Rebooting.... Hello World!

Dear Blog,

What!? 3.5 years later! Where did the time go!? Man... I blink and I'm in what seems to be another galaxy. Too much to talk about, so I'm going to skip all of it. Well, almost all of it. Colleen and I got married April 6, 2013. It was an awesome wedding and I got a great partner!

So now... I'm still someone who wants to make games. I'm still someone who hasn't made a game. I'm still someone! So, I'm here trying to figure out what in the hell I'm going to do with my life. I'm 31 years old now..... 31! As I write this, the lyrics to Smashing Pumpkins Disarmed pops up in my head!

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my choice
Whats a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you

Hmmm, random, but meaningful. Even the killer part, as I think the killer in me is the killer in Colleen. So, do I just send that smile over to her? Maybe there's more to that song, but whatever, getting off track.

Unity and C# are hands down the tools I want to use. So, I discovered that after a long and very drawn out search. I'm also in a Game Design class right now at UNO where I'm finally learning the difference between Game Development and Game Design. Both are cool, game design seems more universal and more important than game development... ok, maybe not more important, but universal and artistic! Game development can be done by someone provided the rules and description of all the objects in almost any language.

So, here I am, lots of friends, great family, but alone.... alone to pursue my individual dream... as it should be. Should it be!? Too many questions, not enough answers.

I'm here to get answers. I'm here to make plans. I want to revive my company "Drag 'N' Dream", although it never really did go anywhere. I want to make a $#%##$ #@$@$%#% GAME!!!! I've been down tonight, and as soon as I got on the computer, I just got angry. I'm angry at myself. I'm angry at my situation. I don't have infinite time to do what I want. I have very limited time. These windows are only getting smaller. The "real" career gets in the way, "health", "wellness", all this vitally important stuff..... but it's not important to my dream.... just to the temple (aka my body) that allows me to make choices and receive the joys of life. Siiigggghhhhhh, I don't know how to proceed. I want to drop it all, move into a little cabin somewhere in the middle of no where, have a simple life where survival and money is out of the picture, and all I'm doing is making a game. I won't be allowed to leave until the game is complete. I need a year. Someone, please just give me a year of time without having to worry about anything. That's what I want now, and can't say that's all I want.... because what I want after the year is over may be totally different. I can make a game. I have the knowledge. I'm ready! I just need the time now............. aghhhhh. OK, no more anger, no more complaining. Just doing.

All I can do is all I can do. Just do it!

- ETdoFresh [^ always thinking of you buddy!]

My Proposal

Dear Blog,

Well, I'm an engaged man now. Colleen and I have dated for 7 wonderful years, and at this point, I knew it was time I needed to propose. So here's my story...

Wednesday, April 6, 2011. I was sitting at the office, and the idea formulates in my head that I want to propose to Colleen where we first met. Spring Break! But, I have no idea where we were staying. I send an IM to my friend asking where we stayed, and he hadn't a clue. Hmm, so it was time to send a mass email...

For the next few days, the group that went to 2004 Spring Break was convinced that it was Destin, FL. I could not find the hotel, but I really didn't think too much of it. Destin, FL is where I needed to find a place to propose.

I wanted a condo, but it was going to be a minimum of 3 night stays. So I kept emailing and asking around if I can only do two nights, but no one ever really gave me a simple yes/no response. It was now April 13, and time was fast approaching, and I didn't even think about any other details, like the ring?!?

The ring... OK, now I was in trouble. I have 10 days, and no ring. Immediately I asked my friend who was last engaged, what ring did he purchase? He had a MiaDonna Diamond. Yeah! That might be the way to go! But I was feeling nerves up to my spine. If I did order this, I knew I had no guarantee on actually getting this on time. I spoke with my brother, and he asked me why I never chose to use my dad's ring. My dad's ring? I never even considered it! My mom mentioned it soo many multiple times to me, but why did that thought never pop into my head!? Of course! My dad's ring! It was time to see what it was.

Later that night, my brother emailed me pictures of it! Wow, that rock was big! But, it was sooo perfect. The 14K white gold band was perfect too. But they were not together. My mom would have to get a jeweler to put the two pieces together! So the next day, my mom dropped it off at the Jeweler and they said it would be ready by Saturday (Apr 23). What? I'm leaving on the 22nd, this would not work at all! I begged my mom to go to the jeweler everyday, and she graciously did. I can not thank my mom enough for doing so. More on the ring later.

Meanwhile, I had to find a place to stay during all this. I took off a few hours one day to get to the bottom of where I stayed in Destin, FL. After looking through some old PST files (outlook email files)... I found it! I found the email where we were planning the trip, and where I was bringing a friend! Wow, did the fates align? But it was in Biloxi! Had I not found this out, I would have been celebrating my proposal in Destin, FL, where in fact Colleen and I have never been together before! I thank my luck, fate, and all that helped me find out exactly where we first kissed. But, hmm, every time I tried to book this hotel, it says that this hotel is no longer taking reservations. Why? Was this booked? I googled it, and could not find much information on it. Hmm? I googled the hotel and the word "destroyed". Immediately, pictures from Hurricane Katrina came up, and yup, this hotel was wiped out in 2005 along with much of biloxi shoreline buidlings. So was this really the place I was going to propose? An empty lot in Biloxi with new buildings and other empty lots all around? I had to think of something different.

Pensacola, FL. I knew I loved the place when I was younger, and it was just a bit further passed Biloxi on the road, and I figured, it was probably much nicer. So yes, Pensacola is what I decided on, and at this point it's April 18. I needed to have a place so I could focus on the ring. A few clicks later, I spent a little bit of change, but I got this beautiful hotel room, with a view of the gulf, and I knew it was perfect. Ahh, finally I could take a breath.

The ring! OK, the ring was ready on Tuesday, April 19. Just a matter of shipping it to me. Well my mom goes to FedEx, and they see she wants it insured for a ton of money. They ask her what she is shipping, and it's a ring of course! They said they could not send it insured without it being appraised. My mom doesn't know what to do, so she goes back to the jeweler. The owner of the store says he would ship it. My mom sends me the tracking number on Wednesday, and my heart sinks. It was shipped USPS, $100 insured, overnight, and to my work, but not to my building, (just the university campus itself). They are never going to find me here on campus! So it was up to me to go to campus mail and tell them my story. They were more helpful after my story then before my story. They called up their contacts, and found out that it would be here Thursday. Thursday... I can live with that, but man, talk about cutting it close!

Thursday, April 21, 2011 rolls right around. Nervous as all living h-e-double hockey sticks, i go and stop by the post office like 3 times in the morning and ask if USPS express mail has arrived to no avail. I go get some lunch, and on the way back from lunch, I stop by the post office once more. OMG. The ring is there! It is waiting for me in all its brilliance. This must've been the 2nd happiest I ever been in this story. The hotel, the plan, nothing except hearing yes, could top getting the ring. I show the people in the post office this ring that is reflecting all the light emanating from my being. Then my friends at work. And then it went into hiding until proposal time!

Friday, April 22, 2011, day of the proposal, finally comes. Taking one breath at a time as I pack up, trying to figure out how I'm going to ask. Everything is in motion, it's just a matter of me flowing with the motions. Colleen gets home, and we start packing up to go to the beach! I get in the car for a few seconds and tell my friend to text me a time (beyond sunset) that they will be coming (although they are not really coming!). I show Colleen the text, finish packing, and then we get on the road.

After 3-4 hours, we get to the hotel, Holiday Inn Resort, and their computer systems are down. They assign us a room, we go in, and there's already someone in there. Ha! So we go back down, get another room, and we get in! Colleen is happy! She asks me "I wonder how much this room cost?!" Cool, so she probably thinks we are in this nice room because of all the computer problems they were having. So wow, everything is going perfect, I asked her if she wanted to walk on the beach with me.... and now the proposal is very near.

I blank my mind out, and put my body in autopilot (like the movie Click, if you ever seen it). So I hear myself making conversation, having a good time, but really I'm focused on one thing.... find a good, quiet spot to ask. After about a mile of walking down the beach, we find a spot between two hotels where we can catch the sunset and more importantly, not populated. We lay some towels down, watch the sunset, and then the sun disappears on the horizon and the clouds.

Colleen gets up to start packing up. I get up too. I get in front of her, grab her by the shoulders, and tell her about what I did (how no one was coming, and that we were spending a romantic weekend together). Then I dig in my bag, get down on one knee, pull out the ring, and asked "Colleen, will you marry me?"

- ETdoFresh

Old-Me vs New-Me

Dear Blog,

At work, doing my thing, and I decided to look at myself a year ago and today. Well, I'm on my way to having long hair again (but probably chop it off way before I get close). I still get scruffly faced (beard-wise). I seem to be more outgoing last year vs today, but that's OK. I'm being a programmer this year anyway. I am planting a new batch of vegetables and herbs, like last year. I still want to do outstanding things, but still focusing on the WHAT and not the HOW. I am employed today vs unemployed at this time last year. Not worried about money, or making money now, as it streams in as long as I give my 8 hours of the day.

The rest of this entry will be about motivation. I am, at this very moment, unmotivated, to do the things I want, and in my head, NEED. But why? Is simply wanting something not motivation enough to get your goals done. I say yes! Wanting something gives you a destination, but without anyway to get there, do you really even think about it?

For example, I want to be in Hawaii right now (b/c the beach sure sounds better than being in my office all day). But since there is no feasible way for me to be there this instant, I forget about it.

Another example, I wanted to lose like 30 lbs like 5 years ago. I'm still working on it! In that time, if I lost 1/2 a pound each month, I would have been at my goal right now! No hard workouts, not even a drastic life change. Just simply one less serving of junk a week could have got me that! But without direction or schedule available, wanting it now does not always fit the bill.

So what's going to get me motivated? This delicious chocolate on my desk will definitely make me happy now, but that's a step backwards from my weightloss goals. Playing videogames 3 hours a day is soo fun, but another step backwards in making videogames. The darn push and pull of life gets in the way of what I want! I want it all! I want to eat chocolate, play games, make games, lose weight, do work, goof off, and somehow get it done before I go to sleep today! (opening chocolate now... : P )

MMmmm, soo good.... Oh well, let's just say I just decided to screw up my 1/2 lb this month.

What's important to you? Enjoying the moment? Getting goals done? Achieving greatness? If you said all this and more, you are parallel to my world. I say the same things. Why sacrifice, when you CAN have it all? Eat that chocolate now, and hurry up and get your mind on something else before you eat 5 more. Play videogames here and there, but get off before you get sucked into beating yourself. Make videogames, create a schedule, have goals, do it ALL! You can do it! I can do it! Let's forget the bad, and just focus on what we can do now to maximize our value of life.

That chocolate was damn good!

- ETdoFresh

Git on Windows (Cygwin and Git Extensions)

Dear Blog,

Setting up git (Version Control System) really did suck on Windows. It wasn't a simple install this package, and all your problems are solved. I had major issues trying to use PuTTy, plink, and copSSH, which I believe most people use if they are using git on windows. I'm doing the cygwin approach. It's soo much easier (to me at least). Setting up the server kind of sucks, but the client is easy. I'll show how to setup the client today, and put up another post very shortly on how to setup a git server on windows using these exact same files.

Step 1 - Download and install Cygwin

Download cygwin from http://www.cygwin.com/ (Even Quicker Link)

• Run setup.exe
• Click Next >
• Select Install from Internet. Click Next >
• Keep Root Directory C:\cygwin, and Select All Users (RECOMMENDED). Click Next >
• Personally, I change Local Package Directory to C:\cygwin\packages. But wherever is fine.
• Select Direct Connection, Click Next >
• Select a mirror (I use http://mirror.cs.vt.edu), Click Next >
• Should get a Setup Alert, Click OK
• Select All > Devel > git. Select All > Net > openssh. Click Next >
• Make sure Select required packages is checked, Click Next >
• Let it download and install
• Click Finish
• Run it once. You should get a unix command prompt. Type in git<enter>, and you should see a list of options. Type in ssh<enter>, and you should also get a list of options.
• If all looks alright, you are done with Cygwin (if you are just using this as a client)

Step 2 - Download and install Git Extensions

Download gitextensions MSI file from http://code.google.com/p/gitextensions/ (Even Quicker Link)

• Run msi installer
• Click Next
• Verify path is OK for you. Click Next
• Leave default options if you want, Click Next
• Select OpenSSH, Click Next
• Click Install
• Let it install
• Click Finish
• Note: If you are prompted to install msysgit and kdiff3, just install kdiff3... otherwise download and install kdiff3 (or whatever diff software you like)

Step 3 - Setup Git Extensions

• Run Git Extensions
• Select English (if you perfer) - The UK flag!
• In settings (which should pop up right away) Select the Git tab
  • Set command used to run git as C:\cygwin\bin\git.exe
  • Set Path to linux tools as C:\cygwin\bin
• Select Global settings
  • Set perferred username and user email
• Select Ssh
  • Ensure OpenSSH is selected

Step 4 - Use Git

• Click Clone repository
• For Repository to clone, type in your server or directory (ie ssh://username@my.server.com/git/test.git)
• Set Destination and subdirectory appropriately. Click Clone.
• Log into your SSH server.
• Click OK on success (I hope!)
• Click Yes to view your repository.
• You will only have to log into your SSH on every push (not for every commit)
• Now get to work!

So, I know the issues I ran into using the putty, plink, msysgit may not be normal. But it definitely was a problem for me. So, here is my how-to on Cygwin and Git Extension, and I love this setup. I'll get to that server how-to in the next couple of days. Later!

- ETdoFresh

Corona Simulator shortcut

Dear Blog,

I decided that I am going to use Ansca Corona to develop a game I'm working on vs. Airplay SDK. This LUA language is soo much easier than C++. I still would love to have my games programmed in C++, but for just me, it'll take too long to get to my final destination. So, LUA it is! Anyway, here is a quick batch file that I like to keep in my projects directory so all I have to do is drag the folder to this batch file, or type in the name of the porject I'm working on.

simulate.cmd

@echo off
echo -------------------------
echo Shortcut to LUA Simulator
echo -------------------------
echo.

SET coronaSimulator=%ProgramFiles(x86)%
IF "%coronaSimulator%" == "" SET coronaSimulator=%ProgramFiles%
SET coronaSimulator=%coronaSimulator%\Ansca\Corona Simulator\Corona 

Simulator.exe

IF NOT [%1] == [] GOTO PROCEED
SET /P simulateTarget=Enter name of your project? 

:PROCEED
IF NOT [%simulateTarget%] == [] SET simulateTarget="%simulateTarget%"
SET simulateTarget=%1%simulateTarget%\main.lua

IF NOT EXIST %simulateTarget% GOTO MESSAGE
start "Corona Simulator" "%coronaSimulator%" %simulateTarget%
GOTO END

:MESSAGE
echo Project does not exist: %simulateTarget%
pause

:END

Symbolic Link Batch File

Dear Blog,

I use Boxee, and when I download DVDs, they don't show up as episodes on my TV Guide. Someone suggested making symbolic links... Sounds good to me. Here's a batch file I use to generate these symbolic links (not catching me renaming 100's of files

@echo off
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo  This will make symbolic links for your ISO/IMG files
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo.

IF "%~f1" == "" (
  echo No file dragged onto this script
  pause
  EXIT
)

SET /P season=Season (ie 1)? 
SET /P episodeStart=Starting Episode (ie 1)? 
SET /P episodeEnd=Ending Episode (ie 4)?

IF NOT DEFINED season SET season=1
IF NOT DEFINED episodeStart SET episodeStart=1
IF NOT DEFINED episodeEnd SET episodeEnd=4

IF %season% LSS 10 SET season=0%season%
IF %episodeStart% LSS 10 SET episodeStartZero=0%episodeStart%

SET firstEpisode=%~n1 S%season%E%episodeStartZero%%~x1
MOVE "%~dpf1" "%~dp1%firstEpisode%"

IF %episodeStart% GEQ %episodeEnd% EXIT
SET /A episodeStart=episodeStart + 1

FOR /l %%n IN (%episodeStart%,1,%episodeEnd%) DO (
  SET currentEpisode=%%n
  IF !currentEpisode! LSS 10 SET currentEpisode=0!currentEpisode!
  mklink "%~dpn1 S%season%E!currentEpisode!%~x1" "%firstEpisode%"
)
pause

Edit: Hmm, my sickbeard renames the files, so here is my newer method... I append each dvd with their first episode, like first dvd would now end in s01e01. Do that for each dvd. Then sickbeard renames it. To show up nicely in boxee, I run the following, slighltly modified script:

@echo off
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo  This will make symbolic links for your ISO/IMG files
echo -------------------------------------------------------------------------
echo.

IF "%~f1" == "" (
  echo No file dragged onto this script
  pause
  EXIT
)

SET /P season=Season (ie 1)? 
SET /P episodeStart=Starting Episode (ie 2)? 
SET /P episodeEnd=Ending Episode (ie 4)?

IF NOT DEFINED season SET season=1
IF NOT DEFINED episodeStart SET episodeStart=2
IF NOT DEFINED episodeEnd SET episodeEnd=4

IF %season% LSS 10 SET season=0%season%

FOR /l %%n IN (%episodeStart%,1,%episodeEnd%) DO (
  SET currentEpisode=%%n
  IF !currentEpisode! LSS 10 SET currentEpisode=0!currentEpisode!
  mklink "%~dp1S%season%E!currentEpisode!%~x1" "%~f1"
)
pause

Enable Sound Controls (Mute) in Media Center 7 (7MC)

Dear Blog

Tonight I was having issues muting my HD content. My normal SD conent has normal, vol up/down and mute capabilities. Unfortunately, my HD conent was always like near max blast, even if I hit mute or vol down.

So what I did was turn on Auto Volume! It works now... no dolby digital sound from the TV anymore, but, I only use TV speakers anyway, so I'm not missing much.

I believe it's in:
Settings > TV > Audio > Auto Volume Checkbox

- ETdoFresh