2/7/19

Dear Devlog,

You may not know me and I may not know you. For all cases, my name is Virgilio Samo III and I will be your friend for the duration of this Female Role Model Tech Production class. I was going to meet you earlier originally but there was a problem in accessing this repository so I turn in my first assignment by hand which I still have due to the professor's orders. Every assignment involving us will be recorded by you, Devlog, so we will get to know each other very well. Too bad I couldn't add music to make things more interesting but I suppose silent entries are cool too.

Part 1

I didn't want to mention this before in previous classes but I actually did had someone I look up to. My late grandfather used to always sit down with me and told me stories about what the past was like and how times were simple. He used to sing old songs that always made me laugh and if I to pick one moment that was critical in my life, it will be this life lesson he once said to me: "You can do anything you set your mind to and don't let your disability get in the way of that". Although I did make several mistakes in my life, even some I can't take back, his knowledge embedded inside my brain helped shaped me into the man you see here today.

Part 2

I do have one idea for a role model game. Since this is one of those head-controlled games, how about a game where we can draw the head of the person who inspires us most. Usually, we all remember the people who helped lead us in the right direction or gave us knowledge on how to survive in this world.

I think the game would best be played by a single player because some of us might not feel comfortable sharing and there is the chance that an unauthorized user may enter and attempt to use our role models against us. If we do agree on multiplayer, each player can dream up their desired role model and whoever's model can gain the most inspiration will win.

A good challenge will be that there will be a second role model that appears and you are forced to choose between your two inspirations. I believe that this will deepen our decisions based on who was there for us when we needed them or who do we respect more. For interactions, we can sit down and talk with our role models who would be using pre-recorded responses. I do have a bit more but for the sake of time, I'll stop here.

Final Thoughts

I feel that this project can be done but it all depends on how far our ambitions will take us. It is only the first week so it is too early to call. Well, I must go now and I hope to write you again next time.

Your New Friend,

Virgilio Samo III

2/15/19

Dear Devlog,

Looks like I'll be writing to you sooner than I thought. Last class was a lot of fun. We got to go outside on a wonderful night to test out that headband that changes color whenever your brain activity changes. That was the difficult part and so was the connection. We also had to brainstorm some ideas for the project so I joined the narrative team because I can tell a good story.

Prototype 3

Anyway, I'm here today with an idea. I have reviewed all the prototypes provided by the Slack page and the idea can best be implemented by Prototype 3. Here we go. Our idea revolves around fear. You choose your gender to start off in a location, whether in a haunted house, abandoned cemetery, or a demon world. Scary, right? You then proceed to navigate this environment trying to find the exit. There will be hidden hostiles and when you are faced with one, two random choices will appear before you but one will be of male and the other female. If you choose an option other than your chosen gender, your fear level increases and if it exceeds the set amount, game over. You can survive the first few wrong choices and if you managed to do well, your fear level gradually decreases, allowing to bleep up one or two extra times.

The professor likes that idea and even high-fived us for our great narrative.

Gender Stereotypes

Now this is a topic that you have to sit down and eat some popcorn. The things I hear growing up in life, I believe them to be ridiculous. Here are a few examples for each gender

Male

• Men are stronger.
• Men are messy and disorganized.
• Men are more prone to violence.
• Men are taller.
• Sports are only for men.

Female

• Women are more beautiful.
• Women are smarter.
• Women take much longer to get ready.
• Women are sensitive.
• Women are moody.

Final thoughts

In all honesty, I think the reason why we hear these stereotypes is because of our biology. Both men and women each have their own unique advantages that separates them from one another. We can still eat the same, talk the same, laugh the same, and even bleep the same. No matter who you are, it is our choices and our values that define each and every one of us. Well, Devlog. I must go. I'll write you again soon.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

2/22/19

Dear Devlog,

Today was rather great. I think the professors are really starting to warm up to me. Can you believe that I was chosen to voice act some lines I came up with? I know, right. It's bleeping awesome. But alas, I still have to fight the urge to not add music to these entries because I'm not sure if the professor would even approve of me doing so. Bummer. Anyway, the teams all made great progress so far and we all pitched in on gender stereotypes. Personally, I don't believe in any of them and the number one reason why is because they are all opinionated.

For some strange reason, the Alienware computers are not allowing any login nor input attempts from the users. This is rather embarrassing since the college is supposed to be called the "College of Technology". They did say that they are working on solving this issue but I will put my faith in my own laptop as it still serves me greatly for over five years straight. It got me through my classes since and I won't abandon it yet.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, the best option is to retreat and fight another day. When I worked with Unity, it was like it was from another planet and I couldn't understand one inch of its dialect. However, it did warm up to me eventually and although my coding skills are okay, it still remains one of my greatest weaknesses. I know some of them might be disappointed but I'll do my best even when faced with certain defeat. Who knows. Maybe I'll be great at it someday. Only time will tell.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

3/1/19

Dear Devlog,

Either our class is really slow or nobody is posting any work. Before we get to the bad news, some good news I would like to share. I have improved and sent the character prompts to the coding team and heard my voices recorded during last week's session. Professor Tjasa still couldn't stop laughing at my voice but I'll be honest. I'm just too damn good at this thing. Unfortunately, here comes the bad news. Remember those gender stereotypes that my class had to come up for homework? I was told to search through the GitHub and Slack for all the stereotypes that were discussed. Guess how many posted them? One. Who was that one? ME. ME, ME, ME!!

To make up for allllllll the lack of content, I am now forced to come up with FIFTEEN BLEEPING more stereotypes for each gender. That is sooooo wrong but you know what? I don't give a flying bleep. So lo and behold, here are some more stereotypes including the ones I did before that I had to write all by myself. BLEEP, MAN!!!

Male

• Men are stronger.
• Men are messy and disorganized.
• Men are more prone to violence.
• Men are taller.
• Sports are only for men.
• Only men should serve in the military.
• Men must show no weakness.
• During sex, men should do all the work.
• Only men should be muscular.
• Only men play video games.
• All men cheat on their lovers.
• Men get paid more money.
• Men are better rappers.
• Men are more prone to major body odor.
• Men are better fighters.
• Only men are allowed to run for president.
• There are more male firefighters than women.
• Men should make the first move on a woman.
• Men are the dominant species.
• Only men should swear.

Female

• Women are more beautiful.
• Women are smarter.
• Women take much longer to get ready.
• Women are sensitive.
• Women are moody.
• Only women should be in beauty pageants.
• Women are huge complainers.
• Women are more insecure about their looks.
• Women exist to serve men.
• Only women can blow out your eardrums.
• Only women can work in pornography.
• Women belong in the kitchen making sandwiches.
• Women should cook, clean, and listen to their husbands.
• Women don't poop.
• Women shouldn't burp.
• Women love shopping.
• Women should not compete with men.
• Female games are silly and stupid.
• Women are better caretakers.
• Women are more serious and responsible.
• Women have more problems with focus.
• Women are great multi-taskers. That's why they make great secretaries.
• Women are easily disgusted.

Final Thoughts

They say that we are different for a reason. What if I say that there is more than one? Men and women waaaaay back in the past used to be very separate because of their biological nature. Stereotypes have long plagued this planet which further divides humankind into unequal parts. Now, those differences are slim to none as we become more accepting of one another. For me, I will one day master this equality and prove once again that the balance is important. I will write you again next time. Farewell.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

3/8/19

Dear Devlog,

Everyone is making good progress so far. The narrative team is coming up with some great scenarios and not only that, I'm having one hell of a time with it. I had to change the file format on my text documents because they were not compatible with other OS systems. Plain text works best so that's one less problem that needs to be addressed. Today, there is only a few of us so we can't really move on unless we have all the necessary components. In the meantime, I will continue to work on the document from last class and hope that we have enough to start the second prototype real soon.

I know that I am in class right now but I believe in doing multiple things at one time. That's why when I'm done here, I'm going to play some Fortnite because the current season ends in two days. There are still some goodies I want to get so I'm going into overdrive to get everything done for the day. It was rather quiet today so I don't think there isn't anything much to report on. However, I will say that I will update my contributions after this so that the rest pf the teams can use them to further their part of the project too.

Final Thoughts

Everyone has strengths and everyone has weaknesses. Everyone is best at something but no one is best at everything. There is a reason why we are considered a flawed species and for a long time now, I have grown to accept that fact. I may not know everything but I do know this. I will strive to be better than my enemies so that I can have enough power to protect the weak. Sometimes, it is perfectly fine to ask for help when you need it and there is no shame to admit it. I know because I used to be strongly independent all the time. Well, Devlog, one month has officially passed. However, there is still much more work to be done. I'll write you again when I have enough content to report.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

3/15/19

Dear Devlog,

I can't believe what I am hearing. Are they telling me that we are reverting back to the male and female assets? In all honesty, I really wasn't convinced that cookie and biscotti were going to work anyway. I also felt that we are straying away from the main project and doing more like stereotypical gender bias. That became more like a personality test than an actual game. We were supposed to start Prototype 2 but I fear that this setback may hinder our progress and the outcome of the final product. We are in March now which means that we only have two and a half months to make this happen. Not to mention that this whole "Female Role Model" project is all over the place.

At this point, we are brainstorming new ideas and figuring out some ways to make up for lost time. An avatar build sounds good to me as people, including myself, like to star in our own adventures and games. I also like that there is this inner voice that constantly attempts to keep you lock into the general stereotypes. Obey or defy. The choice is yours.

Final Thoughts

They say that your first gut or instinct is usually the right one. However, in some cases, an alternative solution is the way to go. To put it more simply, that idea you were working on for so long may suddenly turn out to be not so great. Every project and person will change later on and it is our job to adjust and adapt to those changes. Take men and women, for example. As we learned in history, both genders were locked in very specific roles. Overtime, they became stereotypes but even that isn't always the way of life. Now, there isn't a difference in the gender roles as we became more accepting and equal to one another. Well, I must go. I'll write you again next time.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

3/22/19

Dear Devlog,

Finally, we get to move on to the next prototype. I was looking forward to working on it next and that was until we had to divide ourselves into new teams again: Visual and Coding, two of my weaknesses. I froze when I heard that and I could have sworn that my heart just sank deep into my stomach. Granted, I can do some code and drawing but it isn't skillful enough for the level that is required in this class. I want to say something but I'm afraid of what will happen if I do. I might get jeered at, embarrassed, or worse, fail the class. Not only that, it was always this way with me ever since my kid days. I would remain quiet most of the time, hoping that people would pass me by and choose someone else. Oh Devlog, what am I going to do? I guess I'll just give one of them a try and hope for the best.

So I was assigned to make a playground as one of the scenarios for the next prototype. Prototype 2, to be exact. The professors had decided on two environments to work on and the second one is workplace and it was all thanks to me for creating these scenarios in the first place. So I looked up some assets for the playground and choosing the ones that I like best. I also thought about what things does a playground have. Every one is different but the ideal playground would have a swing set, a slide castle, a spinning wheel of death (my name for it and no, it doesn't kill anybody), a horse spring ride, basketball court, sprinklers and all other types of bleep. Frankly, there are a bunch of things we can do but because of time, we may have to limit ourselves to just a few assets.

Honestly, I'm not sure what I am doing at this time. I'm just sitting here, frozen in fear and looking at my computer screen, hoping that something would just pop out and guide me. I just need a inspiration...a miracle, perhaps. Anything that would help me get past this obstacle. Oh well, I'll just wing it and maybe it will work out in the end.....I hope.

Final Thoughts

Everyone has strengths and everyone has weaknesses. I know that no one wants to feel weak but at the same time, we can't help it. Take myself, for example. Sure I can be confident but deep inside, my body says that I need to retreat and regroup. Sometimes, the work you did may end up being the greatest thing you have ever done, even though to others, it may look mediocre at best. All that matters is that you should be proud that you attempted and did something at the very least. It means that you are willing to try something new and that new thing that happened in your life may end up being worthy of your favorite things to do. Well, Devlog, it's time for me to go. I'll take my own advice at heart and do something productive.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

3/29/19

Dear Devlog,

One of our main professors is out to a conference somewhere and we have this very sweet professor who is really chill. She does actually motivate me to work but it is rather sad that she is only here temporarily. Awwww man. Anyway, today is rather quiet. A few of my classmates are here so work progress will be slowed. As for me, I'll be using my super awesome voice to record some cool and maybe some scary "bleep". That does sound good when I think about it. Even so, it does beat doing nothing and I will be contributing a great deal of progress since some of the characters in the game require a deep voice.

I am actually excited to get started. By the way, did you know there is a Super SMASH Bros tournament happening right now? I was called in to actually take some photos and video. Holy hell, these guys are good and I would have probably been eliminated right away since my only experience is Melee. Still, it would have been nice to at least try. Moving on, our small class is doing the animations, drawing a devil (which looks waaaaay cooler than mine), polishing up the scenarios, and doing voice-overs of the script (my kind of job). All in all, we had a good day and I am going to miss prof. Nisma subbing the class......I'm not gonna cry.....I am definitely not gonna cry.....okay, maybe a little.

Final Thoughts

It doesn't matter if you have just one person or an army for your project. All that matters is completing it. As for people who are only here temporarily, make sure your first impressions count so that person can remember you for years to come. If you happen to be assigned to a task which you are not so great on, either do your best or designate someone who is. Something can always be done each day, even if that something is changing a light bulb, gather assets, or even help a friend who is in need. Well, Devlog, I gotta go. More work to be done.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

4/4/19

Dear Devlog,

Last class was pretty good. Prof. Corey has returned to us so I'm glad he had fun with whatever it was that kept him away. We were all good boys and girls and we did what we supposed to do during that time. Anyway, we continue to build avatars and animations and all that good "bleep". Once again, I put my voice to good use and I finally nailed some of those tricky lines, all thank to Prof. Tjasa for giving me the confidence I need to finish them. I will admit that she does make me nervous at first and she will kill me if she reads this, Devlog.

You are not going to believe this, Devlog, but out of all the people to voice the female devil, Dimple was chosen. I'm still surprised at this and I am impressed on how cool and good she sounds when I listened to the recordings. I also did thank her for helping me out as well for other things and that was greatly appreciated. From there, there isn't much to tell you about as I was responsible for splicing the audio and saving all the good parts in separate files to upload to the class folder in Google Drive. All in all, that was a good day.

Final Thoughts

Confidence can go a long way whether you are giving a speech, starting a new job, or even asking that cute boy or girl on a date. I may be confident but there are at time when I am not. There was a time where I doubt myself up to a point where I can never get past my problem. On that same day, I learned something that changed my outlook. There are good days and there are bad days. You need them both in order to further improve yourself and the lives of others so that your balance doesn't shift too far in either direction. It also serves as a reminder that I cannot expect the best nor expect the worst. I can only expect the in-between. Time for me for go, Devlog. Only a month and a half to complete this project.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

4/11/19

Dear Devlog,

We are finally able to test out the prototype one and the brain game is showing some signs of life. Let's start with that, shall we? The good news is that the prototype IS functional but not as intended. For example, when the Brainbit was unused, the prototype kept switching from celebrity to celebrity and speaking of that, it was different for some of us. It would stay stuck on Ellen DeGeneres for most of the time. Michelle Obama was there only for a short time. I even heard that Prof. Corey was stuck on Serena Williams. How in the world did he managed that? The Brainbit was still picking up signals as if someone was wearing them so in a sense, a ghost is operating it.

I'm still laughing because the voice-overs were just too funny. The part when I OOOHMMMMM had me dying the whole time, not literally. I know....I'm just that good. Anyway, I also took some time to look around and the scenarios are really coming together pretty well. Kiara's mud puddle looks great and Alexandria's office scene is spot-on. All in all, everyone is making good progress. Unless we can figure what went wrong in the prototype, all that work we did may all be in vain. Let's hope that it will not come to that.

Final Thoughts

Every day is a struggle but also an opportunity to learn from it. Sometimes, you may scratch your head and ponder at a task for long periods of time and still get nothing. What you may not realize is that while you work on something, a tiny error may hide somewhere and that one bit can throw your project off-balance. That's why it is always good to balance work and fun so that you can prevent yourself from being too chill or too fun. The answers you seek will come eventually but not in the ways you expected. In short, maintain your balance and your life will be in balance too. We're getting close, Devlog. It's time for me to go.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

5/1/19

Dear Devlog,

Here we are. The last month of the semester. I can't believe that this is finally happening. Oh yeah, sorry for not writing much sooner. Spring break can really make you forget things hahaha. Anyway, time for updates. From last class, I worked on the celebrity sound bits in which I extracted parts of the audio that prof. Tjasa wanted and put them into the Google Drive. I also submitted two documents, a trailer script and a video idea. Tjasa LOVED my work....well, almost all of it and guess what? Malala might get replaced with another female celebrity because I heard that she was "too complicated" to use. In case you're wondering what the bleep I'm talking about, I mean that our game will not feature Malala as one of the choices.

As for everyone in the class, I see all of the work coming together quite nicely. I do like Andy's intro of the game when all the gender blocks started filling the screen. I also like that there is a selection screen where the male and female avatar models wave at you when you hover over them. Overall, I think we will be ready in two weeks which is also the last time we will meet. Awwwww, I was just getting comfortable around these guys and gals. Oh well. It is what it is.

Final Thoughts

The amount of time you spend with one or more people does not dictate the strength of your relationships. Everyone knows that even one mistake can cost people and projects a lot of problems in the long run. That's why I don't let myself get too attached to the people I worked with because there will come a day that I will never see them again. However, there are instances where that person may become the best thing in your life and who knows, both of you may grow to like and even love each other. The lesson overall is that is to use the time you have productively and wisely. Farewell for now.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

5/9/19

Dear Devlog,

What's up, buddy? Did you miss me? I know I did. Well, I have good news to share with you. The Female Role Model project is almost completed. Everyone, including me, is working hard to make sure that it works and is worthy enough for the Spring show. As of now, we are fixing up some errors and compatibility issues since Unity can be a piece of bleep for not being able to read and load the files because of "different versions". That's one of the reasons why I dislike Unity. It should be called Separation since it failed to "unite" different works together. Uggggggh!!!!

Anyway, Andy came up with this brilliant idea. A credit scene with all our names and titles. I was known as the Assets Manager because I was in charge of finding and tweaking various audio and video files so that Unity can accept them without difficulty. I know what you're thinking: "Any fool can do that." However, it takes a lot of patience and time to find the assets that not only fits within our project but to convey the message that the female population deserves a lot of respect and recognition for putting up with all the crap they had to go through for centuries.

In all honesty, I do agree and even though the project can be an pain in the butt sometimes, the people I worked with made it all better and I wouldn't trade them for anyone else, especially my professors who are the cores of this operation. Only one more class remains and this may be the last time I'll write to you. Don't worry, I'll return soon with more news to share.

Final Thoughts

Some say that it's best to work alone. Others may say that working together is the way to go. Both theories have their own strengths and weaknesses but it is the individual in question that has the power to choose his/her own preference. Of course, they can change at anytime and as hard-workers, we have grown and adapt to these changes because the environment calls for it. I didn't understand jack squat about teamwork because I always prefer to work alone. I now realize that I was wrong. The reason for that is because I did not accept and embrace the people around me. Now, I can count on them whenever I need them. Farewell for now, my friend.

Your friend,

Virgilio Samo III

5/15/19

Dear Devlog,

I know I was supposed to write yesterday but this sickness is limiting my actions. It was our last chance to get everything done before we present our Female Role Model Project to the Spring Show. Everyone is in full swing at the moment, scrambling left and right to put final touches and assets together and trust me, it's chaos. Anyway, I was supposed to make more audio recording but because of my sore throat, I'm not sure if I can deliver. However, I did make a promise and I plan on keeping it, even it means putting my body through more stress.

I do have a confession to make. I wish I could have done more in terms of animations, art work, etc. Also, yesterday was our last class and sadly, I had to sit away from the group. Despite my voice, I was able to get some audio work done that day. Afterwards, I worked on my project some more. I do want to thank Profs. Tjasa, Corey, and Nisma as wel as my peers for a great semester. No matter how the project turns out, the public will certainly approve.

The Final FINAL Thoughts

From start to finish, the people you are assigned with can either be your greatest allies or your greatest enemies. Sometimes, you have to do what is necessary to finish whatever tasks you have first, even if it means leaving others behind. I learned in the end that I can never judge someone early unless I get to know them first. It's a good thing I did because I would have had a very different first impression.

Well,....it seems my time is up. Devlog, you have been such a great listener and a great makeshift flight recorder. My only wish is for the next group to experience our tale and what we have accomplished to get this far. And now,.....this is Virgilio Samo III A.K.A. Chito2500....signing off for the last time. Do take care, my friend. You will forever be in my memories.

Your Best Friend,

Virgilio Samo III