PROJECT PROPOSAL
Posted October 12, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Thankfully it was a lot easier to write my project proposal compared to my dissertation as new exactly what I wanted to do. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
I propose to create a system that combines 2 of my interests; mountain biking and mapping but in augmented reality. What I intend to do is map, using Google Maps, the movement of a mountain bike rider in real time, in different public spaces.
I wish to use mobile technologies such as GPS to track the rider in the real world, as well as using a timing system such as that of the Nike+ hardware, that can also translate into the virtual world. What I hope this can do is create a mapped path of real world tracks, such as those found in a local woods, as well as giving a bikers average speed and time over set distances as well infinite ones. Through this I hope to uncover how a mountain biker interacts with physical space as well as generate some kind of virtual narrative artefact that incorporates time.
This will be viewable online and it is hoped that multiple users can map simultaneously, updating the map in real time.
I’m hoping to use GPS technologies, a bit of php and hacked Nike+ Sport Kits. It should be fun!
PRESCEDENT STUDY: CHRISTIAN NOLD
Posted October 5, 2007 at 9:40 pm
After much thought I’ve decided to look at Christian Nolds’ Bio Mapping project for my precedent study for the Space module. This interests me greatly as the end results are very intriguing and I feel it relates well to the area I’m interested in, ie. Mapping and GPS. Plus I really want to investigate his work further and build on what I already know, after being lectured by him in the first year.
NINTENDO DS
Posted October 1, 2007 at 8:12 pm
After buying a Nintendo DS Lite today, bundled with Super Mario Bros, I am very keen to explore its potential as a platform for our project for the games module. In our first lecture Dan showed us Ribbon, a game created by a group last year for the DS, which I was impressed by. I’ll have to ask Dan tomorrow what tools and hardware they used to get it working and maybe give it a go.
I’ve found a few websites already that will be worth checking out:
THOUGHTS FOR GAMES
Posted September 30, 2007 at 8:46 pm
I just had a quick play of Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble (I know I thought that too) on Simons’ Nintendo DS and I’ve learnt something. NEVER have a stupidly long intro with about a million cut scenes. By the time I got to actually playing the game I was nearly asleep.
Lesson Number 1: Use a small cut sequence for the start of a game or don’t use one at all.
SCRIPTING FOR DIGITAL MEDIA
Posted September 29, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Following the lecture and the first practical session I’ve been having a think about what I might produce as a project. Reading the project brief it must:
- Be object orientated – I’ll use flash so this won’t be a problem
- Contain multiple instances of an object – could use animals, people, creatures..
- Have objects that display life like behaviours – same as above really
- Run on or interact with more than 1 computer – Make it multi-playered
So, I’m thinking about creating a multi-player game in which players interact to keep something alive or maybe a community thriving. Not sure about the details yet but its early days.
PRODUCTION OF SPACE
Posted September 27, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Just returned from Chris Speeds first lecture on this module and he has asked us to come up with an object or preferably a person for a Precedent Study. This involves researching this person / object and documenting it in the form of a website. Although not assessed as such it will set us up to think about a certain area of interest that we may want to concentrate our studies. So far I have:
- Bruce Sterling – tagging objects in space, locating them via a search
- Andy Goldsworthy -uses nature as a canvas as well as artist materials, documents a piece over time
- Mountain biker – how a free rider manipulates space to create a track
- Christian Nold – his biomapping project
DISSERTATION
Posted September 25, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Whilst I’m on the subject of mapping I think it makes sense to base my dissertation around this subject as well. Not only could this involve GPS but could stretch out as far as user generated maps, like the annoying ones you get on Facebook as well as mapping photos, thoughts and video onto Google maps. These are just a few things I’ve taken off the top of my head which need careful exploration.
FINAL YEAR PROJECT
Posted at 7:25 pm
I’ve been trying to come up with a few ideas for my final year project and have thought of a few things as a starting point. I have an avid interest in:
- Mountain Biking
- Mobile Technologies
- Google Maps
So, I feel why not merge these together some how. I have a rough idea that involves GPS tracking, mapping routes onto Google maps, creating a custom interface to explore these routes and then maybe have an online community that can upload their own.
Another route could explore RFID tags but I feel I need to do a bit more research into their usage and capabilities. I’ve been given the name of Bruce Sterling, a science fiction writer, and the title of his book “Internet of Things”, which relates to tagging, so I will have to track that down and have a read.
At the moment I think I’m more swayed towards the mapping as it is something I would love to explore and really push.