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Documentation of Project (Mid-fi & Less Mid-fi)

Mid-fi

After making the cardboard version of the syringe, we realized that the size was way too big for its purpose. It required 2 hands to operate. We wanted it to be portable and usable for a single person. With that in mind, we used lego blocks to scale more accurately what the actual size would look like. Once that was done, we finished up some more sketches and finally created a render of the final version on Maya and Blender.

Less Mid-fi

Since we are going with the feels-like and looks-like kind of prototype, we wanted to make it out of the resin 3D printer instead of the ultimaker ones since the resin prints are higher quality and have more weight to it, resembling the actual object. Once we made the print, we finalized the look with tape and created the complementary part (the surgical opening placeholder) using the vinyl cutter.

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Framing Story/ Message Draft

The future of our world is quite similar to our current world, except for the rapid advancements made in nano technology. People have been able to cure diseases they previously couldn’t with the help of A.I.s and nano machines. The average lifespan has increased exponentially thanks to these improvements in the quality of life. A lot of things are now automated, leaving people with a lot of free time on their hands. With previous human held jobs being replaced by robots and AI, a large, aging population have been forced to move out into concentrated slums. The quality of life there is quite terrible compared to the rest of the country. However, there was an asteroid impact that contains a new element, which allows for even better improvements to the current technologies. This opens up the market to allow more people access to the nano machines that helps with medical conditions.

With the development of the syringe, the government has began testing a new form of nano machines that is injected directly into the bloodstream via a port that is surgically placed on the forearm. This allows for a quick and effective access to the capabilities of the new nano machines from the syringe. The product is currently reserved for a select few soldiers only.

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Weekly Discovery Log (#12)

While working on my 3D modeling project for my other class, I began to truly realize how difficult it is to make anything in 3D. It is deceptively simple since you can see the shapes as you are making it, but creating something that looks good proved otherwise. i began to search for inspirations and found out about low poly models. These are essentially models made using simple geometric shapes to represent and object. When placed together, it can make a very aesthetically pleasing scene. I decided to utilize this art style for my project. Granted, just because the models are easier to make, doesn’t make the project any less hard. Knowing what elements look good together proves to be another challenging task. I think I have a newfound appreciation of people who make 3D models for a living. This is no easy task at all.

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Documentation of Project So Far (Low-fi & Less Lo-fi)

Low-fi

A few weeks ago, I found out that Sean and I had a very similar idea and decided to collaborate with each other. Our idea is to create a module which would allow people to inject nano machines into their bodies to enhance certain features or maintain health without having to go to a doctor. The top 2 sketches were made by Sean, which depicts an injection device that acts like a syringe. I decided to try and go the wearables route, inspired by sport watches and smart watches. After discussing our ideas together, we decided we were going to go with Sean’s idea of a syringe, since it makes more sense with our background story. Once we refined the sketches, we moved on to make a really rough physical version out of cardboard.

Less Lo-fi

With the sketches figured out, we went to makerspace to give the laser cutter a try. We made some template parts on Illustrator and cut them out using the machine to assemble the base of the syringe. We wanted an idea of how the object would look in our hands, in terms of size and feel. This was going to be more of a looks-like and feels-like prototype. Those are kind of intertwined. With the cardboard parts successfully cut out, we now have to put it together to get the base shape.

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Weekly Discover Log (#11)

One of the most frustrating and stressful part of college is surprisingly not finals week or even projects. It is rather the things that people overlook or don’t realize until it looms over you like grey clouds in the sky, with the constant threat of rain. The specific thing I am referring to is the period in which students have to register for classes. And the thing that worries us the most: the dreaded wait-list symbol appearing next to the class before our registration date. 

It is incredibly frustrating and scary at the same time. It is frustrating because we as students pay thousands of dollars in tuition, expecting to learn about things that actually interests us. But because our priority is based off of the credits we completed, it places people at a disadvantage. If some students came with a lot of AP credits, they would get classes sooner than those who are starting from a fresh slate. Even worse, if the class is a required course, the student will have no choice but to wait either a semester or a year before they can take the class again. I know so many students who have their planned schedules ruined because of this system, myself being one of them. We end up having to take classes that no one wants in order to meet credit requirements.

In a school as well funded as NYU, I think there should be a better system in place to register for classes. I see so many classes that are only taught by 1 professor at a really common hour, making it nearly impossible to register for since they either get taken by students really early on or the conflict with many other classes. Perhaps having a set time slot for each department would work better to avoid these time conflicts. Or, rather than having a credit based registration time, have it be based on years instead. I have no real solutions for this right now, but it is something that has frustrated students even more so than finals.

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“One Designer Shares: How to Use Design to Tell a Story” Response

The difficulty of design has always been underrated by the public. I often hear from people how easy designing things are since they’re considered art. In reality, design is extremely challenging and it is something that I have realized more and more as I continue to take classes that require a lot of creativity and design. In fact, the recent project and the current one have proven just how challenging it is to come up with original ideas and designs that can get a message across to the viewer or audience.

The article mentions how one should not focus on the look of the design; it comes naturally if there is a story. I never really looked at design from this perspective. However, I have learned in a few other classes that design is not just about the aesthetic. There are different kinds of designs pertaining to a specific field. For instance, for visuals,the object or design should have a purpose behind every artistic choice being made, not just because something looks nice. And that principle is pretty much applied across any kind of design. Have a purpose or message in mind and the design will follow suit. 

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Love Letter to Object

Dear Object,

The existence of your design is derived from modern advancements made in the 21st century. No longer do humans have the need to visit or even have doctors anymore. You occupy that role with much greater efficiency and even enhance the bodies of human beings. Nano machines have finally dominated the global market, almost everyone in the developed nations have access to you. These machines identify and destroy any viruses or harmful bacteria as well as regulate human functions to operate at optimal levels. They can destroy any kinds of cancer and deterioration of an organ while repairing the damages already done. Recently, a new advancement in these machines have allowed them to even enhance human features such as muscle mass, eyesight and anti-aging. This is all, of course, owned by a single powerful company that has a tight grasp on everyone. It is best to proceed with caution when interacting with you.

Best,

Creator 

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Weekly Discover Log (#10)

One of my classes required us to prototype a board game that we had to make based off of a previous assignment in which we had to create a world. I was able to get some first hand experience with game development and prototyping. The process was much more difficult than I had thought. I found myself drawing inspirations from other games I have played in the past. It seems nearly impossible to come up with a game that has original rules and can stand alone as a unique experience.

The prototyping aspect of the game, for our task, would resemble that of a less-lofi. We used a lot of place holders but also had the core game play down by the time we created the rules. What I found out about prototyping is that there is a lot of trial and error involved. It requires a lot revisiting and making sure any flaws of the game would be brought up during a play test. We were able to clarify a lot of confusion and rules just by trying to play a very bare bones version of the game. We also had to iterate the design a few times to match the story that the game is being based off of better.

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Planning Timeline

Who are you working with?

For this project, I think I will be working alone.

What is your general object?

I haven’t fully decided just yet but I am leaning towards a bracelet/smartwatch which assists in day to day life. It will be something wearable.

What is your plan for a less lo-fi prototoype? When do you plan to finish it?

I plan to make some sketches of what the object might look like and describe what the functions or features of the object are. I plan to finish it by this weekend.

Less lo-fi?

Make a paper cut out of the object and see how the object functions. It will be very rough. I plan to do this by next week.

Medium-fi?

I will attempt to create the object using a 3D modeling software to get a better sense of what the prototype will look like if it was actually made.

Med-fi?

If time allows, I will 3D print the final product. Otherwise, I will try to create it using wood sheets, cardboard and other materials. I am aiming to get to this point in 2 weeks.

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Weekly Discovery Log (#8)

The recent news about Facebook leaking information of millions of users to analytic companies have made a lot of people address the issue of personal privacy in the internet space once more. It seems that every now and then, news of a big tech company having information leaked would cause an angry reaction among the users, only to be completely silenced just a few months after.

I recall a few big news stories that broke within the past year that didn’t get a reaction which matches the magnitude of the impact it has on people’s lives. One in particular was the Equifax breach in which millions of people’s credit scores and very private information was leaked due to improper security. This should be at the headlines everyday, yet we’ve become so desensitized to privacy that it no longer catches our eyes. We are so technology dependent that even if large corporations screw up and our private data is at steak, we have no power to do anything about it.

I recently saw a Google ad at a train station where the posters like the image above were plastered all over the walls of the tunnel. It felt surreal because it reminds me of the book 1984 by George Orwell. These companies have more information about you than your own parents, and they’re constantly watching over you. To see an ad like that in physical space gives me a Big Brother vibe that sends a shiver down my spine.

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Future Dystopia Project Ideas

What does your imagined future look, sound, and feel like?

I would imagine a Dystopian future would look something very similar to George Orwell’s novel 1984. We are already seeing traces of something similar to the novel in modern society already. The constant monitoring of people without their consent, the worship of a leader who is extremely egotistic and the attempt of a government who is trying to shape the public’s perception of something unfavorable to something pleasant. However, there is a bit of hope in me that makes me think the future would be Cyberpunk-esque. The color scheme and the technology of that genre is one of my favorites. There’s so much potential with that genre.

What message would you transmit to the current population from the future?

If I was able to communicate to the current people from the future, I would tell them everything that has gone wrong, from environment damages that are irreversible to the dangers that humans pose against each other. On a lighter note, I would like to transmit blueprints and scientific advancements to modern times so people can adapt and make even better technology in the future.

What techniques are you thinking of using?

I might utilize some 3D printing and/or more traditional arts and crafts kind of approach such as cardboard, yarn and paper.

What might you need to learn to use these techniques?

I would need to know how to use the 3D printing machines and the program needed to make the model it would be printing.

What are some of the execution challenges you might encounter with these techniques?

With the 3D printing, I might not be able to master or fully utilize the machine in time to create the prototype since I do take a bit of time to adapt to new software. Also, towards the end of the semester, a lot of students use Makerspace to 3D print their own projects for classes and that might mean that there aren’t enough machines to use. The arts and crafts might not suffice if the product I want to make is a bit complicated.

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Weekly Discover Log (#7)

In search for ideas for my final project for my 3D modeling class, I rediscovered a game that I had seen someone play a long time ago on the PlayStation 1. I believe it was a YouTube play through of a really weird and abstract game called LSD: Dream Emulator. 

The game was really ahead of its time in my opinion. For a PS1 game, it already had randomly generated environments. There is no real objective in the game, you just walk around a randomly generated area and whenever you touch something, it transports you to another map that is also randomly generated. There is a sense of eeriness about the whole game but it really captures the essence of what a dream is.

I recall a few of my more vivid dreams where I would be in one location doing something and the next thing I know, I would be somewhere else doing a completely different action. I find it really interesting how a game with no objectives or story can invoke such a strong sense of familiarity. It leaves our imagination running almost like how dreams are these bizarre worlds created from our subconscious minds. There could be a lot of untapped ideas that we are not even aware of. If we can somehow capture snippets of our dreams, I would imagine it would look something similar to what this game is like, maybe even crazier or scarier.

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Midterm Video Project (Hayao Miyazaki)

Final Version:

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Weekly Discovery Log (#6)

Since I am learning how to draw currently, I constantly look up pictures to see what kind of things I would eventually like to draw. I have a brother-in-law who is a professional artist, mostly working with 3D with experiences in digital art as well. Recently he suggested some websites to me, which he also uses in his work process. He told me he visits these sites daily, even when he is not working on a project in order to gain a better visual library in his head. Whenever he needs to draw something for work based on themes, he would pull up his reference folder to base his drawing on. “The importance of references cannot be overstated,” he said.

So I did some looking up on my own, with a concentration on sceneries since that is what I aim to draw eventually. I found the picture above while looking and it really stood out to me. The environment and the penguins in a tropical area inspired me to have a lot of ideas that I would like to draw. I have always been a huge fan of trains on water too and seeing the train tracks in the ocean made the picture a lot more appealing to me. I think this is now my favorite drawing/painting I have ever come across. It shows that no ideas are ever too absurd to explore. Even if two objects or themes seem completely opposite of each other, if you put them together, it just might work.

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Weekly Discovery Log (#5)

Relating to the project we are working on, I learned about what it means to build a world in stories in another class. Turns out, almost all stories have something called a “bible”. This is not a religious document or anything but the term is used to describe a mini booklet which contains various aspects of the world in which the story takes place. The one our professor showed us was for the show Stranger Things.

The “bible” of the story contains a lot of detail about every aspect of the world. This includes the characters, the locations and the general plot. Each section would have a short description for each thing listed. The purpose of the “bible” is to give producers and executives a general sense of what the story and world would be like. It’s functions like a pitch but also gives the story writers some breathing space in order to craft a story. A good story should ideally have a very strong foundation in the world building aspect. The reason why this is made before a script is because once a world is created, the story will naturally follow. As my professor said, if the viewer has unanswered questions regarding certain aspects of the world, then it is showing signs of poor world building.

World building should cover general as well as some implicated information that the viewer can figure out on their own. The ultimate goal of world building should be to make the fictitious world believable. It should exist even if the story wasn’t there. I think this kind of information will definitely help me in regards to writing stories in the future. 

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Response to Slowing Down Time

It’s interesting how you can slow down a scene with just writing. I never thought about it that way but when I saw the video, it makes perfect sense. The longer you read something, the longer it seems. I have noticed this while reading some books lately. The author would drag out a scene by adding all these descriptions which I felt were quite excessive sometimes. However, I now realize that this is an intentional technique that is used to sort of highlight the action or scene.

I recall a time when I was still in elementary school and the teacher taught us to “show, not tell”. That statement definitely resonates with the video. It’s always better to show through description and words rather than straight up telling the viewer what is happening. It leaves a bit of space for the viewer to picture the scene in their head. It’s also quite strange that as I went into high school, my teachers started telling us to be concise with our writing to get the point across. I think techniques like these should be taught more to open up more varieties of writing.

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Miyazaki Mood Board and Animatic Progression

I had a lot of trouble coming up with my own storyboard last week since I didn’t really have a direction to go towards. However, meeting up and talking with my group definitely helped clarify what we will be making for the final product. We decided to hone in on one specific aspect of Miyazaki’s creation process, which in this case is his world building within his films. More specifically, we narrowed it down to one specific example, which is Spirited Away. The whole puzzle piece concept is to demonstrate how Miyazaki pieces little details together until he successfully builds a world.

Additional Source

Kaku, Arakawa, director. Hayao Miyazaki: Never-Ending Man. NHK WORLD TV, 2016 

We were able to find a documentary that follows Miyazaki’s most recent work. The video shows Miyazaki coming out of retirement to work on a short film for his Ghibli museum. For the first time, we are able to get a glimpse of how he creates his stories and scenes. We also see his struggles with adapting to modern animations using CGI. Miyazaki has always made his films using entirely hand drawn animations. However, his age has prevented him from working too much and now must hire a new and younger staff to recreate his details using 3D modeling and techniques. It’s a very interesting and resourceful film.

Animatics