As the title says, it's the rush in the last month of school, projects and papers to work on. I have 2 papers left to write in world religions (the class i am most likely to fail) but the last 2 papers i got back were passing so I am feeling somewhat better. 2 papers left to write in American History since 1865, but those are generally easy to write. I have a huge program left to finish in Client/Server (my favorite class of the semester) which will take the place of our final exam. For this project i am basically recreating the program "OpenRPG" but taking some functionality that i feel is too advanced for the amount of time I have to complete this project. It should be fun and most of the functionality seems well within my reach by damned by my procrastination!

In a sad note I was very excited to hear Acxiom would be performing on-campus interviews but became saddened when i realized the position they are hiring for is well below my qualifications and would ultimately feel like a waste of money and education. So it ended up feeling like a step in the wrong direction. So with little chance of landing a job right out of college I have come to the conclusion that some time at the parent's house is in order. This doesn't bother me a whole lot but I got to stay persistent in my search for employment.

On a good note(ish) I sent my resume and a copy of my the source code of my Independent Study to Insomniac Games, which is THE best video game company to work for and one of the best companies IN AMERICA to work for. They seem really friendly and cool and is willing to hire right out of college. I feel have more chance with them that with Bioware which I applied for a month ago but it's still a bit of a long shot.

Even better news though I recently was informed (by my parents) that I will be receiving an award for outstanding graduating senior in the Computer Science student. This makes very good Resume fluff ^_^ plus my parents are like uber excited for me.

Graduation is May 8th 6:00pm to 8:00pm so I'm inviting all my friends to come.

My, it has been a while since i posted a journal, but I really needed a place to vent.

As the title suggests my life here at Henderson is about to come to an end. And I must say I really am going to miss this place. Especially my class mates and my teachers. Mr. Harper has become my second favorite teacher/professor of all time (second to Mr. Platt).

Unfortunately I have no definite plans to what I am going to do with my BS in Computer Science and my Math minor. I have submitted my resume to Bioware in Austin on a whim. I love their games and the new MMO they are working on would by my dream job. I know the chances of even getting a consideration is practically nothing but not taking the chance is worse.

Acxiom (a Data mining company centered in Conway) is holding on campus interviews next month, I am definitely going to get in on that. I am not sure what to do or say that would give me the leg-up but I think I have a decent shot at landing a job, and so many people have been giving me good pointers.

Regardless I can't wait to get out there in the real world. I've been through 17 years of education. It will be a fresh change to do something else.

I am going to be very sad, Amanda will not be graduating for another year. But that's ok I love her just as much from afar as I do up close. We're engaged so she can't get rid of me that easily.

Presently I have been keeping my head in code. I just got the server for my MUD up and running and last i checked it's still running. So i've been working on that. It's fun to work on something you want to work on rather than something you have to.


Thanks to everyone for reading my ramblings. I love you all ^_^.

/hugs stack of books.

So many books i want to read, so much spare-time programming i want to do.

Things I want look into:
--Visual interactive design (gaming simple or complexed)
--Client/Server applications (chat rooms, MUDS etc...)
--Online interaction (same as #1 with a little #2 thrown in)

I'm thinking it probably best to in that order. but... ADD!!!!!! i have a huge problem with starting projects and only have finishing them. I wish i had a group of ppl to both motivate me, keep me on track, and to share my studies and work load with. ah well.

Books i want to read but since a am a single processor unit i am limited to one at a time:
--Swords and Circuitry: a developer's guide to computer role playing games
--Programming Role Playing Games with DirectX
--Programming MUDS with C++

oh my. all 3 good books. I've read 3rd one twice already but every time i read it i leanr more stuff and this time i am taking notes as if it was a class. Especially with the client/server aspect of the book. Very good stuff.

The 2nd book is really neat. Tells you everything you need to know about the programming aspect of RPG's (even non-programming stuff like stages of developement and marketing ideas. very nice) even has large sections on both 2D and 3D designing, programming, and implimentation, as well as if i am not mistaken online RPG's, which makes me wet in the pants. But it's a 1000 page book. which is over twice the length of the first two. very much a turn-off.

Finally the 1st book is a recent acquisition that i got out of the bargain shelf at BaM (btw all these books are not very recent, infact the 1st were published about the same time as EQ just came out)and this book was a recommended read for the second (but not a required piece.) I like this book because it has nothing to do with programming (i like to program so that's not why i like it), but talks about the design implementations such as target audiences, history of RPGs, pitching the ideas to your compony, various ways of handing aspects of a game (such as saving progress), and a whole lot more. I like discussing design ideas, it makes me smile, but like i said it's not a necessary read.

oohh so many books that all are wanting my attention. How do i choose?


Btw, i am hardcore serious about this stuff now. I've been off the Warcrack for a week now. And I am not even suffering from withdrawals. I like all the free time I have now. Feeling bored has never felt so good.

got tagged by so here's my characters.

1. Choose a few of your own characters. Five at the most.
2. Make them answer the following questions.
3. Then tag three people.
4. Feel free to go ahead and add some questions yourself!!

---

1. Mattaku (Intervention)
2. Tiko (Intervention)
3. Kaosoe (Intervention)
4. Varlet (Intervention)
5. Isaac (Intervention)

---

A. Are you a boy or a girl?
Mattaku: Do I look like a girl to you?
Tiko: Boy
Kaosoe: Must you ask?
Varlet: More woman than you can handle.
Isaac: Well, I suppose if you were to inquire, I would conclude that I am a male.

B. How old are you?
Mattaku: 24
Tiko: Depends what universe I am currently on. Most of the time, I would say: 19
Kaosoe: Older than I look. So shut up and respect your elders.
Varlet: A woman never reveals her true age. Over a century I admit.
Isaac: I don’t keep track of such trifle things.

C. Where are you from?
Mattaku: Depends what you mean by “From”, I was born in the Appalachian mountains. But no live on a small island off the coast of Zarack.
Tiko: I was born on my father’s estate in Merxenne.
Kaosoe: Small village in Seerkay. Don’t worry, no one knows where that is.
Varlet: Tokyo, Japan
Isaac: It doesn’t matter, I now serve Zarack.

D. YOU WANT A HUG?? XD
Mattaku: Do you wan a poisonous dart in the back?
Tiko: Do you have to ask?
Kaosoe: Do you like Hypothermia?
Varlet: Who is asking?
Isaac: I don’t…. Hug

E. You got any bad habits?
Mattaku: Stubbornness
Tiko: Naivety
Kaosoe: Do I have any good habbits? Egotistical, unreasonable, mildly sadistic ect..
Varlet: Inquisitive to an extreme.
Isaac: No, I am perfect in every respect.

F. Favourite food?
Mattaku: Anything Amelia cooks.
Tiko: Fillet mignon! Mmmmm….
Kaosoe: Steak! RARE!
Varlet: Sushi
Isaac: I… Don’t…. Eat…

G. Favourite Ice cream flavor?
Mattaku: Chocolate.
Tiko: Vanilla
Kaosoe: Ice
Varlet: Strawberry Cheesecake.
Isaac: I refer you to my previous answer. Now please stop asking me

H. Who's your mate/spouse?
Mattaku: Amelia.
Tiko: gee… I haven’t even considered it.
Kaosoe: What the hell? Do you not know who I am?
Varlet: Mate? As in only one?
Isaac: I do not need to “Mate” I reproduce through a very complexed means. You simply will not understand.

I. You a virgin?
Mattaku: Must I answer this?
Tiko: *blush* I suppose I am.
Kaosoe: I refuse to answer
Varlet: Are you an idiot?
Isaac: Once again I demand you pay attention!

J. Killed anyone?
Mattaku: I’m an assassin. What do you think?
Tiko: I try not to get cought up in such things.
Kaosoe: Often, if only to weed out the week.
Varlet: I will have to agree with Mattaku’s reply.
Isaac: I would hardly compare it to cold murder. I offer graceful Deaths.

K. Hate anyone?
Mattaku: Other than every Majin including Sekhmet himself? I would say Masquerade.
Tiko: Vampires. And Sekhmet.
Kaosoe: I hate everyone.
Varlet: Isaac
Isaac: I do not concern myself with such feelings. I serve without passion.

L. Any secrets?
Mattaku: I am planning a proposal.
Tiko: I have a crush on one of my very close friends. I am afraid to tell her. She is a good friend.
Kaosoe: Just keep undead away from me.
Varlet: Victoria’s kind? No, I am very open with my life.
Isaac: I would tell you. But then I would have to offer you a graceful death.

M. Favourite season?
Mattaku: Fall
Tiko: Spring
Kaosoe: Winter
Varlet: Fall
Isaac: Season’s come and go. I hold no favor.

N. Who's your best friend?
Mattaku: Amelia
Tiko: Eio, but I have others that would hold the title
Kaosoe: Friend? Me? *scoff*
Varlet: Masquerade probably comes closest. I can connect with her very well.
Isaac: /scowl

O. Hobbies?
Mattaku: Training, Darts, Amelia
Tiko: Horseback riding.
Kaosoe: Fighting Uzuill.
Varlet: Dance, Psychology
Isaac: Is Meditating a hobby?

P. Favourite Drink?
Mattaku: Crimson Dagger
Tiko: Grape Juice
Kaosoe: Water
Varlet: Sake
Isaac: I… Don’t… Drink either.

Q. When's your birthday?
Mattaku: I don’t know exactly.. nor do I care.
Tiko: Oh.. in the spring.. that’s enough said.
Kaosoe: Long ago.
Varlet: That is unimportant
Isaac: I was not born. I was created.

R. What age do you die and why?
Mattaku: I’de rather not think about it.
Tiko: In no visions have I seen my death. It must not be for a LONG time.
Kaosoe: I should have died long ago.
Varlet: Believe it or not, I agree to Kaosoe’s response.
Isaac: In a sense, I am already dead. But technically I will continue to exist for as long as I wish.

S. Are you nice or mean?
Mattaku: I’m nice, on most occasions.
Tiko: I don’t see myself ever getting very angry, except around certain people. Vampires mostly.
Kaosoe: Oh I think I am nice. But my enemies would disagree
Isaac: Kindness and sadism are states of minds. I am a tool of my masters, ask them.

T. What's the highest rank you achieve before you die?
Mattaku: Master of my Guild.
Tiko: I will achieve Virgo on the order of time as a Time gaurdian
Kaosoe: Master Elementalist and Lord of Frost.
Varlet: Mother.
Isaac: I do not think of such things. I am an Olesian, I am a Servant.

U. What's your goal in life?
Mattaku: Maintain honor to my name, and redeem myself in my eyes.
Tiko: I am still trying to find that out.
Kaosoe: Respect and recognition from my adversaries and rivals.
Varlet: Shedding this life and settling down. Maybe finding a way to use my abilities to help others.
Isaac: My goals are the same as my masters. The victory of Zarack. Or so I am told.

V. What were you known as and who gave you that name?
Mattaku: I am Mattaku, named by Varlet, but I am known as the Black Scorpion, given so by my fighting style and the tattoo on my neck.
Tiko: Tikaro named from my mom. Just call me Tiko.. I don’t know what it means though, bit I like it.
Kaosoe: Kaosoe Layma Ashmore, named after my father and derived from chaos… or so I like to think.
Varlet: I call my self Lady Varlet, beautiful and deadly.
Isaac: Ugh… My name was given to me by the technicians that created me, my serial number is 134. Other than that, I don’t know.

W. Do you embrace or reject technology?
Mattaku: A well thrown dagger and a good trap can beat a gun any day.
Tiko: Tech has given me a new arm. How can I not?
Kaosoe: Guns?!? How primitive. A gun has yet to take this old man out.
Varlet: Some new toys and gadgets are rather nice. I know I enjoy them.
Isaac: Technology is the key to development and essential for warfare, without a good balance of technology and Magic, I would not exist and we would not be able to win this war.

And the unfortunate souls will be:

Well. I just checked and it has been 2 years since I have last written in this thing. And I also realize... not much else has changed.


Amidst all the all the rush, homework, lab assignments, duties, and MMORPG-ness, i came to the realization that if all goes according to plan, I will be graduating in a mere 2 more semesters.

Things that could inhibit this:
University Physics II; yeah, i took UPI over a year ago and haven't had the chance to take UPII, i'm worried.
Calculus II: (5 hour credit ><. It's been even longer since i took cal II, and I'm REALLY worried about that. Cal II is supposed to be harder than CI or CIII yay for math minors.

But more important yet, there are a ton of things i want to do next year that would definitely expand my knowledge and buff up the resume. My goal starting the beginning of fall semester is to study up on a few certain subjects that I'm either interested in, or think are important.

Study:
--Databases (easy enough since i am taking this class next semester, but want to get a good start)
--Socket Programming (IE, programming over the internet)
--OpenGL and/or DirectX for a good basis on visual programming
--Completely read my "How to program RPG" book. I'm sitting on an idea, and it's making me itch.
--Client/Server programming in general (pretty much goes with the socket program stuff)
--A scripting languange (Javascript, Pything, Pearl... doesn't matter.)
--Integrating all of this into one awesome project. (Maybe a MUD, which is my hobby).

Sorry about the check list. I just wanted to make a good list for myself.