Alien Adventures

Construction Day 2

2010-05-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

Construction of the installation was finished yesterday, pictures of this stage of progress are below. All that remains to do now is to add the artistic elements which will be done on Monday.

Pictures and updates of this will follow.

How construction ended on Day 1

Adding the cover to the door

Covering the door

Adding the window

Securing the window

Hanging the door

Securing the wall cover

The covered shelf

Measuring for the wall cover

Nearly there

Fixing the last bit of wall covering

Adding velcro for the access hatch

The access hatch

The finished build

The working controller

Project Update

2010-05-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been quite awhile since we've been here, so here's a low down on whats been happening.

The graphic department has come up trumps with the graphical elements, some of which were shown in the previous posting, along with all the animations required for each of the game levels.

The sound department has field recorded all of the audio required and has since processed these into their final formats for use with the games.

The programming department has been working feverishly to get the games working together which has come together nicely, with everything linking together and flowing for the story.

There was a real sense of accomplishment in the air today as construction began on the physical housing for the project. Included with the post are some pictures taken during construction.

Another update will follow tomorrow along with pictures of tomorrows construction and artistic additions.

Frame work

Fixing it together

Checking the structure

Securing the skeleton

Building the skeleton

Securing the skeleton

Roof added

Stapling the walls

Covering the walls

Inside the ship

Back of the controller

Measuring for the door

Fixing the supports

Shelf for the controller and screen

The finished shelf for the controller and screen

Design Demos

2010-03-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

There are some demos for the design

Rory & AliceEgyptForbidden CityAmazon JungleSilicon Valley

They are the background for our mini games and I am working on make this in 3D scence.

Sound Effects

2010-03-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

After collating all the audio effects while doing the sound map for the script the recording has started. Quite a few of the sounds are human generated and they have been captured on the M-Audio microtrack 2 and the few CG sounds are still to be recorded. Tomorrow(8th) the processing will begin so until the next post..........

technology research

2010-02-03T09:55:00.000-08:00

just been doing some research on the possible technologies and interaction possibilites for the project. The following are some links to some useful websites and videos.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pressure-Pad

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/932358/how_to_construct_a_pressure_pad_alarm_system

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejWKBR5gXU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpV2CWFTIcA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ngrsTJ5o8w

The concepts of the aliens and spacecraft

2009-11-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

This is just rough concept for the two aliens (Rory & Alice) and the spacecraft.

And we would like to make them in 3D format.

2009-11-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

HCIA Compressed Cranial Inc. Production For DKIT. THE LEGEND OF THE GIANTS CAUSWAY (How the Aurora Bore (Alice) Was Born) Once upon a time long ago there lived a giant far up in the northern hemisphere. His name was Oswaldo the Grouch. Late one Summers evening as the days started to shorten and the onset of the long winter months threatened Oswaldo decided to move south for the winter. After long conversation with his wife Alice, and much persuasion, she agreed to the trip as long as she could accompany him on his journey. They set of south ahead of the fast approaching winter storms and soon arrived at the northern shores of a completely uninhabited island. Their first view was of a strange set of uniform shapes protruding upwards around the shoreline. The look of this curious shoreline interested him very much, so much so that without further ado he took of again and landed right on top of the curious looking shapes. As he walked around picking his steps from one shape to the next he began to hear strange sounds in his head. And to his utter amazement each shape seemed to produce a different sound. Of course he wasn’t sure if the sounds were inside or outside his head so he rushed back to Alice and asked if she would come with him and check if he was still sane or maybe he could be loosing his marbles. What with the long journey and strange new country well, anything could happen. The next day Oswaldo and his wife went to see the shapes again and test them for the sounds he had heard the day before. And sure enough as soon as they started to walk around the shapes they both began to hear the sounds, the more they chased and frolicked around the louder the music got. That it had the potential for music Oswaldo was sure. Each day the giant went to the rocks and practiced for hours and after a few months, using both his hands and his feet he had mastered Bach’s cantata and fugue in D minor. They spent many happy hours and days during that long mild winter practicing scales and arpeggios and generally brushing up on their Bach. One day after Oswaldo had spent many hours making music he got the idea of broadening out his repertoire, not just the music, but what if he could add some lighting, this could liven up the entire scene. When he went home that evening he said to Alice, you know “hen” I was just thinking today as I was practicing that it might be a good idea if we could add some lighting effects to the music, what do you think? Well she said, after some thought, sounds good to me Ossie but keep it simple if you can, maybe some “neon” a bit of “strobe” nothing too ostentatious, it could be OK. Tell you what “old thing” Suppose I give you a hand we could get this thing up and running in no time. It would be great if we could have it ready for a run through for early November. What do you thing? Over the next few weeks they worked on the lighting idea and were ready for a trial run by the end of October. ??? There's more later

Last week our group was joined by LisaWe had a meeting in CR8 that lasted about an hour. Our main discussion centered around the subject on which to base our project. So far we have had difficulty in getting away from the Giants Causeway idea largely because Caroline, Anya and Feichra are reluctant to let us. On that basis we looked at the other ideas we had in the thinking bag to see if there was something to build on, something that would let us broaden the idea out a bit . Jamie suggested a World tour type of thing where the Globe could be rotated and some hot-spots identified and visited. A list of six spots to visit were suggested to include the Great Wall of China, The Grand Canyon, Ayers Rock, Lapland, The Pyramids at Giza and The giants Causeway. The use of a can corder to activate the hotspots with some kind of tour to follow once you homed in on the place with some info and tour guide to assist. With a class on Thursday where our ideas are expected to be fleshed out from last weeks very much in mind it was decided to try picking out the best bits of all our ideas to date and see if there was any pattern emerging that could that we could get a story line out of. Instead of Rory and Alice of the G/C theme we thought that Aliens coming to have a look at Planet Earth, having a look at the h/spots and liking it and staying or disliking it and leaving it eventually. The mechanics of the interactivity aspect of it have not yet been gone into in any great length but a camcorder system of some sort seems the likely way. By the end of the meeting we had a good rough sketch of the project to put before the assembled "heads"in the C203 class on Thursday.

Thursday.15/10/09C203We put our newish thinking before the board giving them a very good plan for the project with lots of ideas on how we planed to take it forward. While they were sympathetic to our mini pitch they seem to be reluctant to have us let go of the Giants Causeway theme in general. We agreed to take their suggestions on board and have a rethink. After the class we decided to go to the long w/end and work on our ideas individually, run them past each other at the next meeting on Tues. in CR8. With that in mind I'm going to spend a little time on the Giant and try to find the bones of a story with a beginning, middle and an end, try fleshing it out and see where it takes us.

Going back to the original idea of Rory and Alice, perhaps if we think of them as ailiens on some kind of intergalactic voyage and discovering Planet Earth, thinking to themselves that it might be worth having look. They would then zoom in on the brightest and most obvious places, places that have "look at me " quality to them. Rather like the afore mentioned six hot/ spots. Having had a look at each of them in turn and not finding anything to excite them too much they keep moving on until they come to the G/C. On landing there Rory finds some kind of musical aspect to it that attracts him. He mentions this to Alice and asks if she will check it out with him. They find that stepping on the stones excites them into giving off a musical note, each stone with a different value and so on. We can go in this general vane and see where it will take us. My thinking is this, we can morph the rocks into an organ with at least three consoles plus all the foot pedals we can get. Rory can then have his fun playing through all the different styles he can muster, or the "audio" department can. There is place here to go ecologically minded and have atmosphere either become polluted or in some way force them to abandon P/E . If we take the original idea of the Northern Lights we may be able to work through the notion that pollution is is causing them to fade and the Aliens decide to move on before its too late. They can the fly off into, or out of, the darkness to continue the search for Nirvana.

Meeting 20/10/09

25/10/09

We had our normal Tuesday meeting scheduled for CR8 after Ken's class finished at 13oohrs.

Lisa didn't make it and we didn't have the will to go on without her or so it felt. The meeting was abandoned fairly soon but we agreed to have alternate proposals for the direction the project has to take for next week. Before we split we mulled over the various routings that it might take and accept that there is a need for differing ideas on the table so that we can try and piece a good story line with a coherent lineage that we can all get to work on seriously. With the pitch date set for 9th Nov. much work has still to be done. I have the feeling that the G/Causway story, while good enough will be very difficult to make work in its original concept. I'm looking forward to plenty of new ideas for our next meeting, with the hope we will be able to get the outline plan in place then so we can move on into the developing process.

JCS

08/11/09

At the class on Thursday the combined forces pressed upon us the need to streamline our thinking and work on getting a good narrative in place sooner rather than later. With the bare bones of the structure already in place we should be able to get there in time for the “pitch” this coming Thursday.

Some ideas:

Scene 1

The video opens with a shot of Rory & Alice hurtling through space on a machine resembling a Harley Davidson especially adapted for inter planetary travel. They are heading directly for the camera, which is on Planet Earth.

Scene 2

They will then be seen looking for a suitable place to land. After circling the Earth a few times they land close to the Great Wall of China. They give the place a good look over and decide it’s not for them. They move on and in turn have a look at Ayers Rock, the Pyramids, and the Grand Canyon, none of which appealed to them.

Scene 3

Finally they come to The Giants Causeway and like it. The unusual rock formation appeals’ to them and Rory starts to explore it.

Rory is then seen hopping from rock to rock, each time as he lands on a rock point it excites a musical note.

From this we will have to create a sequence of musical notes that will form part of the required interaction. This scene will be the setting for the major part of the video. Into it we will have to fit all of the important action. The development of the musical theme, as yet not decided on,

Scene4

This is the part that takes us through to the end.

R & A will be seen discussing their future on the planet. A thin smog is starting to dull the sparkle of the Northern Lights which, along with the musical rocks is the reason for their staying. As the lights get dimmer the make their minds up leave and return to home saddened by the spectre of pollution.

For the characters the figure of Max Wall, suitably treated looks right for Rory and an equally witch like figure for Alice seems OK. Rory is the main character and will require all the attention.

The background sounds will be crucial to the over all effect. The dominant sounds running all the way through will have a eerie other world effect with intermittent thunder cracks and lightning flashes that will morph into the N/Lights.

Ideally for the musical rocks Bach’s C&F would be perfect but this is perhaps too much to try for. To get the fingers and toes of Rory animated to execute this as a theme is very likely beyond us.

Preparing for the Presentation on 12/10/09

2009-11-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

Spent the weekend researching for the Presentation on Thursday but I've been plagued by the idea about making the globe a physical, tangible product.It seems like a departure from the technology but keyboard hacking is sooo possible and if we excel on the graphics and programming elements we could be on a winner anyhow I reckon we'll discuss this possibility after D-Day.

2009-11-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

......Ah back again, theres nothing like a 60 mile drive on a dark, wet Novembers evening to stimulate the literary mind .. anyway to continue. When Rory and Alice locate Ireland they find the strange volcanic rock formations at The Giants Causeway intriguing and decide that deeper investigation is required. Rory, being the brave extra-terrestrial type (you know the ones) notices that some of the hexagonal formations are showing up as visual representations of hexidecimal code (colours to the uninitiated) and as any self respecting ET would, gets curious and points at one of these marvels and to his amazement he hears a sound emanating from the natural phenomenon. Shocked at this occurrence he seeks comfort in the arms of Alice, his companion through the cosmos and Alice, being the real braveheart of the duo reassures Rory that it wasnt the sound of the evil Lethargions launching a surprise attack but a sweet, new and never heard before sound. Boosted by Alices confidence he stretches out his finger again at another hexagon and it too emits a wonderful note. Rory does this again a few more times and gets a bit of a rhythm going.......Dum..de..da..dum..dum. Five notes in a very "Close Encounteresque" style. They both notice that as Rory becomes more proficient with the "C E" melody the lights in the sky start dancing and the faster he plays the more energetic the lights dancing becomes. They fall in love once again ( aliens have a very romantic side, soppy if you like). They decide to call the light show after themselves , the RoryAlice. After a while his concentration on this new toy was beginning to irritate Alice who decided herself to rename the dancing lights RoryBoresAlice and hence the Aurora Borealis was born.

After a short time Rory notices Alices boredom so he stops playing and they cuddle up in a warm embrace. Looking at the multi-coloured lightshow Rory tells his lover just how well the inhabitants of this beautiful planet take care of it but as the show progresses they notice the undeniable veil of pollution obliterating the wonderful sight. Disgusted with what she was seeing Alice, just before they they return to the skies to recommence their search for their own Eden , says to the dejected Rory that " Humans from the outside seem to take care of themselves but look at how they destroy their home". Then with a swipe of her hand they ascend to the heavens to continue their voyage.

2009-11-02T06:26:00.000-08:00

Hi all, just going to start the blog, so heres the update.

We've had a series of meetings starting with the brainstorming sessions. Through these we narrowed the fast flowing river of ideas down to the Worldmap-- which is , a booth installation with a webcam and a projector which when activated will show a 3d globe facing the user.

The story of Worldmap is........ Rory and Alice are travellers in space and are looking for an interesting place to explore and from a distance they spot a small planet circling a bright star, the Sun. Believing that the Sun might be a little warm they decide to take a closer look at at the much more hospitable, planet Earth. Now the view that Rory and Alice get is the same view that the user will get on activating the installation and on making a sweeping movement of the hand the globe will spin showing all the continents. Now not being knowledgeable about Earth Rory and Alice need information on this interesting place so after spinning the world Rory points at a particular place ie. a continent and lo and behold with a whooosh he and Alice descend on the world and view some interesting facts and figures about said continent. For example when Rory points at China he flys down and lands at the Great Wall and reads various statistics about the Wall and China in general. On digesting this info Rory, with another swipe of his hand returns into space and rejoins the wonderful Alice who spins the Earth again and settles on a different area and so on until she eventually points to Europe and in particular, Ireland................To be continued....