Welcome

HI, this is my blog spot for my IDAT310 module (the games module) as it is reffered to in Plymouth University… yeah, lectures far from the idea of Robotics, which is the degree i am studying, however there have been some good points raised. the main one being that of the guest speakers lecture concerning AI in entertainment systems.

This module was designed for computer geeks who like designing games to be able to creat a game, get a corporate iudentity, and basically, do what they want to do.

This year – well this university year, it was decieded that IDAT310 as it is now known will be retitled from the old title, and changed into IDAT310, with the belief that it may be inbteresting for the new degree of Robotics students to choose as a module as part of the third and final year. However, it has been made a core subject, and one to our dismay doesnt really suit that of robotics.

You may read above, that i did say there were some good points. these however are far from the majority, being about good points contained within the guest speakers lecture concerning AI. The lectures we study as part of the module are focused on games and the games industry.
For example…
Today, our lecture contained information about how much it costs to develop a game for each cames platform, such as Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, 3, Nintendo WII, and even Dreamcast and the likes… now what has that got to do with Robotics?

Here is a long shot to try and answer that question…

Maybe that if we robotic people realise that it costs tonnes of money to develope a game, say £1000 for instance (it is much higher) we can then work out its ‘gameplay’ and develop a robot pet that can have the same amount of ‘gameplay’ at a much cheaper cost.

This is by far a far way of looking at it.

Adult games is another topic brought up in todays lecture. Yes i guess there is an adult robotic industry, but looking at screen shots of various games, or violent games – all of which i have never heard of apart from san adreas – as its advertised lots – well was, i dont get the connection between robotics and the game lecture we are studying.

The good thing is however, i guess, is that i do not have to develop a game for my final piece of coursework, and present a demo online in php (what ever that is!) program in flash (how??) and design a full http website that looks great as if it were a corporate website in itself (all of which i have no experience of! – the only web space i currently had before tihis web blog was that of MySpace, my MSN space, and some online dating agency which an old school friend put me on as a prank – tho its funny the ‘matches’ they pair you up with heehee – im 21 (22 in 5 days 🙁 and being paired up with a fat 39yr old doesnt appeal) so yeah, im doing this blog as its part of the marking criteria – which to be honest is vague, and i have been trying to speak to dan my lecturer about it, and the project i am doing, however he has said he will speak to me after the lectures today and last week, and over the period 3 weeks before, and the last weeks he hasnt turned up. so after this first post i shall email him with my questions.

SO instaead of creating a web page and game for this module what am i doing?
well to be honest…
im not doing anything to do with the lectures we are having.
I have been asigned a robotic project for Dan which uses sensors and comms between 3 balls that can do stuff – i got to keep it quiet on the net as i dont know if Dan is releasing details about it.

Also i still get to do the ‘web critique’ but not based on ‘a title’ as in a critique of a game, but of a robotics thing of my choosing.
i have chosen to do a critique (note that i didnt use ‘web’) upon the playability and functions within robotic pets and the human interaction, sorta something on that, thats not the title, as im only researching at the moment. tho its due in next thurs im sure it will be fine.

The reason why i didnt say ‘web’ was because it needs to be apart of the website, and me not having a site, and never really having one, i have argued that i shouldnt do one on the web. its also due to the fact i have never programmed a web space, any web language, and the only reason i had my old robot making website (IGTBAR – Idiots Guide To Building A Robot for tv’s robot wars (of which i was a competitor – Jan 2003 with Short Circuit) was because i used Microsoft Publisher 97 and stuck it onto a free page on Lycos. so yeah i have NO experience what so ever.

I have been resorted to producing a PDF (of which i have no skills of, tho im sure its easy??!?) which can contain video? web links? and other online resources?

So yeah…

Welcome to my IDAT310 web blog.

Lets hope i can get my FIRST BSC degree i am aiming for! (anything less and i WILL be upset)

Signing off

nat