Wednesday 30 October 2013

I've always been interested in learning about how the computer has evolved over the decades, so this post will *hopefully* help me to satisfy my desire to delve into the history of where it all began. 

Its never really crossed my mind how much I rely on my computer on a day to day basis and I'm not sure how I'd manage to cope without it (sad, I know). It's crazy how children today are being brought up in a world that consists of technology. We are so dependant on the equipment we use and we rely on it in everyday life - you could call it an addiction. Whether it being for personal use such as gaming, or retail, we've come a long way in 130 years. 

Antikythera Mechanism  

This is one awesome little guy that I believe had a HUGE impact in todays world of computing. It's an early analog computer and was constructed approximately around 1 BC. The mechanism is of Greek origin and was made to calculate astronomical positions. Instead of punching in information on a keyboard like we'd do today, a lever is turned and the information you needed will all be there for you. Kind of like a manual Wikipedia. But more reliable.


The image above shows the various different gears and cogs within the mechanism itself. Pretty complex for such early times. 


If you have 3 minutes to spare, this guy has created a lego model of the Antikythera Mechanism which is definitely worth a watch! 


The Stepped Reckoner

Invented by the mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in 1694, the Stepped Reckoner was a mechanical calculator that performed four arithmetic operations. Due to the gearwork apparently being beyond the technology for the time, it had many mechanical issues and design flaws which prevented it from functioning properly.


However, putting aside the flaws, one incredibly important thing came out of this object that would later be used for centuries. The Leibniz Wheel. This was invented in 1673 and was used up until the birth of electronic calculators in the 1970's! So even if the Stepped Reckoner did turn out to be a mechanical flop, at least his Leibniz Wheel was used for 3 centuries! 

Yet another Lego video showing a working Leibniz Wheel! I'm not obsessed with Lego...promise. 


Arithmometer

Now we start to move onto something slightly more reliable than the Stepped Reckoner... 
The Arithmometer was the first calculator that was efficient enough to be used within a professional environment. This calculator was able to add and subtract two numbers and perform long division/multiplication methods.  It was manufactured from 1851 to 1915 and was the first successful mechanical calculator.

Reference - Arithmometer (1)


In comparison to today's calculators, the Arithmometer was big enough to cover a desk. I can imagine this would have been increasingly difficult during the calculator paper on a maths exam. 

HP Audio Oscillator

Fast forward a few years and onto more complex systems. Take 1939 for example, the company we know today as Toshiba was founded by the merging of two companies and HP was founded by William Hewlett and David Packard. Hewlett Packard created the audio oscillator in 1939 and this pretty much paved the way for the technology we have today. The oscillator generated one tone and were used in the making of phones, radios and other audio equipment. 

Reference - HP Audio Oscillator 200A (1)



References:
Antikythera Mechanism
  1. http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/archaeology/antikythera_mechanism_remains.jpg - mechanism image 
  2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPVCJjTNgk - Lego model of Antikythera Mechanism 
The Stepped Reckoner
  1. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Arithmometre.jpg - Arithmometer image
HP Audio Oscillator 200A
A Brief History of Computing: Part One - The Dark Ages
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A Brief History of Computing: Part One - The Dark Ages

Saturday 5 October 2013

For our first visual design lesson, Jack took us down to the canal. We were told to focus on one point perspective and given a short lecture before setting off to ensure we fully understood what we had to achieve. I didn't manage to finish my piece within the lesson, so I returned later in the week for self directed study.
My final for the canal. With added scanner blur.
Week 1 - Visual Design
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Week 1 - Visual Design

Thursday 3 October 2013

I feel somewhat overwhelmed about writing this first blog post...I guess I should start by introducing myself. My name is Lucy and I'm currently studying Game Art Design at De Montfort University in Leicester!


I come from a fine art/sculptural background so the thought of creating objects etc in 3DS Max terrifies and excites me at the same time. I've not had much experience with 3D modelling software, so I was a little taken aback at first when I was told I had to produce a Dalek out of 1500 tris. This seemed like a lot to me at first, but I somehow managed to make an extremely high poly base which exceeded the tri count by about 20,000. I DID manage to get it down to 1497. So that's an achievement in itself!



The past few days at university have been amazing and if they're anything to go by, the next three years will be too! So far I've only had 3 lectures but I've really enjoyed them and I feel as though I'm learning new skills already; especially in visual design and game production. I can imagine critical studies will be one of the lectures I look forward to the most. I've always been interested in learning about history and how inventions have evolved over the years.



I assume that the vast majority of this blog is going to be me stressing about why 3DS Max won't let me move my object around, only to find I haven't got the move tool selected...Or that my pivot point has disappeared into an abyss of polygons.
A New Beginning
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A New Beginning