3D - Dreading Deadlines Disease

I woke up and I saw this.

Aiseh.. 44th post ==

Around 3 months ago, when I just quited A Levels and joined form 6 in Seafield, the first competition I've heard was this 3D Games Design Competition held by Taylors School of Computing. It was announced by a teacher who was still quite unfamiliar to me, Mr Gan. Well, I was just in that school, a Seafield noob newbie, although many of my high school friends were from there.

I was shortlisted in a brief interview conducted by Mr. Gan, so as my partner Keng Wei, who have asked for a collaboration if both of us were shortlisted. Haha. He was my old old friend who have been in the same class with me for the past 6 years in primary school. Yup! But we were not in the same secondary school. So.. Yeah.. We were there to meet again, joining up the forces of two 6A/2003 students. =P

We went for workshop on how to use the program -Platinum Arts Sandbox on the 20th June and later on were given time to develop our own game. Yeah. Our own 3D game! In 5 weeks time.
I was dragging my feet though Keng Wei kept rushing me to finish up my map. I felt the guilt for dragging my feet though, but tests and homework building up like SIAO. I mean NUTS. My mind was always halfway hanging when I tried to study or tried to continue mapping the game. I'm very exhausted. Blame the Skype and Facebook. Blame me also.

Oh by the way, just in case you didn't know, I'm in charge of doing mapping and Keng Wei is doing the coding. Which I means I'm the one who's going to create a map/location for the game by building stuffs from scratch, like building a house from a piece of empty land you can get when playing The Sims series. The Sims is more simplified than the program. Hella simplified which is more user friendly THAN THIS FREAKING PLATINUM ARTS SANDBOX!

If only we can develop with the The Sims build mode system instead...

Anyhow, we dragged our feet, to be be precised I dragged Keng Wei's feet throughout the 5 weeks and was kinda last minute. We were supposed to hand in the game content by 20th July, and we only started working on it like around 16th July. Skipped classes, scolded by the BOOMING daisy for not helping in class and so on.. BLAH BLAH.
And thanks for the lunch treat on the Friday, Sophia. =)
Somehow I pitied my laptop for overworking for the past days before 20th. Went to Keng Wei's place only to find that his laptop not waking up, then had to go Chun Wah's place instead. Sophia came in to help but due to lack of work, she fell asleep there. *sighs* It was just a hot and horrible day.

Sunday, I had to go Keng Wei's house again. But it was in the afternoon. I wasn't awake when he sent me an sms to go to his place earlier, around 10am. == The sms was sent around 8am. And I was still sleeping soundly like a pig. S-O-R-R-Y. I stayed at his place, using his cousin's laptop for mapping since mine crashes in the midway of edit mode. Hate it. Need to send for repairs. I was there until 8.30pm, so tired and worn out.

Monday, the deadline for submission, we had to skip classes for the whole day. Luckily Pn Daisy didn't turn up for her 3 periods class, otherwise we are going to be soo doomed. 0.0 We went in class for Maths and skipped MUET and Pengajian Am. It was hella day.. Working from morning till evening, skipping toilet breaks and canteen breaks. *my bladder!* And Keng Wei skipped his prefect duty.

We worked throughout the day and evening.. Yelling at each other to shut up and not to make noise, for the reason that we were almost completing tasks. He's really bad at lying.. Maybe because he's over honest. Well, in fact, he is.


He found out the way to make slanted roofs, but the problem is I used small boxes, and making the roof was another big workload. For ONE house only.

I seriously felt like dying when I did the mountaining at the terrains. Not because it was hard or something. My whole dungeon which is under the mountain went 'collasped' or just say buried!! I was so devastated. Felt like dying. My part was supposed to be done an hour before 3, but, but..

I had to 'redig' the place for the next 2 hours. WASTED. Damn.. I was sweating like hell in the conjested place of the Sidang Redaksi, and the keyboards were getting stickier. URGH. I was so hating myself why did I ever joined such a stuff?! If only I knew it earlier...

Around 4.45pm, when the deadline is like 15 minutes away.. Keng Wei went down to make a desperate phone call to Mr Gan asking if he's free to pick us up and fetch us to Taylors. And you know what he said?! He said he might want to call up the person in charge for the competition if our entry is still qualified if we hand it up later than 5pm. Keng wei was so damn freaking pissed off when he came up to tell me that. The CD was half way burned in my laptop CD burner. A few minutes takes like forever.

Lucky Pn Phung trusted us with her bunch of keys for the Redaksi room. We locked the place before dragging our exhausted soul and body towards the stairs down to the canteen. It was really tiring. Keng Wei called up his friend to help fetch him to Taylors School of Computing. It was almost 5. Beforehand, keng wei managed to reach the teacher in charge of collecting the game contents, and he allows us to send in our work later than 5pm.

When Keng Wei left with his friend to hand up the game, I called Mr Gan, and he told me that the teacher in charge rang him back and told him that the date of submission was extended till Wednesday. *i wanted to faint that time* I wanted to throw the phone and run to Keng Wei, but he left. ==

At least now we knew how weird Mr Gan is. *no offence intended*

I reached home around 6 and went to take a rest before bathing. After dinner, around 8.30pm, Keng Wei suddenly rang me up. He told me he just reached home. I was kinda shocked because the college is not that far and takes lesser than 15 minutes to reach that place from Seafield. Later then, he told me that his friend took a wrong turn which leads them to the highway heading towards KL! He ended up in Sungei Wang before coming back. Haha.

Well, those were tits and bits before we got the news.

Thusday, 30/7/2009

I came back from school after extra co curricular activities. It is already a usual habit for me to check up on my phone if there's any smses. And I saw this from an unlisted contact.

Congratulations you have been shortlisted to win the grand prize with regards to the 3D games competition... I've sent you all an email to outline what the presentation should be like and where and when it will be held. please check either yours or your team-mates email as i have sent it to either one of you please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.. have a good day and you better be there on the 8th of august by 8.15am :)

*got shot in the butt*

Smsed Keng Wei. He said he shouted when he received the sms.

The next day, both of us shouted at each other.

On the following week, which was the exam week. It wasn't really that fair for us though to have such limited time to come up with a wonderful presentation. I asked for help in TAS if anyone know where to get desktop video recorder, which records your movements in the desktop and make it into a video. Well, thanks to Shawn, who have introduced Fraps.

On Friday, we had to skip the whole day besides Bio to finish up our work. Thursday we didn't manage to do anything because Pn Grace forgotten about us wanting to use the computer lab and locked the lab before our exams end at 3. == Friday, using the laptops, we tried to complete the presentation. Keng Wei had to redo his video again because his computer was lagging during his first video. I had to type all the contents and somehow rehearsed with him.

He's better in presenting in Chinese.

Pn Phung spared us her one period of MUET for us. We were caught in a surprise to have her allowing us to use her period for our mock presentation. We were kinda happy until... Everything was a havoc.. The projector was not working, the laptop hung.. Pn Phung scolding us like.. nvm.

In the end, when everything was finally set up by the lab assistant, we only have 10 minutes left to present. Keng Wei I supposed was very nervous. He presented off my part too. I held my hand signalling him to stop when reaching my part, but.. he didn't look. 0.0

Fine.

The mock presentation ended with the video and all of them were quite impressed. Some even asked if they can play the game. I was kinda struck. I mean, the game wasn't that impressive la compared to DoTA or RO.

Pn Phung gave Keng Wei many comments on his speech and only some on mine. Simranjeet told me that he can get excited and nervous and lose himself in the midway through his speech. Kinda horrifying though.

While waiting for auntie, I spilled a spoon of ais kacang onto his clothes. He moved first before the ais kacang fell into his mouth! Not my fault ok?!

Saturday, 8/8/09

I was the earliest to reach there. Parents left me at the front gate of the college and brooomed away. So, I was left to look for the location of the prize giving place.

To be honest, I was the oddest of the odds in the whole college. People just gave me a quick stare before continuing their journey to whatsoever place they are going.

I was in school uniform.

Me and Keng Wei made a promise to wear uniform that day itself. To be more special, he said. Haha. Actually, we noticed the effect of being odd by wearing something extremely odd to be worn at the oddest day, by wearing uniform on the day we went for the workshop on the game creating. We were the only pair wearing it. He called me in the morning to confirm if I'm wearing it otherwise he would kill me.

Luckily I think some of the organizing committee saw me wandering off in the crowd with a 2kg laptop and asked me if I'm here for the competition thing. I nodded me head. Then they lead the way. It was in the Annexe Hall, located at the lower ground. I was the first to be there.

I waited and waited and waited for both Keng Wei and Sophia. I saw other contestants arriving the place. Some worn formal (as stated in the invitation mail earlier) and some just worn t-shirt with jeans paired with a pair of sneakers. Is this how they respect the floor? And by the way, guess who worn like that? SMK USJ 12 people. With Cik Lai and one more teacher which I don't know.

Sophia, my dearest and sexiest secretary *vomits blood and dies straight away due to babi flu* and Keng Wei turned up later. We had to draw lots among the teams. The person opened his palm with small pieces of paper in it. He called us to pick one. I told Sophia to pick it, though she wasn't really sure it's right for her to pick anot. We got no. 3. The person said it's just the number of the computer we are going to use later for the showcasing of our game. We were quite relieved until it was revealed the number is also our turn to present on our game.

We practised using Keng Wei's laptop. It was kinda embarrassing to laugh and talk out loud due to over excitement. We looked so confident. Haha. Sophia helped to correct us.

My sister and her friend, Grace came along later, after lost their way. Mr Gan also came too. My friend from Taylor's, Ang Wei Jun also came along to support.

Later on, we saw the first 2 presentation before our turn. I went up to greet the audiences first then Keng Wei later on went up to present the first part. We were given 10 minutes to present, and like what the person in charge said, it's gonna be really fast. He presented the first part taking approximately 5 minutes. I was sort of shivering mentally as I see the clock ticking away from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th to 5th minutes. I wanted to curse in my heart, but before I got to do it, luckily he came down and it's my turn. I did the weaknesses which we have made it into a contribution of the storyline, like the black grass. And some on the final thoughts. Then we previewed our video on our game.

Q and A session

Ms Goh came in a bit late, just right after our presentation.

Throughout the whole presenting period, both of us sat there, nervous. The Kota Kemuning's presented later than us, but very impressing, from the maps they have created. I feel deeply guilty for Keng Wei, for dragging my feet and not producing gud maps.

The showcasing period came in after the presentation in another hall. We got to show the curious audiences on the game behind the plain powerpoint presentation and brief video. The interface of the Platinum Arts Sandbox was improved from the yucky green to a cooler blue instead on that day, and our game just so cool in it. I just stood there while Keng Wei did the explanation to those who are interested. I feel so... bad.. When one of the judges came to see me playing the whole thing, I called him to hold on and went to get Keng Wei instead to present. It's kinda pathetic to not know what I have done. Or just say, it's all because of Keng Wei, mainly the maps moves around is because of him , not me. So the credits should go to him instead of me. *running off*

Pn Phung came in for a while to cast her vote and left again because of her lunch.

After the showcasing period, we went back to the Annexe hall for the prize giving session. They started with giving out certificates of participation. We were almost called out, due to some technical error. Well, we joined the competition right? Why can't we just get our certificate? We looked like some desperate fella waiting for our gifts while waiting for them sorting out their problems.

We weren't given a cert on participation, because we got something bigger than that.

They gave out the consolation prizes first to the 3 schools which have won it, 3 pairs of Edifier speakers. Then, the best mapping and best storyline, which went to SMK Kota Kemuning and SMK USJ 4. I should have done better than this, to get myself onto the tablet. But I lost it.

When they announced the the consolation prizes, me and Keng Wei was like praying so hard not to call our names. OH MY BUDDHA, they didn't! They didn't call us for the cert of participation and also the consolation prizes! We were like.. WE ARE THE TOP THREE!!!!!!

My sister called me to calm down, for I looked like some weird over grown drama queen. So as Ang Wei Jun.

They called out the 3rd prize, which won the Wasabi Dell Inkless Printer, gone to SMK USJ 4. When they read 'SMK USJ..' a huge relief shot into our hearts. I prayed so hard that we won't win that @#$% printer because you need inkless paper to use the printer. ==

We knew we couldn't beat SMK Kota Kemuning to their game. Their's was just so nice, and welly done. We got the second place. Keng Wei wanted to shout, but there's the audience.
We went up to the stage to get out prize. Keng Wei wanted to leave the stage after taking the cert, until he was stopped by one of the person on stage, asking him if he doesn't want his Ipod. We all bursted into laughter. Haha. Lucky I stood there, not moving. I think he had got something up in his head because of over excitement.

Keng Wei came back to take his Ipod.

Indeed, the Ipod Touch 8GB is ours, the smallest prize of the whole floor, yet the price is big.

Then, the first prize is the undeniable SMK Kota Kemuning. They got off with two Lenovo mini laptops and a HP printer for their school. They even got the tablet... TT_TT

First 3 places!

I want my tablet.... MUMMY! I WANT A TABLET!

Many approached Keng Wei and asked if that he was interested to become their friend, so I'm quite leftout besides being labelled as a 'TRAITOR' by the SMK USJ 12 team.

I feel that it should be Keng Wei who's gonna get all the credits. I'm not worth it. I didn't do much, or else we would have got 1st place. Maybe I should treat him better. Haha.

*runs and squats at a corner, emo*

And by the way, throughout the whole period bring involved in this game competition, I find Keng Wei is extremely friendly and helpful and la la.. don't know what's the word. He treats people very nice, like his own family like that. I really appreciate that I knew him.

We were being interviewed. And we do agree that if an interest become a job, it is seriously boring. Asking if we are going to join next year, we said, maybe.

Here are some random pics on that day:

He claimed that his new hairstyle brings luck.

My sister and Grace.

Keng Wei doing the explanation to Ms Goh.

Met Edwin!

Proud Runner Ups!

1st prize winners.. They took away my tablet!

Seafield supporters. Some not in picture.

Mr Ang Wei Jun came!

Ang Wei Jun followed us back. Only guy in the whole merc. Mum dropped my sis and Grace off at Pyramid. Then, he was dropped off at his house in USJ 5 which is the neighbouring area. It was big. Yeah. Huge. And then I got to know he was from SJK(C) Lick Hung too, only one year older. =)

Last night (24th August 2009), I got this:


But ours better eh? Ipod Touch 8GB for 1st runner up.

see?