Blog
2nd of September, 2003
Look at me, I started a blog! How original! It should be updated
daily weekly monthly whenever I damn well
feel like it. Anyways, it's Back to School, tomorrow, happy happy
happy. Or not.
Anyway, I'd better explain what's going into this blog. Basically
if I update the site, I'll probably do a blog entry, and if there's
something that needs to be said, well I might do one then, too.
I doubt there'll be anything of great interest here, but I'll probably
make some insane comment, now and then.
Oo! content! yes, well. Recently I have been exploring fractals, and have finally managed to code a fractal generator in VB. The only problem is that, it being VB, it's slooooooow. The solution: learn C! *laughs* well, I tried to optimize it, by scaling the numbers and using integers, but that doesn't produce a visible increase in speed. still, it can do yer standard mandelbrot, with 256 iterations in 50 seconds. One annoyance is that although the colours are scaled when using low iterations, the colours aren't evenly spread. Therefore, when using 256 iterations, a mandelbrot is seen as the standard shape, with a slight gradation at the edges: there's no "froth". Hence, the image don't look great. Well, I'll carry on trying. Probably.
<Fish-face>
15th of September, 2003
I haven't done anything much with fractals lately, but I'm back on BYOND woo! I am currently trying to get my game TWoRTtgS (TWoRT for short, The World of Random Things that go "Splid" for long) back up, after Nadrew removed it. >:( Anyways, I've got a custom icon system up, I might include a little "me" marker, and I'm desperately trying to work out how to include a casino or sommat. Bleah.
So far, it ent going to well, but with the help of the pips at the BYOND forums (I've found my password now! =P)... nothin' happened a guy from BYOND says that no-one can be bothered with my good for nothing project (Well, not those precise words). So much for friendship, eh.
Well, I decided I'd put up some cartoons... If I can get my act together then I'll put up some strips, too. I've created a new character (called Lucy) and might be able to do sommat with her. Lets hope it doesn't take too long!
<Fish-face>
3rd of October, 2003
Grar. *sniffs* I'm down with the lurgi! (And a cold, at the same time - which is a bit annoying, to say the least) Anywho, I'm sure I'll live, although catching up with missed schoolwork is going to be interesting...
Well, I decided to stuff BYOND, since they weren't too friendly. Cartoons are in development, and there's some advancement on the fractal front: I got AVS (Advanced Visualisation Studio) to give me a Julia fractal (although it turns my PC into an electric heater - I had to stop development 'cuz I could smell burning dust!) I then did the same in VB, but, to make things a little smoother, I used an array to store the values, and then draw the array contents to screen. Unfortunately, to draw a circle to an array is a lot more complex than to do the same with a VB form.
I've done other stuff with AVS - made my first "UnConeD" style preset, i.e. a 3D scope with a roto-zoomed + morphed background. I also made a preset that'll morph into different shapes, but it ent nearly finished, yet. The fantasy worlds are developing languages! I'm developing one for Fletharon, and co-developing one of the several for Domvairon. Hopefully they'll be better than my previous attempt (although, admittedly, it was a first conlang) fingers crossed, eh?
<Fish-face>
4th of November, 2003
Well, there's been a whole holiday and month since my last entry, so here we go!
Starting where I left off, the languages slowed down a bit (not surprisingly) They've still progressed somewhat, however, and we have some draft Fletharon/Flethese/Whateverish words, and some letters for Domvairon. Alright, so it's not very impressive - it's a work in progress, OK???
Moving on to AVS, we have another UnConeD style preset - a plasma fractal style one. It's not difficult - use a DM to randomly apply sines and cosines to the points, you get a cool, gloopy effect. I also have another vaguely gloopy preset, that looks very proffessional in its innards! Its got all sorts of weird effect lists and buffer saves. Anyway, it's a circle that's repeated, weird-i-mified and then morphed for a very cool effect. I have succeeded in getting a generally nifty fire-type effect, using the colour-clip t'ing.
Moving on again, I have been following a tutorial for Cinema 4D that allowed me to make a face-type-structure. I shall hopefully be following that up with lots of inspired pieces of artwork for the 3D section :)
I have done a speech on Communism for my English Speaking Coursework, which is going up soon on the writings section (O' course, communism ent going to work, but it's a cool speech, all the same!) I'm yet to hear what my mark is, but let's hope it's good.
On the programming front, I have made a downright funky program that simulates flocking behaviour - you can adjust several variables that affect the way the creatures respond to others, and the end result looks very cool.
I'm currently incredibly tired, partially a result of the sudden shock of having to get up... in the morning! Although my parents reckon that it's because I'm not eating enough. Pah - I eat plenty slowly, already!
<Fish-face>
1st of December, 2003
Woooo! Advent!
Programming is groovy! Continuing the flocking behaviour proggie was rather fun, building in a heading adjustment feature to make them line up and go in the same direction was good in particular. In the same vein, I have created a small AI program, in which blobs move around, reproduce, and eat. There's a basic self checking t'ing, allowing blobs to sense their environment, etc. Unfortunately it's very difficult to balance things in order to get blobs to divide and continue the population and evolution, but also to get them to die properly so the world isn't swamped with little blobs.
I'm going to Germany! Wheeeee! A project the separate science groups run at our school is to work along with schools in Stockport's twin towns Beziers and Heilbronn. As part of this project, I get to go to Heilbronn and do sciency stuff. Not only that, but because only three people elected to go, it's free!
Unfortunately, we also have some sad news. My minister and good friend died recently of cancer, having been getting worse for the previous week. He was one funky guy - helping us spiritually and generally, able to cheer you up even if he himself was feeling down. Here's to you, Rob.
<Fish-face>
5th January, 2004
Woo! New Year!
And the school lark, too. :( Ah, well, It don't matter cuz I GOT LINUX! Wheee! Dad helped install it over Christams, and I'm writing this in it. For the geeks out there, it's Red Hat 9, running Gnome. Kernel 2.4.20-27.9. So We've been having fun sorting out the network, and dual booting (Had to go around with a boot floppy for a while :P) Still trying for Hardware acceleration.
I went to Germany, and we launched water rockets at the Germans... I mean, with the Germans. Had a great time and stayed with this funky guy called Tobias (Who, as Alex will tell you, has a funky haircut. And took us to a funky bar, and gave us funky German beer) And then they sent me home with loads of presents! While we were there we visited the Weihnachtsmarkts (Christmas Markets) and watched an Ice Hockey match and went to the museum of technics, and Erica pestered us for Ice-cream all week.
I also have an Atari, rather randomly (Thanks, Andy!)
Me and Ellen have started up the Adventures of Grollen site - a RolePlaying board like the dead and near-forgotten Litha. The inspiration for this was (apart from Ellen) Legend of the Derelect - another RolePlaying board, set up by the same people as Litha was.
<Fish-face>