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game update: breakfast battle

the latest software project by let-off studios is another video game.  the working title is ‘breakfast battle,’ and it’s an old-skool shoot-em-up (or “shmup”) with a breakfast/classic american diner theme.  the player controls a coffee saucer, while the coffee cup hovers nearby; send out squirts of coffee to defeat your enemies: bowls of oatmeal, cinnamon rolls, plates of eggs and bacon, etc.  end-of-level bossess include toast, a short stack of pancakes, an omelette, and more.  powerups, bombs, and speed improvements even the odds a bit as the action becomes more frantic.  also planned for this game are unlockable achievements: new coffee cup skins/artwork, diner slideshows, and so on.

technical improvements include complex, layered graphics, prallax scrolling, activated/deactivated program groups, encoded INI file creation/referencing, and general advanced coding.  the projected completion date is a vague sense of autumn 2009.

you can follow the progress of ‘breakfast battle’ on the daily click website at this link.  we’re striving to place weekly updates on the project page.

Tags: food, game-making, sycla by sycla
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my first assault

after some additional reflection on this episode, i felt it worthwhile to record for posterity.

the past two years have seen a marked increase in my own bicycle activity, and nowadays i’m a daily city bike commuter.  i also frequently take longer rides on the weekends or holidays, weather permitting.  in may of last year, i completed my first-ever solo bike trek, which lasted 166+ miles in 2.5 days.  i invested in a new bicycle this past january, and completed my first-ever century (100+ miles in one trip) in june for the MS Bike Challenge with a few acquaintances of mine.

throughout all these events, trainings, and acquisitions, the notion of personal safety was often on my mind.  of chief concern, of course, was actually owning and using a helmet.  i just invested in a new one this past spring: one of those cool matte-finish, full-shell helmets that work for both skateboarding or bicycling.

because of my frequency of biking, as well as persistent news reporting, i finally invested in pepper spray last year. [Read more →]

Tags: cycling, personal, terrorism by editor
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xkcd = so true

kinda like “everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time,” but with more zing.

thanks, xkcd.

Tags: illustrations, quotes by editor
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ride your goddamn bike

i am very, very fortunate to be able to ride a bicycle pretty much everywhere i need to go.  this past weekend i spent moving, so i used an automobile to transfer things from one place to the other.  the good thing about this is that now my morning work commute is about 15 minutes (it was more than double that previous to the move); the return trip is maybe 20 minutes–the majority of it being uphill.

in a city like baltimore, as long as you have a bike lock and maybe some lights, you’re pretty much good to go wherever and whenever you want.  you don’t have to pay for parking.  you can stop and drop off your vehicle pretty much anywhere.  drivers are still courteous to you; and you’re looked upon without malice by most pedestrians.  if you’re slick, you can even zip through traffic lights and between cars en route to your destination.  rain and snow are not necessarily a big deal in this town, especially when compared to elsewhere along the east coast.  there aren’t too many non-negotiable hills.  you don’t need a gym membership or driver’s license to ride a bike.

all that other stuff aside, however, and in addition to the fact that it’s quicker and more efficient than walking, bicycling still makes you feel the best.  i cannot stress this enough.  riding one’s bike is such a physically,biochemically good practice for each day.  i have noticed the difference between the days when i ride my bike in, and the days i take a car.  my mind is ready for the day; my energy level is increased; my mood is elevated.

of course, i love my job, so that certainly helps.  but i maintain that even something as short as 15 minutes on a bicycle can make a huge difference on how well one’s day evolves.

bicycling: just do it, you lazy bastard.

Tags: baltimore, cycling, personal by editor
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