 89.6 GB/s — $779.99

After Effects CS3 Render Hacks

2011-09-29T10:08:00.000-04:00

Anyone ever encounter these error messages while rendering?

Out of memory. (102400K requested) (23 :: 40)

AEGP Plugin Media IO Plugin: UNRECOGNIZED EXCEPTION (5027 :: 12)

I've been getting them for the past two weeks. They can show up at anytime during the render. In my case, most have occurred just after the last frame of the comp is processed. I'm pleased to say though that after much frustration and wasted time, I think I've finally come up with a reliable solution. The first part involves making available to After Effects as much system memory as possible. The second part involves actively freeing up memory while rendering.

The /3GB Flag in boot.ini

By default, Windows XP (32-bit) only allows programs access to 2GB of system memory. The remaining 2GB of the maximum possible 4GB is reserved for the operating system. However, users of Windows XP Professional have the option of setting a /3GB flag in the system's boot.ini file to allow up to 3GB of RAM for programs to access.

A Secret Menu

After having pulled an all-nighter and endured more than twelve hours of failed renders, I just about lost it when I learned of this Secret menu within the Preferences window. I don't know why anyone would want to hide something like this! Seems pretty important to me, or at the very least useful when encountering memory issues. To access this menu under Windows, hold down the Shift key and select Edit > Preferences > General. Keep holding the Shift key until the Preferences window is open. Then select Previous. You should see something similar to the figure below. The Secret menu can also be selected from drop-down selector in the Preferences window.

For Mac users, the path is After Effects > Preferences > General. However, in addition to holding down the Shift key, the Left Mouse Button must be held down during the entire path traversal — old mac style. Keep holding the Shift key until the Preferences window is open.

In the Secret menu, we are given the option to schedule a Purge at set intervals during the render process. With the default value of zero, no Purge event is performed during render. System memory will continue to fill until the specified Maximum RAM Cache Size is reached (see Memory & Cache in Preferences). To purge the cache and free up memory every specified number of frames, enter a number greater than zero in the field provided. By setting the value to 1, the cache will be purged after every frame rendered. I opted for 300, effectively scheduling a Purge to occur after every ten seconds of video rendered.

With regards to the Secret menu, please note that Adobe has commented stating, "If you're using that, it's a bug. You should never need to use that."

For more information, please consult the following resources.

Plan for Building a Workstation in Stages

2011-09-24T22:15:00.000-04:00

Here's an approach that would get me setup and running with a new workstation ASAP while distributing the cost of the system over time.

Stage 1: Base Configuration — $4,326.98+
- Intel Xeon X5690 Processor: 3.46GHz, 6-core, 12MB Cache, 6.4GT/s QPI, 64-bit, 32nm, 130W — $1,667.00
- EVGA Classified SR-2: Dual QPI Socket 1366 Intel Xeon 5600, 5520/ICH10R Chipset, 12x240-pin DIMM Sockets, Triple Channel DDR3, Max 48GB of DDR3 1333MHz, HPTX Form Factor — $579.99
- Mushkin 998948 Triple Kit: 12GB (3x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10666 9-9-9-24 Proline ECC Registered; 1333MHz, 512Mx72 Build, 512Mx4 Density, 1 Rank — email for availability (Guess: $300.00)
- NVIDIA Quadro 5000: 352 CUDA Cores, 718.08GFLOPS(single precision), 359.04GFLOPS(double precision), 2.5GB GDDR5, 320-bit, 120GB/s, SLI Frame Rendering Support — $1,779.99
- Storage Devices (PCI-e SSD & SATA RAID)
- Case & Cooling Equipment
- Power Supply
Stage 2: Addition of 2nd CPU & RAM Triple Kit — $1,967.00
- Intel Xeon X5690 Processor — $1,667.00
- Mushkin 998948 Triple Kit — $300.00
Stage 3: Addition of 2 more RAM Triple Kits — $600.00
- 2x Mushkin 998948 Triple Kits — $300.00/ea.
Stage 4: Addition of 2nd Video Card — $1,779.00
- NVIDIA Quadro 5000 — $1,779.99

If only I were made of money...

2011-09-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

This is quite a bit of wishful thinking. At the same time though, it's also somewhat insightful and exciting. Like the proverbial "kid in a candy store," it just feels good to drool over the possibilities and wish for it all. The following is a listing of tools I would purchase at this time, if only I had the means.

Apple Mac Pro – $8,765.00
- Two 2.66GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon "Westmere" (12 Cores)
- 24GB (6x4GB) 1333MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM
- Mac Pro RAID Card
- Four 1TB 7200-rpm SATA 3Gb/s
- ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5
- SuperDrive (18x)
- Apple LED Cinema Display (27" Flat Panel)
- Apple Magic Mouse + Trackpad + Wireless Keyboard
- Apple Battery Charger + Six NiMH AA Batteries
- Apple Care Protection Plan
Apple MacBook Air – $2,027.00
- 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7
- 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- 256GB flash storage
- Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
- AppleCare Protection Plan
Apple iPad 2 (16GB) + AppleCare – $578.00
Wacom Cintiq 24HD – $2,499.00
NVIDIA Quadro 4000 for Mac – $751.99.
Software
1. Unity3D Pro – $1,500.00
2. Adobe CS5.5 Master Collection – $2,599.00
3. Autodesk Maya Entertainment
  Creation Suite Premium 2012 – $6,495.00
4. Pixologic Zbrush 4 – $699.00
5. Corel Painter 12 – $399.00

Interview with Penn SAS External Affairs

2011-06-01T13:37:00.000-04:00

This morning I interviewed for a part-time Web Media Content Creator position with the Web Development and Design Services group at the University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences External Affairs office. The group needs someone adept in both the design and technical aspects of web development. More importantly, they need someone who can communicate effectively with the staff and clients, establish an understanding throughout the development process, and yield results. The individual would serve as sort of an interim web developer until all sites supported by SAS are migrated to the latest Drupal platform.

The technical requirements for the job are fairly basic. Site implementations are not to extend beyond simple HTML and CSS. Although, if I get the job, I would like to test the waters with some asynchronous JavaScript and XML. There are a number of shelved projects that could be tackled with Flash and ActionScript, and then again with HTML5 once the standard has been fully established and adopted.

I'm interested in Drupal. In the past, I refrained from using canned code because of the inherent excess overhead and unknowns it often introduced into projects. However I think the technology has matured to a point where it's relatively safe to use and worth exploring. I just installed Drupal 7 to my webspace and will be building my new site on the platform. With any luck, I'll get the job and be asked to stay on full-time as a Drupal developer. Fingers crossed.

GameLoop Philly 2011

2011-05-22T15:10:00.001-04:00

GameLoop is an annual one-day game industry unconference — a self-organizing conference — that originated in Boston in 2008. Think BarCamp but focused specifically on the industry of games. Philadelphia will be the second city to host GameLoop.

Yesterday saw Philadelphia's first GameLoop non-conference: a conference organized and moderated by its attendees. About 75 registrants attended the non-conference, participated in suggesting topics for discussion, voting for topics to be discussed, and then moderating and actively participating in discussions presented throughout the day. The following are notes from sessions and discussions I attended and participated in:

Session 1: Misconceptions of Programming Languages
Moderated by Tim
A brilliantly informative presentation by the moderator. Identified what commonly passes for knowing a programing language, and what it means to have a mastery of a language. Described mastering a language along two paths: legally, or what it can do; and ethically, or how you should use it. Compared understanding and mastery of programming languages to spoken languages. Identified inefficiencies present in using one language as a crutch, or as a way of understanding and using another language. Also pointed out how a native speaker, fluent in two spoken languages, would be able to identify the subtle differences between the languages semantics, and would therefore know which language might express a concept better in certain situations. Correlated this anecdote with how a programer of one language might misconstrued the capabilities of a lesser understood language. Recommends that everyone master at least three different languages in order to better understand their capabilities and apply them more appropriately and efficiently in practice.

A few languages discussed or mentioned include: Lua, Haskell, C/C++, Java, Python, Perl, PHP, JavaScript, NoJS, CoffeeScript, and HTML5.

Session 2: 3D Environment & Lighting
Moderated by Rich
Identified two types of environmental design for games: linear and sand-box. Explained that cues for direction through the environment are critical for gameplay. Players that become lost often become frustrated, may loose interest, and ultimately stop playing the game. Some examples of cues are visuals (such as color, in game items, or effects), lighting cues, and sound cues. Use of game elements such as stat lists suggesting hidden rooms or items, or the necessity to find an use items for progression can encourage players to further explore an environment. Focus on creating a series of experiences for the player that both build up tension and provide a sense of relief from the experience. Environments can be quickly created by procedurally generating terrain with software such as World Machine and alpha maps specifying the environment layout. Note that lighting and shaders are resource intensive and are therefore the limiting factors in environment development. Bake lighting the texture map to avoid wasting resources, and avoid using dynamic lighting. Poly crunchers automatically reduce the number of polygons used in 3D assets.

Session 3: 2D in Unity
Moderated by Jake & Matt
Discussed the implementation and handling of 2D sprites in Unity. Working in a 2.5D with 2D textures in a 3D space. Unity is optimized to port to multiple platforms. Sprite Manager 2 can be obtained from the Unity Asset Store. A good reference source is the Unify Wiki for Unity. Begin with a simple primitive, such as a quad made of two triangles. Sprites are then mapped to the quad plane. Utilize a single texture to support multiple sprites. By compacting as many sprites onto a texture as possible will reduce the number of draw calls and thereby increasing the draw speed. Use of a sprite atlas helps to arrange and map sprites to texture sheets. Since light shaders are resource intensive, only use shaders that do not respond to light. When considering orthographic vs. perspective design, keep in mind that no parallax code is needed for an orthographic layout. Unity is also optimized to use Nvidia PhysX. When calculating collisions for multiple assets, use a single collider object instead of one for each asset. RageSpline can be obtained from the Unity store and used to draw smooth 2D graphics inside unity editor. iTween is a tween animation tool for use with Unity.

Games referenced: OMG Pirages, Battleheart, and Snuggle Truck.

Session 4: Procedural Narrative
Moderated by Shane
Identified procedural narrative as a story that emerges from a base set of rules through gameplay, as opposed to a choose-your-own-adventure where the narrative is limited to a designers predefined number of outcomes. Eve Online was an example given to identify with procedural narrative. Players provide the character development, and based on their decisions and ambitions unfold the story through interaction with other players. The complexity of the game allows for a narrative to emerge. Which is something most other titles lack. Multi-player modes in those titles are considered meta-games that are non-narrative. Single player modes for titles that attempt to generate an emergent narrative are reliant on -- and limited to -- the granularity of the gameplay, which usually results in a developer generated narrative.

Session 5: Coexistence of Art & Code
Moderated by Mike
Mantra: communicate effectively, establish understanding, cooperate, and repeat. Office organizational structure and layout can directly influence the level of communication between groups within a company. The work system should encourage and support intermingling between groups (i.e. programmers, artists, musicians, designers, writers, actors, tools developers, QA, marketing, PR, and management). In an ideal world, everyone is proficient in each area of the workplace. Efficiency is largely lost in communication. Keep in mind that humans are limited to begin with. Refusing to expand one's knowledge and understanding is not only tragic, it should be seen as unacceptable in the workplace. The constraints of technology is no excuse for limited creativity, which goes for programmers as well as artist.

After yesterday, I am both humbled and inspired by the breadth of knowledge and experience shared by the event's participants and speakers. I eagerly await the next GameLoop event.

For more coverage, visit: http://phillygameloop.com/coverage/

May IGDA Philly Art SIG Meeting

2011-05-22T15:09:00.001-04:00

This was the first meeting of the IGDA Philadelphia chapter's Art Special Interest Group.

The first order of business was to establish a regular meeting location. Following our rendezvous outside the Schuylkill Expy. entrance of 30th Street Station, our first meeting was held among the many vacant patio tables just inside the Market St. entrance. Aside from the background noise of the busy transit station, the location served us well and should be adequate for future meetings. Another possibility would be to reserve a second room at Drexel; or perhaps the same room reserved for the chapter meeting, only arrange for it to be reserved and unlocked at an earlier time. My understanding is that reservations would need to be arranged through Drexel's game development club, as is done for chapter meetings. An overlap in meeting times may be a concern if Art SIG meetings carry over beyond their scheduled time.

The second order of business was to better define what the Art SIG would be. A few suggestions are as follows:

Expand upon topics presented in chapter meetings by focusing on issues specific to artists and aesthetics. May include guest speakers to discuss visual production pipelines from concept through final release.
Participate in forum based art challenges (GameArtisans, CGSociety, Gnomon Workshop), both individual and group categories. Critique and discuss challenge entries as a group. Provide a source of technical support.
Outsource the group as an artist collective. A practical experiment in marketing and business. A contract based support system for local studios in need of a solution for overflow work.

IGDA Philly Art SIG Logo

2011-05-20T16:05:00.000-04:00

Here I expanded upon the iconic Liberty Bell and game controller logo used by the IGDA Philly chapter to create a logo for the chapter's Special Interest Group for Art.

The design theory behind the logo goes something like this. My aim was to depict a meeting of both traditional and digital forms of media used in the creation of art assets for interactive entertainment. In reading from left to right, the two groups symbolize the progression from traditional to digital media. When presented together in symmetry on the same ground, they are held with equal value. The positioning of the tools in an upward and outward direction symbolizes our positive and proactive approach to learning through outreach and active participation in group and industry events. The structure of the design is explosively dynamic, symbolic of the strong passion, unbridled enthusiasm, and drive that fuels our quest to better ourselves, to perfect our craft, and to pioneer new realms in our trade.

GW2D May 2011: Genetic Hybrid

2011-05-20T16:04:00.000-04:00

The topic for this month's Gnomon Workshop 2D Image Challenge is Genetic Hybrid.

There are a number of things I wish I had. A flatbed scanner and a Cintiq would be nice right about now. I've spent two days so far thinking about concepts, sketching, and doing research for this month's 2D competition. I need to quicken the pace, though.

The genetic hybrid I've come to settle in on is a cross between the domestic cat and the red eyed tree frog. To accomplish this I've been studying the skeletal and muscle structures of the two forms in order to render a believable convergence of genetic traits. That's not to say there's no room for creativity, though. My girlfriend pointed out that hybridized animals tend to consist only partly of expected characteristics. The rest may be quite unexpected. A liger for instance, born of a male lion and a female tiger, lacks the gene to limit growth. Adult ligers are therefore significantly larger than both contributing species, tending toward gigantism.

Upcoming Events in June

2011-05-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, 1 June 2011, 7:00 - 9:00PM
IGDA Philly Chapter Meeting
at Drexel University

This month we'll take a look at the development and launch of ToonUp's Facebook game, "A Better World". From the initial inception of a non-traditional game for non-gamers, adjustments that had to be made because of schedule, and the evolution of the game post launch. Members of the design, art, and production teams will be on hand to answer questions.

AGENDA
- 6:45 - 7:15 :: Socializing
- 7:15 - 7:20 :: Opening Announcements / Introduction of Leadership Additions
- 7:20 - 7:35 :: Around the World Introductions
- 7:35 - 8:35 :: Bringing "A Better World" to life
- 8:35 - 8:50 :: Q&A w/ Presenters
- 8:50 - 9:00 :: Closing Remarks / Socializing

Friday, 3 June, 5:00PM - Sunday, 5 June 2011, 11PM
GameArtisans 3D Weekend Jam
at GameArtisans Montréal
366 Mayor St. Suite 102, Montréal, QC H3A 1N7

In Brief, artists must register as a 2-3 man and/or woman named team. Name examples include, Team Triumph, Pixel Pixies, etc. Once enrolled, artists can then bring in their personal computers and set their work areas up on Friday June 3rd. Artist with desktop computers who require transportation assistance, we can help! Simply give us a call to arrange a pickup.

Friday Evening, June 3rd, at 5pm, on the 8th floor of Game Artisans Workshop, the first intensive 3D Weekend Jam begins! A challenge theme is given and each team has until Sunday June 5th, 11pm, to complete the character topic plus a small supporting environment. All art must be done within Game Artisans Workshop. Only concept art, texture sheets and models must be submitted by 11pm Sunday. After Sunday, artists may no longer modify textures or models, however, artists have until Wednesday morning to pose, light, print and mount their work for judging. Some industry pros will be on hand during the challenge for advice and for help.

Wednesday, 8 June 2011, 7:00 - 10:00PM
IGDA Philly Art SIG Meeting
at Cipher Prime Studios, Inc.
239 Chestnut St. Suite 2A, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Guest speaker, William Stallwood, Creative Director at Cipher Prime, will present on the design behind their latest release, Pulse. He will also discuss the integration of Unity in the game.

Saturday, 11 June 2011, 3:00 - 6:00PM
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Philly
at World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

Thursday & Friday, 16 & 17 June 2011
LEEF: Forum on Serious Games for Learning
at Harrisburg University of Science & Technology

326 Market St.,Harrisburg, PA 17101

The Learning and Entertainment Evolution Forum (LEEF) brings together learning professionals, game designers and developers, to explore and experiment with the evolving use of games, simulations and virtual worlds for learning and performance.

Philly Game Jam 2011

2011-05-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

This year Philly Game Jam was hosted at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, a warehouse in Oaks, PA, just outside of King of Prussia, PA. The venue was also host to TooManyGames 2011, which included a vendor expo, vintage gaming stations, board game and card game tables, live bands, and a massive GXL LAN party. For those 48 hours, from Friday to Sunday evening, the venue was alive and in constant motion.

Ten teams consisting of about 60 participants total competed in this year's Game Jam. Our team, named Capitol Crunch, consisted of three guys from the IGDA DC chapter, and myself representing the IGDA Philly chapter. Having learned of the event only two weeks ago, I was very lucky to have found a team willing to take me on. My teammates Sam, Nate, and Zaal, each had backgrounds in engineering. I fulfilled the team's need for an artist.

Left to right: Nikko, Sam, Zaal, and Nate

The topic was announced at 6:00 PM on Friday. In light of it being Mother's Day weekend, the topic assigned was "Mothers." The Phoenix chapter of IGDA was also hosting a Game Jam that weekend. They received the same topic at 9:00 PM EDT.

Our group spent the first three hours of the competition rigorously brainstorming game concepts. We emerged with four solid ideas, and settled on one we felt could be best implemented over the time allotted. I can't speak more highly of the group's ability to present creative ideas and collaboratively critique and build upon them. I was impressed and inspired by the group's dynamic, and was exited and proud to be a part of it. The experience was invigorating.

The concept we settled on was an NES-style platformer centered around a mother, Mama Duck, who was tasked with the responsibility of guiding three little ducklings to safety through each level of the game. However, each level would be designed in a fashion that required Mama Duck to rely on the unique traits of each duckling in order to overcome obstacles riddled along the way.

Left to right: Chubbers, Stretch, and Eggar

Chubbers: Short and round, this duckling is the slowest of the three. His weight and short wingspan prevent him from fluttering very far. However, his soft and surprisingly elastic constitution gives him the ability to bounce to great heights. This ability can combine with other ducklings as he serves as a springboard to them as they bounce and project off of him.

Stretch: Tall and thin, this duckling is the fastest of the three. His light weight reduces stopping ability, and his short wings prevent him from fluttering very far. However, his narrow frame and ability to reach high speed allows this duckling to sail through the air with little resistance over great distance.

Eggar: With an average height and weight, this duckling takes after his mother in most every way. His single outstanding characteristic is a full set of wings that allows him the ability to flutter over great distance.

The platform used to implement this concept was Flixel, an open source ActionScript library for use in Flash game development. As my teammates began to flush out the code for the platformer, I began sketching out the concept art and working on art assets. All Mama Duck animation sprites were completed by early afternoon on Saturday. All of Chubbers animation sprites were done by that evening. Tiles were then created for map making in Mappy, a free tile map editor. Sprite animations for Stretch and Eggar were done by early morning Sunday. The final order for assets were the background paintings and splash screens.

I have to hand it to these guys. My teammates really pulled it together in the last few hours. Over the course of the 48 hours they managed to overcome several hurdles in the programming process. But in the last few hours, the game was so plagued with bugs it appeared as though we may not have had a working release by the submission time. They buckled down, took what they knew worked and got something up and running. Then the magic came in the polishing stage. It really pulled together in the end, and I'm really proud of my team's accomplishment. Given 48 hours, we started from scratch and emerged with a working title. Congratulations guys!

Play our game, The Fowl Family

Coverage of the event can also be found at The Game Design Forum in an article titled Scenes From a Game Jam by Patrick Holleman.

Upcoming Events in May

2011-05-03T10:39:00.000-04:00

Gnomon Workshop Monthly Image Challenges
at The Gnomon Workshop

Tuesday, 3 May - Thursday, 16 June 2011
NVART 06: Moving Innovation
by CGSociety.org

The evolution of portable technology will empower all of us in exciting new ways. To do more, in more places. To bring our home, or our work, with us wherever we go. Or leave it all behind and escape. The elements of technology are getting smaller, thinner, and lighter than ever before.
Which gives our imaginations the power to think bigger.

We want to explore your vision of the future of moving innovation. Make it artistic and awe-inspiring, but make it something we can all aspire to in the decade to come. Not sci-fi, just amazingly creative.

Show us how your device integrates with the daily human experience in a revolutionary—yet realistic, attainable—way, delivering groundbreaking new thinking on performing everyday tasks. In addition to prizes for best artistic imagery, there will be a special prize for the best product visualization.

Friday, 6 May 2011, 5:00PM - 10:00PM
Saturday, 7 May 2011, 10:00AM - 10:00PM
Sunday, 8 May 2011, 10:00AM - 5:00PM
TooManyGames 2011
at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456

TooManyGames is the premier indie gaming event on the east coast! For almost 10 years TooManyGames has provided gamers from all along the east coast and beyond with a festival, a celebration, an event solely for them!

Philly Game Jam 2011
hosted by TooManyGames 2011

The Philly Game Jam is a 48-hour game building marathon where game professionals, students and amateurs alike compete to build new game concepts based on a theme announced at the start of the contest.

Saturday, 14 May 2011, 3:45PM - 4:45PM
IDGA Philly Art SIG Meeting
at 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Our first meet up! We will introduce ourselves and talk about what we would like to see happen with this group.

Saturday, 14 May 2011, 5:00PM - 7:00PM
IDGA Philly Chapter Meeting
at Drexel University, 153 Crossings
3175 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104

AGENDA
- 4:45 - 5:15 :: Socializing
- 5:15 - 5:20 :: Welcome / Opening Announcements
- 5:20 - 5:35 :: Philly Game Jam 2011 Recap
- 5:35 - 6:35 :: Marketing Talk of Awesome! (Marketing 101)
- 6:35 - 6:50 :: Q&A w/ Presenter
- 6:50 - 7:00 :: Closing Remarks / Socializing

Saturday, 21 May 2011, 9:00AM - 5:30PM
GameLoop Philly
at University of the Arts, Terra Hall, 16th Floor
211 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

GameLoop is annual one-day game industry unconference — a self-organizing conference — that originated in Boston in 2008. Think BarCamp but focused specifically on the industry of games. Philadelphia will be the second city to host GameLoop.

Saturday, 21 May 2011, 3:00 - 6:00PM
Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School Philly
at World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

Dr. Sketchy’s is the world’s premier alternative drawing movement. Every month, over 3,500 artists gather in nearly a hundred cities (including New York, Hollywood, Sao Paolo, London, Rome, Paris, Tokyo and Melbourne) to sketch glamorous, subcultural models and compete in drawing contests in an atmosphere of artistic mayhem. Started by Molly Crabapple, an artist and former model, as an alternative to the dull drawing classes she had posed for, Dr. Sketchy’s has exploded into an international phenomenon.

Getting Settled in Philadelphia

2011-04-29T20:19:00.000-04:00

Well, I made it. Getting acquainted with the city and the surrounding areas. Spent my first weekend here in DC. Spent the past weekend in New York. Both cities are relatively close by. Only about a two- to three-hour bus ride away.

Everything arrived via USPS safe and sound. Taking my time in finding a place for everything. Finally got my computer set up today. Ready and eager to start getting back to work. Been out in the city looking for jobs and networking along the way. Most of my efforts have been directed toward the local game development and cycling communities. Both fields are dominated by small businesses. Although, the same can be said about most businesses throughout Philadelphia. It's an unfamiliar condition to me, coming from California where large chains are common place and the preferred market place, eclipsing the smaller, privately owned business establishments. I find it charming. I also find it to be more accessible in a way, community based instead of hidden behind a corporate veil.

The following is a list of references to local events and organizations:

Philadelphia or Bust: Part 3

2011-04-11T00:39:00.000-04:00

Sold the Saab. Sorting through everything and selling what I can. Shipping or giving away the rest. Trying not to leave much behind. First round of shipments sent this past week. Next round begins tomorrow. Leaving for Philadelphia this Thursday. Nigel, the beta, has already arrived in Philly safe and sound. Much to do still. Long week ahead. Looking forward to Friday.

the tourist

2011-04-04T13:01:00.000-04:00

through rosy glasses i see, all around me, professionals dedicated to the industry. then, from no discernible direction, the question emerged; softly whispered and quietly heard. like a drop swiftly meeting a glassy pool, the surface appearance gradually changed. how many of these are simply tourists? wide eyed and enthused. eager and optimistic of a promising future. talented perhaps, yet existing without an ounce of contribution. all onlookers to an event, an exhibition of talents and works of those who have crossed the defining threshold and proven themselves masters of the trade and pioneers of the industry.

is this all but a side show and i the tourist?

Philadelphia or Bust: Part 2

2011-03-23T15:26:00.000-04:00

Going to make this quick. Got back from Philly to find that I was required to take a 90-day break in service from work at Sony. Such is the plight of the permatemp. I wouldn't be eligible to work on another project until the middle of May. Being that work was my primary reason for remaining in San Diego, I decided now was the time to move to Philadelphia since I have work neither here nor there. At least there I would have the opportunity to speak with people in person, instead of having to apply from across the country.

So here's the plan. Sell everything off and start over fresh in Philadelphia. Apply for jobs across all my skill sets. Any job will do for now. Initial search will include the following markets:

Game Development
VFX & Post Production
Web Media Development
IT Support in Higher Education
Bicycle Mechanic & Sport Retail
Framing & Art Supply Retail

In addition, pursue grad school at Penn by applying for the 2012 academic year.

Achieve GRE scores exceeding 570 Verbal, 780 Quantitative, and 4 in Analytical Writing
Apply to the Masters in Computer and Information Technology (MCIT) program
Transition to the MSE in Computer Graphics and Game Technology (CGGT) program

Upcoming Events

2011-02-10T22:18:00.000-05:00

Saturday, 26 February 2011, 11:00AM - 4:00PM
Designing the Grid:
The Art and Design of Tron: Legacy
at The Gnomon School of Visual Effects
1015 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038

Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the production art and design of TRON: Legacy, as well as the opportunity to engage in a Q&A segment with the entire design team. Guest speakers will span various creative disciplines, covering the design of vehicles, props, characters, costumes and the challenge of designing elaborate sets to be translated to a 3D world.

Update 2011-02-23 19:01
Capacity for this event has been reached:

Due to overwhelming interest in this event we are forced to limit access to a limited number of people. As much as we would like everyone to be able to attend, our venue simply doesn’t have the room to seat all who RSVP’d.

We will be randomly selecting names from everyone who RSVP’d to attend the event. Everyone who RSVP’d will receive an email Thursday afternoon informing them if they were selected or not.

We realize this may be an inconvenience for some people who have already made plans but unfortunately there is little we can do with limited space. We are looking into other venues in the future that will allow us to continue hosting free events for as many people as possible.

Saturday, 5 March 2011, 7:00PM - 11:00PM
The Art of High Moon Studios
at The Gnomon Gallery
1015 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038

This exhibit highlights the work of five concept artists from High Moon Studios, showcasing their artwork from the new "Transformers: War for Cybertron" video game saga, as well as their individual personal artwork.
While their production work is bound together by a childhood appreciation for Generation One of the Transformers universe, the artists' personal works are distinguished by their widely varying backgrounds and influences. Whether originating from illustration, fine art, industrial design, comic books, or animation, these artists work together as a team to design new worlds where anything is possible.

Monday, 7 March 2011, 5:30PM - 8:30PM
IGDA San Diego March Meeting
at UCSD Extension, Room 117
6925 Lusk Blvd., San Diego, CA 92121

Guest Speaker: Mat Broome Visual Director of DC Universe Online will be speaking about concept work created by Wildstorm and the process of working with Jim Lee; the collaboration of designing the work and executing the look and vision of the DC Universe in the latest MMO game from Sony Online Entertainment.

Deadline: Wednesday, 23 February 2011
CGChallenge XXVI: Dreamscape
at CGSociety.org

Deadline: Monday, 28 February 2011
Mini 3D #33: Sackboys 2
at GameArtisans.org

Deadline: Monday, 28 February 2011
Daily Sketches #2: February 2011
at GameArtisans.org

Monday, 28 February 2011
Dominance War V Begins
at DominanceWar.com

Visiting Philadelphia, PA
Friday, 25 February - Monday, 28 February 2011
Wednesday, 9 March - Monday, 14 March 2011

Relocating to Philadelphia. Seeking a position in Video Game Development, Film & Visual Effects, or Information Technology. Experience includes:

QA testing of PlayStation titles for SCEA since 2009
Motion graphics, 3D modeling, and rendering since 2007
Web design and information technology since 1997
Operated a computer consulting business for 9 years

Philadelphia or Bust: Part 1

2011-01-17T03:13:00.000-05:00

My path has diverged and I am at a cross roads again. The time has come to reevaluate my goals. But first, to reflect on recent happenings in order to more appropriately set the stage.

On January 13, I was called in for a surprise interview with the five supervisors of the GFPQA team at SCEA San Diego Studio. The interview was for the position of Senior Quality Assurance Tester with SCEA. I was surprised in the purest sense. Just thinking about it made me tremble from the excitement of hearing the news, or perhaps those were tremors of fear from knowing what it meant I must do. Working on PlayStation titles at Sony Computer Entertainment America is a dream job, a dream career. One that I've hoped for, longed for, wished for, sacrificed for, suffered dearly for, and have worked very, very hard for, for a very long time. To see my efforts pay off is an overwhelmingly wonderful experience. Which brings me to a crucial and crushing dilemma. The outcome of which may greatly affect the course of my life.

After three years together, my sweetheart moved to Philadelphia in August of last year to attend the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Over the past few months, we've been talking about finding an apartment together again, and have made plans to do so by summer. I have a great job in San Diego, in an industry that I hope to build a career in. However, I feel that if I chose to stay in San Diego instead of moving to Philadelphia to be with my girlfriend, I would regret the decision for the rest of my life. Whereas for my career, there may be opportunities in Philadelphia that might just as well fulfill and further my interests. I have to try, which is what I told my supervisors during the interview. At that very point, I knew my decision was made.

It's not easy to see a dream come so close, offered up before you for the taking, all the while knowing your next step will be to turn and walk away from it. It's never easy. It never will be. It's even harder to rationalize it. That is what I must earnestly do if I am to find peace of mind and harmony in life. The idea of harmony in one's life is the central grounding concept that has allowed me to move forward, and motivates me to improve.

On February 2, I was called in again to meet with my supervisors. I was informed that although I had interviewed very well -- was well spoken, knowledgeable, and passionate -- they had decided not to extend the position to me at that time. They recommended I continue doing just as I was, and to assume as much responsibility as possible without stepping on anyone's toes. They also asked that if I ever move back to San Diego, to consider returning to SCEA. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of the interview and the followup meeting. I have established a strong, positive reputation with the department and have an open-ended offer to return. I'm happy things worked out the way they did. I look forward to moving to Philadelphia.

Leaving Sport Chalet

2010-06-01T03:21:00.000-04:00

Monday night was my last shift as a bicycle mechanic at Sport Chalet. Before I left for the night, I swiped a little something off the back of the break room door. It was a customer feedback email that one of the managers had posted for everyone to see:

I just want to pass on my appreciation of the La Jolla / UTC store in San Diego, CA. I have just begun my hobby in cycling and was ready to invest in a bike on Saturday. I went to REI and left frustrated as no one could help me find what was most comfortable and the right kind of bike for me. I left REI and wanted to go home but I decided to give Sport Chalet a shot even though for some reason I had been told by others it was less reputable and desirable to buy at Sport Chalet than REI. Well, they're completely wrong! Nikko at the bike shop was possibly the most knowledgeable sales associate I have EVER encountered. I used to work for Royal Robbins so I know the detail one has to be aware of in the outdoor / sports industry and he really knew his stuff. He went a step beyond and offered us suggestions of riding groups, tips on lighting safety, and wasn't too pushy about accessories but did upsell and get me outfitted with what I need.

The manager was also very helpful and pleasant throughout my purchase. I couldn't be more pleased and because of Nikko, my boyfriend has been converted from an REI loyalist and will be buying his next roadbike from Sport Chalet next month!

Thank you!

That's how I work. I believe very strongly in work ethic. Nice to see it appreciated. It was the first I'd seen of this email. Figured it would come down after I left anyway, so I took the copy with me.

Star Wars in Concert

2010-05-29T11:56:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Star Wars in Concert. My GF treated me to the event at Sports Arena. A real sweetheart she is. The event was absolutely amazing! The most fun I've had at any concert to date. Anthony Daniels, the voice and soul of C3PO, was even there to host the show.

Conflicting Interests

2010-05-18T19:59:00.000-04:00

I put in my two-weeks notice today at Sport Chalet. I didn't want to have to do it. I'm not happy after having to do it. I enjoy being a bicycle mechanic. At the same time though, it's interfering with my career interests.

Today was the second time in less than a week that my duties at Sport Chalet have interfered with my job at SCEA. Last Thursday I was faced with turning down possible overtime at SCEA due to scheduling overlap. In the past, I've been able to sidestep my duties at Sport Chalet, finding somebody else to take over for me. Not this time. Lucky for me, we ended up not doing overtime that night. I didn't have to turn it down. However today, I was forced to turn down work at SCEA due to scheduling overlap. I was called in for a returning project earlier today that would run through 10pm tonight and possibly the next few days. I answered positively to the short notice request, but also notified my coordinator that I would need to leave early at 5:30pm to work at my other job. I lost the opportunity to work on the project, and as a result have lost that income due to the inflexibility of my second job. This is very costly to my career as well. The more I turn down jobs, the less likely I am to be called back in for work. Before today, I have never turned down work at SCEA. I am infuriated by this instance. My job at Sport Chalet is an expense I cannot afford.

My time is far more valuable to me than I'm being compensated for. After requesting a rate increase at Sport Chalet and being denied, I promptly gave a two-weeks notice of my intent to quit.

The Making of Avatar

2010-03-25T04:02:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, April 3, 2010, the Gnomon School of Visual Effects will be hosting a free, full-day event with several of the artists responsible for the ground breaking film Avatar. The event will cover design and technology with a wide array of never before seen artwork, shot breakdowns and Q&A.

Topics covered during the Design portion will include the design of various elements of Avatar, including characters, creatures, vehicles, props, sets and the world of Pandora.

Presenters will discuss the technology used in creating Avatar. Topics will include motion capture and animation and integration techniques, real-time virtual film making, and live action/augmented reality integration. Each presenter will cover their responsibilities and show behind the scenes footage related to their work.

For more information, visit The Making of Avatar event page.

Space is limited for this event. Only those who make it onto the RSVP list will be allowed to attend. All others will be turned away.

The list is now full. Sadly, I did not make the cut. I had requested the day off from work and was very, very much looking forward to attending. I envy and congratulate all those who were fortunate enough to be accepted. Wish I could attend as well.

Samsung SyncMaster 215TW

2009-11-18T23:52:00.000-05:00

My monitor is in the early stages of failure. The symptoms include a high pitch ring that changes in frequency with respect to power usage; and, as of today, flickering when the lamps are powered on. Internet searches have reaffirmed what experience has already told me: a capacitor on the power supply unit has reached the end of its expected life span. My options are to either replace the power supply unit or, if I have the dexterity, replace the failing capacitor with one of higher quality and a higher rating.

Update 2009-12-08 22:10
Last week, I ordered a new power supply unit from ShopJimmy.com. It arrived on my doorstep last night. And tonight, I had the pleasure of installing it. I'm back in business!

The cause of failure for this monitor was due to a number of faulty electrolytic capacitors on the power supply circuit board. Notice the bulging and split caps of the capacitors in the following images.

Bulging or split caps are the telltale signs of failing or faulty electrolytic capacitors. What causes them to bulge and ultimately split is the buildup of hydrogen gas inside the capacitor; the result of an unstable electrolytic formula used in the manufacturing process. So many of these capacitors have made their way into the market place that this sort of issue is referred to as capacitor plague.

When electrical current is applied to a faulty electrolytic capacitor, the electrolyte becomes unstable and breaks down, releasing hydrogen atoms. As a result, the amount of charge a faulty capacitor can effectively hold is gradually reduced. Since a failing capacitor holds less of a charge, it also discharges faster. In the case of our monitors, we begin to see the effects of this as a flickering screen.

Temperature can also affect the performance of electrolytic capacitors. Imagine a bell curve: a capacitor will hold the most charge at its optimal operating temperature. Which is why a flickering screen may stop flickering after the monitor warms up.

The following walk-through will hopefully shed some light for anyone attempting to replace the power supply unit in their monitor. It's a delicate process, but with skill and care it can be done without damaging the unit.

Replacing the Power Supply Unit

Step 1: Find a clean, flat, and stable workspace with room to lay the display face down and to set aside any parts removed. It's important to remain organized throughout this process so that no parts are lost or broken. Good organization also keeps reassembly simple.

Step 2: If you haven't already done so, you'll need to remove the base stand. The stand is secured to the back of the display with four Philips screws.

Step 3: To remove the bezel, there are three Philips screws along the bottom edge that need to be removed first. With care, the front and back halves of the bezel can then be pried apart. The bezel is held together along the sides and top by a series of interlocking plastic clips. A small Flathead screwdriver can be helpful in prying apart and separating the two pieces, but can also mar and leave marks along the joining edge of both pieces.

It's best to start from the bottom and work your way up along the sides. Be sure to take care when prying loose the corner clips, as these can be problematic. I had difficulty with one of the corners, which to my misfortune lead to a portion of the corner clip being torn away.

Once separated, lift the back half of the bezel free and look over the system for any irregularities. Also, take this opportunity to dust. A blanket of dust only hinders heat dissipation.

The black plastic piece around the composite/s-video connectors in the image below is loosely attached, and can be removed and set aside for now.

Step 4: Next, we disconnect the two ribbon cables to the left of the composite/s-video connectors in the image below. Each of the ribbon cable connectors is secured with a clip. To release the connector clip and disconnect the ribbon cable, depress the tab on the top half of the connector and pull outward.

Be sure to release the securing clip when disconnecting each cable. At first, I didn't understand how these cables were secured. In my first attempt to disconnect the cable, I firmly pulled on the cable without depressing the tab on the connector and sheared the connector clip clean off.

Step 5: On the other side, there's a panel that needs to be removed in order to access and unplug the wires beneath. These wires lead to the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs) that illuminate the display, and are connected directly to the power supply unit being replaced.

The panel is held in place at four points. To remove the panel, gently slide the panel toward the outer edge of the display chassis, unhooking it from the two tabs circled below. Then lift slightly upward and away from the chassis, and slide the panel back away from the outer edge to unhook the other two securing tabs.

Step 6: With the panel removed, disconnect the four sets of wire connectors shown below in the same way the ribbon cables were disconnected. Be sure to depress the tab for each connector in order to release the securing clip when pulling outward to disconnect the wires.

Step 7: With the four sets of wires on the left and two ribbon cables on the right disconnected, the chassis housing the power supply is ready to be lifted off the display. The chassis is loosely fitted to the rear of the display. There is nothing securing the chassis to the screen. However, there is a batch of wires that connects the circuit boards in the chassis to the screen.

The sides of the chassis hug the display screen. Lift the chassis slightly upward off the back of the display to free it from the screen. Since the screen and circuit boards a connected toward the top of the screen, lift the bottom edge upward and flip the chassis over as if hinged to the display along the top edge. Be sure to place something beneath the chassis to give it support and relieve any stress on the connecting wires.

Step 8: There are three Philips screws securing the power supply unit in place, circled in the image below. There is also a small metal panel held in place by the upper-left screw circled below, that will need to be removed and set aside. The power supply unit can then be removed.

Step 9: The power supply unit is coupled to the main board. To disconnect the unit, depress the tab on the connector at the main board and pull the connector outward.

Step 10: Inspect both power supply units. The dimensions, mounting hole locations, and connectors should all be the same. In the image below, the new power supply unit is shown on the left, while the old faulty unit is on the right.

Just follow this walk-through in reverse order to put it all back together again.

Update 2011-01-17 14:27
Still going strong! Daily use includes a computer via DVI, a PlayStation®2 via S-video, and a PlayStation®3 via Component. Since the monitor speakers leave much to be desired, the audio output is passed through the monitor via the mini-phone jack on the front panel to either 2.1 Altec Lansing speakers or Sony wireless headphones.

After reviewing higher resolution photos of the two boards shown above, I have identified the following part and model numbers:

Part No. of Replacement PS: BN44-00127B
Model No. of Original PS: IP-58130A

Next Generation Cintiq

2009-11-13T03:21:00.000-05:00

Is there a bun in the oven? Could it be true? When will Wacom give birth to its next generation of Cintiq tablets and release them in all their beauty and wondrous glory to be cradled in the arms of endearing artists world round?

Someone seems to think there is, and that it'll be released sometime this next year. That is, if the rumor is true. An anonymous constituent leaked word of it last month in a reply to a forum thread at ConceptArt.org. In light of this information and some wishful thinking, I plan to save my money and wait to see if it's true. If it is, then it'll probably be expensive as hell, and well worth every penny.

I'm selling my Cintiq 12wx this weekend. It was a difficult decision to make, but a necessary one since times have been tough for me with this floundering economy. Although, if any time were best to sell, the time would probably be now.

Gnomon Master Classes Are In Full Swing

2009-11-12T04:30:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the first time I logged in to the Gnomon Master Classes hosted by The Gnomon Workshop. Unfortunately, it appears as though the instructors will only be available for this first week of class. Late to the show, I have little time left to ask questions and get feedback from some of these veteran industry professionals. These are exciting times, with long and busy days ahead.

I love my new job. Working as a Game Test Analyst, I find myself looking forward to each workday with driven purpose and enjoyment in what I do. This is the beginning of my dream career.

NVIDIA 3D Vision

2009-11-01T05:51:00.001-05:00

I'm really surprise I hadn't learned of this earlier. Beginning with the GeForce 8 Series graphics cards, Nvidia offers a stereoscopic imaging feature for games, applications, pictures, and movies with a product they've labeled as NVIDIA 3D Vision. Owners of supported cards can easily begin taking advantage, or at least begin to discover the possibilities, of this feature simply by enabling the 3D Vision option with Nvidia's configuration utility and donning a pair of inexpensive red and blue anaglyph glasses.

NVIDIA 3D Vision Discover (anaglyph)
3D Vision Discover System Requirements

Unfortunately, the Quadro FX 3000 that I have is too old to support 3D Vision. My friend, on the other hand, has a GeForce 8800 GTS, which was one of the first cards to support this feature. We tried it out on his system with Team Fortress 2 and were blown away by the eye-popping results. The only adverse issues we had were increased latency due to the system rendering two overlapping color separated images, and the adjustment time our eyes needed to see true color through red and blue lenses. Unable to distinguish true color can be somewhat problematic, especially in a game with red and blue teams. Luckily teammates don't suffer from friendly fire.

The other option is buy the NVIDIA 3D Vision wireless shutter glasses and upgrade to a monitor with refresh rates of 120Hz. Of which, there are only a hand full available on the market. Because the shutter glasses alternately show every other refresh cycle for each eye, the effective refresh rate for each eye is 60Hz, which is the typical refresh rate for most LCD displays. A display capable of refresh rates of 120Hz is absolutely necessary for this setup. The exciting news is that there are large-screen high-definition TVs being produced that offer refresh rates of 120Hz and 240Hz, including low-profile high-contrast LED television sets. This means highly immersive in-home entertainment.

Maybe someday. For now I dream.

Champions vs. Quadro FX 3000

2009-10-31T13:16:00.000-04:00

Downloaded and installed Champions Online: Bloodmoon with Cryptic Studio's Free Weekend offer through Steam. When attempting to launch the game from the Champions Online: Bloodmoon launcher window, a "Failed System Specs Check" warning window appears with regards to outdated video drivers.

After selecting "Yes, with lowered settings" to launch the application with reduced settings, the game promptly crashes and generates an error report.

Yet another game I am unable to play due to obsolete or unsupported video hardware.

Trials of the Job Hunt: Part 4

2009-10-30T20:13:00.000-04:00

I was just offered to work full-time on a project at SCEA starting Monday! So excited! So happy! So very much looking forward to this. It's going to be awesome. It also couldn't have come at a better time. This is really going to save my butt.

Special thanks goes out to all those who recommended me for the position. You can be sure I won't let you down.

L4D2 Demo vs. Quadro FX 3000

2009-10-29T14:41:00.001-04:00

The Left 4 Dead 2 Demo for PC made its belated debut yesterday. After installing the demo and starting the game, I was promptly presented with the following error message window:

Continuing anyway yielded the following in-game results:

Drivers are up to date. I downloaded and installed the latest Quadro Graphics Driver (ver. 169.96; 6 June 2008), as well as the Quadro Performance Driver (ver. 176.04; 11 July 2008). Both driver sets yield the same results as before.

For the following screen shots, the Aspect Ratio, Resolution, Display Mode, and Model/Texture Detail options were modified in the Advanced Video Options menu. In-game video option settings are as follows for the following screen shots:

It appears as if some in-game environment asset textures are corrupt, and the clustering of polygonal planes appear to be player characters. Any prerendered content -- such as cut-scenes and menus -- appears to be displaying properly.

The following Windows error message occurs upon exiting the game if any game level was initiated while the game was open:

The error report contains the following information:

The technical information about the report is as follows:

Click to view the attached report file: 8317_appcompat.txt

Update 2009-10-29 18:04
Ran a system analysis check at SystemRequirementsLab.com for Left 4 Dead. Results of the analysis are as follows:

Looks like my only option is to replace this workstation graphics card with a supported gaming card in order to run L4D and L4D2.

Update 2009-10-30 10:28
The NV35 chip set used in the Quadro FX 3000 is also used in the GeForce FX 5900, released in May 2003 (Source: Wikipedia.org).

The chip set in the Quadro FX 3000 is apparently too old to run L4D or L4D2. The minimum video requirement for the game specifies the GeForce 6600, released in 2004, which uses the NV43 chip set.

Rope's End

2009-10-26T12:20:00.000-04:00

I'm completely out of cash. Everything is up for sale. Am I destined to live the life of a vagabond?

For the past year, it's as if I've been in the grip of a constrictor. Every month I seem to have just squeaked by, while each consecutive month there after I have fewer and fewer resources to work with. Due to a bear economy, I'm more consistently getting fewer hours at my Sport Chalet job where even initially my earnings were barely enough to get by on. As a result, my credit to debt ratio has steadily slipped toward whole number status. With almost no credit left to my name and my monthly expenses exceeding my income, I've had little choice other than to begin selling my belongings. Now even that resource is approaching exhaustion.

I've been searching for a real job for more than a year now. I should say my first honest, or at least dedicated, efforts where made in June after completing my education and graduating from UCSD. I'm still waiting for my diploma to arrive in the mail. After applying to various positions with Blizzard Entertainment -- ranging from Tech Support Rep to Systems Admin -- and not hearing back about any, I reconsidered the scope of positions I should be applying for. Having made the decision to leave the IT industry a long time ago, I knew any effort to find a job in that industry would only ever be half-hearted. If I were to start my career, I needed to work toward my discipline of choice: an artist in the entertainment industry. However, I haven't yet any marketable skills as an artist that could land me a position with a reputable employer, and am not yet ready to continue my education with Gnomon. Lucky for me, as I came to this realization, I met someone who opened me up to another option.

Many game developers, including artists and programmers, start out as quality assurance testers in the video game industry. It allows them to establish work experience, and to network with others already working in their field of interest. I found and applied to two positions: a Quality Assurance Tester position at High Moon Studios, and a Game Tester Analyst position with Nelson Staffing at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). I was promptly turned down by High Moon Studios, but was interviewed and got the job with Nelson Staffing! I have since successfully completed training with SCEA, was recommended by the instructor as one of the top performers in the class, and have already assisted in testing one of their software titles. I have yet to be placed on a project though, so there's still no steady work or income.

It's been difficult letting go. The only thing that eases my mind is fear of not being able to fulfill my financial responsibilities. I'm so tired of living with this fear; it's wearing me out. I'm letting go of everything, and subsequently am reaching the end of my rope. I have already sold my Intuos3. My Cintiq is now up for sale. Today I will also be posting my JVC GZ-HD7 prosumer camcorder, Olympus E-10 digital SLR camera, FreeAgent AirStrike BMX bicycle, and my LeMond Zurich road bike. It hurts to let go, but I can't afford otherwise.

Minimizing Overhead to Simplify Life

2009-10-12T16:34:00.001-04:00

I vacated my storage unit in Point Loma this weekend. In the process of doing so I donated most of my computer equipment to Goodwill. The quantity of which filled the back half of my car, and weighed so much that the tires sank into the wheel wells. The decision to do so was a difficult one to make. I came to realize that sorting through obsolete components and attempting to selling them off piecemeal would only serve as a distraction and ultimately a waste of time. To remain steadfast in the pursuit of my goals, I had to simply let go. I'm confident it was the best thing to do.

The remainder of my personal items were moved to a larger, less-expensive unit closer to home. I'm slowly going through everything, deciding what to keep and what to let go of. Since my financial situation hasn't improved any yet, I'm still in the process of liquidating assets as a means of supplementing my income. Another factor motivating me to minimize my overhead is the idea that less attachment allows me to more easily move forward with my plans.

In the simplest scenario, I would have no storage unit or apartment and would live out of my car or even just a backpack. I can only imagine this as a temporary solution though, until I could afford otherwise. Ideally I would have the financial means to own a studio space large enough to live in and practice all of my art making.

Trials of the Job Hunt: Part 3

2009-10-12T13:54:00.000-04:00

I got the job! The exciting news came Wednesday evening when I received a call from the on-site coordinator at Nelson Staffing. She asked for me to come in today in order to finalize all the paperwork for employment. Tomorrow will be the first day of training.

Before leaving today, I spoke with her about the discrepancy in the proposed rate of compensation. When I showed her the printout of the job listing I applied to, she said it was a typo and was meant to be for the Game Tester Analyst (GTA) position in Foster City. The rate specified for San Diego should have been [an undisclosed lesser amount.] Nelson Staffing's job site currently has both positions listed with a compensation rate of twelve dollars per hour.

Something tells me I'm a little too gullible for my own good. Still, the job serves as an opportunity and has the potential to be a launch point for my career. Like she said, there are ways to move up.

While I was there, I also asked about any benefits that might be available, how many hours we would be permitted to work, if there would be regular overtime, and if purchase discounts would be available to us as employees. Apparently there is some sort of benefits program available through Sony, the details of which will be made available tomorrow in training. The number of regular work hours each week should only amount to thirty-seven, so overtime will most likely not be commonplace. As project deadlines approach though, we may be required to work longer hours. As employees, the only purchase discounts we get are for games we help test.

All things considered, it may be best to keep my job at Sport Chalet for now and try to work out a schedule that allows me to work at both jobs. For instance, working at Sony from 7AM to 3PM, and at Sport Chalet from 4PM to 10PM weekdays. I have to work weekends as well, but I'm not sure yet how that schedule is going to work out.

The Gnomon Workshop: Master Classes

2009-10-07T02:52:00.000-04:00

The Gnomon Workshop is hosting it's second annual Master Classes series to be held over the course of two weeks, begining November 9^th and lasting through November 23^rd. Register for the event by November 1^st to take advantage of early registration rates.

This is an interactive online event is made up of sixteen different classes, each focusing on a different element of the entertainment industry, and are exclusively available to event participants with purchase of a ticket. Each class contains two to three hours of video instruction and is associated with a private forum in which students can ask questions and discuss related topics with the instructor.

Trials of the Job Hunt: Part 2

2009-09-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

Today I interviewed with Nelson Staffing for a Game Tester Analyst position at Sony Computer Entertainment America. Although the interview process went well and the prospects of winning a position appear promising, I'm not totally satisfied with the job I'm pursuing.

Stability is one of the primary reasons for this job hunt. A game tester position isn't stable by any means. Work is project based and is mostly seasonal. With any luck I would be working full time through January. The hours would be odd, though, requiring overtime and weekends. Then I will most likely be out of work for a few weeks, possibly a few months.

Better compensation is another reason for this job hunt. Benefits such as health care and paid time off are not offered through this temporary contract position. Also, the rate of pay that was offered to me in the interview was [an undisclosed lesser amount,] whereas on the website it was listed as twelve. I have a print out of the listing and will attempt to negotiate a rate increase when I meet with them next to sign a contract.

What started this job hunt in the first place was the desire to pursue a dream. I want to be an artist. However, I think my current approach fails to best facilitate this goal. Instead of going directly after what I want, I keep pursuing my interests in a round about manner. At least I'm looking for jobs in the entertainment industry. Any job would be a foot in the door. I should be making more art and striving to attend the High End CG Certificate program at Gnomon.

Trials of the Job Hunt: Part 1

2009-09-26T14:41:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, I showed up at Sony well prepared and eager to attend an interview with Nelson Staffing. However, when I arrived at the door there was a sign stating that "interviews would not be held today," and that they will continue next week. At first I was a little disappointed, but I was so enthusiastic about the position the feeling didn't linger very long.

On Thursday, I received a letter from High Moon Studios with regards to my application:

Thank you for expressing interest in career opportunities with Activision. Your resume has been reviewed by several members of our company.

We have given careful consideration to your credentials in relation to our staffing needs. Although your background and experience demonstrate a strong record of achievement, we regret to inform you that we do not have a position available for you at this time.

We will keep your resume on file and will certainly give it further consideration if any appropriate opportunities arise. Thank you for your interest in Activision and good luck in your job search.

The hunt continues.

A New Path Emerges

2009-09-22T14:05:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I had the good fortune of meeting a very helpful and encouraging soul. He came into Sport Chalet shopping for bicycles with his wife. As I sometimes do when explaining the quality and reputation of certain bicycle components, namely by Sram and Shimano, I related them to the competing microprocessor manufacturers AMD and Intel. This sparked a conversation about computers and system administration that apparently impressed my new found friend. When I mentioned I was looking for a job at Blizzard, he prompted, "You know Sony is right here in San Diego. Why not apply with them?" When I told him my reasons for pursuing Blizzard were that I liked their business plan and that they took care of their employees, he responded by saying with a little smile, "I think Sony takes care of us pretty well." He handed me his business card and asked that I send him a copy of my resume. As it turns out, he's a Systems Engineer for Sony Computer Entertainment America!

My new friend has been very kind in helping me find a new job. When I told him of my interests in moving away from the IT industry in favor of artistic passion in the entertainment industry, he told me about game tester positions available with Sony and sent me a flier detailing the job description and application requirements. I had known about the positions before through a couple friends who have worked as game testers, but until now I hadn't considered applying. When I sent him my resume, he was more than happy to comment on it and even offered to send it out to a few other people if the game testing position didn't work out.

I also applied for a Quality Assurance Tester position with High Moon Studios. As of today they are no longer accepting applications. I'm very excited and eager to start my career.

2009-09-13T05:58:00.000-04:00

Finding my way back into the world of video games. Knew nowhere near the extent of what I was missing out on before now. Thoroughly impressed with the quality of games produced at Valve. Very much looking forward to many more hours of game play.

This was a birthday gift from my sweetheart of a girlfriend. I first expressed an interest in The Orange Box a couple weeks ago as the Comicon Challenge at GameArtisans.org drew to a close. What sparked this interest was the idea of taking something that I had made and placing it into one of these games with use of an editor like Valve's Source SDK.

Ultimately, I'd like to build an entirely new environment within Maya, complete with assets and characters, and then bring it all to life with a game engine. The two I've been looking at are, of course, Valve's Source engine and Unreal Technology's Unreal Engine 3, which comes packaged with Gears of War for PC and Unreal Tournament 3. Others I have in the list include id Software's id Tech engine and Terminal Reality's Infernal Engine.

In looking for jobs, I've opened my search up to quality assurance game testing positions, too. Bonus skills they're looking for is experience working with game engines and editors. I feel like I'm on the right path, and it feels great! It's nice knowing that I'm working toward something while I'm having fun.

"9" Was Really, Really Good

2009-09-09T18:03:00.001-04:00

I recommend everyone go see the film, even those of you whose natural instinct it is to "poo-poo" the idea of seeing an animation. The story is compelling and masterfully told. A bit darker than what you might expect from an animated feature, but it adds a tastefully mature flavor to the film. Something for the rest of us. Very, very pleased with the experience and the quality of the film throughout.

Congratulations, Shane Acker. You and your crew did a great job!

Acker's Autograph

2009-09-06T04:52:00.000-04:00

This evening I got the chance to meet Shane Acker at Gnomon. Took the opportunity to ask about his education and what inspired him while making his graduate thesis film '9'. Also got to shake his hand and got him to autograph my copy of October's 3D World magazine featuring The making of '9'.

The presentation was really good. I'm amazed by how matte painting was applied just about everywhere throughout the film. Such a great idea! By using tricks, such as pre-rendered scenery on layered cards and projected paintings on surfaces, they were able to save both time and money in the rendering process. Which helped significantly since they were operating under a relatively small budget of roughly only $30M. Starting with about 40 people, their crew grew to about 200 at it's largest with "all cylinders firing" before thinning back down to the original forty in post production. The technologies used in making the film were all pretty much off the shelf with not much scripting involved. Software packages used were Photoshop, Maya, and Combustion. Ten years in the making, the film took about three years to produce with. Nine months into the project, though, production came to a stand still as they were forced to find another studio to work with. Starz Animation was the solution. They spent another sixteen months working on the project, bringing the title to completion. The film has already been released in France and is receiving warm reviews. It opens in US theaters on Wednesday.

More info:

Amazing Animations

2009-09-05T03:51:00.000-04:00

I just watched the trailer for the short film Urs directed by Filmakademie student Moritz Mayerhofer. Although the film is animated in 3D, the visual style is so painterly, with thick brush strokes visible across each and every frame, it's like watching an oil painting come to life before your eyes. It's so refreshing to watch new artistic styles like this emerge with such innovative techniques. The experience is inspiring and exhilarating, and motivates me to keep forging away at my own work.

Tomorrow evening I'll be in Hollywood for the Making of 9 and the Art of 9 events at Gnomon, presented by Director Shane Acker and Animation Director Joe Ksander. I'm really excited about attending this event. Seeing the artwork and the creative process that goes into producing films and video games has always inspired me and further fueled my imagination. I think what also excites me though is being in the midst of where it all happens, and actually seeing in person the people that turn dreams into reality. Tomorrow is particularly special, though. On Wednesday, I received in the mail the October issue of 3D World magazine, which has a special cover for subscribers featuring their article The Making of '9' with a full-cover image of the character 6. Tomorrow I hope to speak with Shane Acker after his presentation, shake his hand, and ask him for an autograph on the cover of my 3D World magazine. That would be my most prized possession, because it would serve as a constant reminder to me that all of this isn't beyond my reach, that with dedication and determination, I could one day walk in his footsteps.

Looking forward to seeing 9 in theaters September 9, 2009.

The Path Ahead is Split

2009-09-04T12:07:00.000-04:00

The most difficult aspect of following a path is in making the decision of which direction to take. I'm standing at a junction. But instead of picking a direction and running with it, I walk just far enough down a path where I can still see the trail head behind me. Then I turn back and do the same with the next. Although, it's also as if I'm walking down all paths at the same time. With every step I take forward, my legs stretch longer and thinner as they reach for each separating path, and grow more feeble and stressed as my frame weighs down upon them. I need to make a choice, but which should it be?

Tech Support by Nikkolai

As you might have noticed from my earlier posts, I'm offering my services again as an agent in the secret society of independent computer support gurus. What, you might ask, has driven me back to the fold is none other than the loathsome practitioner of everything that is capitalistic, my employer. If this is to work, it needs to be useful, easy to use, and worthwhile to the customer. Much to do.

Extend advertising campaign
Build support website

Database
Login/Registration interface
Profile editor
Ask question tool
Trouble ticket generator
Support forum
Service records
Documentation wiki
Quality assurance survey
Administrative tools

Tech Support or Web Design at Blizzard

I think my best chance at finding a job that's both well adjusted and that I enjoy doing is going to be with Blizzard. The jobs I currently qualify for are technical support/administrative and web design/scripting positions. Ultimately, an artist position is where I'd like to be, but I don't have the adequate training or skill sets yet to win one. I need to go to Gnomon.

Rework resume
Rewrite cover letters
Write sample code
Make sample designs
Contact recruiters for review
Have Gnomon advisers review resume and cover letters when attending open house (Sept 19)

Art Education at Gnomon

Ah, Gnomon. The first and only school I've ever truly had spirit for. I'm amazed and inspired by the richness of talent that flows freely among it's populous. I hope with all my heart to be accepted into their High End CG Certificate program. If I'm to have a chance at being considered, I need continue practicing my artwork everyday, and strengthen my skills and understanding of classical art forms. Upon applying to the program, I'm required to submit a portfolio containing a range of my best work to show that I have a strong classical foundation.

Daily sketch
Figure study
Life drawing
Still life
Concept sketches
Work flow for concept paintings
Sculpture
Compile portfolio

Publish with InDesign
Send to printer

Comb wire binding
Pockets inside covers
Business card pocket (front cover pocket)
CD pocket (back cover pocket)

Includes

Demo reel on DVD
Business card
Resume

Protocol for Tech Support

2009-09-03T18:04:00.000-04:00

Okay, just finished putting together a concise plan for operations. Now that I have direction, getting the back end together should be easier. Researched open source technologies this morning to see if there was anything I could use or draw from to get started. Two technologies in particular stood out to me: bbPress and phpWiki. Both use PHP and MySQL, which I'm familiar with and very comfortable working with as I've used it extensively in the past. Need to play catch up with current versions, though.

The first, bbPress, is a community tool, or forum publisher and management tool. This can be used to allow the internet community to contribute in providing solutions to questions posed by customers. It also allows visitors with the same problems to benefit from the solutions. Customers posting questions would remain anonymous.

The second, phpWiki, is as it's name suggests a documentation tool. With this I can post in a cataloged format tutorials and in depth resolutions to trouble tickets.

Another feature I intend to explore is integrating Google Calendars with the appointment scheduler. The rest of the site programming will be written from the ground up by me. Hope to use some of the code in applying for a web scripting job at Blizzard. I need to find something before I go off to Gnomon. My current job sucks.

Open For Business

2009-09-02T17:36:00.000-04:00

Not making it at Sport Chalet. The pay is insulting and the hours are horrible. I keep having to sell personal items just to come up with enough money to live by. I'm looking for alternate solutions.

I've been applying to full-time technical positions since January. I've had a couple interviews, but none of my efforts have yielded any lasting results. Decided I'm going to keep applying for jobs at Blizzard Entertainment. To improve my chances of winning an interview, I need to rework my resume and cover letter according to feedback received from the advisers at Gnomon and UCSD. Then submit the documents for feedback to both of the recruiters from Blizzard whom I spoke with at the Gnomon Workshop. One other thing, I should probably ask for the names of the recruiters or hiring managers from each department I'm applying. This way I can address them properly in the cover letters. After making the necessary changes, I'll resubmit my resume and cover letters to the recruiters and request that they forward them on to the appropriate recruiting department.

One of the things that motivated me to start working toward a career in computers in the first place was that I didn't want to end up being a starving artist. Now that I am a starving artist, I find I've never been happier! Being an artist and practicing artwork is what makes me happy. Now I just have to find a job that allows me to work as an artist. Imagine being paid to do something you would gladly do on your own time and invest your own money in.

I think my best chance at getting into the industry as an artist would be to complete the High End CG Certificate program at Gnomon. To be considered for the program, I need to put together a portfolio of my best work showing that I understand classical forms and figure, and have the potential to grow within the program. Putting this together is one of my top priorities.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to stir up some odd jobs as a computer tech support guru. I printed out and posted some tear-off fliers around the apartment complex, and started building a tech support website. Thinking I need to expand my advertising campaign to include adjacent apartment complexes and local parking lots. The website will be setup to allow members to post questions and schedule service or tutoring appointments.

Deadline Passes By

2009-09-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

I worked hard and tried, but I still didn't make the deadline. Made a lot of progress. Learned a lot about Maya. Still very much more to learn, though.

This is as far as I got by the deadline:

I intend to keep working on this. Need to go through and refine the geometry, though. I'm just over 10k tris on this one. Still need hair, utility belt, shoulder harness, blaster, and light saber. Also need a pedestal, but its poly count isn't included in the 10k limit.

I've got one of two directions I can go with this: finish refining the topology in Maya and start texture mapping, or strip her down to a base mesh and take her into ZBrush, which is the recommended production pipeline. In ZBrush I can work out her form in high detail. Then simplify the geometry to just under the 10k limit and bake out the high resolution detail to a displacement map.

In the end, the UV maps I should have are displacement, diffuse with ambient occlusion, specular, alpha, and finally glow if there's a lightsaber blade. If I missed any or got the terminology wrong, please let me know.

You can follow my progress in the Game Artisans forum thread Comicon Challenge 2009 | wcoastsands | Mara Jade.

These are some of my favorite entries from this year's challenge:

Finding My Own Style

2009-08-13T17:29:00.000-04:00

Continuing to work out the concept art, this is my progress so far.

Starting to break away from the "Marcus Dublin" look and explore more of my own style now that I'm feeling more confident with the art making process. Still feel like I'm wasting time, though. I'll have to finish this up tomorrow. I'm leaving for Gnomon in a few to attend their Live Effects Event tonight: The Making of UP with Pixar's technical director for the film, Gary Bruins.

Progress Thus Far

2009-08-09T13:15:00.001-04:00

I've been working on this concept art for a little more than a week now. I'm a little concerned about the amount of time I've spent on it considering I only have about two weeks left to model, texture, rig, and weight the piece. I don't feel like I'm managing my time very well. For one, I think I probably put too much detail into the concept art, especially given the time frame. I'm also fairly inexperienced with 3D modeling, so I'll need the extra time just to figure out how the tools work. Chances are I won't finish in time, but I'm going to keep working at it anyway.

This morning I looked through some of Michael Dashow's work. Since I have him tagged as one of my favorite artists at CGSociety.org, I get notified whenever he posts an image to his portfolio. His cartoon like illustrations are amazing. They're very well composed, very detailed, and usually have a story to tell.

On his personal website, Dashow shows how his illustration work flow is broken down. As an exercise, I'd like to follow it in an attempt to learn from it and see how it works for me. I also like how his model and concept sheets are laid out for pieces like his Dominance War IV entry at GameArtisans.org. Kinda want to take a leaf from his book too. I'm already modeling my efforts after Marcus Dublin's Elektra in this year's Comicon Challenge. Should really develop my own style.

So, with two weeks to go, my focus needs to be on finalizing the model sheet and moving onto modeling. Still need to work out the accessories and at least one side view, preferably both. Can't wait to start modeling. Need to start soon. Less than two weeks remain.

I Couldn't Wait

2009-07-19T15:17:00.000-04:00

I entered in the 2009 Comicon Challenge last night. Yesterday I was deliberating between choosing a character like Archangel or starting over with Spider-man 2099. After watching Return of the Jedi with my lovely GF, I decided that a fresh start with new direction would be most appropriate. The character I've chosen for this 3D competition is Star Wars' Mara Jade, Palpatine's foremost assassin known as "The Emperor's Hand."

2009-07-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

The second annual Comicon Challenge at GameArtisans.org starts today! The competition is broken down into two main categories: 2D digital painting and 3D modeling. Each participant is allowed to enter up to one entry in either or both categories. Regular updates of the creative process must be posted for the entry to qualify. Additional rules and challenge specific guidelines can be read about in the brief.

The competition runs for five weeks. Entries must be submitted for judging by 11:59 p.m Eastern Time, Monday, August 24th, 2009.

I'm very much looking forward to this. Must hurry and finish up the essay and presentation for my reflective writing course.

2009-07-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

High Moon Studios is hiring again! Only now as part of ActiVision Blizzard; the result of a merger between ActiVision and Vivindi Games, and the buyout of Blizzard Entertainment. Their studio is located only minutes away from La Jolla in Carlsbad, CA. This may be a more viable solution to starting my career in the entertainment industry.

At this time, there are two positions available, both four month temporary positions, at High Moon Studios that interest me:

Associate Props Artist

Create interactive props and 3D art elements for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Create 3D models and 2D texture maps from 2D concept art.
Communicate and partner effectively with game designers, environment artists, props artists and concept artists in a quality-driven, team oriented environment.
Support environment artists in developing high resolution environments.
Report into the Lead Artist.

Animator

Bring characters to life through high-quality, key-frame animation in Maya and the Unreal Editor in both mechanical and organic styles.
Collaborate and communicate effectively with Animation Director, level teams and programmers to develop and enhance the in-game animation experience and story.
Export and integrate animations into the Unreal 3 Engine.
Report to the Animation Director.

Previously I was searching for and applying to IT jobs, a few with Blizzard Entertainment. This recent change of direction is inspired by a conversation I had with an old friend of mine over lunch a couple weeks ago. He was on the interview panel when I was hired for ACS, and was also on the panel when I went to be interviewed for a full time position with ACT, which I didn't get. He told me that the reason I didn't get the job wasn't because I was less qualified, it was because I planned to move on after a relatively short period of time. This was the "deal breaker," as he put it. He said I was the most knowledgeable and most experienced of the two-hundred or so people that applied for the position. But when another applicant agreed to dedicate at least seven years to ACT, compared to my offer of two, he got the job instead. I believe this is why I've been unable to negotiate a position anywhere. The talk with my old friend provided me with enough wisdom and insight to reevaluate my goals and career path and possibly get it on track.

I've wanted to pursue a career as an artist in the entertainment industry for two years now. I'm not sure how honest an effort it's been, though, since it has been two years and I still haven't developed a portfolio. Although, I have learned a good deal about the industry and the tools and techniques used by artists. Over the past two years I've attended two Gnomon Workshop Live events, a few Gnomon Effects events, and the 2008 Autodesk Product Tour. I've invested my hard earned money in learning materials such as 3D World magazine and numerous books, including the Learning Maya 2008 series and others by Maya Press and Sybex. I also entered ambitiously into the Comicon Challenge at GameArtisans.org in week seven of the ten week competition. I didn't finish, but I gained some practical knowledge and experience in modeling for games with Maya and ZBrush.

At least for now, I'm not confident that I qualify for any artist positions. I have the talent, but my skills are out of practice and I only know enough to know there's still a lot I need to learn. As soon as I square everything away with the current class I'm taking at UCSD, I need go through my books, study Maya, and begin to develop portfolio pieces to show when applying for artistic positions. I will also need to rework my resume and write cover letters specific to each artist position I apply to at High Moon Studios and Blizzard Entertainment. For experience, I'll begin entering in competitions such as the 2D and 3d Challenges at GameArtisans.org, and the CG Choice Awards and CG Challenges at CGSociety.org.

First and foremost though, I need to successfully complete this reflective writing course I'm enrolled in so I can graduate from UCSD. Three weeks down. Only two weeks remain. Still much to do.

My Friend Isaac

2009-07-14T17:10:00.000-04:00

Started writing a reflective essay. This came out instead.

In every minute that passed the sun grew larger and more red as it sank into to the distant horizon. I looked up from my workbench to see my good friend Isaac sitting on his haunches in the center of the studio floor. With his back turned slightly to the tall floor to ceiling windows, he sat staring intensely and yet somewhat distantly down into the palms of his hands. He appeared to be pondering deeply over something. This was curious to me and inspired me to think of what possible wisdom this machine might have stumbled across in the broken, sunlit shadows of his hands.

Motionless, he sat bathing in the broad swath of warm, golden sunlight spilling in through the wall of windows. The silhouette of his tiny frame glowed with shades of yellow and orange where sunlight filtered through his soft, thick fur. I wondered to myself as I looked on at him if he felt warmth in the same way I did. I wondered if he felt comfort. Since his processor uses a feeling protocol for reducing and interpreting a complex array of sensory data into a data-set manageable by his system wide resources, it is possible for him to feel what would be interpreted as comfort. I wondered how comfort might feel to him. As I did, he looked up at me from his hands with large glistening eyes and smiled.

World of Warcraft

2009-07-03T14:41:00.000-04:00

To better familiarize myself with some of the games by Blizzard Entertainment, I subscribed to a ten day demo version of World of Warcraft last week. This is my character Gorinvald, a Level 18 Rogue troll.

As the ten day tour of this massive World of Warcraft comes to an end, I'd like to reflect upon the experience and explore an idea about why this type of game is so addicting.

I noticed a number of parallels between this virtual world and the one in which we live our lives every day. In both worlds, we can choose to do, or not to do, any task that presents itself. As an extension of that choice, we are often faced with making decisions, or choosing a specific direction to take. All of these choices we make add up together to define each one of us and the essence of our existence. If both worlds present the same basic types of choices, why are people so drawn to the virtual world? Perhaps it is because the rewards are so much more obvious.

In both the virtual and real worlds, our efforts are rewarded in some form or another. Whether that be some tangible treasure or simply experience points. In the World of Warcraft players are graphically presented with a status bar that shows the number of experience points accumulated. From this, players can see how many more points are needed to reach the next level of advancement. In the real world, our experience points aren't always represented as obvious as in game. They aren't usually counted out by anyone and read back to us. This sometimes requires personal reflection to identify, and validation from the society in which we live. A well written resume is one measure of experience. A portfolio of work is another. Even a simple list of things to do each day would serve as a small, yet significant, measure of achievement. However there is no universal system that measures and weighs each of us based on our experiences. In the World of Warcraft, there is an established system, and everyone's experiences and achievements are measured and weighed equally by the same rule.

I believe the satisfaction experienced by in game players comes from seeing or knowing the reality of ones own collection of achievements, and watching as they continue to build upon what is their own. If for no other reason, it at least beats vegging out in front of the TV for hours.

Sacrifice

2009-07-03T13:54:00.000-04:00

I'm not making enough at Sport Chalet to pay all the bills. To make up for it, I've been selling some of my things off on craigslist. So far I've sold two bed frames, two surfboards, a wetsuit, a new two-person tent, a new pair of Shimano 8-speed bar end shifters, and my new Optoma EW1610 projector. I've been lucky in that I'm coming out about even. I made some money on the surfboards and tent, but I lost a lot of money on the projector. It helps, but it isn't always easy letting go. Like today, I'm selling my Wacom Intuos3 tablet. It was a birthday gift from my grandpa in 2004, and I feel like a heel for selling it. Then again, it isn't seeing any use in my hands anymore, now that I have a Cintiq. It's also become an aging technology since the Intuos4 was recently made available. So, if I were to ever sell it, now would be the best time.

Still diligently working to get a job at Blizzard Entertainment. So far I've spoken with two recruiters, both of whom offered to forward my resumes on to the recruiters hiring for the positions I am applying for. One of the recruiters was nice enough to take my folder of resumes on the spot. Will be following up with each recruiter on Monday. I also spoke with Pam Hogarth, the Director of Advancement at Gnomon, and asked her to review my cover letters and resumes. She provided me with some very valuable feedback. I did the same with Career Services at UCSD. Will be reworking cover letters and resumes today and submitting them by email to the other recruiter on Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping something works out for me.

2009-06-29T17:13:00.000-04:00

Prof. Hineline, Historian of Science.

Drawn first day of CAT 125 lecture at UCSD.

Gnomon Workshop Live: Day 2

2009-06-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

Another "awesome" day at Gnomon yesterday. Apparently that's Michael Bay's favorite expression according to Dan Taylor.

10:00 AM : Chris Kirshbaum
Character Animation
Instructor bio

Chris Kirshbaum's presentation was incredibly well laid out and was jam packed with critical techniques for a quality and efficient production process in character animation. I filled the better part of a page with notes from his lecture. I'd like to reflect and go into more detail in a future post.

11:30 PM : Jordu Schell
Clay Concept Sculpting for Film
Instructor bio

This guy could have held the stage in comedy act. Very funny and very talented. Unique in his own production pipeline. He starts out right away with clay instead of pencil, sketching out ideas in 3D. This quick sculpt could be the deliverable. More often though, these are photographed, touched up in Photoshop, and printed out for the director's review.

2:00 PM : Dan Taylor
Animated Robots for Feature Films
Instructor bio

Dan Taylor currently works for Digital Domain. Previously he worked at ILM for ten years, and briefly there after at Stan Winston Studios. ILM performed the task of creating and animating the robots in the first Transformers film. In the second film, they continued work with those original characters. However, since Michael Bay now owns his own production studio, all the new robot characters were created and animated by his studio Digital Domain. Dan showed us the production process for animating these creatures. He also provided unique insight into what it's like working for a director like Michael Bay.

3:30 AM : Glenn Rane
Design and Illustration for Games
Instructor bio

Started out in high school drawing the characters his friends used to play in World of Warcraft. Went to collage for fine arts and landed a job with Vivindi Games doing work on the side for Blizzard. When an aquaintance at blizzard got wind that Rane was looking for a new job, they quickly found one for him at Blizzard. He's now the Art Director for World of Warcraft. His demonstration yesterday was pure eye candy.

5:00 PM : Neville Page
Designing Creatures for JJ Abrams' Star Trek
Instructor bio

The presentation was good. Provided some pretty good insight on how some projects and directors operate. Apparently the alien and creature development took a while to get right. Difficult sometimes to develop something new and impressive that's also believable. One key element he said to do when flushing out ideas is to reference the natural world. When creating monsters, look the ugliest, nastiest things you can find. In the case of this red snow monster, it was prolapses.

Gnomon Workshop Live: Day 1

2009-06-28T03:54:00.000-04:00

Gnomon never fails to impress.

10:00 AM : Paul Richards
Thumb War: Design Iteration Combat Simulation
Instructor bio

Richards took an interesting approach to his presentation. Using war as an allegory, he examined the trials an artist almost always faces when creating a design. I particularly liked his presentation because I felt I closely identified with many of the elements he discussed. He also gave excellent professional advice and insight on flushing out and developing initial ideas and designs.

11:30 PM : Scott Patton/Ian Joyner
Character Design for Film
Scott Patton bio | Ian Joyner bio

These two guys had a ball today, playing off one another and bantering back and forth. Very funny to watch. In addition to the show, they had a very enlightening presentation for us. By example the showed us how fast paced their field of work is. Projects are usually active no longer than a week at the most. Often, requests are expected to be filled next or same day. ZBrush has become their tool of choice based on efficiency, quality, and versatility of output.

2:00 PM : Chuk Wojtkiewicz
Storyboarding Comics for Features
Instructor bio

Very funny guy. Fun, light hearted, and spirited. Did the voice over for the French suitor in Blur's award willing short film Gentelman's Dual. Was originally a comic book artist. Lost his job in the collapse of the comic book market and found a position as a concept/storyboard artist. Loving it ever since. I particularly liked this presentation because it was an example of what should be expeced from the quality of presentation and development time frame. He's usually able to produce about 40 rough boards per day, or 25 inked per day. Boards can be very rough, or sketchy. The purpose is to show direction and flow from one scene to the next. For presentation purposes, or if being handed off, he'll go through and clean each board up with ink and tonal color. Very inspirational.

3:30 AM : Alex Oliver
Creating Characters with ZBrush
Instructor bio

It wasn't the best presentation, but I have to give the guy credit. He is a very skilled and accomplished artist. Although, today, he struggled severely with his English throughout the entirety of his presentation. He recently moved from Brazil to work for Blizzard Entertainment, and is still learning to speak. I think his presentation would have been greatly improved had he only briefly shown and talked about some of his work, and instead used most of his time to demonstrate sculpting in ZBrush. He did reiterate the importance of practicing from live references, though.

5:00 PM : Ben Procter
Designing Robots for the Big Screen
Instructor bio

Ben Proctor worked with Alex Jaeger -- whom I had the pleasure of meeting and seeing present at the Gnomon Workshop Live in Dec 2007 -- in designing the robots seen in the motion picture films Transformers and Transformers 2. His presentation provided a great deal of insight into the development process, the interactions between director Michael Bay and his team of artists, the headaches involved, and techniques that were used to help flush out ideas and get a final design signed off.

2009-06-28T03:35:00.000-04:00

View of water sports from the bike shop at Sport Chalet.

Drawn on the back of the envelope my pay statement is issued in. Friday night was a slow night. I felt I made good use of my time. Practice, practice, practice.

Open House at Gnomon

2009-06-20T14:11:00.000-04:00

I am convinced without a doubt that Gnomon is the place for me. Gnomon has established itself as a leader in professional training for artists entering and already in the entertainment industry. What may set this school apart from most others is that they don't just teach students how to use the tools of the trade, Gnomon works to inspire their students and provide an environment that promotes and encourages creative freedom and professionalism. This is clearly evident as you enter the gates of the school and step into any office, classroom, lab, or studio on the lot. Every room of the school was designed in Maya before any materials were purchased for renovation. Classrooms and labs are uniquely designed to be open, providing plenty of workspace and room for each student to bring outside materials for study. From every workstation, students have a clear view of both the projection screen and the instructor providing the lesson. The curriculum at the school is continuously changing, updated as instructors bring with them innovations from the industry's pipelines. Since instructors at the school are actively working in the entertainment industry, students also have the unique opportunity to work on real world projects while at Gnomon. The most recent project was the music video White Swan by visiting director Sil van der Woerd, which just wrapped up post production and will be released mid-July.

Being accepted into Gnomon, to me, is akin to being accepted into a fraternity. The screening process is rigorous, and continues through completion of the coursework. But once you're in, you're part of a relatively small group of very talented, very skilled, highly motivated individuals. And as a member of that group, you can be sure someone will be there to welcome you with a helping hand and a job. Students attending Gnomon will gain valuable knowledge and experience, and will have the opportunity to build long standing relationships with people in the industry. If you have the talent and the discipline, and are serious about pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, Gnomon will help you get there.

Alex Alvarez, the founder and CEO of Gnomon, was supposed to be the speaker at the open house today, but was unable to make it due to a business trip to Singapore. Instead it was Travis Bourbeau, co-founder of Massive Black and Executive Producer of CG Channel, who took the podium. I had the opportunity to speak with him and shake his hand. I told him how impressed I was with the work done by Massive Black. He thanked me and asked about my interests in Gnomon. I told him I would like to attend the High End CG Certificate program in the future, that I'm currently completing coursework for a degree in Interdisciplinary Computing and Art at UCSD, and am also applying to IT jobs at Blizzard Entertainment. He asked if I had spoken with anyone yet. When I told him I hadn't, he was kind enough to provide me with the contact info for someone at Blizzard and offered me to use his name as a reference.

Understandably, I'm very excited about the direction all this is going. We also had the opportunity today to tour the classrooms and labs of Gnomon. In passing, I had the chance to peer into the office of Sil Van Der Woerd. I also saw the production studio for White Swan. I'm very much looking forward to going back next weekend for the Gnomon Workshop Live event.

Primary Goals

2009-06-19T12:35:00.000-04:00

I haven't suited up and gone riding in about a month. Need to start getting out there again. May not resume training for time trials, but I need the cycling to keep sciatica in check.

My interests have shifted focus again. Which is good because my enthusiasm for cycling has had me side tracked for a while. I noticed that I'd become too comfortable in my current position as a bicycle mechanic at Sport Chalet. The job was originally only meant to be a temporary solution until I found a better job, but I hadn't been actively looking for one. About two weeks ago I started searching for and applying to jobs again.

I feel that now, with my goals in perspective, my life is getting back on track. I'm excited about the possibility of working for a company like Blizzard Entertainment. I've applied to two job openings there so far, both technical positions. Also applied for a technical position at The Scripps Research Institute.

Repairs Complete

2009-05-21T17:55:00.000-04:00

Finished installing the new heater hose set this morning and refilled the coolant reservoir. Also replaced a number of emissions lines that were dry and either split or crumbling. Replaced a seal and nipple connecting emission lines to the cam shaft cover, and a secondary solenoid for checking air quality in the emissions system. Car is running smooth.

Still needs an oil and filter change, clutch cable replaced, sun roof repaired from the break-in, new wipers installed, washer ducts cleared, interior cleaned, and a wash.

Parts

2009-05-15T13:50:00.000-04:00

For a week now I've had the parts needed to setup the Vision aero bars I picked up at the velodrome. I ordered a pair of Vision aero brake levers and Shimano SL-BS50-8 8-speed bar end shifters. I preferred the look and feel, and weight benefits of the Sram 500 TT bar end shifters, but they were for a 10-speed cassette configuration. I haven't installed the new aero handlebar set because I feel safer commuting on the city streets with both shifting and breaking accessible from the broader handle of the horns. The aero setup won't make enough of a difference until I'm more competitive and more consistent in race times.

The benefit of having an areo setup would be to allow for shifting from an aero position, instead of having to change position and reach for the horns to shift, risking an increased drag coefficient. To better improve my aero profile, I should also have a higher saddle position to help level out my body more. This would require a longer seat post though, since mine is already extended to its minimum insertion point. The single thing that would improve my aero profile any further would be an aero helmet, such as the Giro Advantage2. According to Lennard Zinn, the aerodynamics of the bike only account for about five percent of drag of the entire system, while the cyclist accounts for at least eighty. An aero helmet could significantly reduce the drag coefficient of the cyclist by simply controlling the flow of air over the back of the cyclist.

I'll have to earn these upgrades. For now I need to stay on top of general maintenance and make sure the bike is clean and its parts are in good working order. I'm going to need new tires soon. The tread is wearing low and I've noticed a number of minor cuts from glass on the road. Brake pads appear to have a good deal of life left in them, although I should sand them down to remove debris and deformations in the surfaces. One of the bottom bracket cups may be loose. It creaks on every half crank. I'll have to take the crank set off and check the torque on the bottom bracket cups. The entire bike could use a thorough once over, too. Dirt and grime have worked their way into every nook and cranny.

My car needs a lot of attention, too. As it turns out, it was the heater hose set that failed. To save time I picked up a new set of hoses from the dealership. I'll be installing them today. I'm sure a number of other hoses need replacing as well. I also need to change the oil and filter, and have the tires rotated and aired up.

Stay Sharp

2009-05-12T12:19:00.000-04:00

I haven't ridden since Friday. I did ride to and from work yesterday, but I don't think that really counts since it's only about two miles either way. I also got a good running workout in the night before, running most of the two mile distance home in about 20 min. I sort of expected my calves to be sore, but I didn't expect my buns to be sore too. Goes to show what I'm not using in cycling and why I should be cross training.

I feel badly about breaking the routine I had going. I was proud of myself for keeping at it. Today I start again. The reason I hadn't ridden though was because I hadn't really been home. The GF was house sitting in Mission Hills over the weekend, so I stayed with her there Fri and Sat night. Most the rest of my time was spent either at work or helping my friend get his boat ready for inspection. Friday evening I met my friend at the dingy dock around 6pm. We worked on the boat until after dark, managing to get the outboard motor mount secured and the motor mounted. But the engine didn't start. I met him again the next morning at 7am to work at it until he had to leave for work at 9pm. We enjoyed our coffees and tinkered with the motor a bit. Ended up that a new fuel line was needed, so we spent the rest of that morning at West Marine. After we parted I went to visit my parents and grandpa before I had to be at work at 3pm. I returned to my parent's the next morning with a bouquet of flowers, a card, and a movie I picked up for my mom in honor of Mother's Day. I got a call from my friend saying he got the motor running. When the family went off to church, I left to go help him get the boat motored over to the dock for inspection. I had a little more time since I didn't have to be at work until 3pm instead of the scheduled 1pm. Plan was to meet up with the family again at my grandparent's after the inspection.

My friend had gotten the motor running, but it died on its own. He tried restarting it but the pull cord broke. When I got on board I took apart the starter and threaded a new cord that conveniently came tied to the outboard. After getting it all back together, I got the motor running again. Experience from all those years of mowing lawns came in handy. Waiting for our third man and his skiff to show, we got the fenders and bow lines in place. It took a bit to get out of mooring, but we were soon under way. My friend up on deck captaining the vessel, I was the helmsman controlling steering and throttle from a dingy off the port stern. With one hand controlling the outboard, the other holding onto the dingy's bow line, I steadied the small craft with my foot against the hull of the trimaran as I maintained course and heading by peering between the main and port hulls. Slow and steady we made it to dock. Because we'd taken so long to get there, the inspector had left for lunch. I couldn't stay any longer and help though. I had called work, but was unable to get any additional time off. I was told just to be there at 3pm. I left my friend to his own devices. Since it was just before 2pm, I still had enough time to visit the family.

I left my grandparent's at 2:30pm, leaving me 15 min to get home and change and 10 min to get to work. I had plenty of time. Half way down Sea World Drive, smoke started to waft from under the hood. I'd over revved my engine and suffered some sort of damage from doing so. Initially I thought perhaps it was a small oil or coolant leak. But it didn't go away. I couldn't get on the freeway that way. I pulled off into a gas station on the corner of Morena and Sea World Drive praying the car not be on fire. I turned the engine off as I rolled in and came to a stop. I opened the bonnet to the smell of coolant, still sizzling, and steam rising out of the engine compartment. I called into work letting them know what had happened and that I might not make it. Still couldn't get out of work. Hoped out of the car again to take a look and see if it'd be possible to get it up to La Jolla. Not a chance. There was a one inch split in the coolant line leaving the engine block. I tried calling work again to say I wouldn't make it, but my phone powered down due to low battery. Couldn't get it started again. So I was on my own.

Working on the boat the last few days really got me thinking about how to get things done. I knew I couldn't leave the car at the gas station without risk of being towed. I saw a parts shop just down the street though. I figured if I could get it there I could buy some duct tape and hose clamps to patch the leak long enough to get the car to my parents house where I could do work on it later. I refilled the coolant reservoir with water at the gas station and drove the car down the street. I pulled up to the shop but it was closed. I grabbed my keys and wallet, locked up the car and started walking. I knew there was a Napa about a block away, and if that was closed a Kragen over on Midway. Lucky for me Napa was open. I got the tape, clamps, and tools to get the job done. Dropped the materials off at the car, which was still too hot to work on, and walked back to the gas station to buy some water. I hadn't had enough to drink and had to stay hydrated. The car needed it too. I also figured I could cool it faster if I poured cold water over the hoses. Still had to wait though. After it was cool enough to touch, I loosened the hose clamp that was there and slid it back. Then I wrapped two strips of duct tape tightly around the hose and put the hose clamp back in place with two new ones right next to it. It held. I got the car to my parent's house and started making phone calls.

Interesting how things work out some times. I still couldn't get out of work, now two hours late with only two hours of work to go. I was told by my frustrated manager it was busy and I was costing him sales. I found a uniform in my car and got a ride up to work from my dad. Apparently a lot of shit was said about me when I hadn't showed up on time. But not because I was late, it was because they thought I had blown off work to help my friend get back to his mooring. I had considered going full time at this job. Not anymore. Not when these people will turn on someone so quickly based purely on assumptions.

The IT position at the Supercomputing Center is still open. I need to call this week for a followup. I also intend to start applying again for IT jobs and establishing the infrastructure for my small business. My consulting business will be a backup solution in case I loose my job, or choose to leave it. I need to keep things in perspective. I'm still working to pay off debt and save up for an education at Gnomon.

I'm On A Boat

2009-05-08T17:16:00.000-04:00

Just as T-Pain and The Lonely Island put it, "I'm on a boat!" On deck, in the sun, sporting my oh too sexy cycling tan like the big cheeses in the pro euro circuit. Paying for it today, though. Got burned to a crisp. White boy is now lobster red.

I can't begin to describe though how amazing it feels to be standing barefoot on the deck of a 41-foot trimaran. It's owned by a buddy of mine who's been trying to fix it up himself for a while now. So I'm lending him a hand to help speed things up a bit. It's nice because I really enjoy working on restoration projects and seeing the efforts come to fruition. The boat needs a lot of work but it has great potential. I'd like to some day having a trimaran of my own. Every once in a while I loose myself day dreaming of some post-apocalyptic world in which I am the mariner from the movie Water World.

Easy Does It

2009-05-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

Left knee is feeling sharp pain. Most likely over did it a bit in the past couple of days. Monday I rode 31 miles. Yesterday I conquered another 44, including a 30-min speed workout. Need to show a little more discipline and restrict riding on workout days to a commuting warm-up, the workout, and a returning commute cool-down. Should have taken it easier with today's ride too, instead of cranking away at 25 to 30mph down Santa Fe St.

In general, I should be focusing more on consistency in speed and gradually work to push the edge of the envelope. It'll help develop discipline and prevent injury while allowing old injuries the opportunity to heal.

Train smarter, not harder.

Speed Workouts

2009-05-05T19:41:00.000-04:00

Today was the first speed workout in training for the September time trial. The 30-min interval workout consisted of 1 min sprint and 2 min recovery repeats. The sprints averaged between 22 and 27mph while the recovery rides averaged about 15mph. The focus of each sprint was more about working the legs as hard and fast as possible than trying to maintain a specific speed. Eventually I'll start doing 60-min interval workouts -- 2 min sprint, 3 min recovery -- with a speed goal for both the sprint and recovery portions.

1000th Mile

2009-04-22T16:55:00.000-04:00

Today I logged my first 1000^th mile! It's the collective efforts of almost two years though. Continuing to ride ten miles a day each day should put me at my second thousand in four months time. Or sooner since I'll be logging more than ten miles a day, three or more days a week while training for time trials. Ten miles is a good warm up distance for workouts, and it's about that far to Fiesta Island. Even though this doesn't appear to be much of an accomplishment when put into perspective, I'm still proud to see my computer roll over its first 1000.0 mi.

Gnomon Workshop Live

2009-04-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

Registration for this summer's Gnomon Workshop Live is now open! I'm very much looking forward to attending this weekend workshop.

I'm also planning on attending two other upcoming Gnomon events. Next week on Thursday, April 30, Gnomon is hosting one of their live effects events: The Making of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Over the course of the evening, special guests from Digital Domain will discuss how they created the stunning effects and imagery used in the film. Then next month, an Open House will be held on Saturday, May 16, offering to anyone interested an exclusive opportunity to learn about the Gnomon School of Visual Effects and take a guided tour of the campus. Gnomon's founder Alex Alvarez will be there to discuss the school's programs, classes, and campus life. It's a prime opportunity to find out more about the admission's process and about financial aid. There will also be the opportunity to get portfolio feedback from the school's admission officer, representatives, and alumni.

Still keeping my goals in perspective and moving forward.

Fiesta Island Time Trial

2009-04-20T16:52:00.000-04:00

The annual Fiesta Island Time Trial Series hosts a series of road racing time trials throughout the year. The event is open to all categories and age groups, and supports team as well as individual time trials. The series is also a venue for the CA State Jr and Master Championship Time Trials.

This year I intend to place first in the 20K Individual Time Trial event scheduled for September 13, 2009, my 27^th birthday. The course is 3 laps around the outside loop, or 5 laps around the inside loop. The course record held for a single male rider on a standard bike is 24min 36sec. That equates to an average pace of 30.5mph over the 20K course. A prize reward of $100 will be awarded to the individual able to set a new record. Additional prizes include SockGuy socks for the winner of each category, and collector edition medals for the top three in each category.

I have five short months to prepare and train, to become the fastest time trialist out there.

Velodrome Swap Meet

2009-04-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

I cranked out my ride early this morning, showered, and got my tail over to the swap meet at the San Diego Velodrome in Balboa Park. There were so many deals to be had. My eyes came to rest, though, on a single treasure amongst the sea of goods. On a blanket laid out over the grass at the back of the velo was a VisionTech time-trial aero handlebar setup. I was immediately drawn too it. Shiny and jet black. The sleak, characteristic forward swept wings glimmered in the bright sunlight. The setup consisted of a VisionTech TT base bar with clip-on TT aerobars and included a Ritchey Logic Pro adjustable stem. Pleasantly surprised and excited by what I had found, I looked over the setup in awe that no one else seemed to have an interest in them. Perhaps no one knew what it was, or perhaps no one had a use for it. I desperately hoped no one would. The seller was asking $70 for the bar set. I had only brought $60 with me, and $3 of which was spent at the door to get in. After some haggling I managed to talk him into letting it go for $57.

Component Specs:

VisionTech TT Base Bar -- $79.99, $99.95
- Width: 420mm (400, 420mm)
- Clamp: 26.0mm
- Material: Aluminum 6061-T6
- Weight: 250g
VisionTech Clip-on TT Aerobars -- $149.99, $124.95
- Length: 230mm (230, 250, 270, 290mm)
- Clamp: 26.0mm (26.0, 31.8mm)
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 510g
Ritchey Logic Pro Adjustable Stem -- $69.99
- Steerer Diameter: 1 1/8"
- Rise: Adjustable ±45°
- Length: 100mm (80, 100, 120mm)
- Clamp: 26.0mm (26.0, 31.8mm)
- Material: Aluminum
- Weight: 219g

Al Progreso Me Encanta

2009-04-18T18:24:00.000-04:00

I donated blood for the first time today and did great! I didn't pass out. I have a history of doing so when needles are involved. A couple years ago I made a goal for myself to donate blood, but was never able to overcome the fear of needles and weakness at seeing blood being collected to actually step forward and have it drawn. My GF however used to donate every two months since she was seventeen. The only reason she hadn't given blood in the past year is because she'd spent a month in Nicaragua, which had made her ineligible to donate. Now that she's eligible again, she signed up for an appointment and asked if I'd like to join her. She'd been trying to talk me into it for a while now, so I figured, "Sure!" After all, everyone benefits from it. Three people get blood they desperately need, I'm a step closer to overcoming a long time fear, and I earn a whole bunch of brownie points with the GF!

Another benefit I hadn't thought of until I sat waiting, reading a copy of Bicycling magazine at the blood bank was that donating blood may also help in condition me as an athlete. I base this on my understanding that as an athlete trains at higher altitudes, their body begins to generate more red blood cells in order to increase the chances that enough oxygen will be captured from the thinner atmosphere to supply the body with the fuel it needs. At any altitude, strenuous physical exertion will stimulate red blood cell generation due to the body's increase in demand for oxygen. Perhaps the additional demand for red blood cells due to blood donation will stimulate an increase in the rate of production in combination with regular training and nutritional intake. Although I doubt this to be the case since red blood cell production is based on equilibrium. They're only generated as necessary.

Earlier this month the GF and I moved from the house we shared with roommates in Mira Mesa to a little place of our own in La Jolla. At first I was reluctant to part with the spectacular canyon side view we enjoyed at the old house. But with the benefits of location at the new place, I haven't thought twice of it since. Accommodations are cozy, though. We're still settling in and exploring creative ways to store our things. The new place is very close to campus, within fifteen minutes walking distance. The grocery store is literally a stone's throw away. The amount we save on gas and time spent commuting more than makes up for the little extra each month we're paying for the location. And as an added bonus, it's close to all my old cycling routes.

I use to ride from my mom's place in Point Loma to work at UCSD on a daily basis a couple summer's ago. Last weekend I rode my bike to Point Loma to visit family for Easter Sunday. I've started doing a portion of that route as my daily bike ride:

Take Gilman Dr. to the bike path just on the east side of I-5
Take bike path and continue on Santa Fe St.
Turn around at Damon Ave. and return home

The route is a little over nine miles. It's also a nice warm up for a more intense workout, say down Torrey Pines for relays up the inside road, Torrey Pines Scenic Park N. Due to timing I was unable to participate in the Ride4Aids benefit this year. I'm looking forward to the Fiesta Island Time Trial Series in October, though. I've already started my training. Hopefully mi amigo Diego will join me this summer after graduacíon. (Spanglish is common place in our conversacíones.) I myself am not attending UCSD spring quarter since it will cost me considerably less to take the one class I need for graduation during the first five-week summer session. I've applied for graduation this summer. I feel very relieved now that I have finally passed ICAM 160B after almost three years of attempting to successfully complete it, a long story that can be characterized with an ambitiousness that tends to be associated with most of my projects. Now all that remains is the college required practicum reflective writing course.

I plan on trolling through the San Diego Velodrome swap meet tomorrow after my morning ride. I could use a few component upgrades, as could the GF. Here are a few things I'm going to keep an eye out for:

Ultegra or Dura Ace shift levers and bar-end shifters
VisionTech TT base or Profile-Design T2 Wing Handlebar
Pearl Izumi shorts, bibs, gloves, warmers, jerseys
Giro Advantage2

Afterward I have work at Sport Chalet. Although it has been difficult getting by on retail wages, it is becoming easier. I very much enjoy my job as a bicycle mechanic. Time moves quickly as I wrench away, and it motivates and inspires me while keeping me informed about the sport. I also enjoy the benefit of being able to order all my sports equipment at discount pricing. Keeping my goals I mind though, I still need to get another job in order to pay off my debts and save up for my education at Gnomon. I applied in January for for an IT position with the San Diego Supercomputing Center, and interviewed for it in March. Apparently forty applicants had applied for the position and I was one of four selected to do an interview. I called last last week to follow up and was told they're just waiting to be sure the funds are available before taking on any new employees, and that I'm still among the top candidates for the position. Just need to hang in there and wait it out. In the interim, I have the liberty of participating in new and creative ways of making a living. Such as participating in and winning art competitions, or selling copies of artwork. Or maybe even pursue cycling sponsorships. I can always try reviving my own IT business if nothing else works out.

Digital Canvas: Final Documentation

2009-03-21T02:45:00.000-04:00

After ten weeks, the final product of this project is a concept and test unit for a work surface and arena that allows users to paint with their hands, fingers, face, or whatever they wish simply by touching the imaging surface. The goal of which would be to instill in the user a feeling of unlimited freedom in creativity with minimal abstraction and seemingly no limitations in work space. The above footage is an example of a few gestures one might use when working with such a system.

Gran Fondo Colnago

2009-03-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the big event, the Gran Fondo Colnago, Little Italy, San Diego. In Italian, "gran fondo" literally means "big ride." On average, three of these big rides take place annually in Italy. Supposedly this was the first of its kind to take place in the United States, a century ride centered around Italian heritage. This first Gran Fondo USA was sponsored by Colnago America, Inc., a newly formed subsidiary^[1][2] of Italian road-racing bicycle manufacturer Colnago Srl. The founder, Ernesto Colnago, was there at the starting line to wish us off as the official starter. With a wave of the Italian flag and Ernesto's blessings, "Have a good ride," announced over loud speaker, wave after wave of cyclists were released onto the streets of San Diego.

The ride was to begin at 7:00AM. More than a thousand cyclists had gathered in the streets of Little Italy, ready and eagerly waiting for the start of this "big ride." The air was cool and refreshing. A hint of the day's warmth could be felt as sunlight began to shine over the tops of buildings. Music and excitement filled the air. The colors that flooded India St. were absolutly amazing. Little Italy alone is known for its colorful artisan district. Red and white Colnago banners lined both sides of the street. Cyclists had come from all around to participate in the event. The result of which was a diversly colorful collection of jerseys and bicycles. There were jerseys from all sorts of previous events and races. I was also happy to see some silly ones in the pack, like Bert & Ernie and Super Grover jerseys. Seeing all the different road and racing bicycles was absolutely amazing. This was the first group ride I've participated in since I was hired by Sport Chalet and trained to be a master bike mechanic. Before, I wasn't familiar enough with the world of cycling to really appreciate the bikes I saw around me. There were bikes by Cannondale, Trek, Fuji, and Specialized, just to name a few. There were even bikes by Orbea and Cervélo, some of the higher performance cycles on the market. Also, I had never seen so many LeMond bicycles in one place before! It was exciting to be out there and to be among such a large group of experienced cyclists.

As we waited for the start, I remember hearing an Italian rider not far behind me yell jokingly, "Let's go! I only have five hours to be back." I looked back to see a smile on his face as he made everyone around him laugh. And, of course, more jokes ensued. I think any nervousness anyone had at that point melted away. Mine did.

Cyclists were released in waves of roughly a hundred riders. The first wave of riders was released at 7:30AM, lead by Ferrari and Lamborghini pace cars. Each wave was two minutes apart. The ride consisted of two routes. Riders had the option of following either one. The first was a 100-mile Gran Fondo route, a challenging route with an ascent of 4,800 feet and grades of up to seven percent. The second was a 45-mile Medio Fondo route, a relatively flat route with an ascent of only about 1,300 feet and grades of no more than three percent. I registered for and attempted the Gran Fondo.

I knew before I started that climbing was a week area of mine, and that the 35-mile mark was going to be the beginning of the most challenging part of my ride, as that was the beginning of a long and steep ascent. So I paced myself. Still, my legs began to cramp in the first quarter mile of the ascent. I had to stop and shake it off. I ended up doing this entire way, only making progress in short slow bursts. On one of my stops I helped another cyclist change out the rear tube on his Orbea. I remember on another stop I was passed by a fifteen year old girl trailing some distance behind her dad. I remember looking up to see her look back and kinda laugh. I couldn't help matters any, though. At least not at this point. I was doing my best, and I didn't feel bad about it. I simply enjoyed the scenery. A support truck was making trips up and down the mountain checking on people. Toward the end, the truck came by three times asking if I was okay or if I needed a lift to the top. If nothing else, I wanted to make it to the top under my own steam. I had already made it past the steepest part of the ascent. So I pressed on. I got close to reaching the summit. But in the end, I let them talk me into accepting a lift. I was picked up and taken the remaining two miles to the aid station at the top, which by that time had run out of water and food supplies. I was getting low on fluids, it was hot and dry, and I was more than six hours into my ride. Leaving me with about 60 miles to go, another thousand feet of climbing, and only four hours in which to complete the remainder of the course. I was advised by one of the coordinators, and more experienced cyclists, to turn back and follow the Medio Fondo route. After waiting for water to arrive, I refilled my hydration pack and water bottle, and made my way back down the mountain to the Olympic Training Center where the two routes split. The way back down the mountain was swift, reaching top speeds of 40 mph. I got a little lost looking for the split between the two routes. I eventually found it and started making my way uphill again in the first part of the alternate route. My legs cramped up again, even on the three percent grade. Concerned that I might cause some real damage and feeling that my body was reaching its limits, I called it quits and called in for someone to pick me up.

I feel bad that I didn't complete the course and cross the finish line. On the other hand, If I had decided to do the Medio Fondo route without attempting the Gran Fondo route, I don't think I would have been satisfied with my decision, even after crossing the finish line. I would have felt like I had taken the easy way out. I attempted the challenge course and it kicked my butt. I felt really bad that I allowed myself to be talked into taking a lift to the top instead of finishing it myself. All things considered though, I think I did well. I gave it my all and it turned out to be a learning experience. I think areas where I could show significant improvement are in ascent training and nutritional planning. I look forward to attempting this course again next year.

A good read for anyone interested is "Sage advice for taking on a Gran Fondo." I found it while trolling through BikeHugger.com.

The Ride4Aids 2009 benefit is almost a month away. In 2007, I participated in the Ride4Aids 50-mile event, completing it in about 4.5 hours on my Diamondback Outlook mountain bike. I plan to train, prepare for, and participate in this year's ride as well. This time with my LeMond Zurich.

Digital Canvas: Visualizations

2009-02-24T17:02:00.001-05:00

The following are visuals for a wall size digital canvas implemented in an exhibition space much like that of the Annex Gallery at UCSD. Five Digital Canvas wall units are in place in the recessed wing of the gallery. Projection surfaces fill the space between the wall units and the gallery walls, which are also used as projection surfaces for the Encompassing Display.

Today I met with my project advisor, also my professor for ICAM 160B Senior Thesis Projects in Computing and Art. As a class we meet once a week to discuss progress on the projects and offer critiques. This week we met individually with the professor. I presented the above visuals and progress made toward driver development and completion of the test unit. My advisor is concerned that I may be limiting myself in the design, or implementation of my concept or thesis, by trying to form it around the technology and exhibition space. He advised that I forgo work on the proof of concept and focus my attention on producing more visuals, but this time not limiting myself to any available technology or exhibition space. This was essentially my license to dream. I never before thought I needed such liberties given to me. I thought I always took them. Apparently not, and I hadn't realized it until now. He said, "If it feels like you're cheating, then you're doing the right thing." Dream big and make it look like it really happened.

After meeting with my professor I have a new perspective on the goal for this quarter. Given that the length of the quarter is only ten weeks, and we are in the eighth week, I am not expected to produce a proof of concept, let alone a working prototype. Although it would be supportive, it is not required. What is expected, and required as a deliverable for this course, is a well developed thesis^[1][2][3]. In my case, the deliverable would be in the form of visualizations of the final effect: user interaction with surfaces in motion and the installation environment. My professor explained to me that only after producing a well developed thesis should I proceed in producing a proof of concept. This might consist of a single programmed feature and a single wall unit. The proof of concept could then be used to solicit funding for production of a full scale, multi-unit, fully functional prototype. So, for the remainder of this course I will be focusing my attention on the production of visuals to support documentation of my thesis.

Digital Canvas: Software Development Notes

2009-02-19T22:21:00.001-05:00

Current state of multi-touch technology: multi-touch point mapping

image entire control surface
process image
- detect touch points
- map the center of each point
functionality based on point mapping data

Expand upon this technology: multi-touch area mapping

map the area as well as the center of each touch point
extend functionality based on area mapping data
- improved additive/subtractive functionality
  - finger painting
  - simulated foggy window
- improved displacement functionality
  - sandbox
  - clay modeling
  - smudge painting
  - push objects aside

Build upon current open source software, such as TouchLib, to include area mapping functionality. Develop applications and plug-ins capable of utilizing the area mapping data.

TouchLib ConfigApp

TouchLib Smoke Demo

Driver

Notes pertaining to driver development.

Computer Vision - the science and technology of machines that see
OpenCV - a computer vision library originally developed by Intel
OpenCV Documentation Wiki
OpenCV Library at Sourceforge.net

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library)
GLUT (OpenGL Utility Toolkit)
GLUT and OpenGL Utility Libraries
OpenGL SDK Libraries

Finger Paint App

Notes pertaining to development of a basic finger paint app for demonstrating functionality of a digital canvas.

In Another Life

2009-02-18T15:46:00.000-05:00

If plans ever changed, these are some options I might pursue:

Volunteer Abroad in Peru

Expanding Finite Spaces into Infinity

2009-02-11T19:11:00.001-05:00

In this article I wish to argue that if an image representing some arbitrary space is exhibited on a surface, and the image is malleable, then both the space represented by the image and, consequently, the space in which the surface exists become less finite.

Media Library Project

2009-02-07T22:56:00.001-05:00

This is a brainstorm for a number of ideas that in a way all tie in together. The initial problem that sparked this brainstorm is how to organize, annotate, and exhibit a massive library of family photos. From there, the problem stems out to include all other forms of collected digital media.

Private network file share and backup nodes:

System Names: Rosecrans, Zola, Capcano
internet gateway, router, firewall

TV room media computers:

wireless access point
applications: internet/email/video conferencing, movies, music, photo slide shows, games

Multi-touch interface integrated into desk/workbench:

image scanning
interactive environment for importing, editing, sorting, and viewing: 3D workspace design influenced by Star Walk
slide away tray containing keyboard and mouse
built in camera, microphone, and speakers
voice recognition for commands, dictation, and dialog between computer and user

Luxentia picture frame albums: 320 x 240 pixels, 4GB SD Card

iPod Touch Photo albums: 480 x 320 pixels

Autonomous Array of Self-Sustaining Remote Astronomical Observatories

2009-02-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

This is an idea for a cooperative network of relatively small, autonomous, self-sustaining astronomical research observatories. The objective of such an array would be to experiment with a large area adaptive optics system to test for improved imaging resolution, especially under less than optimal viewing conditions. Also, to experiment with efficiency in autonomous-cooperative research performed by the array, and to test self-sustainable designs for problems in such designs and to develop improvements.

10 to 30-inch primary adaptive mirror array per telescope
fully robotic: focuser, filter wheel, camera, temperature/humidity control, equatorial mount, dome door opener, dome rotational positioning, dusting/cleaning optics & solar panels.
power supply by solar panel arrays and wind turbine generators
radio or fiber optic communication

Modifying a Webcam for Visible & Infrared Astrophotography

2009-02-04T15:32:00.000-05:00

This is a guide on how to modify a Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks to be used with a telescope as a multi-bandwidth astronomical imaging device. The telescope in this case is a 114mm newtonian, Meade Model 4400, with computerized altazimuth mount.

The camera will mate to the telescope's focuser.

Remove and discard camera's lens and housing.
Telescope's optics will collect and focus light on the camera's CCD.
Construct a new camera housing to support:

an R/G/B/IR/clear filter wheel
a heat sink & cooling fan
can be attach to the focuser column

Refurbising GF's Roadbike

2009-02-03T11:54:00.000-05:00

My GF took a bad spill last Friday. It appears the rear quick release had come loose, which caused the wheel to seize up against the frame as she cranked down hard on the pedal at speed. It pitched her over the handlebars and beat up her right side pretty good, leaving her right knee, elbow, and shoulder scraped up and swollen. It took a good size patch of skin off her elbow too. Luckily she didn't hit her head or hurt her back. Smart girl, despite the fact she wasn't wearing her helmet (I'm teasing), she knew to roll as she hit the ground.

Since her b-day is coming up and the bike could use an overhaul, I told her I'd like to refurbish the bike for her as a birthday present, and in the process upgrade it a bit.

She picked out the bike as her birthday gift last year. Apparently it's a Nishiki. Although I'm not sure which model or what year it is, I'm sure none of its components are stock. Its original white and red pant job shows through in area's where the flat black spray paint that now coats the frame has rubbed away. In numerous other spots the paint has chipped away down to the steel frame. Rust has started to develop in some areas, including the quick release landings, which may in part be what caused the quick release to come loose.

Update 2009.02.28: GF was driving home from work last night. As she approached the Mira Mesa exit off the I-15, an obnoxious driver in a small white Hyundai started tailgating her. Apparently the high-beams were on and they would drift into the emergency lane as if to pass on the right. As she exited the freeway the traffic ahead of her quickly came to a stop and forced her to do the same, leaving the driver following closely behind with no room to stop. She heard the tires squeal before being thrown forward as the car behind her slammed into the back of her car. Unfortunately, her bike was also on the back of the car at the time. She's going to need a new front wheel, or at least a new rim. Maybe a new fork, too. See "Hit 'n' Run" if you're interested in reading more about what happened.

The following is a list of things to do:

Sandblast frame, buff, and nickel color clear coat it.
Rebuild bearing systems: headset, bottom bracket, front and rear hubs.
Replace stem with a shorter stem.
Add down tube cable housing stop adapters to braze-ons.
Upgrade to Shimano Sora 7-speed double shifter/brake levers.
Add inline top bar brake levers.
Replace Shifter/brake cables & housing.
Replace cork handlebar tape, black or color matching frame.
Replace tires with Continental Ultra Gatorskin tires.
New quick release pins.
Replace pedals with Forté Campus Pedal, or Forté M1 Pedal with toe clips and straps.
Replace front rim/wheel.

Done thus far:

Replaced saddle with Serfas Rx-922 Women's Saddle.

Skykomish Marble Point

I'm also in the process of refurbishing her old Skykomish Marble Point mountain bike. Although the bike has no real monetary value, it holds a significant amount of sentimental value with her. It was her first bike, which was handed down to her by a good friend and mentor while she was still in high school. It carried her from class to class during her first years of college, and took her everywhere else in between.

The following is a list of things still to do:

Upgrade cantilever with v-brakes.
Replace brake/shifter set.
Replace brake/shifter cables & housing.

Done thus far:

Replaced saddle with Serfas Reactive Gel FS-243 Hybrid.
Replace handlebar grips.
Replaced front tire & inner tube.
Adjusted front & rear derailleurs.

Digital Canvas: Proof of Concept

2009-02-02T19:22:00.000-05:00

A proof of concept is a short, and in some cases incomplete, realization of an idea. Its purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of an idea.

In the case of the Digital Canvas: A Wall Size Multi-Touch Interface with Encompassing Display, the proof of concept consists of three major parts:

Requirement & Design Specifications
Visualizations of the Exhibition Space
Fabrication of Early Prototype for Demonstration

Requirement & Design Specs

User Groups

Students
Professors
Art Critics

Hardware

Horizontally scalable interface made up of multiple wall units. List the hardware requirements for each unit.
An encompassing display made possible through the use of LCD projectors in series to extend the display area beyond the ends of the control surface to cover the remaining walls of the exhibition space.

Software

Drivers

Multi-touch driver
Combining multiple displays into an encompassing display space
Panning across the encompassing display space

Applications

Finger Paint

Visualizations of the Exhibition Space

Sketch out orthographic views of the wall unit and the configuration of the exhibition space. Then using Maya, model the series of multi-touch wall units and projectors within an exhibition space. Render views within the exhibition space and use Photoshop to develop photo composites of users interacting in the space and with the control surface.

Using this production model, develop a storyboard for a documentary film that captures the experience and demonstrates the use of a wall size multi-touch Digital Canvas and Encompassing Display in the exhibition space.

Record video of user experiences, user interviews, and demonstrations by users of how to use the Digital Canvas. Render video of the exhibition space within Maya as it maps to camera angle and position from recorded footage. Composite the sets of two video assets within After Effects. Then edit the film according to the storyboard layout.

Fabrication of Early Prototype for Demonstration

This demonstration prototype differs from a production prototype in that it's design does not attempt to solve some finer design problems, such as seamless transitions between multiple displays. In turn, this saves time and money while allowing for rapid fabrication of an early stand-alone prototype.

Modifying a Webcam to be an Infrared Camera

2009-01-31T05:20:00.000-05:00

This is a guide on how to modify a Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks to serve as an infrared imaging device.

Step 1: First thing we want to do is break this baby open, figuratively speaking of course. There will be a tiny Philips screw at the bottom end of the back panel. Remove the screw and keep track of it. Be sure to organize your workspace in a visual hierarchy as you disassemble the camera, so you know what screw goes in which hole and what part goes where in which direction. Remove the button, rubber bumper, and the four screws mounting the board to the back panel. Then carefully remove the board, being sure not to break off the small plastic positioning posts.

Step 2: Notice how the USB cable connects to the circuit board. You'll want to disconnect this to get it out of the way.

Step 3: Now that we're down to the board, it's time to start work on the lens. First we need to remove the lens retainer. There are two small plastic clips on either side holding it in place. Very carefully lift them one at a time, one side at a time, while gently pulling back on the retainer away from the lens. Once removed, take note of the lens. It's a floating auto focus lens, much like that of a laser in a CD player. The lens will extend outward to focus on objects close to the camera. Keep in mind later that this lens moves, and that great care will need to be taken so as not to damage this mechanism.

Step 4: The lens is resting atop a mounting bracket that sits over the CCD chip. The lens is also soldered to the circuit board via two flexible metal strips. The plan here is to loosen the lens from the mounting bracket and rock it back off the bracket toward its solder points.

There are four very tiny plastic clips on the lens mounting bracket keeping it in place. We need to very subtly bend these slightly back out of place. They tend to split at their base. Too much can cause them to tear right off, which may end up being inevitable. I lost one myself while rocking the lens out of place. Just be gentle, and don't rush it.

In my case I removed the lens mounting bracket in order to get access to the CCD. I didn't know where the IR filter was going to be. In some cases it's rectangular. In this case it's a thin circular piece of glass 6mm in diameter adhered to the bottom of the lens.

There are two screws and a couple plastic alignment posts keeping the mounting bracket in place. Be careful not to break off the posts.

Step 5: Make sure you have a good sharp blade, and be sure to have a steady hand. I changed out the No. 2 blade on my X-ACTO knife for a new one. The plan here is to slip the blade in between the thin glass filter and its mount on the lens assembly to pry it free. However, sliding the blade between the glass and its mounting surface will more than likely crack the filter. We don't necessarily need to remove the filter in one piece. Although we don't want to be making a mess either. The slower and more carefully we approach this, the less mess there is and the less likely we are to damage any of the critical optics.

There are four openings around the mount providing us access to this. Be careful not to angle the blade in toward the lens as it may etch the optics, in which case you're pretty much buggered. Angle the lens so that as pieces of the filter come loose they can fall away from the optics. If at all possible, try to remove the filter in as little as four pieces. As it cracks, it should should divide up four ways from each of the four openings. There may be some flaking as the glass chips. Try to lift each piece from the center outward so the leverage peals it away from its adhesive mount.

Step 6: Because the refractive index of the thin glass filter is now absent from the lens system, its focal length is now different than it was before, which will hamper the camera's ability to focus properly and cause it to be near sighted. To my surprise and good fortune I was able to correct for it by replacing the glass IR filter with an IR pass filter made from two pieces of exposed film negative. Also to my good fortune, when fabricating the IR pass filter I noticed that a hand hole punch cuts circles 6mm in diameter, the same as the glass filter just removed.

Cut two circles from an exposed film negative using a hand hole punch. Lay four strips of double sided tape over the very top, bottom, and side edges of the first circle, leaving the center as an open square/rectangle for infrared light to pass through unmolested. Lay the second circle on top of the first and press to adhere. Repeat with four more strips of double sided tape. Press to adhere tape and cut around the circle with a blade to remove the excess tape. With tweezers, mount the new IR pass filter with the double stick tape side to the lens-assembly filter mounting surface.

Step 7: Put it all back together again and test out your new infrared camera.

Frustrated Total Internal Reflection

2009-01-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

Should have studied the workings of this technology more thoroughly earlier on before I proceeded to develop my own multi-touch system. I could have avoided a good deal of headache.

Snell's Law is used to determine the direction of light rays through refractive media with varying indices of refraction. The indices of refraction of the media, labeled $n 1, n 2$ and so on, are used to represent the factor by which a light ray's speed decreases when traveling through a refractive medium, such as glass or water, as opposed to its velocity in a vacuum.
As light passes the border between media, depending upon the relative refractive indices of the two media, the light will either be refracted to a lesser angle, or a greater one. These angles are measured with respect to the normal line, represented perpendicular to the boundary. In the case of light traveling from air into water, light would be refracted towards the normal line, because the light is slowed down in water; light traveling from water to air would refract away from the normal line.
Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that occurs when a ray of light strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger than the critical angle with respect to the normal to the surface. If the refractive index is lower on the other side of the boundary no light can pass through, so effectively all of the light is reflected. The critical angle is the angle of incidence above which the total internal reflection occurs.

An important side effect of total internal reflection is the propagation of an evanescent wave across the boundary surface. Essentially, even though the entire incident wave is reflected back into the originating medium, there is some penetration into the second medium at the boundary. This wave can lead to a phenomenon known as frustrated total internal reflection. Additionally, the evanescent wave appears to travel along the boundary between the two materials, leading to the Goos-Hänchen shift.

Under "ordinary conditions" it is true that the creation of an evanescent wave does not affect the conservation of energy, i.e. the evanescent wave transmits zero net energy. However, if a third medium with a higher refractive index than the second medium is placed within less than several wavelengths distance from the interface between the first medium and the second medium, the evanescent wave will be different from the one under "ordinary conditions" and it will pass energy across the second into the third medium.

Jeff Han's multi touch system relies on frustrated total internal reflection for touch sensing.

For a brief history and listing of recent developments in multi-touch technology, please see Wikipedia's Multi-touch article.

Conditional & Materials Testing for Yielding Frustrated Total Internal Reflection

After fabricating the test unit I was disappointed to find that it did not work. For whatever reasons, touching the acrylic surface did not yield scattered infrared light. I need to systematically test the materials I'm using in order to determine why the test unit configuration does not work. In doing so I will need to test for the following constraints:

Critical angle
LED wavelength
LED output intensity
Acrylic pane thickness

Critical Angle
It seems the angle of incidence may be the largest contributor to this project not working as anticipated. The angle of each LED to the acrylic edge is 90°. Each LED emits light at a narrow viewing angle of only about 18°. Under these conditions only a small margin of the light emitted is being reflected internally and only at a very small angle of incidence, yielding a very weak evanescent field as illustrated by the figure below.

The evanescent field can be strengthened by increasing the angle of incidence up to the critical angle for total internal reflection. In the case of the Test Unit, angling the edge of the acrylic pane by 45° allows the refractive index of the acrylic to redirect the beam of light toward one surface of the acrylic and increase the angle of incidence for each ray in the beam. However, there would be some loss in light due to angle of emission and distance between each LED and the acrylic edge.

Optimally, each LED would be angled as well in order to more efficiently direct light into the acrylic pane.

FTIR Screen Design Applet by Jason Modisette

LED Output Wavelength & Intensity
Most digital cameras equipped with a CCD, or charged-coupled device, are sensitive enough to detect more than just the visible spectrum of light. Camera makers therefore tend to add UV and IR filters to their camera lenses or directly to the CCD in order to prevent over saturation. Once removed though, the camera can be a suitable UV or IR imager. However, the sensitivity of these devices is often proportional to their quality, and gradually drops off at both ends of the spectrum.

With this understanding, IR emitting LEDs will tend to appear brighter when emitting light at wavelengths closer to the visible spectrum, such as 880 or 890nm. LEDs emitting light at longer wavelengths, such as 940nm, may appear comparitively dim. On the other hand, LEDs emitting light at wavelengths as long as 850nm may appear to glow slightly red. In any case, it's best to test what your camera is capable of imaging.

In the case of the Test Unit, the camera in use has not had any filters removed. Although the camera is capable of imaging infrared light emitted from 880nm IR LEDs, this could still be a contributing factor to the malfunction of the device. If filters are present, they may be reducing the amount of infrared light the camera is able to pick up.

Update 2009.01.30: Opened the camera up, identified the IR filter and popped it out. Now the camera can detect infrared light as if it were, dare I say, daylight! Keep in mind that removing the glass IR filter will change the focal length of the camera. In my case the camera was short sighted. I managed to compensate for it when replacing the IR filter with a visual spectrum filter made of two-ply exposed film negative, correcting the camera's vision.

It's also possible that the LEDs I'm using simply aren't bright enough. I may be able to increase the output intensity by increasing the forward current from 20mA to the maximum rating of 30mA. My other option, which I'm currently exploring, is to purchase higher output LEDs.

Jameco Sylvania SFH484-2: 5mm, 880nm, 25mW, 100mA-max -- $0.59/ea. when purchasing 100+
Jameco Optek OP290A: 4.95mm, 890nm, 300mW@1.5A, 150mA-max -- $0.74/ea. when purchasing 100+

Acrylic Pane Thickness
Another critical factor could be the thickness of the acrylic pane. The thickness of the pane should be equal to or greater than the diameter of the LED in order to efficiently capture light emitted from the LED.

In the case of the Test Unit, the acrylic pane is only 2mm thick compared to the 3mm diameter of each LED. The acrylic pane may not be thick enough to capture a sufficient amount of light, thereby contributing to the device's malfunction.

Digital Canvas: Concept Proposals

2009-01-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

The current state of multi-touch technology identifies touch points on a display surface and tracks them as blobs. Based on the orientation and movement of those blobs, the technology is able to carry out specific commands. With my project I hope to expand upon this idea by reducing the abstraction layer a bit more. By mapping the area of a blob in addition to blob location, users could more easily relate to their tool sets through intuitive action. A finger paint application for instance would record the shape of any object touching the surface of the digital canvas. If one were to place their hand flat on the screen, it would leave a hand print. Similarly, if one were to drag their forearm across the canvas it would leave a swath of color. This area mapping could also be applied as a displacement tool, allowing users to more intuitively manipulate objects on screen. Dragging an arm across the screen would brush objects aside.

This project focuses on multi-touch technology and its application in digital image making. The following are concept proposals for the design, implementation, and exhibition of the digital canvas.

Wall Concept

Freedom of movement and infinite space is the emphasis of design in this digital canvas concept. The control surface stands 72 inches tall and is made up of vertical sections 36 inches wide. Units can be connected side by side to extend the surface area of this digital canvas.

The exhibition space would be empty except for the wall size digital canvas at the farthest end of the space. Gallery visitors would move to the back of the space toward the canvas where each could participate in painting. At any point one could grab hold of the digital canvas with their fingertips and with a sweeping motion scroll the canvas left or right around the room. LCD projectors lining the ceiling would project the extended canvas on the remaining walls of the gallery for other visitors to see as they enter the exhibition space.

Easel Concept

Developed as a less expensive alternative to the wall concept, the easel concept retains its conceptual value through rhetoric in design. Computer generated work, even in the 21st century, still struggles to receive recognition as a fine art. This implementation attempts to visually link the traditional sense of art making with its digital form, and by doing so provide an analog for understanding digital art as a fine art form no different from pencil drawing or painting.

The 48x36-inch digital canvas is supported by an easel facade. This unit could easily fill a corner of the gallery at the end of term group exhibition. However, the artistic element of this project only truly reveals itself when given the opportunity to be touched and creatively explored by the masses. Being more portable than the wall concept, it could easily be installed in a much more public, more suitable exhibition space, such as on Library Walk for instance, in the midst of a continuously flowing mass of people.

Mini-Easel Concept

This is a fully functional scale model, or tabletop version, of the easel concept more suitable for smaller spaces.

Drafting Table Concept

Structurally modeled after after a traditional drafting table for a more functional every day use format.

Digital Canvas: Test Unit Fabrication Notes

2009-01-09T14:23:00.000-05:00

Power the IR LED illuminating edge with +5 VDC from an available USB port. Refer to this USB pinout reference to design and build a USB pass-through unit to consolidate USB cables to a single cable.

Use the Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks with an exposed 35mm color film negative as an IR pass filter over the lens. Adhere filter with double stick tape to the silver and black rim of the lens just outside of clear protective lens filter. Do not adhere directly to lens filter.

To obtain a clear finished edge on the acrylic sheet, first sand the edge with 220, 400, and 600 grit sand paper to smooth it out to a flat surface. Then using a bleached muslin or cloth buffing wheel with polishing compound, buff the edge until it reaches a high luster finish.

Update 2009.01.12: Unable to attain clear, high luster polish thus far with 220 grit and cloth buffing wheel. Use 400 and 600 grit sandpaper with power sander. Then buff using tallow and buffing compound with the cloth buffing wheel.

Update 2009.01.13: Two of the frame edges bow inward after the gluing process. Possibly due to initial condition of slight warping in the material, or flexing due to temperature differences from having been placed in the sun to set for the first 30 min. Pine latt and stop are clamped together for the first 30 min of gluing to strengthen bond: vice clamp each end, pinch clamp center. Shave down acrylic sheet to compensate.

Update 2009.01.15: Buggered this one good. I don't know what I was thinking. First of all I have 48 infrared LEDs, which isn't so bad because it leaves enough for a second unit. The trouble is I figured on using 24 LEDs for this test unit, but for some reason I understood 2*5+2*6 to be 24. Now I have a frame ready for LED installation with only 22 slots. Going to work with it anyway. Just need to modify the electrical schematic to add 68-ohm resistors to the two sets of three LEDs in series. Good news is that the USB pass-through unit works like a charm.

Update 2009.01.17: Soldering is agonizingly tedious. Almost done.

The USB pass-through may not work as I had anticipated. I just realized that a single USB port is only capable of supplying up to 500 mA of current. Each of the 22 LEDs pull down roughly 20 mA, or 440 mA total, leaving only about 60 mA to power the USB camera. That may not be enough. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Update 2009.01.18: LED installation complete. Acrylic sheet edge finished to a high gloss.

Remaining fabrication tasks are as follows:

construct the shroud that supports the camera
prepare the camera for installation by placing an IR pass filter over the lens
mount the camera, USB pass-through, and LED frame to the shroud
solder LED frame +5VDC and GND leads to the USB pass-through and connect the camera's USB cable to the outlet on the pass-through
finish frame by masking off wires and LEDs with black electrical tape
mount white tissue paper as a moc-projection surface to inner lip of frame
mount acrylic sheet in frame and mask with black electrical tape
as a bonus and only if time permits, construct a mini-easel facad for the test unit

Update 2009.01.24: Fabrication of the test unit is complete. As it turns out, a single USB port is in fact capable of supplying enough current to power a USB webcam as well as all 22 LEDs, allowing consolidation to a single USB cable for power and communications between the test unit and computer.

The unit is a failure, though. It appears that with the current configuration, either the LEDs do not emit enough infrared light to illuminate contact with the touch surface, or the acrylic touch surface simply has not been prepared correctly yet.

The above image was taken with an IR pass filter -- exposed film negative -- over the lens. The light in the image is from an overhead fluorescent lamp. No infrared LED light is visible in this image. Even after removing the IR pass filter, LED light does not illuminate the touch surface.

Looks like I'm back to square one. If I am to build a functional multi-touch system, I need to do some R&D of my own and start materials testing. Being that only seven weeks remain, I may just focus more of my attention toward developing a proof of concept through visualization and documentation.

Update 2009.01.30: Whoohooo! It works!

The problem with the Test Unit ended up being an infrared filter in the camera. I had assumed the camera would work out-of-box since it was able to see the IR LEDs illuminated and casting light, if only for a short distance. Evidently the IR filter had been filtering out most, but not all, of the infrared light. Now that I replaced the IR filter with an IR pass filter, the thing is absolutely amazing! It works like a charm!

Update 2009.02.18: Back to work on this project. I finished up the remaining three acrylic edges by sanding each of them to a 45° angle and polishing to a clear finish, just as I had done with the top edge.

I'm now attempting to install the diffuser, or projection screen. So far I've been unsuccessful. The material in use is Clearprint Drafting & Design Vellum (100% cotton fiber, 16-lb. traditional, 1000H). It was chosen based on it's low cost and translucent quality.

My first attempt at installing the diffuser was less than acceptable, although it did for the most part do what it was supposed to. A strip of double-stick tape was adhered to the inside lip of the frame where the acrylic rests. A sheet of vellum cut larger than the frame was then placed over the opening of the frame. To set the vellum in place and adhere it to the frame, the acrylic sheet was used to push the vellum into the frame and against the double-stick tape. After adhering the vellum to the frame, the acrylic sheet was removed and the excess vellum trimmed off. Finally, the acrylic sheet was placed back into to the frame and masked off with electrical tape. The following images exhibit the result of this process.

The trouble with this method is that ripples in the material can form due to uneven tension at the edges, which can cast shadows across the infrared image. The other issue is that the illumination cones of each LED are visible around the edges of the frame. This could in part be due to the beveled edges of the acrylic sheet, which could cause the angle of incidence to be greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. It's also likely due to contact between the diffusing material and the acrylic sheet itself. As we'll see in the next attempt, these results will be much more dramatic.

To solve for the buckling problem with the diffuser, I decided to try adhering the vellum directly to the bottom surface of the acrylic sheet. First I masked off the polished beveled edges of the acrylic to avoid getting goo on them. I then sprayed the bottom surface of the acrylic with 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive and quickly but evenly applied the vellum sheet. After pressing the vellum to the acrylic, carefully working out any bubbles, I trimmed the excess vellum with an X-acto knife, placed the diffused acrylic sheet back in the frame, and masked it off.

The problem that occurs here is that any internally reflected light of the first medium (acrylic) transfers across the boundary into the second medium (vellum) and diffuses outward. Because incident waves are not able to reflect internally from the diffuse side of the acrylic to the non-diffuse side, an evanescent wave does not exist along the non-diffuse side to illuminate touch points when fingers are placed against the surface of the acrylic sheet.

Incidentally, I could have obtained these same results with less effort by simply sanding the surface of the acrylic sheet. Although in the case that I use vellum, I should be able to recover the beveled acrylic sheet if I'm able to clean the adhesive off.

Update 2009.02.19: Since the beveled edge may be refracting incident waves at angles outside the range for total internal reflection, and due to the likelihood that the process of removing the vellum and adhesive would damage the acrylic surface, I've chosen to start over with a new piece of acrylic sheet. I'll need to fit the new sheet to the frame, sand and polish the edges of the acrylic to a high luster finish, and then install the vellum. In this case, I'm reverting to my original idea of using double-stick tape along the edges of the acrylic to adhere the diffuser. This time though, I'm using thinner strips to avoid the tape being seen by the camera in frame.

I fixed up the second sheet of acrylic as described above, but it doesn't appear to work as well as it had with a beveled edge. The evanescent field doesn't appear to be as strong. Also, I think the reason we can see the illumination cones of each LED across the acrylic surface is because light leaks through a space between the frame's inside lip and the edge of the acrylic surface. Should be able to fix this issue by adhering the two surfaces with strips of double-stick tape, effectively closing the gap.

Removing the vellum and adhesive from the beveled acrylic sheet was about as challenging as I had originally anticipated. The vellum peeled off about as easy as a big sticker, tearing off in pieces and leaving a bunch of goo behind. Rubbing alcohol was marginally effective in softening the adhesive, but WD-40 was able to quickly dissolve it making it easy to wipe up with a paper towel. Spray a thick swath of WD-40 on the vellum-adhesive surface, allow to soak for a minute or two, then peel off the vellum. Spray any remaining adhesive with WD-40, allow time to dissolve, then wipe it up with a paper towel. Wash the acrylic with soap and water, then clean surface with glass cleaner and paper towel.

Unfortunately, I can't use this beveled acrylic sheet. After removing the vellum, I noticed cracks developing from both side edges of the acrylic. I'm not sure how they got there, and I don't want to use this sheet and risk having the cracks spread. So, I'll have to make another.

I finished fabricating the beveled acrylic sheet with vellum adhered to the inner-facing side using strips of double-stick tape. I now have two acrylic sheets -- one with 45° beveled edges, one with 90° non-beveled edges -- fabricated the same way with vellum and double-stick tape. Both appear to work equally as well, perhaps slightly better with the beveled edge.

45° beveled edge

90° non-beveled edge

There are a few things to note with this system involving pressure and sensitivity. First of all, for the camera to gather enough light to render images such as those above, the exposure time for each frame is made as long as possible. As a result, the frame rate is far less than 30fps. The unit also has to be used in a darkened room to avoid flooding the sensor with ambient infrared light.

Room flooded with daylight

A decent amount of pressure is also required to generate the results above. This system is fairly light weight, so it scoots back if not held down when putting that much pressure on the control surface. Applying this kind of pressure, though, allows the skin of your hand to flatten out and make contact with a larger area of the control surface. For larger systems this may be troublesome if the surface is not rigid enough to support this kind of pressure. Also note that results will degrade proportionally to how dry the users hands are.

This will have to be good enough for now. I need to push forward and start developing the software for this project.

Mira Mesa to UCSD

2009-01-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

I rode all the way from Mira Mesa to UCSD yesterday. It was my first day of class.

Dist: 10.98; Odo: 799.4; Mx: 35.0; Tm: 0.50.52; Av: 12.8.

View Larger Map

There were a few interesting things about this ride that I'd like to note. For one, I finally rode down "the big hill." Luckily I was wise enough to be weary of high speeds on my first attempt. The road is in good shape, newly repaved, so it's smooth. But there were six or seven man hole covers in the bike lane all the way down. At high speed, hitting the slightest lip is like hitting a wall, especially with 700x23c tires at 100psi. Most of the manhole covers had a slight lip. Even though I road the brakes all the way to the bottom, it was still pretty precarious. Ride cautiously, and be sure to check over your bike before and after each ride. I'm sure I'll need new brake pads by the end of this quarter.

The second point I'd like to note concerns an alternate route from Sorrento Valley Blvd to N Torrey Pines Rd other than the I-5 and Genesee. I scoped out a series of roads with Google Maps that appear to bypass the freeway: after crossing the tracks, continue on Roselle St, turn left on Dunhill St, then left again on Tower Rd, which will take you all the way up to John J Hopkins Dr and out to Genesee just short of N Torrey Pines Rd. As it turns out though, General Atomics has guarded entrance gates at both ends of Tower Rd, making it impassable. I spoke with the guard on duty, who was fairly pleasant. He said he would have allowed me to pass if only it weren't for liability issues. So I backtracked a little and took the interstate instead, which leads me to my next point.

The climb up the I-5 and Genesee absolutely kicked my butt! It appears to be a 400-ft climb over 2 miles. I averaged around 9mph over the distance. I also had to stop and rest three times. If I'm going to be ready for the Gran Fondo in March, I need more practice climbing up some of these hills. Relays up Torrey Pines Scenic Park N might be in order. Maybe La Jolla Farms if I really feel ambitious, or masochistic.

Speaking of which, I need to prepare better for this colder weather. I nearly froze my tail off last night. Have to keep joints and muscles warm to avoid injury. I could feel it in my knees last night, so I'm taking it easy today. I may order some Pearl Izumi arm, knee/leg, and chest warmers soon. I don't like having to choose what times of the day I ride or limit my riding due to cold weather.

Update 2009.01.20: Rode again today. This time instead of ridding west up Genesee to Torrey Pines, I went east on Genesee and rode past Thorton and Canyon View. It was a little easier this time going up the I-5, but it's still a tough ride.

Dist: 9.19; Odo: 821.8; Mx: 31.5; Tm: 0.34.55; Av: 15.6.

Digital Canvas: Materials

2009-01-06T15:15:00.000-05:00

The following are material lists for each prototype. The test prototype is a small, simple version of the multitouch system meant for exploring and testing. The wall prototype is a single section of a horizontally scalable multitouch system. Additional units can be connected side by side to extend the surface area of the digital canvas. The easel prototype is a conceptual prototype designed to visually link the traditional sense of art making with its digital future.

Camera: Logitech QuickCam Pro [???] Fry's Electronics
Projector: Optoma EW1620 WXGA (1280x800) 2700 Lumens [$899.00 + 6.00 S&H] BHPhotoVideo.com

Test Prototype

11x14x0.093 inch clear acrylic sheet [???] Home Depot
White tissue paper
Scotch double stick tape
P-tec 3mm dome lens infrared (880nm) LEDs with flange (part no. PLI90WCIR880) [???] San Diego Electronic Supply
???Ω resistors [???] San Diego Electronic Supply
22 gauge copper wire
Black electrical tape
Solid pine latt $0.65/ft [$3.74 + 0.29 tax] Home Depot
Solid pine stop $0.82/ft [$4.92 + 0.38 tax] Home Depot
Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue
Black foam core board [???] Aaron Bros.

Wall Prototype

To be determined

Easel Prototype

To be determined

Cost Research for Materials

Mirror

Polished Edge 24x36 in. [$26.99] Home Depot
Polished Edge 30x36 in. [$29.99] Home Depot
Beveled Edge 24x30 in. [$19.99] Home Depot
Beveled Edge 24x36 in. [$24.99] Home Depot
Beveled Edge 20x36 in. [$29.99] Home Depot

Acrylic Sheet

Acrylite 24-mc 36x72x0.220 in. [$99.00] Home Depot

Projection Surface

Rosco Screen #02105 Grey (width: 55", 86", 110"; thick: 7mm; comp: 100% pvc; weight: 1lb./yd.2; view cone: 120 deg.) [???]

Multi-touch Project Links

2009-01-06T14:19:00.000-05:00

Developer Community

Electronics

Camera

Projection Surface

Projector

Gran Fondo San Diego

2008-12-31T16:55:00.000-05:00

I just registered for the 100 mile Gran Fondo San Diego recreational bike ride. Very excited to say the least. I've been reading Bicycling, Triathlete, and the the free Competitor SoCal magazines for tips on how to train for events such as these. I have two whole months to prepare for this ride, which starts at 7AM Sunday, March 1, 2009.

www.GranFondoSanDiego.com