Frustration cubed

Very, very tired. I've spent three hours trying to do just one (apparently) simple task on 3D Max. The frustration has given me a headache. All I wanted to do was assign a different colour to each side of a cube. Couldn't do it. The Help isn't particularly helpful because I don't know how to phrase the question since I'm not familiar with the nomenclature. What's going to happen when I need to assign sound to the faces?

What I have so far is a model of the cubes within a larger cube. The larger cube will open up, throwing out the smaller cubes — I'm going to have to come up with a name for this thing — whilst in the midst of the 'chaos' and noise there'll be what I call the Cosmic Cube that the user will use to control the environment. Well, that's the idea. I still have to figure out how to use this programme and then it's on to Visard and making the whole thing interactive.

I live in hope.

Back to work

It's been a while. And though it may appear that I've been doing nothing — sitting back, hands behind my neck, feet up on desk gazing lovingly at my Bart Simpson slippers — I have actually been working hard. In fact, I've been doing many things. All at once.

Like what?

Virtual Environments: Exploring the possibilities a three dimensional environment offers in the interaction with, and organisation of content. Managing content within two dimensional interfaces is commonplace now — everyone has a PC or mobile telephone — but adding an extra dimension changes the way we view content and the relationship among the elements of that content.

My idea is to create a three dimensional Rubik's cube type game. Like Rubik's game the object is to put the cube back in the right order. My cube has, however, instead of coloured sides, sound sides. The cube can be taken apart completely. Each side emits a sound. The task is to put the cube back together in such a way that only the harmonious sounds can be heard and the cacophonous ones are stifled by the inner sides of the cube itself.


I'm also learning Processing. It's slow going. Any kind of programming/coding is new to me, so bear with me. I am enjoying it, so much so that I'm sharing the fruits of my labour with y'all. It doesn't quite work... to be frank it really doesn't work at all. The right paddle moves, the ball moves, but the left paddle doesn't do what I thought I programmed it to. Oh well, as Chairman Mao once said, "Even the makers of GTA had to learn to use a computer." Oh, by the way the game is Pong. Enjoy.

Finally, I'm working on a comic book. It's already written (plotted), and drawn. I'm in the process of scripting and colouring the first 24 pages. It's called Genus, a kind of Grange Hill meets X-Men, and depending on how I feel I might just post it up panel by panel as I complete it. For the time being here's page 5 sans script.

Fully recovered and fighting fit

It's 2008 and I'm rearing to go. Yeah, I know it's already nine and three-quarter days into the year but better late than never. The possibilities of doing some great work, learning new skills, exploring stimulating ideas and engaging with interesting people have made getting out of bed in the morning exciting.

Unfortunately I was struck by a flu virus. To be quite honest I can't remember ever being this ill before. In my whole life I've never taken a day off for real illness. Yesterday I thought I'd turn up for classes anyway and the day would take care of the flu — just brush it away like so much chaff. No such luck. I could barely stand, barely talk, barely had enough energy to raise a brave grin. I should have stayed in bed. To anyone who may have caught my germs: sorry.

I'm feeling much better now!