Day: August 14, 2006

Heavy-A

August 14, 2006
Cool People
5 Comments

The camera made me mad.
I’m 6’4″. I weigh over 300 pounds. I am a big dude.

I’m not just big, I’m wide. Even if I weren’t overweight I’d still take up a whole doorframe because of the width of my shoulders.

I also like to keep my hair real short because of how grey it is. Seeing a head full of grey hair in the mirror makes me sad, so I just cut it all off.

Plus I can do the growly voice.

Because of all this, I am constantly asked if I play football. At more than one party I have been mistaken for a security guard. I have been told that I have an intimidating presence.

But I’m not intimidating. I don’t have a violent nature. I love rainbows, and, and kittens! And small children! And…and pretty stuff! Architecture! And flowers! Lots of flowers!

Sometimes I actually like to embrace my largish nature, as evidenced by the picture above (which will go on my Aspyr badge).

But I’m really just a big fuzzy-wuzzy cuddly bear, dammit!

Quick Planitia Update

August 14, 2006
Game ProgrammingPlanitia
3 Comments

In the wake of my article on getting started in game programming, I have been taking my own advice and doing some learning. In particular I am getting more familiar with Direct3D. While I’ve known the basics for a while, I want to become a more advanced 3D programmer and I also need to learn vertex and pixel shaders. So I’m working my way through Frank Luna’s Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0. I mentioned this book earlier but I really can’t say enough about it. As far as I’m concerned this is the book to get if you want to learn Direct3D.

Plus, with sections on terrain rendering, particle systems and picking, this book could have been subtitled “How to Program Planitia”.

So, no work will be done on Planitia for a bit while I work my way through this book. I’m currently on page 60 of 376. I am hoping to get through the book by the end of this week, though that will take some serious work.