A Work in Progress

Ya well, I've been meaning to do this. Post some works in progress and all that. So I figure I'd start with this one (the other one, I'm struggling with a couple of things but I guess I should post it to see if anyone has thoughts on it anyway. Maybe later.)

This guy got going after I read through Project Hull Breach's forums, saw a discussion about Armoured Fighting Vehicles, and a pretty awsome concept pic of a 4 legged support vehicle. In the end, the design here may have been more inspired by Appleseed and Patlabor's 4 legged walkers and mechanical critters but PHB's pic acted as a catalyst for the motivation to do the piece:




A bit of background in the motivation of the design if you care to know about it: I started thinking about an infantry support vehicle and, as I worked on it, began to evolve the design to include infantry transport. It would have a rig under its hull that would unfold and allow up to 8 members to be carried. The large thing above the hull with the nozzles and vents houses the bulk of what I like to call a Higgs Boson Effector. The Higgs Bosin particle put simply is a theoretical particle that gives matter the quality of mass. In short, the HB Effector is an anti-gravity device. For this vehicle, I decided that the HBE's will only allow it to hop long distances and not actually let it hover.

The two arms in front have a flappy bit to allow it to shield the infantry a bit if necessary. At this stage, I'm thinking of a microwave or other energy projection weapon in the arms. The head has a twin linked solid slug thrower (a regular gun) mounted to it. It has a crew of 2, the pilot who uhhh... pilots and has control of the head, and a gunner who manages the infantry and operates the arms.

I'll get some legs in later... the carriage system is going to be changed a little too.

Someone thinks polygons are sexy

What the hell? Well whatever floats their boat I guess...

~Added Saturday, 21st: So I got some time to add a bit more to this post. Okay so I thought this was a bit odd but I guess the old addage "Sex sells" applies. It's been out there for a while I think but I would say that a new type of fetish has grown out of 3D art. How big? Beats the heck out of me but I do know the Japanese have made adult oriented games with the 3D medium. Even then, I don't know if it's gone beyond their miniscule PC market and into consoles. /shrug

Anyway, why not I suppose? Blizzard's World of Warcraft apparently sells pizza in their game if you haven't heard. You could order it while playing the massively multiplayer online RPG and have it delivered to your door! Certainly an interesting direction in both the entertainment and business end of things.

Which got me thinking. I've made the switch to City of Heroes after maxing out my character on WoW. So I'm looking at CoH and thinking about all the things they could add to the game to give it more variety and depth. As much as I think CoH is enjoyable, I feel it could be so much more. Fundage is of course a big thing so you can develop. Well, there's a lot of ad space. All those billboards and store signs using non-existant company names... Then there's the question: Would it turn off the players because CoH has "sold out"? It's a silly notion if some people think so IMHO. It's a business and the billboards have not been invasive to the players' enjoyment before.

Then there's a question about whether the companies want to relate their product with certain elements? Players taking screenshots and then the whole image of some strange or non-PC looking character with an equally strange or non-PC name posing with said billboard and such. I guess I shouldn't put it past some of them. There are bound to be a few haters or silly people. But then a lot of these folks are people who likely buy these products strangely enough.

I guess I'll save my thoughts on gameplay elements for CoH for another time. I've got to head out.
~end of add



Virtual Worlds and 3D Porno Mags

Excerpt: You've heard of machinima -- films made by altering video-game footage -- but that's not the only thing coming out of games these days. Players of the massively multiplayer online title Second Life have started a new type of pornographic magazine, one that passes up real-life models for sexy, in-world avatars.

The magazine, Slustler, is both shot and distributed in the world of the game. There, after throwing down 150 Linden dollars (approximately 60 cents), players can browse Slustler's 100-plus pages per issue whenever they choose.

Ah... a fine vintage of flu! [/sarcasm]

I wonder if I caught this variety of nastiness? I still feel a shadow of it's icy clutches in my lungs and nostrils though I'm, for the most part, pretty functional and no longer bed ridden. Been pretty active the past couple of days though stepping outdoors into chilly weather did make me light headed for a while.

There always has been concern in the past about evolving/adapting illnesses and how much we rely on medicines and antibacterial items instead of letting our immune system handle it. I do wonder if that made any difference in the rate at which diseases adapt...

Vile Disease: LINK

Excerpt: ATLANTA - The government, for the first time, is urging doctors not to prescribe two antiviral drugs commonly used to fight influenza after discovering that the predominant strain of the virus has built up high levels of resistance to them at alarming speed.

A whopping 91 percent of virus samples tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this flu season proved resistant to rimantadine and amantadine, a huge increase since last year, when only 11 percent were.

The discovery adds to worries about how to fight bird flu should it start spreading among people. Health officials had hoped to conserve use of two newer antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, because they show activity against bird flu, unlike the older drugs.

Faster than Light Travel and a Burning Mouse of Vengeance

Ok. So the two aren't related really but I just thought I'd share something interesting and maybe slightly humorous if in a bit of a twisted way.

FTL (Faster than Light): http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=16902006

Excerpt: AN EXTRAORDINARY "hyperspace" engine that could make interstellar space travel a reality by flying into other dimensions is being investigated by the United States government.

The hypothetical device, which has been outlined in principle but is based on a controversial theory about the fabric of the universe, could potentially allow a spacecraft to travel to Mars in three hours and journey to a star 11 light years away in just 80 days, according to a report in today's New Scientist magazine.

The theoretical engine works by creating an intense magnetic field that, according to ideas first developed by the late scientist Burkhard Heim in the 1950s, would produce a gravitational field and result in thrust for a spacecraft.

Comments: Wow. Crazy stuff! I sure hope it works! I wonder how much power we would need for this thing and if there might be some wierd crazy side effects? Speaking of power, I do hope that fusion reactor actually works -I think France won the bid to have it built in their country.



Of Mice and Vengeance: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060109/ap_on_fe_st/mouse_fire

Excerpt: FORT SUMNER, N.M. - A mouse got its revenge against a homeowner who tried to dispose of it in a pile of burning leaves. The blazing creature ran back to the man's house and set it on fire.

Comments: Well damn. I remember hearing stories about mice running back to the buildings they came from when released but this one... Wow. Just... wow.

"Mai Otome" Episode 13 and "Aim for the Top 2!" Episode 4

I still bear a slight taint of the flu but I'm much better now and should be slowly getting back to being somewhat productive. After being sick for so long, it fealt like forever and a day that a new episode of "Mai Otome" has come out! I know for certain it's been that long for "Aim for the Top 2!" (Also sometimes refered to as Gun Buster 2) Episode 4. Both were entertaining but I have to say that "AftT2" had some stuff that seemed to come out of left field for me.

I won't go and do any spoilers but I think there were some issues with the way the episode built up that it seems to be missing some crucial story telling elements. It could also be a couple of other things as well: It could be that the direct to video (OAV) aspect of the series has forced the story telling to be a little limited -kind of strange considering it offers better graphic production value but I guess that's all part of how you choose to execute the project. The other thing is that I just might have to go back and watch the entire thing straight through and that the crucial elements were in the episode previous. Still, both explanations don't explain the nature of the main character, Nono. I won't say more though. ;)

Happy New Year!

Well the last 2 or so month from last year got pretty interesting to say the least.
Most recently, I got hit by the flu. Worst flu ever! This was the first time in my entire life I've ever had the aching body symptom. Boy does it SUCK! I've still got it and my body is still hurting as I type this. From a traditional Chinese medicine standpoint, I seem to have all the bad stuff -dampness, wind, and cold influences. I ended up adding "huo qi" -literally "fire qi" to the mix as I didn't think to balance my pretty basic treatment so I started getting nose bleeds! haha wonderful... -__-;;

Anyhoo, I'm hoping to get my webpage updated as soon as I recover from this horrible plague...
Hope everyone's new year was pleasant!


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