DeVry Fall 2008-2009 Over

Last night I took the final for GSP-280, Simulation Design. It took me 30 minutes of the hour allocation. I need 49% to get an A. Interestingly, the professor e-mailed me today and said that the final was increased to 3.5 hours and that I could retake it if I wanted. I responded with a no-thank-you.

My other class, GSP-130, System Architecture and Assembler, was a different story. This class was a little more challenging. The logic of programming isn't hard, but the syntax of registers and the little gotchas were often frustrating. Regardless, I took the final tonight, going into it with 667/1000 points. The final worth an additional 300. I need at least 203 points to get an A.


My wife thinks I'm obsessed with getting A's, but I just want to know that I'm capable to my max.

Next semester (Spring 09) I've registered for something a little different.

CIS-246, Connectivity with Lab. This is essentially a networking class.
PSY-C305, Motivation and Leadership. Name says it all.

I had intended on taking something else, but when I called to register for it the adviser said I already took it. I hadn't, but my transfer credits counted towards it. My original adviser had misinformed my of my transfer credits. This advisor however made it a point to update the DeVry online information, "My Degree Navigator". A year plus and their database was out of whack. The whole time I just thought the tool was useless, but apparently it has some value. (Note a degree of sarcasm here. This is why I don't do any registering or bill paying online because what it says online hasn't yet meshed with reality.)

Back in the Box

My 360 is home now. It came back on Friday, but I had lent all my games and controllers to a co-worker since I wasn't going to get much use out of them. Thus, I wasn't able to play again until today.

The system is working well it seems, though my licensed downloads are acting funny. Braid for instance lost its saved games. Haven't tested much else. Far Cry 2 works and now that I've tasted of it again, its difficult to shelve it until after finals and my iPhone work is done.

I'm going to take my final in GSP-280 now, should be a breeze. I'm at 101%, so the 200 point final should be easy to blow through.

Board@Work

We came up with a game name, I think it really works too.

Here's one of the prototype icons for the game.

XBox Repaired

Now it just has to come home.

iHeart Valentines

Though I think my "partnership" with the iAlleyBall iPhone developer fell flat, my postings led me to another. I'm working on some block game related art for another local developer. This icon seemed pretty topical for today.

This plastic concept was rejected though, but rightfully so.


Things are going very well with this new developer. He was very open and up front about our working relationship, which I appreciated very much. I think it is going to be good.

Arcade Progress

XBOX Box

Red Rings of Death means the warranty kicks in. I reported the problem and Microsoft sends you a box to ship your XBox in.

I have more free time now.

MAME Arcade Progress

Got a TV off of craigslist, it is a real tight fit. I've got four wounded fingers to show for it but its in there.

iAlley Ball Release

I did some art for a local iPhone developer a while back. He just released the game. Its called iAlley Ball. I don't have an iPhone/Touch so I haven't played it yet.

This was rendered in Carrara (old) with 4 layers, where I used Photoshop to blend to get the results I wanted for shadows and lighting. It turned out better than I thought my old software could do.

I would have used Blender, but at the time I was struggling with the materials and camera, so I fell back on my old familiar. Note that the Carrara I have is 3.0 (ala 2003), and I made it do some things it isn't capable of via creative blending of multiple renders.

2003! Man my PC is getting old.

The Beginning of The End

So it began.

I've now submitted it to the online repair at XBox. I'll probably be posting more now since I can't play Far Cry 2.