Pushing Catalyst to the limits

This is what I was able to create with Catalyst before it's stupidity started kicking in. And I must say it kicks in pretty soon and pretty often or every time you want to do something out of the ordinary. Another nice feature would be a "stop helping me" button, because it stands in your way when its trying to help you. I don't know why its impossible to to choose actions to any state from any state. Sometimes it doesn't even give you the same options in the "go to state" and "when in state" (WTF?).  Most of the time I was trying to hack my way around it's limitations, that and the exponentially growing complexity are the reasons why my mock-up isn't fully functional. And of course there are times when Catalyst starts doing what it wants and you have to euthanize it...
What I would like to have is as crossover between the original Flash and Flash Catalyst. This way I could have AS programing capabilities combined with all this cool and simple to create smooth animations. Flowcharts of interactions would also be nice, because you can quickly lose track of actions with growing complexity.

“Flash Catalyst is currently in the state of a child with a missing leg - alive but not fully functional.”

By the way, sorry for the inconsistency in size in my interaction mock-up (at first I had no intention to connect all the different states).  In case you missed the link to it, here it is again: http://skrci.me/cameraui. One more thing; orange triangles or arrows represent the scroll (tap drag) function in the final interaction prototype, that I was unable to create in Catalyst. The "review" section is loading for quite some time, because Catalyst doesn't resize images when exporting for web (and switching back to menu and photo modes doesn't work, you have to use the browser back arrow).

I am still looking for a C++ programmer and I have to make a correction about my previous post. I don't need drivers, only a small program that turns absolute mode on and I can already provide example programs and code.

Share this post:  http://skrci.me/dss07

I need a programmer!

I'm in desperate need of a programmer!

I'm searching for someone who knows C++ and would be able to edit some touch pad drivers (not actual drivers but a small program which enables absolute mode). I need the absolute mode enabled and some minor extras (turning the coordinate system for 90° and adjusting the active area). I can provide the SDK in fact you can download it here. There are already some examples included for the things I need.

I promise fortune and glory to anyone who is not afraid to take this challenge. Just kidding, but I will pay you (don't worry) and give you a big "Thank you" in my thesis.

If you are interested, write an email to my name.surname at gmail.


Share this post: http://skrci.me/dss06
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Nujno rabim programerja!

Iščem programerja, ki obvlada C++ in bi bil pripravljen urediti touch pad driverje (ne driverje pač pa program, ki omogoča absolutno pozicijo kurzorja). Rabil bi absolutno pozicijo kurzorja in nekaj manjših dodatkov (obračanje koordinatnega sistema za 90° in določanje aktivne površine). Lahko priskrbim SDK, v bistvu ga je mogoče dobiti tukaj. Nekaj primerov tega kar rabim je že vključenih.

Vsakemu, ki je pripravljen sprejeti ta izziv obljubljam slavo in bogastvo. Hecam se, bom pa plačal in napisal veliko zahvalo v mojo diplomo.

Če te zanima, napiši email na moje ime.priimek na gmail.


Deli ta prispevek: http://skrci.me/dss06

Home made digital camera

After a few setbacks I am back on track with the practical part of my thesis. Yesterday I finally received the screen component I was waiting for a month and a half. Today I took apart a webcam and combined it with the screen.

[Crap, I accidentally deleted this video on Vimeo, facepalm]

I would like to thank the guys at Cirque for their support and specifications for the touchpad module. Now I will be able to work with it. The interaction part will be painful to create, but doable. [Update: That touchpad went belly up the first day, so...]

Short link to this post: http://skrci.me/dss05

Museum Lights and a trip to Denmark

And now to the "wannabe music artist" part of my description. Yes, I recorded a new track and it's ready for you to listen, download and love.

Museum Lights by Echotype

 I will be away for a few days, because I am visiting my friend in Denmark. The trip will go something like this (if everything goes right of course):

Ljutomer -> Klagenfurt (car)
Klagenfurt -> Frankfurt-Hahn (plane)
Frankfurt-Hahn -> Odense (car)

Odense -> Köln (car)
Köln -> Frankfurt-Hahn (bus)
Frankfurt-Hahn -> Klagenfurt (plane)
Klagenfurt -> Ljutomer (car)


I will report back with pictures on Tuesday.

Short link to this post: http://skrci.me/dss04

Crysis - Thesis is falling apart

After a month of waiting I finally got the right component. I was happy as fat kid with candy, all until I tried to make it work. After a few failed attempts, I opened it up and find a damaged cable. At first I thought that it's my fault, but the cable was in the middle and it was thicker then all the surrounding ones. So in order for me to damage it, I would have to damage the other cables. This means at least another two weeks of waiting... F*cking great!
I also ordered a screen component 5 weeks ago and I don't know where the hell it is...

Damaged cable...

I give up...

Short link to this post: http://skrci.me/dss03

My interface and Flash Catalyst

It's Sunday all over again and it's once again time for my blog post.
I have considered using Flash Catalyst for my (physical) prototype many times. I have tried both beta versions and am now using the trial version. But it seems to me that it is always missing something I would like to do. For example: It has no "click and drag" actions, which I desperately need for my interface to work properly. Well, there is a scroll component, but this won't do the job. I already gave up on Catalyst, but my mentor insisted that I try to create as much as possible with it and then outline the drawbacks of Catalyst. Yesterday I created the first simulation of my interface. If you would like to play with it you can do so here. If you have any comments, I would love to hear them.

 Image of my interface in action

I will try to learn as much as possible from the Catalyst simulation to avoid mistakes in the final version. But I will still create the final version in standard Flash.

Short link to this post: http://skrci.me/dss02

Design competition

Yesterday I entered an international design competition. I submitted my concept one hour before deadline, although I knew about it for more then a month. I was working on this design concept for the past two weeks, but still I've done 90% of the writing, 60% of rendering and 10% of modeling the last day (working 15 hours straight). It's not that I never learn from this "do it all the last day" mistake, but I rather need it. I need the pressure and a tight deadline to function.
Sadly I won't be able to show my concept anytime soon. Because of the competition rules I'm not allow to show it to the public until December.


Short link to this post: http://skrci.me/dss01