Website
Redesign
10.7.08
I
finally have a working version of my latest
website iteration which is up if you can see
this news post. The site isn't finished yet,
but I will hopefully be able to finish each
section pretty soon. I decided to change it
up a bit to give more screen space to my actual
work. I also wanted to be able to be a little
different with the design on each page while
maintaining a standardized navigation bar.
It sort of simulates a projector screen, since
I'm kind of known to randomly take my projector
places. I'm hoping other people like the redesign.
I
got a position on the DeFrag board,
so I hope to help make the events they run
even better.
I chose to be part of the development comittee
so I can get more people involved in different
aspects of game development. I want to try
to get all aspects in so that anybody can participate.
Previous competitions were a bit limited to
programmers and artists, so I want to try to
get the spotlight on other areas of game development.
LittleBigPlanet beta
keys have been sent out to a lot of places
on the web and I managed to win one through
one of Joystiq's
lottery drawings. I've been excited for the
game for quite a while, and the beta has really
cemented my thoughts that this is going to
be a spectacular game. Though some of the user
levels are hit or miss, it still manages to
be fun just trying out other users' creations.
Unfortunately, this game is probably going
to make me buy additional controllers so my
roommates can play. The game comes out October
21st, so I don't have to wait much longer until
the full version. posted
on tuesday, october 7, 2008
Summer
Plans
8.1.08
I've
been working on a lot of different projects
recently as well as creating plans for some
new projects
this fall. One of my latest
web designs is for a friend and is turning
out really well. It's probably my favorite
design yet and makes me want to redo my own
website.
I'm
working on editing another wedding video. I'm
still amazed at what the Canon HV20 can do. Blu-ray
burners are getting cheaper every day, though
the discs are still about $15 each. I've been
filming videos for clubs at school, so I will
be trying to finish up the DVD by September.
I have a lot of footage to cram on a DVD, so
I'm wondering how that will work out.
I
look forward to doing some sort of project with
XNA so that I can put up a game on Xbox
Live Community Games, which starts this fall.
If I'm successful, I could make a bit of money
from it too, since Microsoft gives up to 70%
of the revenue to the developers. I'm still working
on composing different songs, though I've been
away from my main desktop for quite a while now,
so I haven't done anything. I've been getting
better at orchestration, so songs are starting
to sound pretty decent.
posted
on friday, august 1, 2008
Game
Development Project
3.8.08
I
am currently starting a project with a few other
students at DePaul for a game development competition
with the game development club, DeFRAG.
I am not sure what the game will be about, exactly,
but I do think the team I am in will do some
good work. It seems pretty balanced. The idea
so far has something to do with positioning lights
in order to make a city happy, since the requirement
for the competition is that the game has something
to do with light.
We
have one person doing art, and two programmers
aside from myself. Since I'm not as advanced
as they are (they are both graduate students),
I will be concentrating on doing the sound, music,
documentation, and graphic interface work. I
plan on taking a class next quarter that would
teach me more about programming in C#, which
is helpful to work with XNA.
XNA is a platform Microsoft created to make quick
games for both Windows and Xbox 360.
posted
on saturday, march 8, 2008
High-definition
Video & Other Projects
9.21.07
The
Indiana FFA 78th State Convention DVD set is
now complete. Although the original footage was
captured in high definition, most people will
be unable to enjoy it at this point. Although
it is not an option for this convention, DVD
can store a certain amount of HD footage. However,
this footage can only be played back on computers
and a few other multimedia devices, such as the
Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
As
for current projects, I am currently playing
around with music
composition, 3D animation with Maya, high
definition video production, and creating a submission
for a club website.
posted
on friday, september 21, 2007
Indiana
FFA 78th State Convention DVD
6.29.07
I
am currently working on a 2-DVD set of the convention
footage for sale by no later than September,
although I am trying to get it done as soon as
possible. The source footage is in 1080p HD,
so I will have to downsize it to standard TV
resolution. I have decided not to use dual-layer
DVDs, since they will likely cause compatibility
problems with other people.
 I
will have more information regarding prices later.
One DVD set will include all the sessions from
the convention including the hypnosis. I plan
on selling the hypnotist session alone at a lower
price with a bonus. Expect prices to be around
$25 or so.
posted
on friday, june 29, 2007
Spring
Finally Arrives for
one day
3.29.07
The
weather has certainly been a lot warmer recently
with signs that winter is officially over. I'm
still working on my music compositions and uploaded
updated songs in my music
portfolio.
I
recently ordered a Canon
HV20 and I'm excited to get to try it out.
It's a high-definition camcorder. I previously
sold my old camcorder, a Sony VX2000, on eBay
so that I could replace it with a smaller camcorder.
I would like to do a video project soon after
I receive it in the mail and will probably post
some test footage. All the early reviews say
this camcorder is amazing at it's price-point,
so I'm eager to shoot some stuff with it.
posted
on thursday, march 29, 2007
Another
Update
1.30.07
I
have been working on some music compositions
which you can hear some of here.
It is a single MP3 that goes through several
unfinished songs. Right now I am working on getting
a good melody before perfecting the timing, instrumentation,
and dynamics. The music is targeted for video
games. I also have the Electric
Playground arrangement sheet music available
for those interested. I think it's the only source
for high school level Super Mario concert band
sheet music.
Chicago
is very cold right now and it doesn't look like
it's going to get any warmer anytime soon. I
am planning on being a mentor for freshmen next
year for the Chicago Quarter classes that are
required for them to take. I think it will be
a fun experience.
posted
on thursday, january 30, 2007
Happy
New Years
1.4.07
I'm
currently working on finishing up corrections
on Electric Playground in order to upload the
sheet music so that other bands can play it.
The target MP3 of what it is supposed to sound
like is up on the projects page. Chicago really
isn't that cold right now, and I'm hoping it
will stay like that for a while.
posted
on thursday, january 4, 2007
Thanksgiving
11.20.06
I've
had a really enjoyable week working towards Thanksgiving
break. I went to go see Wicked, a private screening
for Casino Royale, a symphony concert, the Magnicificent
Lights festival, and got the Nintendo Wii. I
don't really have too much to do for finals,
so I'm trying to pack and get everything situated.
I
plan on working on putting more of my portfolio
online as well as work on a new video project.
I will post it when I finish it. We might be
doing some sort of James Bond parody or a music
video. We haven't really decided yet.
posted
on monday, november 20, 2006
A
lot of "Finals"
11.11.06
I'm
coming close to the end of Final Fantasy XII.
It's a really fun game, but the plot seems to
suffer in comparison to previous games in the
series. I'm rushing to finish the game since
I won't be taking my PS2 home over break. Square-Enix
has made the decision to also release Final Fantasy
V Advance (GBA) and Final Fantasy III (DS) within
the same two weeks as Final Fantasy XII. It's
been a very expensive year for gamers although
satisfying.
I'm
down to only a few assignments to be done before
break:
- Play
paper for Game Design class
- 6-8
page research paper for World Literature class
- Final
Flash project for Motion Design class
Since
I'm not taking my desktop PC home, I'll be limited
to what I can do on my laptop and the computer
at home. I have alternative
methods, but if an electric outage causes
my computer to shut off, I won't have any way
of turning it back on. I will be backing up everything
on external hard drives, so I will have all my
data handy.
Oh,
here's another music
sample.
posted
on saturday, november 11, 2006
Final
Fantasy XII
10.29.06
On
Halloween, Final
Fantasy XII will finally arrive in stores.
It's been awhile since the last Final Fantasy
game was released, although I have been kept
entertained by FFXI for
a long time. Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo
DS will be coming out later in November, so I'm
excited about that too.
I
did finish my video on Lincoln Park, which you
can view here.
I went to go see Wicked last week. It was great,
as always. I will have to try to go see the Chicago
Symphony sometime. They play in the building
behind the DePaul CTI building, so it is easy
to get to.
posted
on saturday, october 29, 2006
Music
Compositions
10.22.06
I've
been working more on original
music compositions. I've been interested
in doing some for a while, but had worked on
arrangements for band instead. I'll probably
have some songs finished by winter break.
I
finally finished my research paper for Neighborhood
Bakeries class and now will be working on my
project for Strategies in Game Design. I plan
on making some kind of scrabble-derived game
with musical notation. I will post it in my portfolio after
I finish. After I finish my Lincoln Park video,
I'll upload it on YouTube.
posted
on saturday, october 22, 2006
Website
Updates
10.13.06
I've
updated the website for a few things, including
broadening my portfolio. I'd like to put some
clips up for everything, but I have to wait until
I get the backup CDs from home. I'm coming home
November 23rd and will have a six-weeks vacation
until January 3rd. I was lucky enough to get
my bus ride home to Indianapolis for
only a buck.
 Chicago
has been great, although the weather doesn't
cooperate much. I waited outside in 40 degree
weather to preorder the Nintendo
Wii. I showed up at about 7:25am and was
the 8th person in line. There were around 36
people in line by the time the store opened at
10:00am. Apparently the store only had 14 consoles
for preorder, although the same store had 16 Playstation
3's.My brother happened to get #4 on his
PS3 preorder (thanks to me), so he is excited
about that. The line was very small for the Gamestop
in Madison, IN.
I'll
be working on, and hopefully finishing, my research
paper on bakeries in Lincoln Park, Chicago. I'm
putting together a short video of the area for
my presentation, which I'll put on YouTube shortly
after.
posted
on friday, october 13, 2006
NYC
Trip & DePaul Update
08.21.06
Well,
I thought I would update this site more often
with stuff but so far I have not. I came back
from my trip to
NYC a few weeks ago and had a great time.
I'm excited to be heading off to DePaul soon,
to major in computer games development. It looks
like I will be getting along well with my roommates
and hope the year goes well.
DePaul
is on the quarter system. The first quarter goes
until Thanksgiving, where I will then get a six
weeks vacation until New Years when
the second quarter starts. It will go until spring
break (two weeks) and then I will attend the
third quarter until around the first week of
June.
posted
on monday, august 21, 2006
Website
Overhaul
06.22.06
I've
decided to redesign the website to give it a
more simpler feel. I'm not sure if I like it
better than my previous design,
but do think a lot of the pages needed to be
converged or rid of.
The
picture in the title bar I will probably swap
every once in a while with a new picture. This
was one of pictures from my trip to Japan during
spring break. It was interesting to see rows
of bikes without them even being chained down.
That and everywhere I went there seemed to be
a vending machine present.
posted
on thursday, june 28, 2006
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