Fall 2012 Final Days 2 - Controller

Second final day.

Today we finished a game controller for a silly labyrinthine 8/16bit parody racing game.

I implement fun music that was totally not from any well known games or anything.

Our fight stick-esque controller was also fun. It certainly had a link to a black mage. And our awesome logo.

This project was lots of fun indeed. Including the walking through walls part.

Fall 2012 Final Days 1 - Wayfinding

So now is the final few days of this school term.

That means all the final projects are now due.

Today we finished up and presented a wayfinding application meant for tablets. It went ok, though others obviously had more polished products. I had fun with my team though. Going over to the farm and playing Brawl was great.

Little Busters 8 : Kud gets a Roommate!

In this episode of Little Busters, Kudryavka Noumi or Kud tries to find a roommate!

But before that, she joins Little Busters because of her awesome dog-like fetching catching skills!

A whole lot of prospective candidates are there, including Rin who's too shy around people, Mio who we didn't get a proper introduction with yet, and Kurugaya-san who's attraction to cute little girls is too dangerous.

So who does she end up with?


The most unlikely candidate, the Disciplinary Head Kanata! She's nicer then everybody thinks for sure. Plus she already knows Kud's dogs Strelka and Belka, as they help around chasing down those who do bad.

Little Busters 7 : Haruka joins the Team

Haruka Saigusa gets to join the Little Busters!

Haruka with her playful and trickyness. Also, introduction to the Disciplinary Officer Kanata Futaki. They seem to constantly be at odds; one being the playful and prankster type and the other being the serious and strict type. But they have the same hair colours... hmmm.

Haruka being in the maintenance club (or whatever it was called) was interesting.

Then Riki, being the friendly guy that he is, helps her out as usual.

Next episode is more Kud! Fun times to be had for sure.

Post-Seattle Spatial Design - Week 3 Complete

And it was... not as good as last week.

Having a team member be sick the day before is pretty bad. Having barely any sleep and rendering using crappy and/or no textures is also pretty bad.

Oh well... it's the final week and the final stretch is inbound. I hope that we can resolve all the issues and do our absolute best!

Subliminal Namco Impact

Nico

Creepy little video featuring Nonowa (のヮの）　and a strange vending machine...

And who's that in the background? She seems to be form Home.


Also, today was a crazy project day. Had to do a lot of stuff because one of our members was sick... What bad timing.

Day of the Future (band arrange remix)

Nico

Neat little remix of "Day of the Future", Miki's character/image song from the Idolm@ster 2 Master Special Second Season.

Of course it was for Miki's birthday the day before.

Afuu~ Birthday to Miki Nano!

The Napping Queen being super stylish as usual!

It's the favorite napping girl Miki Hoshii's Birthday!

What to do? Eat/offer lots of onigiri and nap a lot!

Then? Go work hard on something (or for someone) you love!

Nico

Here's "Ne~e?" a song with lots of "nano"'s~



Time to sleep. Afuu~

Seinaru Sora no Shita de - Live

Konoka Konoe and Setsuna Sakurazaki! Ai Nonaka and Yuu Kobayashi!

I watched this a while back when I was in the mood for searching old Negima lives with Azumin. Then I came across this gem and it brought back lots of memories indeed. Even though the costumes were so silly, they still performed great!

Now I just have to finish up the manga... and anime movie... and Negima!?

Yanagi Nagi - Packaged

Found this a while back looking for F9/Kiyono songs. Then I came across this from -PF Audio- who actually have albums with various artists including F9 and Nagi. This album "a blue." in particular has some original songs along with some rearranges of kz (livetune) songs with Nagi on vocals. It's pretty nice.

Makoto's Stayin' Alive

Some had the bright idea of putting Makoto's Jitensha PV from Shiny Festa together with "Stayin' Alive". And it works really well for the first 40 seconds with that Makoto's strolling around in the hallway.

Post-Seattle Spatial Design - Week 2 Complete

Today we had our first presentation since the Design Charette in Seattle.

It was with the group we formed before Seattle, so the group in Seattle was split in half once again. Although we still don't have a dedicated graphic designer, we have an awesome team. Our writer is amazing, as well as our general do-everything guy. Then there's the infographic crew, and the guy who does random jobs. Then there's me, who does random jobs and attempts to pitch in with random ideas. Sometimes I feel like I just cause more work for them, but at least my presence seems to make people work.

As for the presentation content itself, we presented our very changed concept of "Wedges creating a Common Ground", that our writer, with feedback from the instructor, came up with. I believe he liked it a lot because he could clearly see it in almost every image we put up. And boy did he like that sketch that our writer did. The team was already amazed when we first saw it, so having the instructor like it was great.

Next week is interior design and more modelling. The following is renders galore. I hope I can survive.

Technology. Creativity.

Part 2 of this Design & Technology conference.

I was only able to attend the morning sessions since I had to work on more Spatial projects for school.

The first parts included introduction to Microsoft's new design language with the Metro. Influenced obviously by International Typographic Style (or Swiss Design) as well as Bauhaus. It was also influenced by movies and the actual subway/train systems (aka Metro).

The next one was something of an introduction to various programs like Processing and OpenFrameworks to make neat projects. It was pretty neat to see, though I felt a bit tired watching the whole thing.

And finally, the last for the day was all about Responsive Design. So-called for a somewhat new web design thing going on. Very nice presentation and very interesting presenter.


Then I had to leave for school project work. We were able to complete the presentation and practice it this time around!

Future. Innovation.

Today I had the chance to attend a Design & Technology conference in this pretty neat campus in the middle of nowhere. The name is this post plus the next post combined.

Mostly web design and this so-called "Responsive Design", as well as other neat things such as a cool presentation on open source, overview of new Adobe and Microsoft stuff, and a neat presentation on what type of designer you are and how to improve.

Some top dogs were here, but I sadly didn't have the courage to talk to many of them. At least I learned quite a bit and I am now more encouraged to try out more things.

There were also lots of pens and such. And neat T-shirts for volunteers. Too bad I didn't get any.


Oh and this weird looking beluga whale thing was part of the main design of this conference. Strange.

Isshiki: Hero of Men.

Isshiki Makoto : the hero of men became a monk in this episode (episode 6) of Chuunibyou.

First it's a love letter, then it's a tense class with suspicious eyes.

Then came the great balding of head.

And he became the great hero.

Wicked Eye vs Math

Catching up to Chuunibyou gradually. Starting with episode 5 this time around.

First it's Dekomori vs milk! Kumin is there to cheer her on. And Shinka comes in and gets it in the face.

Then the rest is dedicated to Dark Flame Master helping out the weak to math Wicked Eye Rikka.

Coolness and cuteness overload.

Mobage Change!!!! (in-progress trace)

Nico

This is a pretty nicely done - but incomplete - trace of the Idolm@ster second OP "CHANGE!!!!" with the Cinderella Girls. I hope to see the full version when they finally complete it.

Kirito - Beast Mode

On to episode 19 of Sword Art Online. We get to see some fighting happening with Kirito, Leafa, and some Salamanders.

Kirito gets to unleash his magic as a Spriggan. With support from Leafa of course. He goes berserk so to speak. Looking a little like Gleam Eyes there.

Then they head out to defend some diplomacy.

Forest Summer and Mabinogion

[moved post from November 9 to today due to shenanigans]

I am gradually catching up with Chuunibyou with episode 4.

It's the true beginning of the Far Eastern Magical Nap Association. Starting with a magic circle and the newest member Shinka Nibutani.

Then she visits Yuuta's house and everything starts to go crazy. She has a secret as well... and it has something to do with the Mabinogion and "Mori Summer" (Forest Summer).

This Mori Summer ends up fighting Dekomori, but it is short lived due to certain memories.

Fun episode, with a good reveal to a somewhat mysterious up-to-now character. I wonder what Nibutani is going to do in the future? Continue her tirade against the Dekomori?

Little Busters 6 : Remembrance Day

How fitting that today, the day where people in Canada and the States remember those who have fallen in war, coincides with the day Komari remembers everything.

This episode was somber indeed. Learning about the past of Komari and seeing her suffer through that. And the whole dead eyes thing...

BUT, like lightning the whole episode was going quick. Problem meets solution, as Riki gets an idea to get Komari back to her cheery disposition while moving forward. Of course, this is all with the help of Little Busters and co.

And then it became a Happy Remembrance Day.

School for Geniuses? An Academy for "Alice"

Just finished volume 1 of Gakuen Alice after all this time. It's been probably 6 years since I heard of this series and for the longest time I wanted to read it. It's really too bad I left it... but now I can read it again, since the whole series is in my local library and ready for picking.

Volume 1 is the introduction of the naive, but boisterous Mikan and the cool, but sly Hotaru. The introduction of their splitting apart. Cause Hotaru has gone and moved to another school now. But Mikan can have that. She wants to be with her precious Hotaru, so she goes after her into Alice Academy (Gakuen Alice)!

Then hijinks ensue. Fire, pheromones, inventions, mind reading, psychokinesis etc.

And the great reunion of LOVE between Mikan and Hotaru. Keep in mind that they are just elementary school kids.

So far a fun series and it did not let me down. Time to look for volume 2.

119%

It's the November edition of Cirno Day.

What? My timing is off? There was another post today? I don't know what you're talking abo--

Only one post Cirno can survive. | Source

Coin, Election & Freetrade

Nico

Neat Cinderella Girls parody OP of "Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate" or "Love, Election, & Chocolate". I really like the sprite work they have for the various Mobage girls.

Also, it has a very clever title.

Gunsligner Girl 1-5 Little Girls, Big Guns

I got a chance to watch the first bit of this somewhat old series by borrowing the DVDs from the library. It did not disappoint.

First off, I'd like to say that I did attempt to watch this maybe 1 or 2 years ago. At first it was with my brother and I guess it didn't seem suit our tastes at the time. Even now, my brother would still be apprehensive to watch this.

So I randomly picked this out of the library selves, tucked away in the Japanese multilingual section, if only to make it more obscure or due to lack of proper organization of anime.

Anyways, it's spoiler/summary/thoughts time.

These first few episodes serve as introductions to the girls who are each a so-called "Gunslinger Girl". They are girls who are saved by a great government agency - on paper. In reality they serve as assassins with biologically enhanced bodies and conditioned minds. They are watched over and used by handlers, who range from being like brothers or fathers to being pure handlers who seem them as nothing but tools.

The first episode begins with Henrietta. We see her breakdown in a way, due to her strong attachment to her handler Giuse (or Jose in other releases). At first a seemingly emotionless and quiet child. Then she brings down a rain of bullets. Then she bursts out into tears. A range of emotion and events brings this episode to a close. Great impact, though I would say the good parts start in the later episodes, as you get closer and closer to each girl.

Next up is more Henrietta. A simple yet efficient recap of the previous episode, yet focusing more on Henrietta's view. Now we see her more fully. If you have doubts about the previous episode, at least watch this one.

Then it's Rico. The most conditioned of the bunch. Her handler just treats her as a tool and nothing more. It's cute yet sad all at the same time.

Afterwards it's Triela. The most fiesty of the girls, and seemingly a sort of mentor as well. She acts independently, which also means she still struggles with the relationship she has with her handler. What is he to her? What is she to him?

Then it's Claes. Her story is also interesting. The man who gets recruited starts with doubts and ends with it too. But he has heart in himself too. I guess he struggled with the whole human and tool divide as well. Memories gained, yet memories forgotten. Still there are some that cannot be removed.


That brings to a close this somewhat long post about this series that piqued my interest again after all these years. Who knows when I'll get a chance to watch the next bits.

(post title is ripped straight out of the Gunslinger Girls volume 1 DVD: "Ragazzine Piccole, Armi Grandi" aka "Little Girls, Big Guns")

Little Busters 5 : Journey of Memories; Leafa Party

Today I watched Little Busters 5, and caught up on Sword Art Online episodes 17+18.

Let's start with SAO, since I blasted through that first.

These episodes were mainly to get the ball rolling as Kirito gets to know ALO and Leafa. Of course, Kirito gets to be the hero and what not, and is in "newbie" mode by asking all sorts of questions. While Leafa ends up being a bit tsundere as she gets closer to Kirito. Of course Leafa's real identity is pretty obvious, but they are both very oblivious. Later on they leave for the World Tree (or Yggdrasil). There were also some... Asuna moments as she is being held up by the creepy man. However, fun times await as it ends with a great Asuna moment.

All in all it's moving slowly but surely. I kind of hope Kirito can meet up with more old friends along the way.


--

And now for Little Busters!

As we journey along Komari's arc, there's a small interlude of baseball to start. Rin is always very cute when trying to handle anyone besides the Little Busters, especially with Komari. Komari has the strange and great aura that makes anyone feel different and great, even Kurugaya Yuiko, cutely called Yui-chan by Komari.

Then we get to the more serious parts. Again with the "who is Komari's brother". Shooting stars, old man getting serious, memories lost, rain and thunder, a walk through nostalgia. All of these and more in this episode.

What awaits Komari and the crew is a mystery until the next episode. Good luck Komari.

Spatial Seattle Study - COMPLETE!

... and on and on.

Work all throughout, though my job was minor and slightly less needed. All I ever did was wander and insert random comments, plus a bit of camera and rendering work in 3ds max. Quite basic.

During this crunch, we had this architect, this great writer, graphic designer, infographic designer, modelers, and various random taskers. Some of the random tasks included making random scale people.

All these forces combined, and the best presenters gathered together to look through and attempt to make sense of what they will say.


Then it came, the presentations. After last minute renders+PS context work, we all put it together.

Presentations after presentations, where most really were good.

Then came our group. We had a small three person group presenting all our work. Although they never practiced altogether, they did very well. Though they were extremely rushed in the end due to time constraints. One thing we didn't get into depth with would be the true program of it all connected to our audience of film-makers.

And then great presentations galore.

I thought one of those two great other groups would win this "Charette" contest. However, my personal best was 3rd, and we actually won! Hooray!

Then we ate burgers and head home on a fun filled bus ride. Then train. Then bus. Then car.


Time to sleep.

Spatial Seattle Study - Day 2

Day 2 of this crazy competition project thing!

It started out somewhat early to attempt to eat the free breakfast at the hotel as soon as possible. I got severely confused by the daily savings time and the multiple clocks around the room. At least we still made it pretty early.

Then we got a tour around various urban zones in Seattle. Fun times with these two group leaders, compared to the previous prof + TA combo. Rants galore, but good info on good and bad design choices. Especially prominent were the Darth Vader building and the Pike Place Market. One is bad. One is good.

Pike Place had a very familiar lively feel. We got some clam chowder down there, although I would've liked to get it at the more famous place, but we couldn't find it!

Then we just headed back to that one waterfront park with sculptures. To take a ridiculous amount of pictures for use on our model.

Then the rest of the day was work work work. Concept development (parti), what to do in the buildings, the general form, the pdf slides, the model, etc. So many things to deal with including find good ol' scale people (aka people we rip from photos and put them into renders). Good process forwards, though we did seem to move back at some point, so it was good of the 3 mentors who guided us to find a better concept to attach to the program.

And it continued on and on and on and on... (continued in next post)

Spatial Seattle Study - Day 1

Today was the day. Time for a hectic time in Seattle.

And today was border crossing and tour day. We got to go to the chapel we studied, the great big library downtown, and the park at the watertown.

The chapel was a lot smaller than I expected. The inside however was mostly what I expected. We all shot a lot of pictures of strange angles and location that we would've liked when we were modelling it. The chapel itself really was unusual for a typical church. Too bad it wasn't very sunny day or else the shining lights inside would've been so much better.

I'll update this later.

Little Busters 4 : Kud + Komari; Shiny Festa Play

I watched episode 4 of Little Busters today! Greatly looked forward to seeing Kud for the first time in the anime. Although her appearance was brief, it was absolutely wonderful especially her English.

And then we got more Komari! Komari with her sunny disposition along with the rest of the Little Busters crew help out with a retirement home. Fun times ensue, as well as a bit of drama to add to the mix. What's up with that book and dream Komari has? Who is this "Takuya"? I guess we'll find out next episode.


--

Also, I got a chance to play a bit of Shiny Festa today. And by a bit, I mean maybe 2 hours of random on-off playing. I skipped out on the special OVAs packed in because I want to watch them subbed first, but the gameplay is actually a bit fun. It's mostly the songs and accompanying music videos though. Especially looked forward to "Music" and the three other videos with new animation.

I only played a bit of Funky Note (with Ami, Mami, Hibiki, Yayoi, and Iori) as well as a tiny bit of Groovy Tune (with Makoto, Yukiho, Miki, and Takane). For the ones I played through, Music was quite fun as well as Honey Heartbeat and Next Life. I've yet to play a lot of the rest though, but will surely try it out when I get back from this weekend field trip.

November Birthday(s) Party Time

To celebrate two people's birthdays that are about a week apart, some of my friends set up this joint birthday party. Fun times instead of the super stress that we will receive in the upcoming weekend.

In the end, we ate great food and watch a silly "horror/paranormal" movie that doesn't even hold a candle to MarbleHornets. And a bit of Avatar too randomly enough.

Time to go pack up... tomorrow. I wonder what to get across the border?