November 2010 Archives

I've decided that I would like to create an interactive fiction (IF) game that functions like the (in)famous IF game Annoyotron.

Annoyotron is simple in that it frustrates new players to no end by an inability to win. At least it makes them crazy until they realize that the only way to "win" the game is to remove themselves from the game. In other words, the only way to succeed and end the game is to kill oneself. In my game, I hope to plan out numerous ways in which my player can "off" themselves. Some methods may use objects within the game's simple layout and others may be elaborate.

I intend to have the layout and basic coding done for Thursday. Hopefully, I will also begin working on the code that tells a player when they've died and ask them if they wish to restart the game.

By Tuesday I plan to be creating numerous and hilarious ways in which a player can permanently remove themselves from the game...before starting over that is.

My technical skills at using Inform 7 and my knowledge of how to create the proper code for my game make me feel confident that I can accomplish my goals. However, I think I may need a refresher course in how to actually kill a player because I haven't done that in a game that I've created thus far.

Well, now you know what it is that I'm up to. How about taking a look at what my peers are planning to make?

HTML is the basis for every webpage, piece of text, and omnipotent App that surrounds the world around us. So it might be helpful if one knew how to interpret and manipulate that data, don't you think? Well, that's what I have learned to do in my New Media Projects class.

For a class project I was assigned the task of coding a website that would work on the iPad and an iPod Touch. The end result is an online professional website that I can show potential employers. Of course, there is always more data that I could add, bits of code to be added or tweaked, but those are details that I can add later on.

If you take a look at the linked video I've provided below, you'll be able to view a video I made featuring my website in the form of pictures captured on my iPad. The video shows several screen shots showing a progression through my website and how I altered my code to the final end result.

Original website video

You can also view my website directly below.

If you'd like to see my other two class projects, they are at Scritch Scratch towards progress and I'm here to Inform you...

Have you ever wondered how a job might look easy at first glance, but turns out to be a bit more than you can chew? And then you think "What do I do now?" Well, if you're worried about your ability to lead, I strongly suggest that you take a look at Shelby Coffey's "Best Practices: The Art of Leadership in News Organizations."

The wisdom and insights within these online pages have supplied me with leadership experience on which to base my decisions in leading Seton Hill University's student newspaper, the Setonian. But the most relevant point made in Coffey's last remaining pages focused on balancing one's personal time against the time that is required to guide a news organization.

It seems to me that finding a line between my personal time and my professional leadership time is always tricky and kind of hard to pin down. Being an undergraduate student, my time schedule is constantly changing pace and direction. However, I somehow manage to make everything fit when it comes down to it, and that's what matters. At the end of the day,if I'm no more crazy than I was when I woke up, my day's been pretty good. Nevertheless, I very much value the advice of the editors and managers presented by Coffey. Don't underestimate just how much a piece of good advice will serve you in the future, even if it's not in a leadership position reference specifically.