Saturday, November 22, 2008

Interesting endeavors that keep me busy for now



  1. Learn how to use the Valve Hammer Editor to create Counterstrike 1.6 maps. Until now, I have always been in the dark on how to create custom maps for CS. Turned out that a simple google search would lead me to the standard editor of the GoldSrc engine which Half-life (and in effect Counterstrike) uses. I spent all of my college days using the internet for getting information even on the most obscure data and never did the idea entered my head that it could be used to find a Counterstrike map editor ("_)

  2. Learn how to create RPG's using RPG Maker VX ( Technical Aspect). I have always wanted to create RPG's ever since I tried playing my first, Breath of Fire 4. Unfortunately, I am not a good writer and even less of a good artist. So I try to learn in the field where I am good at first, coding.

  3. Learn how to code in ASP.NET. Admittedly,this one is not a hobby. Rather it is a preparation for some project at my job. But I think most programmers would agree with me that learning a new high-level programming is always interesting.


Saturday, November 15, 2008

A strange dream....

The first recollection I had was a haze gray mist that prevented me from seeing anything in front of me. It surrounded me like air. Everywhere I look it was the same silver mist that I see. There is also a strange feeling that I had, that I have to move forward. It's as if I feel I must go forward with no options whatsoever. So I followed instinct and moved on.

The next scene that I remembered after trying to move forward was utterly different form the mist-like worked that I was aware of a second ago. I found myself in a beach, with some people frolicking in the green blue water. The strange thing about it is that it was like I knew I have always wanted to go here all along, and now I have finally arrived. While I was still wondering about my thoughts, I became aware that I was with my family. I suddenly realized by intuition that we were here to go swimming in the beach.

The uncertainty I had earlier when I was in the mist world was suddenly replaced by the excitement of swimming for I have always loved swimming, especially on the beach.

I was about to go to the shore when someone suddenly appeared at my front and urged me not to go. I am not sure if I remembered correctly how he looked like, only that he feels like an old guide who's job is to warn visitors of the dangers of the beach. But I do remember his stern voice warning us not to swim in the beach because there is a giant whirlpool in the middle of it. At first, I highly doubt it since the beach seemed placid and calm, not to mention people were splashing to and fro in the water. But something held me back. I don't know if it is instinct or the result of having watched too many horror movies that held me back. All I knew was that something sinister was lurking in the water. No sooner had I pondered on my thoughts on the whirlpool when I saw a small swirling current appear in the middle of the water not too far from the shore.

But the current began to encompass more water space. It became more menacing as it grew lager and larger as in a rising crescendo. In just a few seconds it became a large whirlpool that almost covered all of the beach. I yelled at the people caught in the whirlpool to get out of the beach as soon as possible. But it was too late. The whirlpool had started to spiral downwards towards the abyss at its center. I can only watch in horror as it happened. But something very weird was apparently going on. The people are actually laughing and enjoying it!!! I could not believe it. After a few seconds the whirlpool stopped, imploding into a big splash of blue liquid where it used to be its center. People then started popping out of the water like they just came up from a deep dive. They acted as if nothing dangerous happened. I was simply astounded. the only thing that I could come up as an explanation is that this is some sort of a water amusement park where the whirlpool is simply a machine driven effect for the fun of it. don't ask me how they ensure the safety of the people caught in it though....

Friday, November 14, 2008