Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
This one was tricky, since I don't usually remember my dreams, and here I am asked to keep a dream diary from which I will somehow divine the solution to whatever problem I am pondering. Bearing my sporadic recall of dreams even moments after awakening for the day, I figured I should pick something simple to dwell upon, such as "What is the secret to life, the universe, and everything?"
No, I kid, I kid. In reality I chose to reflect upon "What is the best way to convince myself to wake up at a more reasonable hour?" Which was directly related to dreaming from the onset.
So, I did as the exercise recommended, and set my alarm to half an hour earlier than usual so as to attempt to catch myself in a "dreaming period." This did absolutely nothing.
I kept it up for a few days; once I woke up briefly during the night due to some horrifying dream, but I rolled over and went back to sleep before I could remember to reach for the bit of paper on the ledge next to my bed to record it.
I actually only remembered one dream in any sort of detail, and even then I hadn't actually recorded it in the dream journal-- I was talking to a friend and he said something that randomly sparked a recall, so I described my dream to him and affirmed it in my memory.
I was being chased throughout some sort of park, but I wasn't the only one, as it was some sort of terrible sporting competition. I survived long enough to be brought to some room with seven others, four of us placed on the top level and four on the bottom (I was on the top). Some menacing fellows told us that only half could proceed, and one of them starting charging up some sort of lightning. I siddled slowly over until I was behind him, which for some reason he didn't notice, and he fried the other three people on the top level, looked confused, then fried an extra person on the bottom level.
... and then they took us to watch a 3D movie in an improbably gigantic movie theater, and I woke up before the commercials finished.
What that has to do with my query I'm not entirely certain. I suppose I could hire an assassin to hunt me for sport if I don't start waking up earlier and going to bed at a more reasonable hour? Man, my psyche is messed up.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Dreams can be horrifying and there's probably a reason why I don't usually remember them.
A short note about my creative environment:
I decided to spend some time outside of my room, so I wrote this with my laptop perched on my lap, sitting on one of the comfortable couches in my house's living room. There's lots of natural sunlight filtering in through myriad windows, and my mom's watching some overdramatic soap opera on the television which was mildly distracting.
Showing posts with label Thinkertoys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thinkertoys. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Chapter: Future Fruit (or: Past Vegetables)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I don't actually have a business just yet, though I suppose you could consider me in the business of learning stuff about things. Or, in layman's terms, college.
One problem to investigate in my particular field is: "How can the college stay on the cutting edge of technology?"
The main decision regarding this is the school's budget.
The budget is influenced, so far as I know, mostly by the school's intake from students (the money Drexel makes is, as far as I know, funneled back into improving the school in some way); and the percentage of the budget allocated to my program is probably based on the recognition it achieves.
So, five scenarios based on these forces are:
1. Nothing changes. We get new computers every few years as they filter down from the graduate labs.
2. Drexel sees a sharp rise in the amount of new students and has a massive budget increase.
3. Computer technologies become so cheap that upgrades can happen much more frequently.
4. Moore's law fails and computer hardware stops improving by leaps and bounds, making upgrading less needful.
5. Drexel goes bankrupt
Obviously, the best opportunity lies in computer technologies becoming much cheaper; if only because theoretically this decrease would apply to the consumer market as well, and students such as myself could afford to augment their personal technologies and not be beholden to the school's.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This one was a little difficult to adapt, since it is clearly meant for an employee or owner of some actual business, but I think I found a pretty good analogue to apply it to.
A short note about my creative environment:
I actually went home for the weekend, so I wrote this at my desk at home, sitting in my nice well-lit room at my comfortable wooden desk next to my bed. It's a little over-warm in my room, but I have a glass of milk and a cookie and am thus content.
I don't actually have a business just yet, though I suppose you could consider me in the business of learning stuff about things. Or, in layman's terms, college.
One problem to investigate in my particular field is: "How can the college stay on the cutting edge of technology?"
The main decision regarding this is the school's budget.
The budget is influenced, so far as I know, mostly by the school's intake from students (the money Drexel makes is, as far as I know, funneled back into improving the school in some way); and the percentage of the budget allocated to my program is probably based on the recognition it achieves.
So, five scenarios based on these forces are:
1. Nothing changes. We get new computers every few years as they filter down from the graduate labs.
2. Drexel sees a sharp rise in the amount of new students and has a massive budget increase.
3. Computer technologies become so cheap that upgrades can happen much more frequently.
4. Moore's law fails and computer hardware stops improving by leaps and bounds, making upgrading less needful.
5. Drexel goes bankrupt
Obviously, the best opportunity lies in computer technologies becoming much cheaper; if only because theoretically this decrease would apply to the consumer market as well, and students such as myself could afford to augment their personal technologies and not be beholden to the school's.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This one was a little difficult to adapt, since it is clearly meant for an employee or owner of some actual business, but I think I found a pretty good analogue to apply it to.
A short note about my creative environment:
I actually went home for the weekend, so I wrote this at my desk at home, sitting in my nice well-lit room at my comfortable wooden desk next to my bed. It's a little over-warm in my room, but I have a glass of milk and a cookie and am thus content.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Chapter Twelve: Idea Grid (or: Oh Man, We're Thinking Inside The Grid Now)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
An idea grid is a simple table that allows one to very broadly profile where the major players in a certain industry fall in regard to price and the method in which they appeal to consumers.
For my idea grid, I took a look at where the offerings from six major console manufacturers past and present fall. I discovered that their gaming products mostly fall into the category of high-cost devices that appeal to the hardcore gamer; Nintendo has the position of low-cost devices that appeal to casual gamers locked up.
However, the only company that produced a low-cost gaming machine that appealed to the hardcore gamer was Sega-- and that product, the Dreamcast, has long since fallen out of the public eye, after an unsuccessful run that bankrupted Sega's console division.
Based on the current market state, the only product that has a chance of catching any attention is a console that falls into that category. If I were to attempt to break into the console market, I would follow many of the same strategies as Sega used for the Dreamcast, including the use of off-the-shelf components to cut down on costs and increase the ease with which developers could create for the platform.
The major issue with this approach is that a device similar to a personal computer in its architecture would suffer the same piracy rates as the Dreamcast and the modern PC. Thus, my main focus would be to craft a similar level of protection to Sony's current PlayStation 3 without obfuscating the hardware.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This is a much more technical exercise than most of the Thinkertoys, but I think it's a pretty well-designed one. It's left open enough to still allow for some level of creativity in interpreting the results, while the use of a grid focuses and streamlines comparisons to existing companies' products.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in my dorm's common room, sitting in a pretty comfortable chair across from a large television showing SpongeBob. There was some light in the room, but even though the common room has gigantic windows lining one side of it there wasn't much sunlight due to the overcast day. It is the common room, so occasionally people wandered out, but for the most part I was alone.
An idea grid is a simple table that allows one to very broadly profile where the major players in a certain industry fall in regard to price and the method in which they appeal to consumers.
For my idea grid, I took a look at where the offerings from six major console manufacturers past and present fall. I discovered that their gaming products mostly fall into the category of high-cost devices that appeal to the hardcore gamer; Nintendo has the position of low-cost devices that appeal to casual gamers locked up.
However, the only company that produced a low-cost gaming machine that appealed to the hardcore gamer was Sega-- and that product, the Dreamcast, has long since fallen out of the public eye, after an unsuccessful run that bankrupted Sega's console division.
Based on the current market state, the only product that has a chance of catching any attention is a console that falls into that category. If I were to attempt to break into the console market, I would follow many of the same strategies as Sega used for the Dreamcast, including the use of off-the-shelf components to cut down on costs and increase the ease with which developers could create for the platform.
The major issue with this approach is that a device similar to a personal computer in its architecture would suffer the same piracy rates as the Dreamcast and the modern PC. Thus, my main focus would be to craft a similar level of protection to Sony's current PlayStation 3 without obfuscating the hardware.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This is a much more technical exercise than most of the Thinkertoys, but I think it's a pretty well-designed one. It's left open enough to still allow for some level of creativity in interpreting the results, while the use of a grid focuses and streamlines comparisons to existing companies' products.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in my dorm's common room, sitting in a pretty comfortable chair across from a large television showing SpongeBob. There was some light in the room, but even though the common room has gigantic windows lining one side of it there wasn't much sunlight due to the overcast day. It is the common room, so occasionally people wandered out, but for the most part I was alone.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Three B's (or: I Can't Think of a Good Acronym That Involves Three B's)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I was thirsty today, as I am many days, and there was a soda can sitting near me. Unfortunately it wasn't my soda can, so I couldn't drink it, and instead found myself studying it intently. Perhaps I was projecting my discontent upon the unfortunate can, but I found myself thinking that there should be some way to improve on this design. Forget that crappy New Coke-- how about a New Coke Can?
Since this is a weighty and ponderous task, I've decided to take the incubation approach to solving this conundrum. I've identified my challenge, and looked into the history of the humble soda can. The methodology of the opening mechanism has changed a bit over the years, to become safer to use and easier to open, but the basic design of the can has remained largely unchanged.
So, I've instructed my brain to ruminate upon the subject. I'm now going to leave it alone for awhile, and see how long until my brain sparks an idea. I've set up a reminder for a week from now, just to galvanize myself in case I totally forget. Let's see what happens!
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Well, this exercise is much less immediate than other exercises; really, it's not much of an exercise at all, it's basically just 'do that thing where you randomly think of things' that's usually deemed too unreliable for a corporate environment.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this up while sitting in the Digital Media lab, after classes had let out for the night. It's dead silent save for the hum of overworked computers, and a couple of other digital media people sitting nearby occasionally murmuring. The room is pretty bright, but stuffy and uncomfortable.
I was thirsty today, as I am many days, and there was a soda can sitting near me. Unfortunately it wasn't my soda can, so I couldn't drink it, and instead found myself studying it intently. Perhaps I was projecting my discontent upon the unfortunate can, but I found myself thinking that there should be some way to improve on this design. Forget that crappy New Coke-- how about a New Coke Can?
Since this is a weighty and ponderous task, I've decided to take the incubation approach to solving this conundrum. I've identified my challenge, and looked into the history of the humble soda can. The methodology of the opening mechanism has changed a bit over the years, to become safer to use and easier to open, but the basic design of the can has remained largely unchanged.
So, I've instructed my brain to ruminate upon the subject. I'm now going to leave it alone for awhile, and see how long until my brain sparks an idea. I've set up a reminder for a week from now, just to galvanize myself in case I totally forget. Let's see what happens!
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Well, this exercise is much less immediate than other exercises; really, it's not much of an exercise at all, it's basically just 'do that thing where you randomly think of things' that's usually deemed too unreliable for a corporate environment.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this up while sitting in the Digital Media lab, after classes had let out for the night. It's dead silent save for the hum of overworked computers, and a couple of other digital media people sitting nearby occasionally murmuring. The room is pretty bright, but stuffy and uncomfortable.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Chapter Eleven: Idea Box (or: That's The Most Boring Chapter Title So Far)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I may have mentioned that my overarching goal for the Concept Design class I'm currently enrolled in is to create an interesting Choose Your Own Adventure story. The most recent class, I discussed with the teacher the possibility of delivering my story via Flash as opposed to a traditional bound book. Therefore, I'm going to run through the Idea Box brainstorming challenge about how I could construct this Flash framework.
So my challenge is: "How could I portray a Choose Your Own Adventure using Flash?"
Parameters and Variations
User Input
__________
Keyboard
Mouse
Webcam
----------------
Heads-Up Display
________________
Main text indicator
Dice-roller window
Cursor indicator
----------------
Art Style
_________
Faded book lying in the sand
Amethyst stone next to book
Sparkling particle effect
----------------
Features
________
Fade-in text
Page turn animations
Dice-rolling code
I definitely don't have time to implement it, but I think it would be awesome if I could get some sort of webcam integration going, wherein waving your hand (possibly while holding some starkly-colored object or whatever other workaround is needed) turns a page of the book or sets the dice rolling.
I probably need a more realistic art style, too, which I'm not sure I can pull off; I may look into something cell-shaded so I can have a simpler art style that still looks good.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This is a pretty simple one as far as Thinkertoys goes, and doesn't seem to be particular inspired. Just list components intrinsic to your idea, then a few possible variations on those components; since you're supposed to discard any components that aren't entirely necessary, the variations on what's left should all work well together no matter what.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this down in the Digital Media open lab at about eight-thirty in the evening. It's the DIGM labs, so even though it's still light outside there's no way I could tell. I'm sitting in a corner of the lab, so it isn't very well-lit. It's a comfortable temperature inside, with the air conditioning whirring away continually in the background. The only sounds are the clacking of keys from other people using the computers.
I may have mentioned that my overarching goal for the Concept Design class I'm currently enrolled in is to create an interesting Choose Your Own Adventure story. The most recent class, I discussed with the teacher the possibility of delivering my story via Flash as opposed to a traditional bound book. Therefore, I'm going to run through the Idea Box brainstorming challenge about how I could construct this Flash framework.
So my challenge is: "How could I portray a Choose Your Own Adventure using Flash?"
Parameters and Variations
User Input
__________
Keyboard
Mouse
Webcam
----------------
Heads-Up Display
________________
Main text indicator
Dice-roller window
Cursor indicator
----------------
Art Style
_________
Faded book lying in the sand
Amethyst stone next to book
Sparkling particle effect
----------------
Features
________
Fade-in text
Page turn animations
Dice-rolling code
I definitely don't have time to implement it, but I think it would be awesome if I could get some sort of webcam integration going, wherein waving your hand (possibly while holding some starkly-colored object or whatever other workaround is needed) turns a page of the book or sets the dice rolling.
I probably need a more realistic art style, too, which I'm not sure I can pull off; I may look into something cell-shaded so I can have a simpler art style that still looks good.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This is a pretty simple one as far as Thinkertoys goes, and doesn't seem to be particular inspired. Just list components intrinsic to your idea, then a few possible variations on those components; since you're supposed to discard any components that aren't entirely necessary, the variations on what's left should all work well together no matter what.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this down in the Digital Media open lab at about eight-thirty in the evening. It's the DIGM labs, so even though it's still light outside there's no way I could tell. I'm sitting in a corner of the lab, so it isn't very well-lit. It's a comfortable temperature inside, with the air conditioning whirring away continually in the background. The only sounds are the clacking of keys from other people using the computers.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Chapter Thirty: Dali's Technique (or: It's All In The Wrist)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
1. Think about your challenge
I'm envisioning a character design for a Death-like deity.
2. Totally relax your body
I sink into the comfortable armchair, holding a die in either hand and draping my arms over the armrests.
3. Quiet your mind
The TV drones on in the background. I can hear the scratching of my friend's pencil on paper. His laptop fan is whirring gently near my chair. I focus on the soft whirring noise.
4. Quiet your eyes.
I close my eyes, inclining my head so that my face points at the blank white ceiling. It takes a couple of minutes for the muscles of my eyes to relax; since I'm trying to relax, I keep moving my eyes behind my lids accidentally.
5. Record your experiences immediately after they occur.
Eventually, I am sufficiently relaxed (and/or sleepy) for my hands to unclench, the dice clattering to the floor. One lands on '1', the other '2.' I was contemplating a figure with a face swathed in scarves and eyes hidden in shadow.
6. Look for the associative link.
The association between fortune and fate is traditional, and everyone's overarching fate is to die. I've heard many stories that involve challenging death to a game such as chess, to win the right to continue to live. I like the idea of a gambling Death, an inefficient Death that agrees to simple games of chance.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I liked this exercise, if only because it was much less ridiculous in principle than a lot of the exercises involving relaxation techniques and visualization. There was no explicit guiding principle for this one, so I got to make connections on my own.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in the living room of my friend's apartment late at night, sitting in a cushioned armchair across from an ancient television. It's mostly dark in the room, though there are lights on in the kitchenette. The sky outside is dark, though the room overlooks Drexel's sporting field and its always-on bright white lights.
1. Think about your challenge
I'm envisioning a character design for a Death-like deity.
2. Totally relax your body
I sink into the comfortable armchair, holding a die in either hand and draping my arms over the armrests.
3. Quiet your mind
The TV drones on in the background. I can hear the scratching of my friend's pencil on paper. His laptop fan is whirring gently near my chair. I focus on the soft whirring noise.
4. Quiet your eyes.
I close my eyes, inclining my head so that my face points at the blank white ceiling. It takes a couple of minutes for the muscles of my eyes to relax; since I'm trying to relax, I keep moving my eyes behind my lids accidentally.
5. Record your experiences immediately after they occur.
Eventually, I am sufficiently relaxed (and/or sleepy) for my hands to unclench, the dice clattering to the floor. One lands on '1', the other '2.' I was contemplating a figure with a face swathed in scarves and eyes hidden in shadow.
6. Look for the associative link.
The association between fortune and fate is traditional, and everyone's overarching fate is to die. I've heard many stories that involve challenging death to a game such as chess, to win the right to continue to live. I like the idea of a gambling Death, an inefficient Death that agrees to simple games of chance.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I liked this exercise, if only because it was much less ridiculous in principle than a lot of the exercises involving relaxation techniques and visualization. There was no explicit guiding principle for this one, so I got to make connections on my own.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in the living room of my friend's apartment late at night, sitting in a cushioned armchair across from an ancient television. It's mostly dark in the room, though there are lights on in the kitchenette. The sky outside is dark, though the room overlooks Drexel's sporting field and its always-on bright white lights.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Chapter Ten: Tug-of-War (or: A Virus Has Been Detected)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
In homage to my friend and his virus-ridden laptop, today I'm going to vet the following challenge with the Tug-of-War brainstorming method: "How can I protect my computer from viruses?"
Best Case Scenario: My computer runs smoothly
Worst Case Scenario: My computer becomes riddled with viruses
Conditions:
Operating system
Antivirus software
Web browser
Popup blocker / adblocker
"Push" Conditions:
OSX, Windows 7, or Linux
Non-McAfee Antivirus
Firefox or Google Chrome
Adblock Plus
"Pull" Conditions:
Not knowing how to use Windows
McAfee Antivirus
Internet Explorer
What's a pop-up blocker?
Well that was easy.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I don't think I picked an optimal challenge for this, since the conditions aren't very black and white, so basically all four conditions can be push or pull conditions and you have to really drill down into them to find differences.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this during a club meeting, sitting in a semi-comfortable computer chair with my laptop's charge rapidly dwindling. There was a presentation being given on gender-inclusive gaming, which I occasionally looked away from my brainstorming to contribute to. The room was well-lit and full of raucous nerds.
In homage to my friend and his virus-ridden laptop, today I'm going to vet the following challenge with the Tug-of-War brainstorming method: "How can I protect my computer from viruses?"
Best Case Scenario: My computer runs smoothly
Worst Case Scenario: My computer becomes riddled with viruses
Conditions:
Operating system
Antivirus software
Web browser
Popup blocker / adblocker
"Push" Conditions:
OSX, Windows 7, or Linux
Non-McAfee Antivirus
Firefox or Google Chrome
Adblock Plus
"Pull" Conditions:
Not knowing how to use Windows
McAfee Antivirus
Internet Explorer
What's a pop-up blocker?
Well that was easy.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I don't think I picked an optimal challenge for this, since the conditions aren't very black and white, so basically all four conditions can be push or pull conditions and you have to really drill down into them to find differences.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this during a club meeting, sitting in a semi-comfortable computer chair with my laptop's charge rapidly dwindling. There was a presentation being given on gender-inclusive gaming, which I occasionally looked away from my brainstorming to contribute to. The room was well-lit and full of raucous nerds.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Shadow (or: Look Out, It's the Dark Side of the Force)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Good news, everyone! Today I'm going to find my spirit animal-- I mean, "invoke my personal mentor." This is some sort of weird self-affirmation hypnotism mumbo-jumbo, but in this case you get your own person Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Step One: Let go of your tension
Well, I'm advised here to "be passive and allow relaxation to occur at its own pace," so I'm going to do what I normally do and let relaxation creep up on me and catch me unawares.
Step Two: Imagine that your body is surrounded with soft, glowing white light
I can feel my Inner Jesus surging to the fore. Seriously though.... alright, I'll try it, I guess. I am now imagining myself surrounded with soft, glowing white light.
Step Three: Now imagine that you are walking into a favorite place
I step into my house, making sure to keep to the throw rug by the door so I don't track dirt in. I take off my shoes, and look up, taking in the high ceiling above the entrance and the large wooden bookshelves too high up to reach without a ladder. There's probably a lemon scent in the air from cleaning supplies. The hardwood floors are slippery beneath my socks.
Luckily, I have my aura of glowing white light to protect me if I slip.
Step Four: Picture your spiritual mentor walking toward you
I picture a short, bearded gentlemen walking toward me, and am vaguely creeped out by this guy I don't recognize sliding through my house.
Upon conversing with him, though, he seems to be a pretty okay guy. He may be a time-traveling version of me from the future, though, because otherwise I would not feel so familiar with some unknown dude in my house.
Step Five: Bring the conversation to a close
I exchange cell phone numbers, then click my heels three times and think "There's no place like home." And lo! I'm sitting in my chair once more in front of my computer.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I couldn't really take this exercise seriously, I admit. It was just too silly, reading it aloud to myself. Maybe if I was used to meditation and stuff, but I couldn't really put my heart into it.
A short note about my creative environment:
In order to make some reasonable effort to promote a meditation-friendly environment I typed this up sitting in a comfortable armchair in the Creese Student Center. It's pretty dark, since the Drexel store is shut down for the day, and there's no one around so it's quiet enough. I can hear the sounds of the city outside, faintly.
Good news, everyone! Today I'm going to find my spirit animal-- I mean, "invoke my personal mentor." This is some sort of weird self-affirmation hypnotism mumbo-jumbo, but in this case you get your own person Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Step One: Let go of your tension
Well, I'm advised here to "be passive and allow relaxation to occur at its own pace," so I'm going to do what I normally do and let relaxation creep up on me and catch me unawares.
Step Two: Imagine that your body is surrounded with soft, glowing white light
I can feel my Inner Jesus surging to the fore. Seriously though.... alright, I'll try it, I guess. I am now imagining myself surrounded with soft, glowing white light.
Step Three: Now imagine that you are walking into a favorite place
I step into my house, making sure to keep to the throw rug by the door so I don't track dirt in. I take off my shoes, and look up, taking in the high ceiling above the entrance and the large wooden bookshelves too high up to reach without a ladder. There's probably a lemon scent in the air from cleaning supplies. The hardwood floors are slippery beneath my socks.
Luckily, I have my aura of glowing white light to protect me if I slip.
Step Four: Picture your spiritual mentor walking toward you
I picture a short, bearded gentlemen walking toward me, and am vaguely creeped out by this guy I don't recognize sliding through my house.
Upon conversing with him, though, he seems to be a pretty okay guy. He may be a time-traveling version of me from the future, though, because otherwise I would not feel so familiar with some unknown dude in my house.
Step Five: Bring the conversation to a close
I exchange cell phone numbers, then click my heels three times and think "There's no place like home." And lo! I'm sitting in my chair once more in front of my computer.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I couldn't really take this exercise seriously, I admit. It was just too silly, reading it aloud to myself. Maybe if I was used to meditation and stuff, but I couldn't really put my heart into it.
A short note about my creative environment:
In order to make some reasonable effort to promote a meditation-friendly environment I typed this up sitting in a comfortable armchair in the Creese Student Center. It's pretty dark, since the Drexel store is shut down for the day, and there's no one around so it's quiet enough. I can hear the sounds of the city outside, faintly.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Three: Blue Roses (or: Green Roses, How Crazy Would That Be)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Intuition is a funny thing. Sometimes it is incredibly helpful, sometimes it is incredibly harmful; but it's always difficult to define. Intuition is very separate from reasonable thought, but can be combined with reason for a better result. Sometimes, our intuition practically seems a precognitive ability; whenever I'm just about to sit down to eat and my phone rings, I know with terrible certainty that my mother will be on the other end of the line, and thus far I've rarely been incorrect in this assumption.
There's a creative thinking technique dubbed "Brainwriting" which attempts to leverage the power of intuition. Basically, I write down questions relating to some issues and then just stare blankly into space until an answer pops into my head, and hastily write the answers down. Seems simple! Let's try it.
I will try to figure out what sort of informational "How To" speech I should give for my Techniques of Speaking class on Friday.
Questions
What will take approximately five minutes to explain?
What will keep my audience (college students) interested?
What do I have the props for / can I use PowerPoint to explain?
What do I know that doesn't relate to gaming?
What's an esoteric subject I could explore, rather than a practical one?
Answers:
...
...
...
I can't think of a darned thing. This would be the problem with intuition, I suppose; I've stared blankly at the wall for about half an hour and haven't come up with anything that fit the necessary parameters.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Well, this is the first time I actually failed to turn up anything at all useful from a Thinkertoys exercise, though I think I may have to revisit this later because the fault could just be in my frame of mind. Still, I can't peg this as the most reliable idea generator.
A short note about my creative environment:
For this exercise it was advised that I find a creative, zen-like environment, so I returned to my cave and wrote this in the comfort of my dorm room. It's pretty late, and the sun gave up the ghost awhile back, so the only light is from the room light. My roommate's deeply absorbed in something and being quiet as a ghost, though for good measure I threw on droning music to help drown the outside world out. I just got food, so I'm well-fed, and it's nice and cool in the room.
Intuition is a funny thing. Sometimes it is incredibly helpful, sometimes it is incredibly harmful; but it's always difficult to define. Intuition is very separate from reasonable thought, but can be combined with reason for a better result. Sometimes, our intuition practically seems a precognitive ability; whenever I'm just about to sit down to eat and my phone rings, I know with terrible certainty that my mother will be on the other end of the line, and thus far I've rarely been incorrect in this assumption.
There's a creative thinking technique dubbed "Brainwriting" which attempts to leverage the power of intuition. Basically, I write down questions relating to some issues and then just stare blankly into space until an answer pops into my head, and hastily write the answers down. Seems simple! Let's try it.
I will try to figure out what sort of informational "How To" speech I should give for my Techniques of Speaking class on Friday.
Questions
What will take approximately five minutes to explain?
What will keep my audience (college students) interested?
What do I have the props for / can I use PowerPoint to explain?
What do I know that doesn't relate to gaming?
What's an esoteric subject I could explore, rather than a practical one?
Answers:
...
...
...
I can't think of a darned thing. This would be the problem with intuition, I suppose; I've stared blankly at the wall for about half an hour and haven't come up with anything that fit the necessary parameters.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Well, this is the first time I actually failed to turn up anything at all useful from a Thinkertoys exercise, though I think I may have to revisit this later because the fault could just be in my frame of mind. Still, I can't peg this as the most reliable idea generator.
A short note about my creative environment:
For this exercise it was advised that I find a creative, zen-like environment, so I returned to my cave and wrote this in the comfort of my dorm room. It's pretty late, and the sun gave up the ghost awhile back, so the only light is from the room light. My roommate's deeply absorbed in something and being quiet as a ghost, though for good measure I threw on droning music to help drown the outside world out. I just got food, so I'm well-fed, and it's nice and cool in the room.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Chapter Fifteen: The Great Transpacific Airline and Storm Door Company (or: It's Business Time)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Today I'm going to briefly look into the workings of a theoretical gaming company that my future self heads.
1. "What is our business?"
Well, our business is the gaming business, which is pretty broad. This should probably be narrowed down to something specific, like videogames, or boardgames. I'm going to break from the expected and choose the boardgames end of things.
2. Define and organize your business according to:
Products or services: Boardgames
Markets: Boardgames for young adults to college-aged individuals.
Functions: Boardgames for young adults to college-aged individuals.
Technologies: Boardgames integrating digital scanning technologies.
3. Under each variable, list the key words.
PRODUCTS
traditional boards
travel-sized plastic boards
FUNCTIONS
fun
MARKETS
gaming stores
K-mart, Target, etc.
Costco and other "Big-Box" retailers
online
TECHNOLOGIES
print
electronic
Taking aspects of various variables, I could make a line of modular boardgames with expansions purchased and downloaded online to add value to a game with digital circuitry embedded.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This exercise felt, for lack of a better word, rather clinical to me. Effective, perhaps, but it wasn't exactly fun or a particular font of enthused creativity.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in a comfortable armchair in the apartment I'm going to be living in next year, while watching "Family Guy" on TV. It's dark outside, and my friend was sitting quietly nearby watching TV with me. The air conditioning is broken, so it's a little bit warm in the room.
Today I'm going to briefly look into the workings of a theoretical gaming company that my future self heads.
1. "What is our business?"
Well, our business is the gaming business, which is pretty broad. This should probably be narrowed down to something specific, like videogames, or boardgames. I'm going to break from the expected and choose the boardgames end of things.
2. Define and organize your business according to:
Products or services: Boardgames
Markets: Boardgames for young adults to college-aged individuals.
Functions: Boardgames for young adults to college-aged individuals.
Technologies: Boardgames integrating digital scanning technologies.
3. Under each variable, list the key words.
PRODUCTS
traditional boards
travel-sized plastic boards
FUNCTIONS
fun
MARKETS
gaming stores
K-mart, Target, etc.
Costco and other "Big-Box" retailers
online
TECHNOLOGIES
electronic
Taking aspects of various variables, I could make a line of modular boardgames with expansions purchased and downloaded online to add value to a game with digital circuitry embedded.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This exercise felt, for lack of a better word, rather clinical to me. Effective, perhaps, but it wasn't exactly fun or a particular font of enthused creativity.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this in a comfortable armchair in the apartment I'm going to be living in next year, while watching "Family Guy" on TV. It's dark outside, and my friend was sitting quietly nearby watching TV with me. The air conditioning is broken, so it's a little bit warm in the room.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Seven: True and False (or: ...)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
It occurs to me that after a couple of days staying up later than I should have and waking up earlier than I would have liked, my creative juices may run somewhat dry. It is at these times that there's nothing to do but throw on some techno music, crank the volume, and force my brain through the wringer on some important issue.
In the interim I have before the combination of Basshunter and exhaustion overloads my brain, I will be divining the answer to a conundrum that has long plagued me: how can I remember to send relatives Thank You notes after birthdays and holidays?
Well, if there's one thing that's easy to do in life it's be contradictory, so I will counter-posit: how can I -not- remember to send relatives Thank You notes?
Well, I could do nothing. Problem solved!
...
No, but seriously though. In reversing the problem I shall reveal a solution.
If I had to define the essence of failure to thank, I would go with "Unwarranted Apathy." I did after all receive gifts of whatever value, a caring gesture on my relatives' parts. While a good gift is given without a thought of remuneration, I can't deny that failing to acknowledge a gift is as rude as my mom's always chided me about.
Scrounging for an analogy, lacking gratitude for a gift is akin to thoughtlessly trashing a pile of unused clothes rather than donating them.
Thankfully, in the age of the internet there lies a way to embrace apathy while simultaneously overcoming it. By setting up a time-delayed email, I can supply myself with the framework of a Thank You at appropriate intervals and distill the process of thanking to a thoughtless thoughtful endeavor.
To the internetmobile!
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I'm not going to lie, I really disliked this exercise. Jumping from 'creating a paradox' to phrasing a problem as a book title to finding an analogy seemed haphazard to me; certainly not worth releasing an entire new edition of the book to include. I like to write, so the brevity of this post is telling; I'm not sure the creative method really helped me try to solve my problem at all.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this later at night than I should have, so I'm tired and bleary and a little cranky. I'm lying in bed but I can't really get comfortable, and the techno I'm blaring to keep myself awake enough to work is really messing with my concentration. My roommate has the TV on, which is showing Futurama and occasionally distracting me. The room is lit but it's pitch-black outside. I didn't eat a very good dinner, and I haven't kept myself sufficiently hydrated.
It occurs to me that after a couple of days staying up later than I should have and waking up earlier than I would have liked, my creative juices may run somewhat dry. It is at these times that there's nothing to do but throw on some techno music, crank the volume, and force my brain through the wringer on some important issue.
In the interim I have before the combination of Basshunter and exhaustion overloads my brain, I will be divining the answer to a conundrum that has long plagued me: how can I remember to send relatives Thank You notes after birthdays and holidays?
Well, if there's one thing that's easy to do in life it's be contradictory, so I will counter-posit: how can I -not- remember to send relatives Thank You notes?
Well, I could do nothing. Problem solved!
...
No, but seriously though. In reversing the problem I shall reveal a solution.
If I had to define the essence of failure to thank, I would go with "Unwarranted Apathy." I did after all receive gifts of whatever value, a caring gesture on my relatives' parts. While a good gift is given without a thought of remuneration, I can't deny that failing to acknowledge a gift is as rude as my mom's always chided me about.
Scrounging for an analogy, lacking gratitude for a gift is akin to thoughtlessly trashing a pile of unused clothes rather than donating them.
Thankfully, in the age of the internet there lies a way to embrace apathy while simultaneously overcoming it. By setting up a time-delayed email, I can supply myself with the framework of a Thank You at appropriate intervals and distill the process of thanking to a thoughtless thoughtful endeavor.
To the internetmobile!
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I'm not going to lie, I really disliked this exercise. Jumping from 'creating a paradox' to phrasing a problem as a book title to finding an analogy seemed haphazard to me; certainly not worth releasing an entire new edition of the book to include. I like to write, so the brevity of this post is telling; I'm not sure the creative method really helped me try to solve my problem at all.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this later at night than I should have, so I'm tired and bleary and a little cranky. I'm lying in bed but I can't really get comfortable, and the techno I'm blaring to keep myself awake enough to work is really messing with my concentration. My roommate has the TV on, which is showing Futurama and occasionally distracting me. The room is lit but it's pitch-black outside. I didn't eat a very good dinner, and I haven't kept myself sufficiently hydrated.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Chapter Seventeen: Brutethink (or: Hulk Smash Puny Creative Thinking)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages! But mostly young adults I guess, since this post will be of particular interest to you. Today I have decided to design my ideal superhero, whom I'm sure you'll see immortalized on the silver screen within the decade.
In order to accomplish this, I am going to use the Brutethink method of creative rumination, which unfortunately does not involve the Hulk smashing things. Instead, I am going to pick a random word, examine this word and everything it connotes, and then force connections back to my original creative obstacle.
I decided to employ the highly scientific method of messaging a number of friends with 'gimme a random word' and choosing the first viable one some surprised friend spit back, which leaves me with: "plethora."
Alright, then, let's examine plethora. What are the aspects of this word?
1. It means "an overabundance of something"
2. It's uncommonly used
3. It can also refer to a depressive condition brought on by excess blood
4. Well that just made me think of depressed vampires, which amused me
5. It stems from the Greek term for "fullness"
Now to force relations between these components of my random word and superhero creation!
1. In the comic book universe, there is certainly an overabundance of super-powered people. This also puts me in mind of a Doppleganger power where the hero could generate additional copies of himself (yes, I'm making a male superhero, I'm not touching the portrayal of women in comic books with a ten foot pole).
2. Well, the most uncommon type of superhero is the completely non-super kind such as Batman, though arguably most "tech" heroes do not have superpowers. Since I've never actually seen a non-super nearly as awesome as Batman I'm going to steer clear of that archetype, leaving me with technologically-assisted.
3. Recently (more-or-less) there has been a trend toward humanizing heroes by giving them character flaws and emotional and social issues, though comic book writers seem to take this too far sometimes and dip into sudden-onset psychosis. There are enough depressive superheroes, so I'm going to take "issue caused by excess blood" and draw the inverse "anemia" from it. Weakness!
4. Well I think a vampiric superhero would be verging on the anti-hero category. I'm going to pull it back a bit and say that energy vampirism is totally on the level, which fits with the tech theme; so, the character could leech from ambient magnetic fields to power his devices, and directly siphon off energy from machines to fuel more impressive things.
5. I see a superhero name in this one. Fullness requires ample food, and one of the definitions of "amplitude" is related to electricity. Bam!
Let's see, that leaves us with the fragile, anemic hero Amplitude, alias Miles Reinhardt. An engineer at a weapons manufacturing company, Miles discovered a way to magnify the strength and agility of an individual by creating what he dubbed "resonant copies," energy-based Dopplegangers centered on their creator. An intricate device housed in an innocuous watch harnesses the power of ambient magnetic fields to generate these copies. The watch can extrude a metallic spike that when embedded into any machine can draw off energy to temporarily supercharge the device and its pilot.
Awesome! Now I just need an artist and a publishing company and I'm set to go.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This exercise is a little more unwieldy than most, since there's a pretty big temptation to just go with a word related to your problem instead of something truly random. I think my method of asking a non-informed, confused bystander worked out pretty well though. I'd read that comic.
A short note about my creative environment:
I actually moved from one place to another while writing this, which is a first, so I suppose I get to give both and a comparison. Initially I was working in a friend's room, sitting on his bed and leaning against the wall with a pillow. It was light outside, and some sunlight was streaming through the window. I was sufficiently distracted that I still hadn't made any progress after a few hours, so I went back to my dorm room to work, threw on my noise-isolating headphones and immersed myself in an eclectic Gothic metal, rock, and pop music. It's dark outside by now, though the room light is on and a reading light on my desk as well. My roommate's here, but doing something silently behind me.
Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages! But mostly young adults I guess, since this post will be of particular interest to you. Today I have decided to design my ideal superhero, whom I'm sure you'll see immortalized on the silver screen within the decade.
In order to accomplish this, I am going to use the Brutethink method of creative rumination, which unfortunately does not involve the Hulk smashing things. Instead, I am going to pick a random word, examine this word and everything it connotes, and then force connections back to my original creative obstacle.
I decided to employ the highly scientific method of messaging a number of friends with 'gimme a random word' and choosing the first viable one some surprised friend spit back, which leaves me with: "plethora."
Alright, then, let's examine plethora. What are the aspects of this word?
1. It means "an overabundance of something"
2. It's uncommonly used
3. It can also refer to a depressive condition brought on by excess blood
4. Well that just made me think of depressed vampires, which amused me
5. It stems from the Greek term for "fullness"
Now to force relations between these components of my random word and superhero creation!
1. In the comic book universe, there is certainly an overabundance of super-powered people. This also puts me in mind of a Doppleganger power where the hero could generate additional copies of himself (yes, I'm making a male superhero, I'm not touching the portrayal of women in comic books with a ten foot pole).
2. Well, the most uncommon type of superhero is the completely non-super kind such as Batman, though arguably most "tech" heroes do not have superpowers. Since I've never actually seen a non-super nearly as awesome as Batman I'm going to steer clear of that archetype, leaving me with technologically-assisted.
3. Recently (more-or-less) there has been a trend toward humanizing heroes by giving them character flaws and emotional and social issues, though comic book writers seem to take this too far sometimes and dip into sudden-onset psychosis. There are enough depressive superheroes, so I'm going to take "issue caused by excess blood" and draw the inverse "anemia" from it. Weakness!
4. Well I think a vampiric superhero would be verging on the anti-hero category. I'm going to pull it back a bit and say that energy vampirism is totally on the level, which fits with the tech theme; so, the character could leech from ambient magnetic fields to power his devices, and directly siphon off energy from machines to fuel more impressive things.
5. I see a superhero name in this one. Fullness requires ample food, and one of the definitions of "amplitude" is related to electricity. Bam!
Let's see, that leaves us with the fragile, anemic hero Amplitude, alias Miles Reinhardt. An engineer at a weapons manufacturing company, Miles discovered a way to magnify the strength and agility of an individual by creating what he dubbed "resonant copies," energy-based Dopplegangers centered on their creator. An intricate device housed in an innocuous watch harnesses the power of ambient magnetic fields to generate these copies. The watch can extrude a metallic spike that when embedded into any machine can draw off energy to temporarily supercharge the device and its pilot.
Awesome! Now I just need an artist and a publishing company and I'm set to go.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
This exercise is a little more unwieldy than most, since there's a pretty big temptation to just go with a word related to your problem instead of something truly random. I think my method of asking a non-informed, confused bystander worked out pretty well though. I'd read that comic.
A short note about my creative environment:
I actually moved from one place to another while writing this, which is a first, so I suppose I get to give both and a comparison. Initially I was working in a friend's room, sitting on his bed and leaning against the wall with a pillow. It was light outside, and some sunlight was streaming through the window. I was sufficiently distracted that I still hadn't made any progress after a few hours, so I went back to my dorm room to work, threw on my noise-isolating headphones and immersed myself in an eclectic Gothic metal, rock, and pop music. It's dark outside by now, though the room light is on and a reading light on my desk as well. My roommate's here, but doing something silently behind me.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Six: Stone Soup (or: I'm Hungry, I Can't Think of Anything Witty)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Thus far I've pondered a great number of problems relating to my life or obstacles I'd like to overcome, ranging from important to trivial. I haven't really thought about theoretical issues, though; that is, something larger than my life that I would not normally think about. Right now, the only larger problem I'm actively thinking about is global warming, mostly because it is hellishly hot in Philadelphia right now.
My problem is thus: "How can we solve global warming?" I will be following the 'what if' method here, wherein I slap down a number of 'what if' scenarios ranging from the plausible to the absurd and then pick one to further investigate. I take no responsibility if some of these resemble solutions from Futurama, because I can't help but think of those immediately when I consider this global issue.
- What if we dump a giant amount of ice in the ocean each year?
- What if we cover the Earth with a sun-blocking veil?
- What if we alter the Earth's orbit to place it farther from the Sun?
- What if we move to a cooler planet?
- What if we "go green" on a global scale?
- What if we all blow on the ground simultaneously to cool the Earth off?
- What if we pollute the atmosphere enough to block out the Sun?
- What if we wait for nature to balance things out with some sort of cataclysm?
- What if we lock every scientist into a room without air conditioning until they think up a solution?
Looking at this list, the one solution that I think could be built upon is the last one listed, regarding the unfortunate scientists. I would probably clean the 'what if' scenario up a bit, though, to make it more of a contest than an internment.
What are the characteristics of a contest? There's often a screening process for entrants; the winners usually receive some sort of reward; no cheating is allowed; participants are encouraged to find creative solutions.
There is a screening process: Each participating government could put out a call to the nation at large, and select applicants based on practicality of proposed theories, actual demonstrated work, and commitment.
Winners receive a reward: Beyond the obvious Nobel and general good regard of the populace, the first person or persons to develop an effective solution could be rewarded with a professorship and lab at some prestigious university to conduct research of their choice.
No cheating is allowed: Any solution yielding dubious results should be disregarded, rather than continue to sink time and money into it.
Find creative solutions: Opening the field up to anyone with a bright idea would help with this; people should be encouraged to brainstorm inventive solutions, beyond just engineering things to be more environmentally-friendly, etc.
Perhaps these are just stating the obvious, but it wouldn't be a world-wide problem if a single brainstorming session by someone with only passing interest in the subject yielded immediate genius. Better to think of ways to encourage those actually interested to pursue said interest, I think.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
It seems like most of the problems I think up don't ever line up as neatly as the issues presented in the Thinkertoys book; but, then, they wouldn't be examples if they didn't flow perfectly, I suppose. I feel like I wasted this exercise a bit, but I suppose there's nothing stopping me from trying it with a more personal subject down the line. I did get it done in record time, though.
A short note about my creative environment:
I got out and about and actually decided to do some work in the campus library, for a change. It's late afternoon and I'm hungry, since I've only had a yogurt today. I'm sitting in a comfortable armchair, and it is dead silent as everyone around me is studying something. I have my headphones in and am listening to music on Shuffle. There is a lot of light in the room from myriad lights hanging overhead, as well as large windows letting in daylight.
Thus far I've pondered a great number of problems relating to my life or obstacles I'd like to overcome, ranging from important to trivial. I haven't really thought about theoretical issues, though; that is, something larger than my life that I would not normally think about. Right now, the only larger problem I'm actively thinking about is global warming, mostly because it is hellishly hot in Philadelphia right now.
My problem is thus: "How can we solve global warming?" I will be following the 'what if' method here, wherein I slap down a number of 'what if' scenarios ranging from the plausible to the absurd and then pick one to further investigate. I take no responsibility if some of these resemble solutions from Futurama, because I can't help but think of those immediately when I consider this global issue.
- What if we dump a giant amount of ice in the ocean each year?
- What if we cover the Earth with a sun-blocking veil?
- What if we alter the Earth's orbit to place it farther from the Sun?
- What if we move to a cooler planet?
- What if we "go green" on a global scale?
- What if we all blow on the ground simultaneously to cool the Earth off?
- What if we pollute the atmosphere enough to block out the Sun?
- What if we wait for nature to balance things out with some sort of cataclysm?
- What if we lock every scientist into a room without air conditioning until they think up a solution?
Looking at this list, the one solution that I think could be built upon is the last one listed, regarding the unfortunate scientists. I would probably clean the 'what if' scenario up a bit, though, to make it more of a contest than an internment.
What are the characteristics of a contest? There's often a screening process for entrants; the winners usually receive some sort of reward; no cheating is allowed; participants are encouraged to find creative solutions.
There is a screening process: Each participating government could put out a call to the nation at large, and select applicants based on practicality of proposed theories, actual demonstrated work, and commitment.
Winners receive a reward: Beyond the obvious Nobel and general good regard of the populace, the first person or persons to develop an effective solution could be rewarded with a professorship and lab at some prestigious university to conduct research of their choice.
No cheating is allowed: Any solution yielding dubious results should be disregarded, rather than continue to sink time and money into it.
Find creative solutions: Opening the field up to anyone with a bright idea would help with this; people should be encouraged to brainstorm inventive solutions, beyond just engineering things to be more environmentally-friendly, etc.
Perhaps these are just stating the obvious, but it wouldn't be a world-wide problem if a single brainstorming session by someone with only passing interest in the subject yielded immediate genius. Better to think of ways to encourage those actually interested to pursue said interest, I think.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
It seems like most of the problems I think up don't ever line up as neatly as the issues presented in the Thinkertoys book; but, then, they wouldn't be examples if they didn't flow perfectly, I suppose. I feel like I wasted this exercise a bit, but I suppose there's nothing stopping me from trying it with a more personal subject down the line. I did get it done in record time, though.
A short note about my creative environment:
I got out and about and actually decided to do some work in the campus library, for a change. It's late afternoon and I'm hungry, since I've only had a yogurt today. I'm sitting in a comfortable armchair, and it is dead silent as everyone around me is studying something. I have my headphones in and am listening to music on Shuffle. There is a lot of light in the room from myriad lights hanging overhead, as well as large windows letting in daylight.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Chapter Seven: Cherry Split (or: A Good Knight for Creative Thinking)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I want to make a Flash game. Well, to be more precise, I want to make any number of Flash games, but I tend to lose interest in most of my ideas or just don't think I'm at a level where I can bring them to completion. Hopefully after my current Flash gaming course I will be at such a level, at which point I figure I should develop a nice compendium of ideas. My usual method of waiting for a flash (pardon the pun) of insight as I nod off at 4 AM and frantically scrawling it down before I forget is slow and inconsistent to say the least, so I figure I shall try an actual creative exercise to develop an idea.
So my vague challenge is: "What is a good idea for a Flash game?" If I had to pick the essential two words of this challenge, the phrase would be 'good game'.
From there, I shall follow the splitting methodology in which I split each attribute I create into two more related attributes, ad infinitum, until I think I have enough to combine and work with.
Good
_ Chivalry
__ Medieval
__ Mystical
_ Light
__ Empty
__ Bright
Game
- Lives
__ Rebirth
__ Age
- Time
__ Heal
__ Weaken
The usable attributes that result are: good, chivalry, medieval, mystical, light, empty, bright, lives, rebirth, age, time, heal, and weaken.
So, what sort of concept results from the loose association of these terms? Immediately I am drawn toward the idea of the chivalrous knight protagonist, though this is ground that has been tread and retread before. Knight puts me in mind of night, which reminds me of the day and night cycle in the old Castlevania game where monsters would get stronger when night fell.
For a game mechanic, there could be a system where the player holds a key to meditate and accelerate time, healing themselves and weakening certain enemies, as well as advancing day into night and vice-versa, which could make enemies more powerful, lull them to sleep, or make them turn to dust as the occasion merits.
A character outside of the normal ebb and flow and time would be a ghost; the game could focus on the vengeful spirit of a knight, dedicating his afterlife to the destruction of an ancient foe that had done him some grievous ill.
Sounds good to me! I shall place "The Inexorable Knight" into my idea bin, pending concept art and execution.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I really like this exercise; it's quick to run through and produces a good number of ideas to work off of on any given topic. Also, I'm pretty sure that my teacher said that this methodology was Leonardo da Vinci's primary idea generator, and if so then that certainly explains its efficacy.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this up in my dorm room at or around seven in the evening, occasionally taking a break to sort through laundry. I wore noise-canceling headphones and listened to music while I worked, drowning out my roommate's television. There was a sliver of sunlight shining upon my face, combined with the normal lighting of the room.
I want to make a Flash game. Well, to be more precise, I want to make any number of Flash games, but I tend to lose interest in most of my ideas or just don't think I'm at a level where I can bring them to completion. Hopefully after my current Flash gaming course I will be at such a level, at which point I figure I should develop a nice compendium of ideas. My usual method of waiting for a flash (pardon the pun) of insight as I nod off at 4 AM and frantically scrawling it down before I forget is slow and inconsistent to say the least, so I figure I shall try an actual creative exercise to develop an idea.
So my vague challenge is: "What is a good idea for a Flash game?" If I had to pick the essential two words of this challenge, the phrase would be 'good game'.
From there, I shall follow the splitting methodology in which I split each attribute I create into two more related attributes, ad infinitum, until I think I have enough to combine and work with.
Good
_ Chivalry
__ Medieval
__ Mystical
_ Light
__ Empty
__ Bright
Game
- Lives
__ Rebirth
__ Age
- Time
__ Heal
__ Weaken
The usable attributes that result are: good, chivalry, medieval, mystical, light, empty, bright, lives, rebirth, age, time, heal, and weaken.
So, what sort of concept results from the loose association of these terms? Immediately I am drawn toward the idea of the chivalrous knight protagonist, though this is ground that has been tread and retread before. Knight puts me in mind of night, which reminds me of the day and night cycle in the old Castlevania game where monsters would get stronger when night fell.
For a game mechanic, there could be a system where the player holds a key to meditate and accelerate time, healing themselves and weakening certain enemies, as well as advancing day into night and vice-versa, which could make enemies more powerful, lull them to sleep, or make them turn to dust as the occasion merits.
A character outside of the normal ebb and flow and time would be a ghost; the game could focus on the vengeful spirit of a knight, dedicating his afterlife to the destruction of an ancient foe that had done him some grievous ill.
Sounds good to me! I shall place "The Inexorable Knight" into my idea bin, pending concept art and execution.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I really like this exercise; it's quick to run through and produces a good number of ideas to work off of on any given topic. Also, I'm pretty sure that my teacher said that this methodology was Leonardo da Vinci's primary idea generator, and if so then that certainly explains its efficacy.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this up in my dorm room at or around seven in the evening, occasionally taking a break to sort through laundry. I wore noise-canceling headphones and listened to music while I worked, drowning out my roommate's television. There was a sliver of sunlight shining upon my face, combined with the normal lighting of the room.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Two: Chilling Out (or: Chillaxin' and Maxin' All Cool Up In "The Room")
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
Generally, I do not have any issue with "chilling out" in a normal situation. In a high-stress situation, however, such as crunch-time the night before the project, I find myself anything but chill.
Therefore, for this exercise I am going to endeavor to remain perfectly calm in one of the most stressful situations imaginable: watching The Room, one of the worst movies ever made.
The four basic parameters for relaxation are a quiet environment, a specific mental technique, a passive attitude, and a comfortable position.
Since I'm watching this in a room filled with about seven other people I can't really say I have the quiet environment bit available, but three out of four isn't bad. I'm quite comfortable in a wooden rocking-chair, and I have already emptied my mind in preparation for the aneurysm-inducing awfulness of this movie.
As for my relaxation technique, I am going to focus on breathing deeply and paying particular attention to said breathing.
Generally, I do not have any issue with "chilling out" in a normal situation. In a high-stress situation, however, such as crunch-time the night before the project, I find myself anything but chill.
Therefore, for this exercise I am going to endeavor to remain perfectly calm in one of the most stressful situations imaginable: watching The Room, one of the worst movies ever made.
The four basic parameters for relaxation are a quiet environment, a specific mental technique, a passive attitude, and a comfortable position.
Since I'm watching this in a room filled with about seven other people I can't really say I have the quiet environment bit available, but three out of four isn't bad. I'm quite comfortable in a wooden rocking-chair, and I have already emptied my mind in preparation for the aneurysm-inducing awfulness of this movie.
As for my relaxation technique, I am going to focus on breathing deeply and paying particular attention to said breathing.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Chapter Nine: SCAMPER (or: SECARMP Technically Because I Did It A Bit Out of Order and Enjoy Anagrams)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
My ultimate goal in this class is, as far as I am currently concerned, writing or at least establishing the framework for a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Having determined this, I figure that it would be wise to use some of these exercises to give me some direction on this task.
The challenge I'm going to examine today is: "How should I build the framework for my story?" To determine this, I shall apply the SCAMPER checklist to this conundrum. I have a few pages of a sample Choose Your Own Adventure story I wrote a couple of years ago, that I am going to expand upon.
My ultimate goal in this class is, as far as I am currently concerned, writing or at least establishing the framework for a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Having determined this, I figure that it would be wise to use some of these exercises to give me some direction on this task.
The challenge I'm going to examine today is: "How should I build the framework for my story?" To determine this, I shall apply the SCAMPER checklist to this conundrum. I have a few pages of a sample Choose Your Own Adventure story I wrote a couple of years ago, that I am going to expand upon.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Chapter Five: False Faces (or: There Isn't an App For That)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I was pondering the potential problems I currently face and couldn't really find any I felt like pontificating upon at the moment. Therefore I am going to examine a theoretical challenge, which I have mulled over on occasion: "What sort of application would I create for the iPhone marketplace?"
There are a few presuppositions I would make about an iPhone application. An application has to appeal to a wide audience; it has to have a unique function; and it has to be self-contained.
If I reverse the basic framework of my application, I can explore less conventional methods of solving this challenge. Reversing each of these assumptions yields: an application does not have to appeal to a wide audience; it does not have to have a unique function; and it does not have to be self-contained.
So what sort of application fits within these reversed parameters? For the first assumption, my application could be specifically designed to appeal to a particular subset of users, or could fall under the "experimental" label where it is not designed for any particular audience at all. What sort of experimental application would not by default emphasize a unique selling point? To determine that, I'll first examine what an application not being self-contained could mean.
Increasingly, computer applications are being connected to external services like Facebook and Twitter. Mobile applications are starting to follow suit, meaning that a simple Facebook integration wouldn't be enough to differentiate my application. I thought about this, considering an application that leveraged email in some way to communicate data, but ultimately decided the best and simplest way to do this would be the application connecting to the same application.
Right now I have an experimental application that works by connecting to other users of the same application, that does not use a completely original paradigm. I thought about what sort of experiences I could re-badge that would benefit from user-to-user connection, and, ironically enough, the first thing that came to mind was a brainstorming application. There are already applications that connect random users for short conversations; the trick is in the delivery.
In my theoretical application, which I have creatively dubbed "Community Brainstorming" for now, users will pen the beginning of an idea and send it randomly to another user, who will expand upon this idea and pass it along to another user. Users can track the progress of their idea as it is randomly expanded upon, and receive idea lists of others to add their own comments to. Idea chains will be ended after a certain number of responses, or whenever the user decides to manually terminate them. There will be profanity filters to compensate for inevitable trolling, and users can manually flag offensive links in their idea chain.
Excellent! Just like that I have a quality application which will surely make me millions of "Free," because I can't imagine releasing an application like that for any higher price (unless it takes off and becomes the Next Big Thing, of course, at which point I would cash in immediately).
Now I just need to get my developer's license, and find a Mac to program my application, and figure out how to program applications for the iPhone. Should be simple enough.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I was pretty skeptical about this one, mostly because I couldn't really think of anything that seemed suited for this sort of examination, but I think it actually turned out alright. I arrived at a conclusion I was happy at, anyway, even if it did take quite a lot of rumination.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this over the course of an hour and a half or so, starting at about eight o'clock, while sprawled in my bed under the comforter (it'd a little chilly in the room). It's too late at night for any sort of sunlight, so all of my light is coming from the bright room light that shines directly at my bed. My roommate has his TV on, and is clicking away at some sort of game, occasionally making some sort of comment to his teammates through his headset.
I was pondering the potential problems I currently face and couldn't really find any I felt like pontificating upon at the moment. Therefore I am going to examine a theoretical challenge, which I have mulled over on occasion: "What sort of application would I create for the iPhone marketplace?"
There are a few presuppositions I would make about an iPhone application. An application has to appeal to a wide audience; it has to have a unique function; and it has to be self-contained.
If I reverse the basic framework of my application, I can explore less conventional methods of solving this challenge. Reversing each of these assumptions yields: an application does not have to appeal to a wide audience; it does not have to have a unique function; and it does not have to be self-contained.
So what sort of application fits within these reversed parameters? For the first assumption, my application could be specifically designed to appeal to a particular subset of users, or could fall under the "experimental" label where it is not designed for any particular audience at all. What sort of experimental application would not by default emphasize a unique selling point? To determine that, I'll first examine what an application not being self-contained could mean.
Increasingly, computer applications are being connected to external services like Facebook and Twitter. Mobile applications are starting to follow suit, meaning that a simple Facebook integration wouldn't be enough to differentiate my application. I thought about this, considering an application that leveraged email in some way to communicate data, but ultimately decided the best and simplest way to do this would be the application connecting to the same application.
Right now I have an experimental application that works by connecting to other users of the same application, that does not use a completely original paradigm. I thought about what sort of experiences I could re-badge that would benefit from user-to-user connection, and, ironically enough, the first thing that came to mind was a brainstorming application. There are already applications that connect random users for short conversations; the trick is in the delivery.
In my theoretical application, which I have creatively dubbed "Community Brainstorming" for now, users will pen the beginning of an idea and send it randomly to another user, who will expand upon this idea and pass it along to another user. Users can track the progress of their idea as it is randomly expanded upon, and receive idea lists of others to add their own comments to. Idea chains will be ended after a certain number of responses, or whenever the user decides to manually terminate them. There will be profanity filters to compensate for inevitable trolling, and users can manually flag offensive links in their idea chain.
Excellent! Just like that I have a quality application which will surely make me millions of "Free," because I can't imagine releasing an application like that for any higher price (unless it takes off and becomes the Next Big Thing, of course, at which point I would cash in immediately).
Now I just need to get my developer's license, and find a Mac to program my application, and figure out how to program applications for the iPhone. Should be simple enough.Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I was pretty skeptical about this one, mostly because I couldn't really think of anything that seemed suited for this sort of examination, but I think it actually turned out alright. I arrived at a conclusion I was happy at, anyway, even if it did take quite a lot of rumination.
A short note about my creative environment:
I typed this over the course of an hour and a half or so, starting at about eight o'clock, while sprawled in my bed under the comforter (it'd a little chilly in the room). It's too late at night for any sort of sunlight, so all of my light is coming from the bright room light that shines directly at my bed. My roommate has his TV on, and is clicking away at some sort of game, occasionally making some sort of comment to his teammates through his headset.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Book of the Dead (or: "rw nw prt m hrw." Because Apparently the Ancient Egyptians Weren't Fans of Vowels)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
One of the obstacles I face as a Digital Media student and nascent professional is that of recognition. I can produce interesting work in my classes, but I need to be able to get my work out there for the world at large to view. Thankfully, in this modern day and age we have a collection of tubes known collectively as "The Internet" that exist for just such a purpose.
Of course, it isn't quite so simple as just pressing a button and having a fully-formed attention-grabbing site instantly appear at the top of the list on a Google search for "awesome." Luckily, in this modern day and age we've exhumed much of the wisdom of the ancients to guide us into the future. Especially when we don't understand a word of this wisdom. To this end, I have chosen a passage from the Egyptian Book of the Dead to translate, hoping to unearth a prophecy directly correlated to my problem.
To be specific, my problem is (ripping off my own eloquent prose from a previous post): "I need to establish a corner of the web for myself and optimally build it enough relevance to show up on peoples' radar."
Alright! Time to start my American-style translation, where I look at the pictures and attribute them to whatever makes the most sense in my head (this is a similar technique to speaking slowly and loudly in English when in foreign countries in the belief that this makes you understandable).
A Google search informed me that whether one reads hieroglyphics left to right or right to left is dependent on the direction the animals are facing. Already we're off to a good start, as my animals are facing to the left here which means I can read this left to right. And what's more auspicious of a start than a star? I can clearly extrapolate from this that the ancient Egyptians refer to my rising star in the world; though based on the tiny man with the humbly up-stretched arm beside the star I shall infer that my methods must be tempered by modesty, a sentiment with which I concur.
The glyphs following these two are far less immediately identifiable, which caused my eye to wander across the paragraph. Immediately I noted that persistence of a semi-circular platform upon which a few smaller symbols or birds were perched. The best analogy this sparked is: I should identify the platform with which to deliver my varied content.
Now, I currently have an ad-hoc portfolio site of sorts set up with the free service flavors.me, which makes it extremely easy to plug various services in (like this very blog) and construct a simple personal site without any code. I've debated as to whether or not this is sufficient.
Luckily, the Book of the Dead seems to have an opinion on the matter. There is a recurrence of a symbol that looks somewhat like an inverted 'L', which is very probably a snake. Three instances of this symbol coil around small sigils, while the fourth points to what appears to be a cross. As it currently stands, my portfolio site is sort of a crossroads, where all of my content approaches from different directions and jumbles together at the middle, with only pseudo-integration. In order to most effectively display my work, I need to encapsulate it within a single site that coils around all of my content.
Upon closer examination of the passage, there is one symbol that stands at a jarring contrast to the others and thus seems significant. Viewing the hieroglyphics as a whole with an unfocused eye caused the single framed image to jump out at me. The frame implies structure, or a guiding influence; based on my previous web endeavors, I don't think that building a site from the ground up would be any better for me than using a flavors.me site. So, I think the best thing to do would be to use an existing structure, but at least centralize all of my content on said structure.
The squiggly lines peppered throughout the passage remind me of the placeholders I use for any text or words in rough thumbnails; I've heard good things about Wordpress, so that's the first thing that comes to mind off of that association. Therefore, it appears I have a new avenue to investigation in regards to my web relevancy!
Thank you, ancient Egyptians. Don't think that this makes up for the generations of slavery, though. That wasn't cool.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I rather enjoyed this exercise, as it encouraged me to make wild conclusions about tiny pictures I don't actually understand, and there's nothing I enjoy more than wild conclusions. Actually, I used to play a computer game when I was younger, some semi-educational game that was focused around Ancient Egypt; I have no idea what game it was, but I loved it to death. I suspect, however, that the designers had no idea whatsoever how to translate hieroglyphs, and were just making it up as they go along. Hey, if it worked for them, works for me.
A short note about my creative environment:
I'm sitting on my dorm room's couch at the moment, which I've been doing since about 4:20. There's a nice amount of sunlight streaming in through the opened blinds. The couch isn't very comfortable, but it's better then the strange rocking-desk-chair-hybrids that sit at our desks in Canaris. It's pretty cool in here despite the oppressive heat outside, temperature control units being the best invention since that circular thing that lets carts move about. I'm listening to music on my terrible iPod earbuds for some reason instead of my nice stereo gaming headphones; sheer volume is drowning out any noise my roommate might be making in the room behind me.
One of the obstacles I face as a Digital Media student and nascent professional is that of recognition. I can produce interesting work in my classes, but I need to be able to get my work out there for the world at large to view. Thankfully, in this modern day and age we have a collection of tubes known collectively as "The Internet" that exist for just such a purpose.
Of course, it isn't quite so simple as just pressing a button and having a fully-formed attention-grabbing site instantly appear at the top of the list on a Google search for "awesome." Luckily, in this modern day and age we've exhumed much of the wisdom of the ancients to guide us into the future. Especially when we don't understand a word of this wisdom. To this end, I have chosen a passage from the Egyptian Book of the Dead to translate, hoping to unearth a prophecy directly correlated to my problem.
Pictured: The Farmer's Almanac, circa 1650 BC
To be specific, my problem is (ripping off my own eloquent prose from a previous post): "I need to establish a corner of the web for myself and optimally build it enough relevance to show up on peoples' radar."
Alright! Time to start my American-style translation, where I look at the pictures and attribute them to whatever makes the most sense in my head (this is a similar technique to speaking slowly and loudly in English when in foreign countries in the belief that this makes you understandable).
A Google search informed me that whether one reads hieroglyphics left to right or right to left is dependent on the direction the animals are facing. Already we're off to a good start, as my animals are facing to the left here which means I can read this left to right. And what's more auspicious of a start than a star? I can clearly extrapolate from this that the ancient Egyptians refer to my rising star in the world; though based on the tiny man with the humbly up-stretched arm beside the star I shall infer that my methods must be tempered by modesty, a sentiment with which I concur.
The glyphs following these two are far less immediately identifiable, which caused my eye to wander across the paragraph. Immediately I noted that persistence of a semi-circular platform upon which a few smaller symbols or birds were perched. The best analogy this sparked is: I should identify the platform with which to deliver my varied content.
Now, I currently have an ad-hoc portfolio site of sorts set up with the free service flavors.me, which makes it extremely easy to plug various services in (like this very blog) and construct a simple personal site without any code. I've debated as to whether or not this is sufficient.
Luckily, the Book of the Dead seems to have an opinion on the matter. There is a recurrence of a symbol that looks somewhat like an inverted 'L', which is very probably a snake. Three instances of this symbol coil around small sigils, while the fourth points to what appears to be a cross. As it currently stands, my portfolio site is sort of a crossroads, where all of my content approaches from different directions and jumbles together at the middle, with only pseudo-integration. In order to most effectively display my work, I need to encapsulate it within a single site that coils around all of my content.
Upon closer examination of the passage, there is one symbol that stands at a jarring contrast to the others and thus seems significant. Viewing the hieroglyphics as a whole with an unfocused eye caused the single framed image to jump out at me. The frame implies structure, or a guiding influence; based on my previous web endeavors, I don't think that building a site from the ground up would be any better for me than using a flavors.me site. So, I think the best thing to do would be to use an existing structure, but at least centralize all of my content on said structure.
The squiggly lines peppered throughout the passage remind me of the placeholders I use for any text or words in rough thumbnails; I've heard good things about Wordpress, so that's the first thing that comes to mind off of that association. Therefore, it appears I have a new avenue to investigation in regards to my web relevancy!
Thank you, ancient Egyptians. Don't think that this makes up for the generations of slavery, though. That wasn't cool.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I rather enjoyed this exercise, as it encouraged me to make wild conclusions about tiny pictures I don't actually understand, and there's nothing I enjoy more than wild conclusions. Actually, I used to play a computer game when I was younger, some semi-educational game that was focused around Ancient Egypt; I have no idea what game it was, but I loved it to death. I suspect, however, that the designers had no idea whatsoever how to translate hieroglyphs, and were just making it up as they go along. Hey, if it worked for them, works for me.
A short note about my creative environment:
I'm sitting on my dorm room's couch at the moment, which I've been doing since about 4:20. There's a nice amount of sunlight streaming in through the opened blinds. The couch isn't very comfortable, but it's better then the strange rocking-desk-chair-hybrids that sit at our desks in Canaris. It's pretty cool in here despite the oppressive heat outside, temperature control units being the best invention since that circular thing that lets carts move about. I'm listening to music on my terrible iPod earbuds for some reason instead of my nice stereo gaming headphones; sheer volume is drowning out any noise my roommate might be making in the room behind me.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Chapter Twenty-Five: Rattlesnakes and Roses (or: Mmmagic Missile! Magic Missile! Magic Missile!)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"
I've found that a persistent problem I've had is determining the correct point at which to do laundry. As I pondered this issue sitting at a table with a twenty-sided die lying off to the side I decided on a whim to examine the game Dungeons and Dragons and ascertain parallels that might aid me in my quest.
If my exact challenge is 'When do I get off my butt and do laundry?', the key word in this sentence would be the proactive 'do'. Now, what does one do in Dungeons and Dragons? There are certain basic aspects to the experience. DnD is a socially-oriented game, where players interact with one another directly, and thus games usually take place on a very specific time and date. Dice are used to decide the results of just about everything. Also, most games have an overarching quest or goal which leads to some rich reward.
I stewed around with some other ideas, but these were the simplest and the most easily relatable to my goal. So, how can I combine these concepts to produce a workable plan toward inspiring myself to perform this unwanted but necessary chore weekly?
First, I can set an exact time and date for myself, to get past the 'oh, I'll get around to it sometime' mentality. This may have to change from semester to semester, but at present I am almost definitely free all day on Saturday. Now, since I know I'm going to inevitably procrastinate past any set time I give myself, I decided the best way to work around this would be controlled procrastination. To that end, every hour I can make a "saving throw" of sorts, wherein if I roll high enough I can put the laundry off for another hour; but I only get five saving throws, just in case. Finally, to reward myself for completing this onerous task I'll go out to dinner, or get some sort of baked or frozen treat if I've already eaten.
Because everyone I know would take Insomnia Cookies over a Helm of Disintegration. Probably.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Possibly the two topics were a stretch to correlate, as I'm not sure it allowed for too much creative license. But, on the other hand, I got to embed that Magic Missile video, and thus enrich the lives of people everywhere. So I'd say all-in-all this was a success.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this at my friend's place at about 4 o'clock, sitting at a table in his living room bathed in expansive sunlight from a gigantic window. He was playing World of Warcraft in the other room, so the silence was occasionally interrupted by muffled game-related outbursts.
I've found that a persistent problem I've had is determining the correct point at which to do laundry. As I pondered this issue sitting at a table with a twenty-sided die lying off to the side I decided on a whim to examine the game Dungeons and Dragons and ascertain parallels that might aid me in my quest.
If my exact challenge is 'When do I get off my butt and do laundry?', the key word in this sentence would be the proactive 'do'. Now, what does one do in Dungeons and Dragons? There are certain basic aspects to the experience. DnD is a socially-oriented game, where players interact with one another directly, and thus games usually take place on a very specific time and date. Dice are used to decide the results of just about everything. Also, most games have an overarching quest or goal which leads to some rich reward.
I stewed around with some other ideas, but these were the simplest and the most easily relatable to my goal. So, how can I combine these concepts to produce a workable plan toward inspiring myself to perform this unwanted but necessary chore weekly?
First, I can set an exact time and date for myself, to get past the 'oh, I'll get around to it sometime' mentality. This may have to change from semester to semester, but at present I am almost definitely free all day on Saturday. Now, since I know I'm going to inevitably procrastinate past any set time I give myself, I decided the best way to work around this would be controlled procrastination. To that end, every hour I can make a "saving throw" of sorts, wherein if I roll high enough I can put the laundry off for another hour; but I only get five saving throws, just in case. Finally, to reward myself for completing this onerous task I'll go out to dinner, or get some sort of baked or frozen treat if I've already eaten.
Because everyone I know would take Insomnia Cookies over a Helm of Disintegration. Probably.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
Possibly the two topics were a stretch to correlate, as I'm not sure it allowed for too much creative license. But, on the other hand, I got to embed that Magic Missile video, and thus enrich the lives of people everywhere. So I'd say all-in-all this was a success.
A short note about my creative environment:
I wrote this at my friend's place at about 4 o'clock, sitting at a table in his living room bathed in expansive sunlight from a gigantic window. He was playing World of Warcraft in the other room, so the silence was occasionally interrupted by muffled game-related outbursts.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Chapter Six: Slice and Dice (or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Medicine Bottle)
Based on an exercise outlined in the book "Thinkertoys"There are a myriad number of items we use in our everyday life, and rarely do we think deeply upon them. They have their purpose, and it is often so simple that there is no reason we might think to expand upon it. When I actually consider it, though (and this is informed by me having just barely gotten through my morning routine this morning), the first item I'd want to have-at in the redesign department would be the average bottle of medicine nowadays.
Allow me to list the features of a generic bottle of prescription pills, for the uninformed:
1. Cylindrical
2. Translucent, tinted plastic
3. Ridged cap (for easy gripping)
4. "Child-proof", meaning that the cap has to be coaxed off in a very specific way
5. Paper label that wraps around the bottle, listing various ingredients and warnings
6. Must be opened manually, intended to be opened without the use of tools
7. Used to dispense pills to cure a variety of ailments
8. Incredibly expensive without health insurance
Now, I don't think that everything on the list needs a major overhaul (and indeed, I won't even go into the last item, since that branches off into a lengthy and fruitless discussion of the state of our nation and other drab and worrisome things).
I will however examine each in turn and give what thoughts I may on the subject.
1. Having used older rectangular designs for pill bottles, I will say that cylindrical is infinitely more comfortable in the hand. However, I think the body of the bottle could benefit from a more grippable surface, as the slippery plastic has caused many an expensive pill to be dashed forlornly upon the floor.
2. Nothing major to report here, I enjoy being able to tell at a glance when I need to run out to the pharmacy and restock my medication. I would say from a design standpoint there are more palatable colors than the neon orange that a lot of bottles seem to be colored; a light blue would evoke a more medicinal feel and put one less in mind of toxic materials.
3 and 4. Oh how I loathe thee, child-proof cap. You are the bane of my existence as I stumble into the kitchen each morning, fumble with you for an embarrassingly lengthy interlude, and nearly send the contents of the bottle cascading everywhere when the cap suddenly and violently pops off.
... from a marginally more divorced perspective, I would posit the following about the current crop of child-proof caps: not only are they miserably ineffective, but they are also consistently a barrier to those poor childless individuals that simply want to take their pill and get on with their day.
Any parent truly concerned about their offspring getting into their various potentially lethal and/or embarrassing medications will have taken additional security measures. Any tyke resourceful enough to mountaineer their way up to a high-up cabinet and unlock it, for example, would not be stymied by a cap you need to press down on before you turn it.
A sleepy college student, however, is going to be unduly frustrated by the need to apply just the right amount of force while tilting the bottle at exactly the right angle and turning the bottle with a cupped palm instead of fingers-- as the ridged easy-grip cap is entirely a red herring-- possibly while mumbling eldritch charms and prayers to their deity of choice.
In short, I should think it more useful to have an entirely different type of cap; perhaps a snap-open one that's integrated into the bottle and can't be lost. As far as child-proofing goes, it'd take a good deal of prototyping, but I think a cap designed to only admit one pill at a time would actually be more useful. In addition to preventing spills, the child having access to one pill at an outset is going to pop it in their mouth, wretch at the chalky taste, and go crying to their mother without having run the risk of swallowing ten pills at once.
5. If the bottles are redesigned to be a bit more grippable, the labels will have to be more streamlined, but that's entirely an organizational concern.
6. Well this is fine, no one is so lazy that they need to push a button and have their bottle electronically open itself; and those that are elderly or have other special needs will have special medicine dispensaries.
7. Redesigned a pill bottle so that it no longer dispensed pills would be a bit of a contradiction in terms; though I touched on a better delivery system above, already.
8. I've already rambled enough, no need to go into a discussion of governmental health care policies. On a simple level, I don't think you could really redesign the bottles materials-wise to be much cheaper; perhaps screen-printing the information from the labels onto the plastic bottle would be a bit 'greener'.
Well! Now all I need to do is make a proof-of-concept render and wait for the investors to start pouring in.
Closing thoughts on this exercise:
I can honestly say I have never thought this much about a random household object before, and I'm astonished at how long I managed to ramble about it. Perhaps my great work that will be remembered for generations to come with be an ode to the unassuming spork.
A short note about my creative environment:
I composed this while sitting at my desk in my dorm room. I wrote it over the course of a few hours, though, taking a break to eat or otherwise recenter myself when I hit a dead end, so a couple of environmental factors changed a bit over time. The lighting was consistently natural sunlight filtering in through closed blinds, plus the light of my computer monitors and my roommate's. My roommate was initially in the room quite loudly talking with a friend of his online while playing a computer game; after he left I put on some nice atmospheric music and my productivity increased appreciably.
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