It came upon us so fast

Here we are at last. Three more weeks and we are starting our lives. Its almost like a dream now, it seems like I just started this project and now here we are at the close I'm nervously starting my conclusion. I actually have been focused on passing my other classes than anything else and as always procrastination has gotten the best of me. So I have decided that this week I will devote a minimum of 1 to 2 hours each day working on my game. regardless of how I finish or what I have to show at the end its the effort that really maters. That final push at the end of the school year.  Mine is to pass college algebra and make A's and B's in everything else to balance it out. Hopefully ending on a strong 3.2 and above note.

unrelated post

Unrelated to my content entirely so this isn't a must read. I passed my drivers test yesterday! just had to put it out there, one more thing off of my to do list of adulting.

Inspiration from an unexpected place...

I hit a creative wall when making my game. I have thought about what kind of mechanics to use and have gotten bored and or just tired of making anything. Recently a bunch of Xbox one games became backwards compatible, one being dark souls which I heard and know to be an extremely difficult game to beat. So me and my friends from back home have been having an absolute blast playing this game. We rage, we get defeated over and over(and over and over and over 100's of times thus far), yet never feeling the urge to give up. The games is difficult but (almost) never unfair. You can easily be toppled by the weakest of enemies, on the other hand you can topple foes who seem invincible by being patient and learning attack patters. It differs in a play style most other games give the new players advantage of. This games(and series respectively) do the most minimal hand holding in recent times, only giving hints or advice after you have made significant progress or truly earned it. So I have decided this weekend to buy some energy drinks, sit back and do my best to make a game where nothing seems normal, no hints, no handholding. The objective will be to escape, several routes will be given but only triumph will be achieved by those who work for it.

So in short im going to make a simple game based on the concept of escape. Find a path of your own out. The intention will be that no two people will play it entirely the same way. So several branching paths and a lot of set back points. The difficult part however will come from something dark souls does perfectly. After going so far a shortcut is unlocked in case you are defeated. This means that all that hard work wasn't wasted or for nothing. Doing this is very tricky however using simple software. There needs to be a 'trigger" of some sort after you make it to a point that will unlock a door or a path. That will likely be the most challenging thing to add sense making paths seems to be very easy in project spark.

So finally back to making games, and wish me luck guys. I'm going to need it.

Time to get down to business!

Well I had a pretty big eye opener recently . So my quarterly report card came in and I made an F. This is unacceptable, I have to pass math to be able to join the air force so it sucks but I have to make a couple changes to my schedule in order to make progress. I am no longer going to be working 34 hours a week at work, its just to much to handle on top of school work. So ill have to be tighter on money but my grades are far more important at this point in the year. Also my next Depp call is coming up very soon. I've started making more adjustments to my workout regime. Started running twice as much and In two weeks another adjustment is going to be made to make me work even harder. Summer is coming, life is coming, everything that I have been working for is within arms reach. I just have to grit my teeth, ignore all the stress and get stuff done.

My goals before may 23rd:
1.) Run a 6 minute mile
2.) Have a C (at least a D) in math
3.)Finish my game( I know I haven't posted about it recently)
4.) Get my drivers license

Three months and counting, my great journey awaits.

I found out when my departure date is last week to start my career in the air force. I am going to sign into the six year contract and go into open electrical which means I get to chose my job after I get to basic. This does lift a load off of my shoulders. I had the honor of swearing in to the air force again, this time publicly at the Tucson air show. I stood in attention in the front luckily with all of the rest of the recruits in front of all of the people at the air show. Then the thunderbird pilots actually stood next to us and took pictures, those pictures I am exited to post as soon as I can when I get them back. Then the man himself who swore us in was the chief and commanding officer, the general of Davis Monthem Air Force Base. It was an amazing feeling and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Today I finally tested my running skills and did the one mile run timed. I honestly was very disappointed In myself at the end of it. My half mile is at its best 2:40 which means my mile should be around 5:20-40 but the heat really got to me and I ended up running only a 7 minute mile, That is way off pace to where I wanted to be at for my mile. To make my goal of getting below a mile and a half 9 minute I need to have my mile done in 5:30 at the best and 6 minutes at the least which is a mile and a half pace. at my current rate I was running 15 seconds behind schedule.

It will take a lot of work but I will get it done, and be ready for the physical testing in June when I leave on the 28th.

Exiting Day!! Signing my conmtract and getting my departure date.

This is a very important day in my life for sure and I will admit that I feel a little stressed. I have to make the decision today on whether I want to go in active duty four or six years which is a very difficult decision that I have to make and there is no going back. The pros to going in for four years are still the same benefits and if I don't want to stay in I can go out in four years. The pros to going in for six years are better benefits including a larger GI bill which is the whole reason I am going in the first place. Also you start out at E3 instead of a one or no stripe. Which means I start out making more money than other people and rank up faster, which mean by the time six years comes by I could easily be promoted to E4 or even E5.

To me the extra two years is worth the commitment. As in anything you do in life, you get out what you put In or," you reap what you sow". So I am putting my cards on the table and signing up for six years, its all or nothing, go big or go home. I have been booked for Electric which is exactly what I wanted to do. Which means that I am guaranteed a job in the electrical career field of my choice after I complete basic training and then I will be on my way to tech school which is pretty much like college. There I will learn how to perform my job and live in dorms, much like the ones I will live on while I am living on my home base. These classes go toward actual college classes that I can use to get a degree or several while I am in the air force.

I cannot wait to finish high school and work a military job. Essentially I will being paid to go to school, free college, get paid more than double than I do now and not as much hours of work. I will be living on the military so no bills and pocketing money to save or spend how I like. Starting out two ranks above the normal enlistment recruits will also be a nice bonus. Power, responsibility, integrity, livelihood, protection, education, fitness, the air force will take care of me for exchange of service which I will proudly do.

Late post cx

Sorry about the late post I was pretty busy last week. I am in the process of trying to acquire my drivers license. Not that I have a vehicle to drive but so that I qualify for more jobs in the air force. I was absent Friday, Monday as well as Wednesday last week. So I took driving courses those two days, and now I am more prepared for getting my driving license.

Stress is Escalating

It just hit me that we only have two more months of school left which is coming up fast.
I have spent the majority of my time in the past two weeks looking to get in top physical shape for the air force. Today I made some progress but along with a setback kind of makes me at a bit of a stalemate. I was able to increase my bench max by ten pounds which doesn't sound like much but for me was a big improvement. Then I was so close to increasing my power clean but just couldn't seem to hit it, I know I will have it by next week for sure. The set back came in the form of cardio. With the increase in heat in Arizona running for long periods of time has become increasingly more difficult. Last month my eight hundred meter time was 2:48. A month later this has had a toll, my times have went up by a lot. My time was 3:34 that is over half a minute difference and puts me off time to finish in under 9:11 if I run a mile and a half. This needs to be better or I will have complications with my tests for the air force.

These things compiled with the fact that I work five days a week and still am trying to keep my grades exceptional is becoming a serious challenge. Especially for  College Algebra, I am struggling in that class while safe in others and wonder if I am just doing to much. That's all for this week.

elevator pitch

Slow start, but can guarantee a strong finsih

Its Wednesday again which means its time for yet another weekly blog!
I'll Admit I haven't made much progress so far so I don't have all that new information to actually share with you guys. This past week has been very busy and very rewarding as well.
Last Thursday I took a shuttle up to Phoenix to process for the air force. The drive was pleasant enough and it was my first trip to Phoenix as well. We received free meal vouchers as well as rooms while we stayed. After we got there we had a couple hours to do whatever at the Hilton before we had top be in our rooms at 10:00 p.m. . This is expected as our wakeup call the following morning was 4:15 and we had to be dressed and checked out by 4:20. I made sure to set my alarm early. Didn't want to take a chance, plus I was pretty nervous.

The process itself took almost 13 hours and was the longest day of my life it seemed. Everything from physical examination to visual and biometrics. It was a fun experience all and all. I made a lot of cool people and best of all, I swore in and made it through the process. I am now a member of the united states air force and have taken the oath to serve our country. That's all for this week guys!

Making Progress!!

Hey everyone! Its Wednesday again so its time for some updated content!
So far I have made an account and started using project spark to make my own video games creation.
The software gives you a from scratch world to basically create anything you desire. Just use sculpting and molding tools to create land or structures, then sculpt and  design what you choose.
So far I messed around with all the tools just to get a grasp on how they work, and I'll admit it is a bit more difficult then you would think. That being said after messing around with the creation tools for a short amount of time I was making my own paths, rivers, and walkways. I made a landscape and stone path that can be taken different ways to lead to a plateau. This is about as far as I have gotten but hey its a start! Ill be posting some pictures later to show off what I have done so far and hope to make a lot more progress by next week!


That's all this week, and thanks for viewing my blog!


-Ethan

My proposal

Ethan Blevins


Mrs. Newman


Senior English, Period. 4


Date: 2/3/16

Video Game Designer in the making



Imagine playing a  game that pulls you in for countless hours and before you know it, its the next day and you just played your first all night session. The first of many of course if you are playing a truly amazing gaming experience. The type of game you think all day about playing at school and get chills from the loading screen before it starts up. No matter what is going on in the world around you, playing that game, that rich environment and experience makes everything worrying you go away. Video games are an escape for many and great ways to relax after a hard days work for many adults. Gaming is such a big part of my life and has been for as long as I can remember. Since I was a kid, and I have decided to make this my passion and hopefully make a career of it one day. Designing games that is.


I am currently using a software called project spark to create some basic game level environments and designs. It's only been a week and I have already spent a couple hours carefully making platforms and an environment for my level. My first level that is, consists of a small level so far that is going to be objective based and not to complex but more features and complex design can and will be implemented in later on. I can't wait to make my first finished level so other gamers in project spark can view, play and rate all my gaming levels in designs helping me in the process along the way. My final product will be a collaboration of various levels and objectives and hopefully have a nice playable game of my own design by the end of the year to present. Also I might make a manual and game guide with steps on how to beat my game just in case anyone finds it to difficult.

Dear people reading my blog,


I would like to start off by saying thank you for your time, and viewing my blog. I hope you check up on and visit to see new content that will be posted every Wednesday. My posts will include my progress of my new self made video game using the project spark animation software. This software allows anyone who can do simple math to learn how to code algorithms into actual levels and create my very own video game from the ground up. This is very exiting to me, considering that my dream job is to be a game designer one day after I get my computer science degree.

Each week I will update my progress as well as be working on other aspects of the game. Such as walkthroughs, back story, character development and over all story of the universe related to my creation. I cannot wait to show everyone who watches my blog what I am capable of in the next 5 months or so. Tune in next week for a first look at my initial design and layout of the first level of my game!

Thank you,
 
Ethan Blevins(noob blogger)