My Random Thoughts

Dunno Why

2009-10-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

Wow nearly 2 years to the day. As a small update, I did get my Master's Degree in Interactive Technology and I'm even gainfully employed. For anyone following this blog...is there anyone? Well, then Hello.

Post

2007-10-28T21:41:00.001-07:00

By Post

Post

2007-10-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

By Post

Just Cuz

2007-10-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been a while. So what has happened to me in the past year and a half? I moved to Dallas, Texas. Why? To get me a Masters Degree...in Video Games.

When I find some time I'll put the some of my projects online. In the meantime, you can watch the the freakish looking face move down post by post.

F'n creepy

2006-04-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

So I'm going through some old graphics programs that I wrote last year, and I came upon this.

This is some guys head that they scanned using something. I think I remember something about freezing and micro slices. Well in a class I was in last year, they gave us this data to use for our programs. This is an image I made from a run.

Game Devolper's Conference 2006

2006-03-25T01:23:00.000-08:00

I just spent the last week up in San Jose at the GDC. It was tons of fun. I went to as many lectures I could and learned alot. I got to check out the PS3 technology and new stuff about Nintendo's products. Most of what happened is already posted out there on news sites. It was tons of fun.

Posts!

2006-01-31T23:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, haven't entered anything in a while. Well, Whats happened since then...I got a chunk of my ear cut out, for health reasons. Visited family in Hong Kong and finally met the one cousin I had never met until that day. Finaly, I spent the past 2 weeks helping my parents ready an apartment for rental.

BTW, if your a person who rents a place, think about those that have to clean it up afterwards. Please.

2005-11-05T01:08:00.000-08:00

I recently took a trip into space. Here's some pictures i took.

Rather nice view of the earth huh?

Nice and Starry.

Hmm thats not right.

Whoops.

Well Folks looks like aliens attacked earth in middle of these pictures. Well I hope your alright.

Hmm whats this?

Thats odd. Oh well.

So I've started

2005-10-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

While its not the 1st game I wanted to start. I've started on a basic idea and concept. If I ever have something i'll post it.

Pics!

2005-10-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

So this is a rocket i put together real quick. Nifty huh!

This is the head from earlier with more curves. I think it still is rather horrifying.

Spam

2005-10-06T01:54:00.000-07:00

Geez almighty, all you guys spamming my site with spam are stupid. I guess its sad when the only comments i get are spam, but you'd think that a site getting zero comments means that no one is reading it.

Sigh, stop spamming my site.

Latest!

2005-09-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I satarted my Maya 3D course last week. We just started modeling a head.

These are based off of the front and profile shots of Angelina Jolie. It still rough right now. But I feel thats they're not too shabby for the 1st couple steps.

2005-07-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

So this is one of my 1st attmpts at 3-d Modeling...not all that spectacular, but it looks funny.

Rant on MMO's

2005-07-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

Here's somethign I fired off at the developers of Matrix Online. Enough to say I'm leaving the game, but It seems with ever MMO I play, I find the its the simple things that these guys miss.
========================================
"I'm sorry to say, all this is too little too late. I am cancelling soon, but I feel that i must state something. I guess, like most, one must tell their own sad tale. Pandora Box quests sounds like fun, but I'm done and tired with the unique/rare item raids/quests.

As for class changes, I thought someone would notice that the virologist class is the only one that can easily cap out their primary stats of VT and VC. Which to determine if the hack lands successfully, is a die roll plus their VT or VD. Making the chance of a hack working not a percentage base but just i beat out your roll. Though the same can be said about the other classes, the Virologist class is the only one that can cap out these stats with just their abilities. No way I see the MCT, RCT, CT, SAT ever allowing such a thing. Making the Hacking classes just have a natural advantage. Face it, your stat system is broken.

I'd have to say most of the game is poorly engineered based solely on this, but add on top the evade and interlock bugs, the foundation of the game is weak. With the focus on Live Events, it becomes apparent that the story is unfolding in a poor manner. Too many hands in the pot.
If I were to recommend a change, it would be to introduce story and plot through cinematics and let the player deal with the fall out rather than all come together and not feel all that signfigant. I mean it felt great when my org defeated a complete corruptor, until I found out so did the other ones. If you gave each org a different sense of the world around them, it would have made it more interesting. If you gave the players a reason to follow or be inspired by the characters of the story, it would be great. As of now, it feels like I can watch the story from the sidelines. I can watch the cinematics and read the story from the main site and the forums without paying. So what if I never have the chance to be mentioned in the game. It never feels like that kinda focus will ever be pointed at me nor should there be such a feeling. The actions we take should make us feel good enough that we'll stuff the forums with our story telling. But, I sat there spraying a huge thing with a can of bug spray waiting for the joke and the joke ws that I was sitting in front of my computer doing this and paying someone to let me do this.

The idea of Pandora's Boxes is not anymore novel than Dark Ages of Camelot introducing the Master Level Quests. It added content, but it didn't improve the quality of the game...it never made me want to buy the expansion or continue playing. The big focus of the game for Dark Ages was the Realm vs Realm. They failed in that they decided to copy Everquest and focus on dungeons. It wasn't the Everquest like play that interested me, it was the RvR. The same goes for MxO. Your gimmic is the Live Events. It that your telling a story in which the player can interact with the story but not alone. The player gets to be in a grand tale of mystery and adventure with thousands of other players. Its like sitting in a movie theater and watching it with a large audience rather than alone in the dark at home staring at a flickering screen. Right now it feels like i'm doing the later.

You can make all the patches and the fixes you want to the code, but until you correct the problem with the way you tell the story, this game is not going to be anymore interesting than the mmo's that are out there and coming out. The key to all this is the first M in MMO. Massive. This is what the game is Massive not just in player numbers, not just in world size, but in what is expected in it.

It might be too late though. With sales being low and the recent buyout from SOE, I'd have to say this game is dead in the water. With out major revamps, which are really minor in ways, this game won't take off. Imagine this game as a gaint tale that your telling around the fire. A good story teller knows how to entrap their listeners with a good tale. It more than voice acting and more than a well written plot. Its in the way its presented. At this point, its become nothing more than a story being told by a monochrome voice without a face that seems even more bored about the tale than we are.

At times it feels like the game is being played like we, the players, are nothing more than troops on the field waiting for that lasso to come down and send us to our next waypoint. The world is huge and small at times. More than most of the world doesn't even seem to be used. And what ever small part there is I use, its quite usualy the same two floors in the same two buildings.
If I were to go back ans say what I enjoyed about an RPG i've played, it would be the story. I've played FF3 so many times but I've never finished the game. Its the same story everytime I've played it, the same music, the same characters, but i still play it. If I were to talk about the online games i've played, I'd have to talk about the FPS's I've played. CounterStrike for instance made me feel proud abobut my score and the team I was working with. Call of Duty made me feel good about the 88 I saved by sacrificing myself. In all those hours I spent playing, nothing is ever really saved and no one talks of my feats, yet I loved it. I could go back and do it over and over again.

There is no sense in this game that I true felt any of that. Nor can I say that about most of my other MMO experience, maybe that means I'm not a person that should play MMO's. Or is it me, that this genre is calling out to.

You probably have this stuff in the works some where, but it won't be out for another couple years. It'll be too late. I've seen that before. Its now that your numbers should be high rather than later. This game will most likely die a slow and painful death...taking with it a great idea."
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As you can see, I'm rather pissed off at the MMO world. I mean I've seen some great things in games, but I can never really stop seeing MMO's fall flat on their faces. Sure there are numbers of players playing those games. Most are there to try and make money, some are lonely, some are crazy, some just enjoy the company.

But, if I were to say anything to these developers, it'd be stop playing these games as businesmen and play them for fun. Its like a cigarette. Would you smoke it if you knew it was bad for you? Would you stop trying to sell it to people if you knew it was bad for you?

We gamers can always see the potential of these games. yet we also see them fail. What is it about entertainment that keeps us wanting more of it? Answer that and maybe you'll find a solution.

Back

2005-04-04T23:09:00.000-07:00

Well, for those that didn't know, I just made it back from a week in Japan for Spring Break. It was rather fun. I saw Toyko and Kyoto. I even got to go to my second Worlds Expo at Achi.

Other than a bad flight back home, I'm okay except school started again. Taking it easy is the theme this quarter.

Taking the Red Pill

2005-02-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

I've decided to do something mindless and have taken the red pill. I'm joining the mmopg MxO or Matrix Online. Haven't made a character yet, but I'll let you know the going on's of the matrix world. The story of the Matrix is not done yet.

Slowly....

2005-02-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

So, I've been staying at school from 8 to 5 because of my schedule. But, This week I haven't left campus until after 8!. That 12 hours on campus! And its only the 4th week.

I 'm planning on being a visual graphics computer engineer dude now. Since, I've have 2 upper divsion courses in it. Seeing as there only 30 people were in the class last quarter and there is only 12 in the one I'm in, I feel I can assume that I'm part of the few that venture into this area of computing. If anything, its something that other won't haveon their resumes.

Speaking of Resumes, I need to find work. Graduation is in about 5 months and I need to prove I spent years getting something. So, World...here I come demanding work!

2nd to last, I hope

2005-01-06T23:12:00.000-08:00

Well, the Winter Quarter has begun as of Wednesday past. I had a truely relaxing holiday where everything sorta washed away. Now that school has begun again, it should be interesting.

With my current courses, I'm gonna be a Visual Computer Engineer. OpenGL and now Machine Vision along with Scientific Visualization. Its gonna be insane!

3 and 2 down 1 and 1 to go!!

2004-12-07T02:02:00.001-08:00

I've finished 3 finals today and completed 2 projects over the weekend. That leave a project due at midnight and a final on Friday....I feel the holidays are almost here.

Amazing!!

2004-11-28T01:43:00.000-08:00

I've learned i have an audience. I guess, I must post more. As final's week approaches, I find myself in a bind. I bought some new games (Half Life 2, Prince of Persia, and Metal Arms). I want to play them, yet I have an obliagation to myself to complete a few tasks. I need to complete 3 project in about less than 9 days. 2 I hope to finish soon, the 3rd I may even complete! On Finals, week I have 3 tests scheduled for Monday the 6th and one on Friday. 8(

Will I finish? maybe? will I succede? Prolly, once i kick in my procatination adrinaline high. If I find time, I'll even try to program a small binary clock using OpenGL that will run through an *.exe file. Well, good nite peeps, you might even hear from me in 2 weeks.

Heck its Hectic

2004-11-13T01:22:00.001-08:00

Well, life goes on and I've still have 6 projects for 3 different courses left to turn in with less than 3 week left of school...All I can say is that I'm tired, going insane...and going insane. In gaming news, Half-Life 2 is comming out this upcoming tuesday(I think) I'm losing track of days. I bought Bard's Tale, pretty funny sorta tough. Movie wise, I watched "The Incredibles". Pretty funny movie worth watching.

Well, g'nite then.

Gaming

2004-10-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

Well, its been a while, but I figure a new post won't hurt. Lately, I've been on a gaming splurge. Can't comment on them all, but they're cool. My big hope is for Half-Life 2 to come out. That way, I can start making my own game/mod. Deadline: next summer.

I have a Blog?

2004-08-02T23:28:00.000-07:00

Eh hehe, yea I sorta forgot about this. After I sorta got instructed to do my internship, I'm up here in San Fran working at my uncle's company. I've somewhat dropped BFE, at least anything significant. I'm gonna be up here till end of Aug. in which I'll help cleaning up the apartment before the Apt. people take it back for about a week. Then go up for about a week or two to finish up whatever I doing a the time.

At about that time, my cousin will be comming down and joining me as a UCI undergrad. What a summers its been.

Sorry to phil, since I could go to Comic Con this year due to poor planning. The first time I've missed it in...2 years.

Count me brain dead.

Sorta the Start

2004-06-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

Just finished with school and got my car. Ranked up in BFE to Major. And no job in sight. sigh, it'll all come together...soon. One day. Gah, need it now!

Sleep.

Ugh

2004-06-12T23:13:00.000-07:00

Another week down and BFE going like mad. I'll be done by this wednesday, but I still have a program due Sat by 12. Good Lcuk to those who still have to take tests and to those who are done. Damn you.

Whats in a Title?

2004-05-30T17:56:00.000-07:00

I guess I feel talkitive lately. I tried to start making my game today, but I feel at a dead end with out an engine to work with. I want to do it with HL2, but thats taking forever. Looks like I'm stuck with paper and pencil so to speak.

I'm made some headway with 132L, but I just don't want to do it anymore. *Sigh* Seems like I've vented everything in 2 paragraphs. Is my life so small?

Eh...

2004-05-30T00:43:00.000-07:00

Just one of those days. Woke up watched some cartoons. Scrimed alittle with BFE. Worked on my projects. Sigh...I can't wait for summer. But, I want to get a job so I need some more time. Grr...I wish I could just stop. But, one can never do that. With this fast paced world there is no such thing as a red light. Only yellows and greens.

C'est la vive.

As the days close

2004-05-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

Well, had a beach bonfire on Thursday night. That was fun since the Sun decided to come out after a long day of overcast skys and cool breezes. The water was remarkably warm even after night fell. Might be why there's so much cloud cover.

Anyways, life continues BFE is restarting tomorrow with a Grunt vs. Officer bout. Since I'm a Captain I have to fight and so my dominance. Once thats done they'll fall in...I hope. But I have to leave early to go and work on my 132L lab that due Monday at 6. Yes, Memorial weekend, and I've gotta work on code. *Sigh* It'll be worth it...I just know somethings going to go wrong.

Eh oh well. The good note of the week is that Harry Potter is comming out and we get to see Sirus. Maybe that will be osmething to look forward to.

Work, School Work, Finals, BFE, and programs...too bad I don't have a girl to add to the mix. One day...

Of Essays and Programs

2004-05-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm trying to waste some time, so I figured writing a new post would take some time. I've got a couple projects I need to complete by the end of this week, which I hope I can do. I've got a 132 project which is an assembly program that will run instructions from MIPS. But, before all that I've got a Drama Essay due by noon that will need some work. Which is why I'm going to be doing an all nighter. Wednesday, I've gotta midterm for 144 a algorithmns course.

As a side project, I'm supposed to get a log parser that will make stats for players in the tournament BFE. Which is being impossible since I don't fully understand the code. Some how it will just get worse.

Wish me Luck.

May 18th 2004

2004-05-18T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well here goes a second post. I'm not used to writing thse so don't expect much or quality. Battle for Europe is running nicely. Most of the organization is complete.

School is school and don't ask for specifics. Its not going too poorly, but my brain wants to stop and rest. I've been doing course work for the past 16+ years and its toll is being taken. I getting smarter! as well as a headache. I've got a program due this Friday and another next Monday. I also have an Essay due Monday, so pray for me.

1st Post on the Internet

2004-05-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
I'm a Computer Engineer from Universtiy of Irvine, California.
3rd year and going weakly with a limp. Can't wait for summer.

Games I'm playing:
UT2K4: KannonFodder
CoD: KannonFodderExodus
BFE-CoD: [A5]KannonFodder cod.battleforeurope.com
FFXI: Gendor (Phoenix Server) Paladin(22) Warrior(30)
Gunbound: Kanme

Places to contact me:
AIM: Kanmes
MSN: Kanme_20me@msn.com
E-mail: Kgcheung@uci.edu