Research Assignment

Research Assignment - TUTORIAL

Throughout Experiment 1, I triggered events for my machinma by using the Input: Key node in my flowgraphs. This was of course, inefficient, and I had figured that there must've been a solution to this problem.

When Experiment 2 began, Vinh Nguyen's demonstration flowgraph

'Average Velocity from Local Player' is how I discovered a nifty little node called Math: Less. Being extremely simple, this returns true or false if value A is lesser than value B and proved to be very useful in Experiment 2. It allowed me to trigger my flowgraphs automatically  and constantly by reaction rather than user input. This eventually led me to discover the Math: InRange Node that I used to track XML data and decided what would be done according to its current value.

From my understanding, the crucial difference is that Math: Less is triggered based on one value that acts as a threshold, whereas Math: Inrange has two that restrict the conditions of true or false.

The limits on the usage of the node are limitless. For the sake of this tutorial however, I will be showing you how to move an entity based based on the current velocity of the player. 

Due to the simplistic nature of my discovery, this tutorial is designed for beginners and includes the basics on how to get the position of an entity and move it. To sum it up, this tutorial will cover:

• How to obtain and display the velocity of the player
• Converting velocity into a useable value for Math: InRange using Vec3: Magnitude Vec3
• Obtaining the coordinates of an entity using a flowgraph (this is needed for Windows 7 users)
• Moving an entity when the velocity is in between a certain range
  

 The initial tutorial covered how to obtain the position of an entity and moving it through inputting a key. It should provide users without knowledge of flowgraphs a basic understanding on 3 important nodes. The tutorial is 2:56 minutes long. This is NOT my final submission video, but I decided to include it into this post for those who do have troubles with the subject of moving entities.

Input: Key

HUD: ShowHUDMessage

Movement: MoveEntityTo

How to Move an Entity by Inputting a key

My second, and submission video tutorial deals with the actual Math: InRange node it self, focusing more on how to track velocity and using that information and avoids the cluttering explanations on how to move an entity that has already been covered in the tutorial above.

Reference

Move Entity in Sandbox2 using FlowGraph, by Russell Lowe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9u9NxSyBA&feature=player_embedded
Average Velocity from Local Player, by Vinh Nguyen
http://benv2423-2011vn.blogspot.com/2011/09/re-average-velocity-from-local-player.html

EXP2_Submission

Analytics Engine Final Brief

Light, a natural resource of nature has been around since the beginning of time. My analytics engine displays data from the Arduino Pachube feed and displays it in a literal form by using the time of day in Sandbox 2.

As the data values lower, the more intense the light is and the time of day is set to one that corresponds with how strong the light is - forcing the pillars/columns to rise up and act as shade devices. The height of which the columns, and the time of day that is set is dependant on certain thresholds that I have defined as follow:

0-300 - Noon

301-599 - 3pm

600-800 - 6pm

801-949 - 9pm

950-1023 - Midnight

Instructions to Test Play the Flowgraphs

np_8 - Starts the counter for time of day

np_9 - Starts the counter for the columns

They should be pressed in alternating order (eg 8, 9, 8, 9, etc)

Mod Folder

Link

Custom Google Sketchup Model

Week 4 Tasks

FIRST DRAFT OF ANALYTICS ENGINE

In the flowgraph above, I have created custom model with side "pillars" or "columns" that react by lowering or rising from their positions when the intensity feed returns lower values or high values accordingly. They act as a shading device that allow obstructs light intensity as it gets higher and letting it in when it is weak.

There are 5 thresholds that trigger the 5 different heights to which the pillar lowers itself to.

The range of values are as follows:

 0-300

301-599

600-800

801-949

950-1023

 SECOND DRAFT OF ANALYTICS ENGINE


The above video demonstrates my second method of representing the light intensity analyzed in a more literal way. Using the actual time of day, the time of day changes depending on the value of the light intensity.

The range of values and their corresponding time settings are as follows:

0-300 - Noon

301-599 - 3pm

600-800 - 6pm

801-949 - 9pm

950-1023 - Midnight

Week 3 Tasks

DRAFT BRIEF OF ANALYTICS ENGINE

With the Week Two's flowgraph relating to DISTANCE between entities in mind, I wanted to create a custom flowgraph that would use this and react accordingky.

A way I figure I could combine this idea with the light intensity data given by the pachube feed was to illuminate either an area or object with an intensity that corresponds with how far away the player is from the object/area

"How will your Analytics Engine allow a viewer to draw conclusions that would be difficult (or impossible) to reach by interrogating the data in its raw form?"

After a brief discussion with another student in the course, Daniel Juarez, I explained that the XML light intensity data would be represented by the light intensity of an area or object. Unlike the raw data, this is a more literal and and graphically easier to understand for users.

Cool Infographics

http://www.coolinfographics.com/

7 Billion: How Did We Get So Big So Fast?
Link

This infographic uses colors for a typical person to differentiate between countries, and not only liquid to represent the predicted population, but also cleverly uses the rate of which the liquid is poured into the glass to show the rate of growth of each country.

I could incorportae this into my analytics engine by having my object or area glow a certain colour based on the data. Another idea I have thought of is to have an object that would repeatedly move (acting as some sort of 'generator' objet) to show the rate or current intensity of the light, moving faster at high intensities and slowing down when the data becomes 'darker.'


Social Media Usage in the UK
Link

This infographic, like the above, also makes use of colours to differentiate between different types of social media. The icons themselves clearly indicate the type of social media as well.

A bar graph, in my opinion, is a tool that is universally known and easy to understand. Looking at them right now, they vary in all sorts of heights and could be used as some sort of obstruction that rises up to shade an area/object at certain light intensity thresholds.

The Blog Tree: New Growth infographic and Q&A
Link

Not directly related to the information itself, but I found the concept of using a tree to display information potentially useful. The light intensity data could be represented by making an object's size, or amount exponentially grow and branch out into a larger number/size corresponsing to the data. Particles could also be used to show the intensity "multiplying' as the light gets more intense.

 

Week 2 Tasks

The Flowgraph

The flowgraph above displays the distance of the player and the graph entity over a period of 2 seconds. Tof this he information is also recorded into a new XML file.

In relation to my chosen pachube feed, one method of using this new knowledge I have learnt is to light up an object in relation to the distance of the player and the entity. This creates the idea of some sort of safety item that guides players to it by illuminating brighter when they are further away, and dim down when they are close enough to see it.

RESEARCH

http://www.crydev.net/wiki/index.php/Flowgraph_Tips_and_Tricks

A handful of useful tricks that help with creating flowgraphs

http://benv2423-2011vn.blogspot.com/

Vinh Nguyen's blog contains several video tutorials/examples that I found helpful. Notably, the "Average Velocity from Local Player" example and his video on reading XML files in Sandbox 2.

http://www.youtube.com/user/russelllowe

Russell Lowe's youtube channel includes many fundamental video tutorials such as changing material parameters and importing sketchup models that I have used in the past, and may find use for in this experiment.

Week 1 Tasks

Week 1 Tasks

The flowgraph below analyses the velocity of the player, Using the given velocity, a Math: Less node acts as a marker to determine whether the barbed wire is above or below ground. The barbed wire appears when the velocity is lower than 10, and moves under if it is higher than 10, making way to get through.

Flowgraph

PACHUBE FEED ANALYSIS

Arduino Light Sensor Feed - Link

"This feed displays light input data ranging from 0 to 1023, as collected by a light dependent resistor within an Arduino scheme. A high value currently represents low light intensity, and a low value represents high intensity.These values are translated into an angle value from 0 to 90 degrees which informs the rotation of one or more servos. These servos power circular shutters which block circular openings in a facade system during periods of high daylight intensity, and un-block the openings during periods of low intensity. In this way, the facade is able to maintain soft natural internal lighting at all times."

S.W.O.T ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS: The sensor is located at an area where it is not obstructed by buildings or their shadows, which provides the feed with more reliable and consistent data.

WEAKNESSES: The feed is frozen and has not been updated.

OPPORTUNITIES: Light can be represented in Sandbox through many ways. One opportunity I see is to have a structure illuminate based upon the lught intensity, or the time of day reacting to the data given.

THREATS:

Week 2 Tasks

Week 6 - Final Product

FINAL MACHINMA - THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

Crysis Mod Folder: http://www.mediafire.com/?qdv6gxhdpmdd4no

Google Sketchup Model: http://www.mediafire.com/?77t9dk7odmi42p8

Peer Review

Week 5 Independant Study

DOCUMENTARY TYPE

The mode of documentary I have decided to implement to my final machinma video is Expository. With my final video intended do be short and precisely on point, I felt that a direct approach was needed. This mode allows me to grasp the viewer's attention and leave them with a lasting impression and a question to linger on after the machinma finishes.

ABOUT THE MACHINMA (The Concept)

Peace, like war, is not everlasting. There will always be conflict in the world no matter how perfect the everything around us may seem. We all know it, and have our own predictable thoughts and reactions (whether it be instinctive or implanted) if that conflict were to ever approach our paradise.

But what if that threat was something else entirely? Something beyond what we currently know. For as long we've existed, we've always wondered if there is life beyond earth. Even in the present we still try to unravel the mystery, filmmakers give us a glimpse on what it would be like if an alien species were to suddenly arrive. But would it be the same in reality? The lingering question my machinma asks is that if something so foreign, alien, and different arrived at your front step, would you welcome it with open arms? Just like our nations, even though we may bond over the ages, there will always be a gap of doubt between us and them, a secret war. But would you rather it be with a familiar enemy, or an unknown one?

CONCEPTUAL LINK BETWEEN PACHUBE OUTPUTS AND THE IDEA OF PURE WAR!

The outputs by the space weather center record solar wind and magnetic fields. My idea of aliens derive from outerspace, and the mystery of it much like the mystery of what happens outside our Earth to cmoonpeople, beyond what we see in everyday life in the media.

Week 5

MACHINMA DRAFT PRODUCT - THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

The above is a draft edit of machinma video. It currently has no background score, music, or any other sounds. It does however, include draft captions and is titled The Devil You Know in relation to the familiar quote meaning you are better off facing something familiar and known rather than something new and unpredictable.

In regards to the captions, I decided to cut it down and rather than try to question how people would react to a sudden arrival, but more boldingly assumed that the foreign race was hostile and assumingly here to invade rather than form diplomatic relations.

Week 4 Independant Study

Installation - Impact Test

Above is a short clip showing my flowgraph installation in action. It depicts an explosive sudden impact of a foreign flying object from the skies. Such an abrupt arrival breeds panic and incites a chaotic reaction.



Installation - AI Movement


Something else I wanted to touch on was to incorporate simple AI into my installation. The above is a clip of soldiers entering the quarry towards the crash site. Whether they are investigating the crash, or are undertaking a secret mission behind enemy lines uninformed of the lurking doom is left for the viewer to decide.


Installation - Alien Ripple


A short test clip showing a rip in space that the extraterrestial object travelled through.

Week 4

Week 3 Independant Study

Pickable Objects

Week 3

Below is a video testing the flowgraph that links an entity's scale with the time of day.

Week 2 Independant Study

Pure War!
"A MUTATED FORM OF WAR THAT EXISTS IN A PURE STATE OF PERMANENT PREPARATION FOR AND ANTICIPATION OF ACTUAL WARFARE." - Paul Virilio

My interpretation of Paul Virilio's definition of Pure War traces back to fearing the unknown. Whether it be an agenda or entity, friend or foe, not being able to anticipate or predict what is to come places us on edge, anxious and instinctively prepare for the worst.


My object, at the moment, takes the shape of partially rubble from a seemingly alien world with an oddly (likely crafted) flat surface as a literal metaphor the unknown.

Week 1

Texturing Objects

Above is an image of my custom vehicle texture in action (on the right). I added a skull on the bonnet and a flame trail on the sides. I found the process quite simple and easy, however I can see how it would be more difficult to maintain when trying to edit multiple textures of a single object.

Glowing Objects

Pachube

 SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER - https://pachube.com/feeds/256

Sharing information from outer space such as solar wind speed, density protons and interplanetary magnetic fields, I found this feed quite interesting and allows the Space Weather Prediction Center to share its information across the world and display a glimpse of what happens between the Earth and the Sun in space.