Classes are done. My first programming competition is submitted. I'm relaxing for a little bit. This past weekend I had time to hang out with friends, chill out, and sleep.
I watched the first 7 episodes of the new HBO series Game of Thrones. It came as a recommendation from a friend and he was right, I got hooked right at episode 1. It's pretty much a mature Lord of the Rings. It's done nicely in that every fight or sexual act is done to further the plot instead of 'just because'. HBO's been coming out with a lot of good shows lately (like the Living Dead, which still needs to come out with Season 2).
I also started and finished the game Portal. The first thing that stands out is that the design and game play mechanics are innovative; you can shoot a blue and red portal, you enter from one and exit the other. Combine this with physics and puzzles and there's a lot to do.
The part that I find fascinating is Portal's reuse of the same, limited resources to keep the game fresh. I believe the game was originally designed by two DigiPen students and given the small team, it makes sense using the same models (sentries, companion cube) and design elements (acid ground, moving tiles). They didn't overextend themselves, they knew their limits.
I got to see an interesting "battle of the random bands" this weekend. A group of people were picked (based on their instrument), placed in a lotto, and randomly selected to form a band. They had a month to come up with their songs and practice. As expected, some groups worked surprisingly well and some were plain terrible. The one that did work out really well was a group that had an older man singing with a younger girl playing some sick banjo.
Another thing I finally noticed is that I get frustrated driving. I hate it. It's not that I'm bad at it, I just get really irate when I drive around congested areas (like LA or any downtown areas).
Anyways, I'm going to be brainstorming new ideas this weekend. I want to get started on my next project.
Maybe you need to visit Shanghai and do a little driving? It serious chaos where anything goes, but it seems to work...I've become a frustrated walker here, I have had some BIG bouts of sidewalk rage :)
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