Modding

As I may of already said, I am working on modding a game called Star Trek: Bridge Commander. In my latest escapade, I have learned how to make shiled textures, and how to get them working in game. I have made 3 different versions, the second one being based on the first and the third one being an upgrade of the second, which looked bad in game. The new shield (Shown in the Screenshots) still needs a bit of tweaking so that it looks right, it kind of cuts off on the edges a bit.

I can also create phaser textures but I can not get them to work in game yet

On a more positive side:

It’s just a matter of time

Hopefully I’ll be able to start ship textures soon

Modding

Once again, I have found myslef modding for ST:BC (Star Trek: Bridge Commander). This time though, It looks like the project will get finished. I have spent the last 3 days making a new ship, it’s been about 9 months since I last made a ship and my first atempt on Sunday went rather….. badly. So my second attempt turned into the ship shown.

As of yet, the ship still has no name.(Yet)

The software I used to make it is called Milkshape, but it’s only a 31 day free trial.

Is the British Language failing?

I had an interesting argument about with my friends. What about? Well, how to spell ‘Granddad’. It all started in English, where we were anotating a poem, and I noticed that one of my mates had spelt ‘Granddad’ as ‘Grandad’. Upon pointing this out, I was immediatly told that I was stupid and it has just one ‘d’. I argued, and slowly, more people sided against me. Even the English teacher sided against me. Yes, an English teacher! Mo-one would back me up, not even when I gave them the evidence, which is actually quite a logical thing if you follow it through. The evidence goes something like this:

Grandparent

Grandmother

Grandfather

Granddad.

So where does the idea that we drop the ‘d’ off ‘Grand’ come from in ‘Granddad’. Well, fortunatley, that’s easey:

America!!

Yes, that’s how they spell it G-r-a-n-d-a-d. ‘Grandad’.

Well, that’s wrong, and people in britain are starting to talk and spell like Americans. Why?

I’ll admit that I’m not the worlds best speller, Infact, I’m an awfull speller and you’ll proberbly notice that in my posts, but never the less, I always try and spell proper English.

I actually won the argument. After the first tow lessons of the day, we get breaktime, that lasts 15 minutes, the rest of my friends were informed about my objection to ‘Grandad’ and, as I had expected, they were stupid enough to stand against me. Out of all of my mates, I am the only one that is actually any good at grammar, actually, I think I’m the only one that cares. Well, two of my mates, Chris and Sam, decided that they would use Microsoft Word, as they were both in computer rooms next, to find out once and for all. After the third lesson, I came out for dinner, I was the first outside, and decided that if I got through the whole of dinner without it being mentioned, then I had won. Sure enough, Dinner cam and went. No mention. As I was in a computer room next, I decided, though I already knew the answer, that I would check. To not do so then go around saying “I told you so” would be completley stupid if there was even the remoteist possibility that I was wrong. Checked I did, and right I was. Infact, I even checked that the dictionary on Word was set to ‘English: UK’ and it was.

I went down to my next lesson, Science, and Chris was already there, now I begun to rub it in and satisfie myself. He didn’t bother telling me I was right because he knew I would never let it go. Can’t blame him though becasue he’s right.

I came home, and spoke to Sam on MSN later, he said he asked 23 people and they say that it’s ‘Grandad’. Well, I said ‘they can’t spell then’, to which I got a sarcastic, ‘Yeh, all 23 people can’t spell’. The fact is, heknew that I was right, at least 10 people, including my English teacher, got defeated by me. The blame was then passed onto the fact that Word is programmed by Americans so Word is wrong. Yeh, whatever.

I decided, fine, the dictionary will prove it for definite, so I checked. This is the Oxford English Dictionary, and it has an American spelling. So, that idea wasn’t suggested.

But the fact that people in Britain can only speak/spell American English is rather disturbing. Especially when an English teacher gets it wrong, and our very own dictionary gets it wrong. So, why is this happening? I’ll point out now that I am not trieng to be offencive, or racist in any way shape or form.

The fact is, it’s because the Americans took the English language, and couldn’t be bothered to stick to it, or create there own from scratch. (This actually makes me think, What the heck did they speak before they chose a language? Sign Language?)

If the Americans hadn’t of taken our language however, this post would not be here for one of two reasons:

1) They wouldn’t of taken our spelling so ‘Grandad’ Wouldn’t exist, and

2) Thanks to them takeing our language, they saved us in the World Wars so if they hadn’t used our language, we’d probably all be under Nazi rule.

It’s also partially to do with the way people talk. They say ‘Grandad’ even I say it like that, but I know it’s spelt ‘Granddad’ and that’s the way I’ll always spell it and if I ever have any kids, how I’ll teach them to spell it. I’d need a girlfriend before having kids though :S

Screw that, I’ll keep my money.

Anyway, this post is becomeing a novel and my Tea is going cold so I’ll round it up:

The fact is, that people in Britain, are speaking and spelling in American, not British. I soon forsee that we’ll (well, they’ll(for I won’t)) Be saying ‘Zee-bra’ instead of ‘Zeb-ra’

2007

Well, I’ve just started my final months of High School , not used to getting up early in the mornings though, didn’t get up in the holidays untill about midday, unless Dad was home, he was mean and got me up! Well, Whilst not being at school, I’ve played around on After Effects and can now do some new little tricks that are pretty neat. This being one of them: Energy Flux

I’ve also figured out (Accidently) How do reverse clips. Was Quite chuffed at that. I used a combination of that, and part of the Tutorial for the Energy Flux (Above) to create a nice lightsabre ignition with a nifty little flare. (for the first few frames, I digitally removed the blade:

Might get to doing a movie soon, if I can get any Ideas that is.

For now, that’s all, Feel free to post.

(No Spam)

Update

Time for another update, Christmas went well, got a nice new camera , Been playing about on after effects. I can now do lasers, and I’ve figured out Star Trek Transporters, though it still needs tweaking a bit.