The Summer So Far

First, a quick update on my new computer's status: It blew up!

No, just kidding. After a few speed bumps while I was configuring it, it's now dual-booting Vista and Ubuntu, as intended. Ubuntu doesn't support my soundcard, meaning I have no sound in that OS, but otherwise, everything works appropriately. I still have a lot more options to fiddle with in Ubuntu, and I need to learn my way around it. Also, in the arena of gaming, I've found my machine's limit, and it's pretty high. I can run all current generation games that I have at 1680x1050 with full detail and at least 8x anti-aliasing at well over 30+ fps (except maybe Oblivion). However, I've tried it with two DirectX 10 games: Company of Heroes (recently patched to enable DirectX 10 effects) and the Lost Planet demo. The latter worked but ran sluggishly (20-30 fps); the former was buggy and even slower. I'm chalking those disappointing results up to the work-in-progress Nvidia Vista drivers, but we'll have to wait and see. I've found that running games at a non-native resolution (i.e. less than 1680x1050) doesn't compromise the visuals very much, so in the worst case scenario, I should be able to lower the resolution to something like 1280x1024 and get playable framerates with DirectX 10 games. But I'd rather not have to do that because, in theory, I shouldn't need to. Isn't the point of an Alienware system that you don't have to make compromises? Curse you, Alienware, for not immediately delivering on my unreasonable desires!

But let's talk about something non-technical for a change: How has everyone's summer been? I've already discussed at length my European "vacation" (thankfully, nothing like the Chevy Chase movie... although I wouldn't have minded having some "international relations" with a nice German frau, hey-oh! :-P). Since then, I've seen a few movies, mostly disappointing (Knocked Up and, more so, Transformers), with the notable exception of Ratatouille (possibly Pixar's best yet). Three weekends ago, I went to Ocean City (MD, not NJ) with friends and came back with a huge sunburn on my back that is taking its sweet time removing itself. The next weekend, I attended the Harry Potter book release, despite having never read any of the books or seen any of the movies, because it was my first chance in a long time to see my good pal, Wahab. Finally, last weekend, I headed up to Lehigh to get my new ID card and to hang out with some other friends (as it turns out, I should have waited until this weekend, as the humongous Musikfest is now in progress). And this weekend... nada, it would seem. I'm a little antsy, wanting to do something useful besides listening to podcasts, reading, playing video games, and making uninspired blog posts. Thems the breaks sometimes, I suppose.

I've also been itching to start something creative: a short story, poem, computer program, or anything else. Unfortunately, my creativity doesn't work that way. I can't plan on being creative; sometimes, an idea hits me, and I have to seize it right then or else, it's gone as quickly as it came. The exception is improv, but it kind of proves the rule. (As you may recall, I participate in Lehigh's improv group, the Hobo Army, a fact I'm pretty sure I've mentioned at some point but I can't find a blog post to back me up. Just in case you were wondering why I'm suddenly talking about improv.) Improv is very structured and actually sort of limiting. Your ideas are contained within a game and must follow the confines of that game. So if the game is "Party Quirks" and you're one of the guests at the party, your character has one or two defining characteristics, and everything else flows from those. And generally, someone who isn't in the game provides the quirk or event, meaning the performers don't have to have the creativity necessary to create the characters or to define the scene. In some ways, when the game commences, the hard work of developing the ideas for the game has already been done for the performers. Now, to be fair and not sell the role of the performers short, good performers flesh out the ideas and transcend a game's limitations, but the initial ideas from the audience are the real catalyst for the performers' creativity. Unless the performers are truly gifted (and at Lehigh, most of them, including myself, are amateurs), those initial ideas are crucial; if those aren't solid, the game probably won't go anywhere.

A friend gave me a pocket journal for my European trip, but I have to sheepishly admit that I didn't use it. Instead, I got the idea today to carry it around with me, along with a writing implement, so that if I have a sudden inspiration, I can write it down until I can do something with it. To give credit where it's due, this concept of idea capture is one I heard about from Merlin Mann (although I think he termed it something more artistic sounding). Anyway, with some luck, the fruits of this plan will reveal themselves in the near future.

Before I go, I want to emphasize that, if I haven't seen you recently (say, the last couple of weeks), I want to hear what you've been up to! Leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail, and tell me about your summer, even if all you've done is work. I'm attempting to make this blog into a dialogue again. Don't let me down, faithful readers!