Why did the photographs never arrive?

...And why did I never notice, for that matter?

Overdue but here are some of the best made in April featuring Napier, Rotorua, Hamilton, Whangarei region and the Overlander Tranzenic Express.

Visual Communication Design Studies Mark 1

Question A: 45 D
Question B: 55 C+
Overall grade: 53 C.

2 ticks on satisfactory, 5 ticks on fail.

Now, C is and remains a pass. So I don't have to retake this assignment. But it didn't go well.
Going to discuss what I did wrong with the lecturers and learn from that. Most of my errors seem to be in the referencing and writing of the essay in itself. It's not that I don't understand the course content, just that writing essays is a lot different than back home.

Made an appointment with the centre of teaching and learning as well, so I'll do better next time.

The first grades are in!

222.3330 Computer Animation 1
Assignment: Motion

Research: Excellent (A)
'Sufficient collated background material, analysis of theories, practice of techniques, and processes relevant to the computer animation medium.'

Process: Good (B)
'Examples of fluid animated movement that is controlled and expressive, utilizing timing, nuance, weight and other key animation attributes.'

Control: Satisfactory (C)
'Control over support areas of video referencing, camera and rendering. Consistent control over the software and the medium.'

Formal Resolution: Good (B)
'Inclusion of additional style and originality that extends the meaning for the audience.'

General comments:
A great start to digital animation - your character is nicely modeled and engaging. Good development of blend-shapes. Good development of storyboard elements and exploration into character animation. There are elements of very expressive character animation and good sense of gravity eg: the jump and the first interaction with the fan. However the narrative element does not always give a clear indication as to what the character is doing and often confuses the 6 sequences. Also some of the shots do not frame the character well to make explicit the animated movement. The time spent developing the wheel cycle has probably left you short on time to really polish your animation. Overall this project shows a good foundation of animation skill that will greatly improve with more animation time.

Overall Grade: B 67%


22.492 Play Research and Design
Assignment: Why Play?

Research: Good (B)
'Identify and discuss relevant processes and theories of play'

Critical Thinking: Excellent (A)
'Develop meaning, relevance and application of play through a process of analysis, exploration and experimentation.'

Process: Good (B)
'Apply strategies of play to resolve an identifiable need or task to a high standard.'

Implementation: Good (B)
'Provide reflection and discussion on own work and that of others in the area of play research and design.'

General comments:
Overall a great start to the play paper, your project is timely and very pivotal to current social events. Good selection of target audience - although expansive, this present a unique challenge to engage the masses within your work. Your presentation provided a good insight into the structure and strategy of your play world and the elements you wish to develop. Although this project is well-formed and visually cohesive, it does sit on the fence between and educational, role playing or simulation game design. This positioning has the potential to extend your play world engagement and functionality- however this project needs to further research into the platforms of play, and what are the motivating forces behind them in order to make a cohesive blend of genres.
The use of visual mapping helps to convey the functionality of the play world, this project just needs to further illustrate the play research and strategies informing the design.
Overall a good project with plenty of potential.

Overall grade: B+ (74%)

This comments about a design I came up with in regards to the failed emergency preparedness campaign back in the Netherlands and New Zealand's frequency of natural disasters. The design revolves around people playing a social game that prepares them for natural disasters and encourages them to assemble a kit.

Easter Vacation

Spent the period between 19th of April and 1st of May traveling around the North Island.

Arrived in Napier on Tuesday evening, slept there, looked around.
Went past Taupo to Rotorua on the 20th. Almost had an empty gas tank in a national park on the way to Taupo, but made the city. Signed up for a Maori Cultural Experience for the evening: It provides an official Maori greeting, a look into how the people were living in the past, a Hangi meal, song and dance and storytelling. The next day featured a visit to Wai-o-Taupu, a volcanic park with lots of geothermal pools (not swim-safe though)

Went on to Tauranga, but the information that it was a Maori site was a bit wrong. On to Whitiangi then, to be able to spend the next day at Hot Water Beach.
Beach was on Friday. Visited the Cathedral cove there and learned about the volcanic river under the ground that heats up the water. Took a bath in it.

Later that day marked the arrival in Auckland. Spend Saturday doing some sightseeing, visited Mt. Eden and SkyCity. Continued further up north on Sunday afternoon to Whangarei. Took a resting day before going up to Russel Island on Tuesday. It was a whaling village in the old days. The next day was a roadtrip past the gigantic Kauri trees and the northern coastline.

Back down on Thursday, to Hamilton for a visit to a friend of mine. Stayed there a few days. Spend friday mostly underground with the Waitomo cavern system, which was a deeply impressive experience. Took the Overlander train back to Wellington city on Sunday to conclude the two weeks. It's like you're passing through a Bethesda world, for about 8 hours long.

Geothermal Taupo

Geothermal hot springs, sulphur damp steam fountains, vulcanic craters and a waterdriven power plant.
Had my feet in the hot water, very carefully sniffed the steam that spouted out of the earth, poked geothermal squishy mud, watched a pruttling mud pool and a hatch of the dam opening up to send a torrent of water down to the river. The water becomes so white and foamy because the force and pressure mixes a lot of oxygen into it.

Wet 'n' Sexy

Environmental design references are sometimes simply that.