Okay, it's been a while since my last post. Reason being, I've been a little busy working on this game development project that I cooked up one sleepless night. I have a small portion of the code written, but I've mainly been working on the graphical portion of it most recently since graphics are, for me, a bit more time consuming and difficult. I've been using the 3D modeling software "Blender" to develop graphical ideas, i.e. game tiles, buildings, etc. I'm also attempting to sort of brainstorm ideas on what I should make the game about.
The basic inspiration for the game is Kabam's "Godfather Five Families", which is referred to as a "massively multiplayer social game". I've been playing it since December 2011, and lately (within the past 3-4 months), the company's just going downhill with it, although some would argue that they've been going downhill with it from the start. So, I did some looking into various game laws, and found out that I can use the same basic game concept in the development of my own game. By game concept, I don't mean centered around Mario Puzo/Paramount's Godfather trilogy. The term "first person shooter" is a game concept. Kabam may hold copyrights and trademarks on aspects of the game such as graphics and various names, however, they don't have copyrights on the way they have the map laid out, or the basic premise of the game which is to get ahead in your family and become the "Don".
While I don't think I'm going to be going with the whole mafia setting, I am going to be developing a similar map (with my own graphics, of course), as well as a similar battle engine, although I may decide to tweak that one a bit to bring more strategy into play, along with a few other things, such as research, building upgrades, etc. There are a few more ideas that I've had that I would like to see implemented in Kabam's game that I will be attempting to incorporate into mine, but I'm not going to elaborate on those quite yet.
Aside from working on the graphics, I've also been working on getting the money that I'll need for purchasing the domain, as well as figuring out what I'd like the domain to be. Of course, it's not going to be game specific, simply trying to figure out a catch-all name for my web development projects. The one I originally thought of was taken, despite the fact that typing it into my browser didn't take me anywhere other than a "cannot display webpage" error. I've also been looking into various web hosting services to figure out which one I would like to go with, so I know how much money I need to come up with to cover hosting costs.
Well, that's all I have for now, I'm sure I'll be updating on how things are coming along, although updates may be a bit sporadic, at best.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
America: Is it really that great?
It's always a strange feeling for me when e-mailing, or instant messaging, with a person from another country, sometimes even half-way around the world with an 18 hour time difference; but this strange feeling isn't due to distances or time difference. This strange feeling is, however, due to when the topic of current events comes up in conversation, and it seems almost inevitable that it does.
There have been a handful of occasions that in beginning correspondence with my international friends, they have asked the obvious question: Where are you from? When I've told them I live in America, 9 out of 10 responses were that they felt sorry for me. But why would they feel sorry for my living in America? The answer to that question, I think, is rather simple.
America, as far as the general public is concerned, has its priorities so messed up that we favor money more than just about everything else. We teach our children to go to school, study hard, and try to get into a decent college so they can begin a great career; we don't teach them to learn for the sake of learning. No longer are we teaching students that age-old adage "Knowledge is power", instead we are teaching them a new one: Schooling is money -- the more you go to school, the more money you will make; the more money you make, the more successful you will be.
This way of thinking, unfortunately, creates and epidemic of apathy -- the more indoctrinated they are into the delusion that money plays part in success, the less they care about their communities and/or humanity in general. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule, as there always are. Money, by its nature, isn't a bad thing, nor is it a good thing; it's just neutral, hanging there in the balance, waiting for the mentality of the person to decide its importance, value, etc.
Greed - not just at the national scale, but at the global scale as well - is an epidemic that is growing wildly, and rapidly. I have stated before on a handful of occasions that the only cure for this "greed disease" is education. What I mean by education, however, is not the rigorous rote of schoolchildren; it is not being shown how to solve a problem and memorizing the solution. Genuine education has less to do with memory than it does with thought - critical thinking, to be more specific. Education comes from the rigorous, never-ending cycle of asking questions, finding the answers, and questioning those answers. This process continues until the answer(s) can be verified to be true, and in some cases, continues throughout the lifespan of the individual.
I encourage any of you reading this not to blindly accept what I have said as being true, but question its veracity. Talk to people who live outside of the US, find out what their opinions are, but don't stop at just one, don't stop at five, but continue talking to these people, asking questions, until you can see a better picture of how those people outside of America view this country.
Side-note: I have also been told by more than just a few that America is one of the most arrogant, egotistical nations on this planet, and you know what? From what I see, they're right.
There have been a handful of occasions that in beginning correspondence with my international friends, they have asked the obvious question: Where are you from? When I've told them I live in America, 9 out of 10 responses were that they felt sorry for me. But why would they feel sorry for my living in America? The answer to that question, I think, is rather simple.
America, as far as the general public is concerned, has its priorities so messed up that we favor money more than just about everything else. We teach our children to go to school, study hard, and try to get into a decent college so they can begin a great career; we don't teach them to learn for the sake of learning. No longer are we teaching students that age-old adage "Knowledge is power", instead we are teaching them a new one: Schooling is money -- the more you go to school, the more money you will make; the more money you make, the more successful you will be.
This way of thinking, unfortunately, creates and epidemic of apathy -- the more indoctrinated they are into the delusion that money plays part in success, the less they care about their communities and/or humanity in general. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule, as there always are. Money, by its nature, isn't a bad thing, nor is it a good thing; it's just neutral, hanging there in the balance, waiting for the mentality of the person to decide its importance, value, etc.
Greed - not just at the national scale, but at the global scale as well - is an epidemic that is growing wildly, and rapidly. I have stated before on a handful of occasions that the only cure for this "greed disease" is education. What I mean by education, however, is not the rigorous rote of schoolchildren; it is not being shown how to solve a problem and memorizing the solution. Genuine education has less to do with memory than it does with thought - critical thinking, to be more specific. Education comes from the rigorous, never-ending cycle of asking questions, finding the answers, and questioning those answers. This process continues until the answer(s) can be verified to be true, and in some cases, continues throughout the lifespan of the individual.
I encourage any of you reading this not to blindly accept what I have said as being true, but question its veracity. Talk to people who live outside of the US, find out what their opinions are, but don't stop at just one, don't stop at five, but continue talking to these people, asking questions, until you can see a better picture of how those people outside of America view this country.
Side-note: I have also been told by more than just a few that America is one of the most arrogant, egotistical nations on this planet, and you know what? From what I see, they're right.
Friday, April 20, 2012
American Ignorance and Greed
Whenever I turn on the television I am reminded that I live in a nation full of idiots. With so much going on in the world to be reasonably pissed off about, I can imagine those people in world governments simply saying "Just keep them entertained, and they'll never know." While I doubt that they actually think that, or say it rather, it definitely seems to be the truth. Countless people throughout the country sit glued to their television sets to find out what's happening on American Idol or what the latest celebrity gossip is, and completely forget that there are things going on in this world that shouldn't be happening -- things which could have been avoided, and could be changed were people aware of them. There are possibly even things going on within our own country that if people were paying attention would cause them to get so upset that a revolution takes place.
But no, they sit in front of their televisions day in and day out, ignoring the world around them, ignoring the injustices that take place, some of which could be happening in their very own households. I have witnessed a mother tell her own son to be quiet because she was trying to watch TV, when he was simply trying to get her attention. That is an injustice. Yes, that's it, just keep watching your precious television and you'll never have to face the reality that seeks to drag you down into the deep, dark chasms of depression and anger. Keep watching the mindless drivel that spews from your TV and listening to the mind rotting swill coming out of your radio so you can dumb yourself down to the point that if you were to ever hear the truth, or to see it, you would forget about it instantly.
One of the biggest problems I see in American society is that many of us no longer treat each other as human beings. If we ever did, I cannot claim to know. What's unfortunate is that some people seem to care more about money than they do about their own families -- than they do about their own children. Some people care so much about money that they don't care if they have anything else. I was browsing images on Google when I found one that was a blue background with white text that simply stated this: There are some people who are so poor that the only thing they have is money.
I read that and laughed, although it's rather saddening since it's true. There really are some people who are so obsessed with money that they would kill their own mother -- or father, or son, or daughter -- if the price was right. There are some people who are so involved in attempting, yet failing, to fill their own greed that they lose their family, friends, and all the things that truly mean anything; losing all those things that truly have value.
I can just imagine it now, the year 2196, the American motto is changed from "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" to "Get Rich...Or Get Trampled Along the Way." But wait, that's already happening now. People are so caught up in the illusionary value of money that they step on those people under them on the financial ladder. It's a neverending cycle of "I need more money" when you forget that money can't buy anything when you're buried in the grave. This is the problem with capitalism: it creates a dog-eat-dog mentality in which people only care about themselves and their immediate household, viewing no one else as being their responsibility when the truth is we're all human beings, and we're all each other's responsibility.
The only reason money has any value is because we're told we cannot survive without it, or rather that we cannot get those things which we need such as food, clothing and shelter if we do not have it. I can tell you from my own experience that that is a load of rubbish. There were times in which I was unemployed, homeless, and had no one I knew that could turn to, and yet I survived without monetary income and without theft; but I could not have survived without human kindness and generosity -- I could not have survived if it weren't for the fact that there are some, although seemingly rather few, people in this world who realize that there are some things more important than money, including the needs of a complete stranger.
But don't take my word for it, ask yourself whether or not you would have those things you value the most if you had no money; if your answer is no, then you may try asking yourself if your priorities are genuinely in order.
But no, they sit in front of their televisions day in and day out, ignoring the world around them, ignoring the injustices that take place, some of which could be happening in their very own households. I have witnessed a mother tell her own son to be quiet because she was trying to watch TV, when he was simply trying to get her attention. That is an injustice. Yes, that's it, just keep watching your precious television and you'll never have to face the reality that seeks to drag you down into the deep, dark chasms of depression and anger. Keep watching the mindless drivel that spews from your TV and listening to the mind rotting swill coming out of your radio so you can dumb yourself down to the point that if you were to ever hear the truth, or to see it, you would forget about it instantly.
One of the biggest problems I see in American society is that many of us no longer treat each other as human beings. If we ever did, I cannot claim to know. What's unfortunate is that some people seem to care more about money than they do about their own families -- than they do about their own children. Some people care so much about money that they don't care if they have anything else. I was browsing images on Google when I found one that was a blue background with white text that simply stated this: There are some people who are so poor that the only thing they have is money.
I read that and laughed, although it's rather saddening since it's true. There really are some people who are so obsessed with money that they would kill their own mother -- or father, or son, or daughter -- if the price was right. There are some people who are so involved in attempting, yet failing, to fill their own greed that they lose their family, friends, and all the things that truly mean anything; losing all those things that truly have value.
I can just imagine it now, the year 2196, the American motto is changed from "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave" to "Get Rich...Or Get Trampled Along the Way." But wait, that's already happening now. People are so caught up in the illusionary value of money that they step on those people under them on the financial ladder. It's a neverending cycle of "I need more money" when you forget that money can't buy anything when you're buried in the grave. This is the problem with capitalism: it creates a dog-eat-dog mentality in which people only care about themselves and their immediate household, viewing no one else as being their responsibility when the truth is we're all human beings, and we're all each other's responsibility.
The only reason money has any value is because we're told we cannot survive without it, or rather that we cannot get those things which we need such as food, clothing and shelter if we do not have it. I can tell you from my own experience that that is a load of rubbish. There were times in which I was unemployed, homeless, and had no one I knew that could turn to, and yet I survived without monetary income and without theft; but I could not have survived without human kindness and generosity -- I could not have survived if it weren't for the fact that there are some, although seemingly rather few, people in this world who realize that there are some things more important than money, including the needs of a complete stranger.
But don't take my word for it, ask yourself whether or not you would have those things you value the most if you had no money; if your answer is no, then you may try asking yourself if your priorities are genuinely in order.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Introduction
Welcome to my blog. Before I begin doing any real posts, I just wanted to address a question that may, or may not, arise: the title "From the Fringes of Society".
This blog's title was inspired by a Kevin Spacey documentary called "Hackers Wanted (aka Can You Hack It?)" in which one of the people speaking refers to hackers as being "on the fringes of society looking in."
So, am I a hacker? The answer to that would depend on your definition.
Contrary to popular belief, the term "hacker" does not refer to someone who illegally accesses computer networks. The term "hacker" originated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the Tech Model Railroad Club (or TMRC). Yes, that's right, the word originally had nothing to do with computers or the internet. Even to this day, the TMRC still views being called a "hacker" as an honorable title, because originally the term referred to someone who used skill or ingenuity to bring about a modification, or improvement.
The previously mentioned documentary gives a definition that you are unlikely to find in your dictionary: "one who is concerned with exploration, usually of a computer."
Even before computers existed, there were hackers. But what did they hack if it wasn't computers? The telephone system. Hacking telephone systems is also referred to as "phreaking". One particular "phreaker" by the alias of "Cap'n Crunch", referred to as such for his discovery that old Cap'n Crunch whistles were capable of putting out the same frequency tone that telephones used to signal when a line was in use, played part in the development of the pocket calculator and cordless phone.
It can even be said that before the telephone existed, there have been hackers. For example, Heinrich Herz, who discovered radio waves, and then invented the world's first radio communication system that replaced the telegraph. Also, Charles Babbage, who originated the idea of a programmable computer. It could also be said that men such as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were all hackers, each in their own respective fields of inventor (Edison and Tesla), physics (Einstein, obvious) and socio-political philosophy (Franklin and Jefferson).
When computers came into the picture, so did programming. When the term was applied to computers, it referred to someone who sat behind the computer for hours on end "hacking away" at a program. The website "Wiktionary" defines a hacker as "A person who hacks...(3)Particularly, one who is consistent and focuses on accomplishing a task or several tasks." They also define a hacker as "A computer security professional" and "one who is an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer."
The term "hacker" goes beyond computers, beyond the internet, and beyond electronics. A hacker is a person who questions whether the way things are is truly the best way. A hacker is a person who is able to look at all angles to find a solution to a problem. A hacker is a person that has a curious personality, and allows that curiosity to get the best of them.
With this said, yes, I am a hacker. I do not write viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, worms or malware. I do not "hack" into computer systems, although I hack my own on a daily basis. Instead, I am a hacker of the philosophical variety; a hacker of music, art, and words. So why are hackers "on the fringes of society?" Simple: because society rejects that which it does not understand. Society will never be able to hack the mind of a hacker, they will never be able to understand the way we think; they will never understand why we, unlike so many people, don't simply take the solutions and ideas given to us as being the best - why we don't live like robots, waiting for further instructions - why when they say "jump", we ask why they can't.
Originally I had intended for this introduction to be just a short paragraph or two, but when I get on a roll, I get on a roll. Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoy the content that is sure to come in the near future.
This blog's title was inspired by a Kevin Spacey documentary called "Hackers Wanted (aka Can You Hack It?)" in which one of the people speaking refers to hackers as being "on the fringes of society looking in."
So, am I a hacker? The answer to that would depend on your definition.
Contrary to popular belief, the term "hacker" does not refer to someone who illegally accesses computer networks. The term "hacker" originated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the Tech Model Railroad Club (or TMRC). Yes, that's right, the word originally had nothing to do with computers or the internet. Even to this day, the TMRC still views being called a "hacker" as an honorable title, because originally the term referred to someone who used skill or ingenuity to bring about a modification, or improvement.
The previously mentioned documentary gives a definition that you are unlikely to find in your dictionary: "one who is concerned with exploration, usually of a computer."
Even before computers existed, there were hackers. But what did they hack if it wasn't computers? The telephone system. Hacking telephone systems is also referred to as "phreaking". One particular "phreaker" by the alias of "Cap'n Crunch", referred to as such for his discovery that old Cap'n Crunch whistles were capable of putting out the same frequency tone that telephones used to signal when a line was in use, played part in the development of the pocket calculator and cordless phone.
It can even be said that before the telephone existed, there have been hackers. For example, Heinrich Herz, who discovered radio waves, and then invented the world's first radio communication system that replaced the telegraph. Also, Charles Babbage, who originated the idea of a programmable computer. It could also be said that men such as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were all hackers, each in their own respective fields of inventor (Edison and Tesla), physics (Einstein, obvious) and socio-political philosophy (Franklin and Jefferson).
When computers came into the picture, so did programming. When the term was applied to computers, it referred to someone who sat behind the computer for hours on end "hacking away" at a program. The website "Wiktionary" defines a hacker as "A person who hacks...(3)Particularly, one who is consistent and focuses on accomplishing a task or several tasks." They also define a hacker as "A computer security professional" and "one who is an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer."
The term "hacker" goes beyond computers, beyond the internet, and beyond electronics. A hacker is a person who questions whether the way things are is truly the best way. A hacker is a person who is able to look at all angles to find a solution to a problem. A hacker is a person that has a curious personality, and allows that curiosity to get the best of them.
With this said, yes, I am a hacker. I do not write viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, worms or malware. I do not "hack" into computer systems, although I hack my own on a daily basis. Instead, I am a hacker of the philosophical variety; a hacker of music, art, and words. So why are hackers "on the fringes of society?" Simple: because society rejects that which it does not understand. Society will never be able to hack the mind of a hacker, they will never be able to understand the way we think; they will never understand why we, unlike so many people, don't simply take the solutions and ideas given to us as being the best - why we don't live like robots, waiting for further instructions - why when they say "jump", we ask why they can't.
Originally I had intended for this introduction to be just a short paragraph or two, but when I get on a roll, I get on a roll. Thanks for visiting, and I hope you enjoy the content that is sure to come in the near future.
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