2010 is going fast

So the second semester of the second year is here and the work is piling on.

In "Interactive 3D Graphics Programming" I have been using Direct X to render different lighting techniques and meshs. The project is to create a basic, reusable, graphics engine for a 3D game. While Direct X is not the easiest thing in the world it seems fairly simple after I made my own render from scratch last year.

Console Development is speeding up as this week we must start our "Demo Scene" like PSP development application. At the moment this is the hardest module and with a tight deadline to produce such a open ended project I will have to be careful with my work balance.

If you don't know know about the demo scene it is effectively a group of elite programmers who get together in large groups and challenge themselves to create amazing real time graphic and audio effects often with constraints. Such a constraint might been a low file size or that it must run on old hardware. Here is a video example of a demo scene project.

In Applied Game Development am am the lead programmer of a 9 man development team with the goal of creating a "bladerunner style" futuristic racing game using the Gamebryo Engine. We have 4 programmers and 5 artist to produce possibly the most fantastic game any of us have ever made. On the other hand the use of this industrial engine may prove too much for us. We will see. Here is a video from the makers of the Gamebryo Engine showing off some of the many games that are made using it.

Last but not least is the Mobile Devices module. Going into this semester I really didn't thing too much about it as it but now I am working on it I am beginning to realise what a fantastic language Java is. I am looking forward to having my assignment application running on my phone. The only question now is, what shall I program?

So far this semester has been tough and its only going to get harder.