New Year.

Firstly an apology for not blogging from April until now. Personal circumstances and serious illness made me fade towards the tail end of last year. So there was no blog. But Now I have levelled up, grabbed the powerpills and rejoined the human race again.

This year the course sees many new faces, in a new site and more of everything good a wholesome.

Hey, I even have a magnetic name badge.

next week sees Inductions of freshers and enrolement of both freshers and 2nd years.

Induction for the new first years is on Thursday the 20th in B301 at Kedleston Road (just ask at reception). This will be mainly the welcome talks Health and safety info and a chance to look around. Enrolement will be in the afternoon of Wednesday 19th September 2 - 4.

The second years Induction will be Wednesday 19th September from 10am in the Heap lecture theatre over at Kedleston Road. You can enrole online using your UDO login from last year.

There will be inductions for all the new facilities here at Markeaton Street (or MS for short).

Hope you guys have all had a good summer and I'm looking forward to seeing you all here either next week or the week after that when lessons begin.

Just a quick word on Car parking. A number of changes have been made to the car parking which means there are more spaces at KR and fewer at MS.

Welcome back

Hope Easter was good everybody and you're all glad to be back. I've moved into my new office over at Markeaton so everything is good, loads of desk space but still unpacking.

Right don't forget that Business, computing and law have a 'study week' this week so I suggest you use the time to catch up on John's lesson.

This also means that A&D lessons are going ahead (oh the confusion). But in my lesson on Friday its a tutorial slot. I've got a 3DSMax course ready so Friday afternoon is that good for you guys?
You only have to come along if you need introducing to my good friend Max. Email me if you are interested.

Resubmissions

HI Guys,

Just a reminder that re-submissions for modules failed last semester are due in at the end of this week (30th) please hand them in to the school office at Brit Mill. You should have received a re-sub contact via the university. If you failed a module and didn't get a message from the uni talk to me URGENTLY.

Oh and please Steven E, Jonathan P, Dil H and Sanj B get in contact with me As soon as possible please.

Fable

I started playing Fable again. Strange I really didn't get into it first time but now I'm about 1/2 way through. I looked at the interviews with old Molyneux on Gamespot, I think that the whole dog thing will work as you have something thats with you throughout your adventures.

Did anyone play B&W? I didn't really... hope for comments on that one.

Template

OK, OK so by popular demand the old template is back.

Spring clean

Hi guys, lots to talk about lots to do!!! Firstly an apology for not posting for a while lots of stuff happening here at Derby uni, all of it good. Spring cleaning everything here so I thought a new look and a spring chicken approach.

A few things to begin.

1. Christian from Sony is coming to talk to us about concept art and to browse your stuff. But you knew this already. E911 in the East tower from 2pm onwards.

2. I'm asking you guys for images of your very best works for our new brouchures, I'm fed up with the girl 'playing' a video game as we have the same image on the Programming brouchure. There are plenty of spaces for all your artworks.

3. Student reps are Bobby and Jenna, please give them feedback on this year good and bad so that if you have praise or problems we can look at it. There will be a meeting soon guys...

4. I want also to talk to student reps about...trips...tournaments...etc. so let them know about it.

Animex

Next Wednesday is Workshop day at Animex:

Karen deJong - Disney Feature
Adi Granov - Graphic Art
Sanjay Mistry (what a cool name) - BAFTA
Richard Gray - Level Design
Ed Hooks - Acting for animators
Pete Draper - 3DS Max
Andrew Dymond - Visual effects shoot

Also

All £10 each.

Fun & Games - discussion into games and education

Just waiting to hear which ones are availible, so watch this space!

We're departing from Uni at about 6.30am!!! cruising at an altitude of 30,000ft.

I know its a long way and should be back before 8pm so maybe packed lunches/dinners.

I will be asking you all to fill in a medical questionnaire as well as a next of kin form.

3D Max module

Hi Guys,

Soon I'll be posting deatils on the 3D studio Max module, at the moment the BCL school are trying to find a teacher for this module, please bear with us about this as they do need to know what they're doing. However all the lessons will be made up to you.

Have a good weekend folks

My Morgue

This is what I've got so far, but morgues should be so much more than this

Love City

No that isn't the name of some dodgy dating agency which is going to introduce you to Brenda (formerly Barry) from Worksop whose hobbies include dominoes in the pub and 'smirkin' tabs'

Love city is a MASSIVE computer game that will take place in Nottingham Leicester and Derby in February. Using mobile phones to text other people in the cities.

Its nearing end of development and want to do a presentation this Friday afternoon in Brit Mill (Open studio 1 on the 3rd Floor). They will be asking all attendee's to try out the technology. It should be fun, just after the lesson.

Active ingredient
love city

Aadvark ahoy!!!

Hi Guys,
You will no doubt in your career need a recruitment consultant, and they are coming here to Derby to talk to you !!!. On 30th January in B301 Lisa Corbett from Aadvark swift is coming to talk to you. It is in their interest to get you on their side. You can become the victim 'crossed contracts' whereby you attend an interview arranged by more than one recruiter, and who gets the commission(at 10% your first years salary its a hefty wack) so they always advise you are with just one recruiter. I've always found Aadvark to be very good, but there are many usually in the back of Edge. So go and she her as you won't regret it when the job hunting comes.

Right then

Monday Commercial Web Design same as last semester in the morning
Tuesday Games Design B213 John Sear for the lecture Sheila for the tutorial.

Friday 2D Digital techniques with me Open Studio 2 at Brit Mill

Home again home again Jiggety Jig

Well, back for more? Hope christmas was good guys and that your all Wii'd out and that you want to get back to some good old fashioned teaching. I'm trying to unravel your timetable at the moment, all I know is that 2D Digital techniques (with me) is on Friday in Studio 2 (thats outside my office) on the G5's in the centre.

Marking is going well but I've still a bit to do as have most academics here but generally the standard is good to firm.

Hand-in

Ahhh this time of year comes round so soon! A time when all the computers for once are full and work is done. Or sometimes lost through the fickle data.

Right, hand in is at Britannia mill (1st Floor) school office, they will stamp your work to tell me its on time so all is fair and square.

The module codes for the units are:

Intro to 3D - 4CC042
Game studies - 4CC057

You need an assignment record form for the front, this sheet is in 2 parts, one of which you get to keep (and keep it safe).

If in doubt whether to include some things hand it in. I try not too mark down work for handing in too much.

Include paper copies where possible in case of data loss and have a copy of everything for yourself.

Plagerism is handing in someone else's work and claiming it as your own. Its very serious and students who do it have the book thrown at them. If in doubt see me, if you have quoted someone, fully reference it. We have software to combat this.

Sheila's Blog

Look for Sheila's blog a lionk will appear here soon !

And also everyone say Hi to Christian from Sony who has been invited into our blogging circle, (So on your bestest behaviour) Richie at the moment gets the vote for No.1 at Maya for his ahem.. work with exhaust pipes, I know it was painful mate... A reminder that Krakow deposits have to be in by the end of next week!!! and we do take credit cards!

Oh just one more thing

When you get your Krakow reciept and bring it to me I have to get you to fill out a heath questionnaire, for health and safety reasons

Krakow!!!!

Just to remind you that tomorrow is an important day, Firstly those lovely people from Sony are turning up to talk to you about Computer Game graphics and to blow your socks off. They will probably be asking you to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) but this is normal.

An excellent lesson today guys, god its great when learning is fun. GTA on trial! for games ethics. Sentence is passed.

Krakow, the posters are up here at Britannia Mill and KR so there should be no excuses, its going to be great. Details are:
leave East Midlands Tuesday Morning from Uni to get the flight to Krakow, 4 nights B&B. We have a chance to draw and sketch as well as have some photography masterclasses in what is Polands University capital, Krakow is a big student city.

Some people have payed a deposit already and there aren't that many places!!!

One last word please update your blogs some of them are looking very old compared to some of the newer ones.

todays lesson

I'm not being picky but I want you to get to grips with good modelling practice and so I will be looking at your models of cars for good modelling. A Good tip for the top is to start off simply and add the detail you require (cutting, splitting or ringing). That way you get a feel for the complexity of the model, also you have to keep shifting the poly's around so for the lazy amoung you less polys is better. It's easy to add complexity where you need it its more bothersome to simplify a model and keep a good topology.

Game City

Hi Guys,
Just a reminder that Game city is NEXT WEEK!!!! go look at the web site at Game City John Seer is organiasing the coach for next week. More deatils later. I like the sounds of the Tekken 3 tournament!

Today's excercise

OK Guys We are starting polygon modeling today so I want you to pick one of the models below and later on we are going to create these in stunning 3D!!! The first one you should pick is the darlek. Keep hold of the Car we did last lesson as we'll be needing that when texturing time comes.

Darlek side


Darlek Top

Start with these





Edgar


Monster where monster?


Racoon