Dog whistle

Hokay, I've finally taken a few hours out of my oh so hectic schedule (I'm trying to sound sarcastic there, but its kind of true that I've been rather more busy than usual the past few weeks, March on my calendar looks really scary, even though I've done most of that month! Relieved to be getting into April were it looks much less chaotic and terrifying!) to write in this 'ere blog over what I've been doing! So fiiiiirst, some screen shots from an interactive game I've been working on with the Ariel Trust. Its a speed camera game, the player clicks on the sign to take two photos of a car driving past; we give the player the distance and time and the player has to figure out whether the driver should be given a speeding ticket or not! Theres been some hiccups along the way (such as if we use the standard speed signs, they only give the speed limit by miles per hour, while kids in schools are taught to figure out speed by metres/kilometres per second/hour, so that was a conumdrum, and theres other problems too, but its been interesting to do. Especially making the visuals for it - as I've had to make it similar to the style of original CD-ROM, its been a fun learning curve! (I'm blocking out that Friday afternoon I kept shouting at my computer cause I couldn't get the motion tween to follow a path because I'm a MORON that didn't do it in the right order!) Anyway, Screeeenshhhoooottts!





Yeah. Theres 'Boo!' and 'Yay!' sound effects depending on if you guessed right or wrong! I've got a meeting with the Ariel people tomorrow, so they're going to scrutinize it! Slightly scary I suppose! But yes. Have been doing that.

I've also been working on animated bar charts for Ariel (which I may have mentioned a few weeks ago), and I've redone them so they're more in the style of the package they're actually talking about. I'm compiled a short collection of the original & new bar charts together, just to show the difference!



That was also an interesting learning curve. Learnt stuff in Flash that is sooo useful. (Which is more than likely due to the shnazzy yet expensive book I bought on How to Cheat in Flash CS3 or what not.) So yes, all I've got to do with them is mess about with the actual stats as they're not right, and I need to put a change in percent bit in them too!

So yes. Um, other stuff? Made up some imagery to go along with some game ideas for the RATS CD-ROM to do with the Biology section; we've decided to focus on Binge Drinking and Drugs, as its the only thing covered in the kids curriculum that we can relate back to RATS.







So theres them.

Aaand, yes, aside from that...have been in the garden centre alot doing a few extra hours; and have also been to talk to somebody about starting my business. Mmmhmmm. Yeah. Not sure about that one. But a possibility as it would seem nobody wants to hire me. Its a very confusing time. But I'm ploughing on.

Have started playing Final Fantasy XIII. The graphics are immaculate. The story is intriguing. But the gameplay makes me weep in torment. Its just so dull. I've been playing it for 15 hours and I'm just too scared to believe that that is ALL there is to it! I mean,...come on! There has to be something more to it!

And a cute video that should make ANYONE go 'Awww'



...and also cry. ITS SO FRICKIN' CUTE! OH I WANT TO EXPLODE....!!!!1!