EXP2: FILES UPLOAD

OBJECT & LEVELS FOLDERS: http://www.mediafire.com/?9zeqrsjzg4ikg58

GOOGLE 3D WAREHOUSE: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=1e44a8afb7b04ab8fbc29a08d8504592

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=92b402d1bb3fc0dafbc29a08d8504592

THE POROSITY LENS: WHAT WE DESIRE FROM SPACES

THE POROSITY LENS: WHAT WE DESIRE FROM SPACES

Architecture can be considered to be the art of creating space. All spaces are delegated specific rolls which are defined by how they are used. It can then be derived that architecture provides a desired service. The nature of this service is defined by the architecture's users, they essentially construct the spaces. It is then architectures responsibility to fulfil its users desires in a manner that will facilitate the reconstruction of spaces within it. Understanding the basic desires of users (as well as their behaviour, needs, & wants) through data collection and interpretation will allow for the evaluation of an architecture's spaces. Knowing how long users spend in a particular space, how they circulate within an architecture (and between spaces), how they interact with others, and whether it fulfills their criteria can potentially influence how a design is considered; greatly simplifying the designers role when envisioning how a building should be used and making the building more effective/efficient in fulfilling its roll. 



REFERENCES

"[Cederic] Price believed that architecture was a service, that it should enable its users to recondition it in relation to their needs and criteria. He also believed that the delaying of spatial decisions in an ever-changing world was vitally important." Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 10
http://designmuseum.org/design/cedric-price

Conversation Theory:- "[Gordon] Pask believed that out knowledge of the world is conditioned by the conversation we have with it and with others. In relation to architecture, the process and re-evaluation that a designer adopts is a second-order cybernetics conversation. Once we understand the process we instigate when designing, it follows that we should then ask whether it is possible to create an architecture machine that might then help us to design" Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Pask
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversation_Theory

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT: INTRODUCTION TO THE FLOWGRAPH EDITOR

I had a very difficult time gaining a greater understanding of the Sandbox2 Flowgraph Editor between EXP1 & EXP2. I found that creating graphs required a certain mindset which was not helped by my lack of understanding of the Flowgraph Editor. Although a considerable amount of writing information exists on the Flowgraph Editor (including within official documentation) almost no visual tutorials explain the basics. Being a visual learner I found it very difficult to grasp what certain aspects within the Flowgraph Editor did and consequently spent a large portion of the time this semester figuring out what things did through trial and error. Small things like attaching Graphs to Entities instead of creating them separately took me a very long time to figure out. It is for this reason I chose to create a video tutorial that expanded on the basics & of course gave a visual presentation of the topic. Although Russel’s tutorial about Moving Entities does touch on some basics of the Flowgraph Editor I felt that more was necessary to give a better understanding for users to understand how to use the editor correctly. If this tutorial was available to me at the beginning of semester I would have been able to move along more quickly and produce more complex graphs earlier. I’ve included a number of links below which demonstrate the lack of video material on this topic. Using a variety of simple key words I search for tutorial and the flowgraph editor; my tutorial appears in all of them.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=introduction%20to%20flowgraphs%20sandbox%202&search=Search&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&spell=1

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=introduction+flowgraph&aq=f

http://www.youtube.com/results?

search_query=introduction%20crysis%20flowgraph&search=Search&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&spell=1

LINKS FOR BEGINNERS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0-zhMaecxQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXcpobiKITQ
http://www.youtube.com/user/crymodportal#p/u
http://www.veoh.com/collection/officialSB2Tuts/watch/v6576568ReByyHfw
http://maxedgaming.com/tutorials/kb_categorie.php?id=10&sid=1595b26d0d9935f4772ba10fcfb1c36d

RECOMMENDED TUTORIALS
http://www.veoh.com/group/officialSB2Tuts
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/gaming/watch/v17308205SRsWdN2E
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=012680904516827000516:u4rw893h9vc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ9u9NxSyBA

REFERENCES
http://doc.crymod.com/SandboxManual/
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Creating_a_Flowgraph
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Guide
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Nodes
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Tips_and_Tricks
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Sample_Flowgraph
http://www.crymod.com/thread.php?postid=507997#post507997

EXP2: THE RIGHT CONTRAST

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g

EXP2: THE RIGHT TUNE

I am preforming only a initial investigation into the meaning of porosity in the built environment and I want the soundtrack to be reflective of this. For this reason I am looking to choose a tune that is perpetual in its composition without any significant developments. The music videos below are a short-list of the tunes I have identified to have (or partially have) this quality.
a)

"birds" (pleix) from pleix on Vimeo.
b)

A Growing Pile of Work from Siggi Eggertsson on Vimeo.
c)

Hecq Vs Exillion - Spheres Of Fury from Tim.Chris.Film on Vimeo.
d)

Huoratron - $$ Troopers from New Judas on Vimeo.
e)

f)

g

EXP 2: A SIMPLE SWITCH

HOW TO INSTALL THE FLOWGRAPH PLUGIN SYSTEM (FGPS) FOR CRYSIS SANDBOX2

I've created this quick tutorial for people in BENV2423 who are having trouble installing the FGPS. It is a little bit of a process and can get a little confusing if you don't know what you are doing, so give yourself plenty of time to read the instructions and any accompanying documentation.

This is a quick tutorial and I may have made mistakes, if something doesn't make sense then leave a comment and I'll try to fix it up soon!

1. Download the newest version of the FGPS for your whatever version of Crysis you are using (either plain Crysis or Crysis Wars). I'm using Crysis Wars (this is what we are using in BENV2423) so I will be downloading and installing the Crysis Wars FGPS v1.1.0.5

Main FGPS Page: http://www.crymod.com/thread.php?postid=507997#post507997

Crysis Wars FGPS v1.1.0.5 Page: http://crymod.com/filebase.php?fileid=3402

2. Once you have downloaded the file double click it to begin installation. Remember, take your time to read everything on screen to make sure it makes sense! There is no point rushing into this and installing the FGPS in the wrong place! 

3. Firstly, tell the installer where your Mods folder is located. My Mods folder is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis Wars\Mods but this might be different for you so double check.

The installer will then ask you in what sub-folder it should install. Since this is the first time we are installing the FGPS we fill create a new folder by completing the Mod Name box. Name it something useful that makes sense to you like FlowgraphPluginSystem or FGPSMOD. I've chosen to use FlowgraphPlginSystem for this example.

It will then ask you if it should create a folder with the name you chose, click Yes. 

If you are happy with everything Click install.

4. The next step is to navigate to where you have installed the FGPS, for me this is C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis Wars\Mods\FlowgraphPluginSystem

At this point I recommend you have a read of the accompanying help file which is called Help.html. It will help you understand more about the FGPS.

Once you have had a flick through the help files you can set up the Flowgraph Plugins. Flowgraph plugins are kept as .dll files. Flowgraph Plugins that come with the FGPS are held in the FGPlugins folder, this is merely a storage location and does not mean they are installed. To install any Flowgraph plugin you need to copy it into either the Bin32 or Bin64 (depending on what the plugin specifies) folder.

5. In the FGPlugins folder you will find the plugins which come with the FGPS. There are two versions of each, one is Bin32 and the other is Bin64. I'm going to copy both from the FGPlugins folder into the coresponding Bin folder in the root of the FGPS installation.

Also not that each plugin has its own readme file which I also recommend you read.

6. Copy all the plugins from the FGPlugin\Bin64 folder

7. Navigate to the Bin64 folder in the FGPS installation root.

8. And Paste them in. You have now installed the Bin64 plugins. Repeat steps 6 to 8 for the Bin32 folder if necessary.

9. You now need to make the Mod launch when you start the Sandbox Editor. To do this you need a shortcut to the Sandbox Editor on your desktop, you can make one by clicking Start > searching for Sandbox > Right-clicking to bring up the menu > selecting Send to > Desktop (create shortcut)

10. Now Right-Click the shortcut on your desktop and select Properties. You now need to add a condition that launches the Mod when you click the shortcut. This is done by typing -mod FlowgraphPliginSystem (Where FlowgrapghPluginSystem refers to the name  you gave the mod). Be sure to leave one spacebar space before -mod. So as an example my Target is: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis Wars\Bin64\Editor.exe" -mod FlowgraphPluginSystem


Click Ok

11. You're done! Now launch Sandbox using the shortcut you just created and you should have a bunch of new nodes in your Flowgraph Editor!

EXP2: COMMUNICATING SCALE & SIGNIFICANCE

a

What is interesting about the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is the usage of blocks to represent pages of the Talmud (a central text of mainstream Judaism).


"According to Eisenman's project text, the stelae are designed to produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere, and the whole sculpture aims to represent a supposedly ordered system that has lost touch with human reason."


What is interesting is how these blocks are used to induce emotions within the space. They communicate a  message as a group but do not make that much sense on there own. 

c

d

HOW TO MAKE A CUSTOM ARCHETYPE IN SANDBOX2

Yesterday I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out how to create a custom architype so I could spawn it using the SpawnArchitype node included in the flowgraph plugin system. As it turns out it is a ridiculously simple process and I've compiled this quick tutorial for anyone else who wants to do something similar.

Step 1: Open the Database View Pane by going View > Open View Pane > Database View OR you can click the Database View button (DB) straight from the main Sandbox2 window

Step 2: Once the Database View is up stay on the default Entity Library tab. Add a new library by clicking the Add Library button and then giving it a useful name like Custom_Archetypes OR My_Archetypes

Step 3: Now click the Add New Item button on the right-hand side of the drop down menu. The Select Entity Class window will appear, select BasicEntity by going Scripts > Entities > Physics > BasicEntity

Step 4: Give the new entity a useful name and group (although giving it a group is not necessary, this is more so to keep things organised). Click OK

 Step 5: Select the entity you have just created and click on the open new model in the class properties. Select the model you wish to use.

Step 6: You're done! Now use the BasicEntity name in the Entity:SpawnArchetype node- in this example this called Custom_Architypes.Boxes.Box01 (with Archetype spelt wrong)

http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Entity_Library_View

http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Archetype_Entity

http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Sandbox_ParticleEditor

WEEK4: FLOWGRAPH - ATTACH EMITTER & MATERIAL OPACITY

Following the flowgraph image and demonstration from the lecture create two flowgraphs of your own; one that attaches an entity to your avatar and one that alters the opacity of an entity in response to your avatar.

ATTACH EMITTER

http://www.filefront.com/17379010/Crysis_Sandbox2_SpawnParticelEffect_flowgraph.xml

MATERIAL OPACITY

http://www.filefront.com/17379004/Crysis_Sandbox2_EntityOpacity_flowgraph.xml


Both the above image from lecture, Exp2 Week4 (TRACE + REPRESENTATION) - http://www.russelllowe.com/benv2423_2010/experiment2/reference/Lecture09_TraceAndRepresentation2010.pdf 

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT: UNDERSTANDING THE FLOWGRAPH EDITOR

I am not a programmer, this is why I found the Sandbox2 Flowgraph editor a little hard to get my head around. The procedural programming thinking required to use the Flowgraph editor can be a little difficult to understand at first. Having to understand the Flowgraph editor itself at the same time didn't simplify the learning process for me. In fact, I'm still having trouble understanding the basics (like when is it best to assign a flowgraph to a entity or just create a general flowgraph!?). Something that has come to my attention is that no reasonable video tutorial exists to  cover the basics of the flowgraph editor. Although information regarding the topic is available on the internet, it is in various sources and not sometimes a bit difficult to follow.

Therefore for the Research Assignment I intend to cover the basics of the flowgraph editor, how to best configure the flowgraph editor, what it can be used for and explain some basic nodes and how to use them to create useful flowgraphs. I will then explain the best sources to learn more about the flowgraph editor.

Tutorial Topics:
a) Features of the Flowgraph editor
b) How to create a Flowgraph
c) Basic Nodes
d) Understanding the logic behind flowgraphs


Research Result
http://doc.crymod.com/SandboxManual/frames.html?frmname=topic&frmfile=index.html
http://doc.crymod.com/SandboxManual/frames.html?frmname=topic&frmfile=FlowgraphWindow.html
http://doc.crymod.com/SandboxManual/frames.html?frmname=topic&frmfile=FlowgraphNodeComposition.html

http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Guide
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Creating_a_Flowgraph
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Tips_and_Tricks
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Sample_Flowgraph
http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Nodes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m52WBBNwx9U

EXP2: PREFAB ARCHITECTURE

In my experiment I will be spawning architectural space that somehow relates to how the space is being used. Although purely a study of how space is utilized and not a proposition to construct the spawned forms, I still think it is necessary to have an understanding of how prefab architecture works. The spawned architecture will purely reflect data but still needs to function to a degree as real architecture.

EXP2: A POROSITY LENS

Architecture can be considered to be the art of creating space. All spaces are delegated specific rolls which are defined by how they are used. It can then be derived that architecture provides a desired service. The nature of this service is defined by the architecture's users, they essentially construct the spaces. It is then architectures responsibility to deal with its users in a manner that will facilitate the reconstruction of spaces within it. Understanding the desires of users (their behaviour, needs, & wants) through data collection and interpretation will allow for the evaluation of an architecture's spaces. Knowing how long users spend in a particular space, how they circulate within an architecture (and between spaces), how they interact with others, and whether it fulfills their criteria can potentially influence how a design is considered; greatly simplifying the designers role when envisioning how a building should be used and making the building more effective/efficient in fulfilling its roll.

My intention then for Experiment 2 is to perform an initial investigation into how people interact within spaces and challenge some basic desires people require from a space. I then intend move on and use the notion of architecture being derived from how it is used to create an architecture that directly reflects how a user is using a space. I will achieve this by spawning a prefab architecture that directly reflects how long the user had spent in that space; the bigger the spawned architecture, the more time was spent in the space within it. I aim to reflect on how certain spaces are used differently by having different type of architecture spawn when different actions are performed. The premise is to demonstrate the potential of visualising the information that can be derived from performing such an investigation and its ability to assess the effectiveness of a building in serving its purpose.

REFERENCES

"[Cederic] Price believed that architecture was a service, that it should enable its users to recondition it in relation to their needs and criteria. He also believed that the delaying of spatial decisions in an ever-changing world was vitally important." Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 10
http://designmuseum.org/design/cedric-price

Conversation Theory:- "[Gordon] Pask believed that out knowledge of the world is conditioned by the conversation we have with it and with others. In relation to architecture, the process and re-evaluation that a designer adopts is a second-order cybernetics conversation. Once we understand the process we instigate when designing, it follows that we should then ask whether it is possible to create an architecture machine that might then help us to design" Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Pask
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversation_Theory

EXP2: DEVELOPING SCENARIO EXPERIMENTS

Confined Space – Interactions with people in a confined space. IDEA: People will move away when you stand too long next to them

Flowing through Space – A ‘river’ of people is challenged and the invasion of peoples personal space met with disruption of the flow

Funnelled Space – the funnelling of a group of people through a constraint and how this compromises personal space: personal space indicators

Un-funnelled Space - a ‘concentrated stream of people are observe to dissolve into a unconstrained space and the effect on peoples invaded personal space.

Un-funnelled Space:  Increasing division through devices- the implementation of “V” dividers to separate the crowd more accurately.

The desire of interaction:  the player is placed in a studio of people and the desire for interaction is challenged as everyone who is approached faces away from the player

The desire of interaction is contrasted against people directly interacting with each other as a direct cause of particular architecture device. 

Understanding through perspective: Challenge how the viewer perceives an environment by varying between various depth of views. 

EXP2: RELEVANCE TO CYBERNETICS

A developing understanding of Cybernetics in Architecture, key concepts and ideas. 

"[Cederic] Price believed that architecture was a service, that it should enable its users to recondition it in relation to their needs and criteria. He also believed that the delaying of spatial decisions in an ever-changing world was vitally important." Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedric_Price
http://designmuseum.org/design/cedric-price

Conversation Theory:- "[Gordon] Pask believed that out knowledge of the world is conditioned by the conversation we have with it and with others. In relation to architecture, the process and re-evaluation that a designer adopts is a second-order cybernetics conversation. Once we understand the process we instigate when designing, it follows that we should then ask whether it is possible to create an architecture machine that might then help us to design" Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Pask
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversation_Theory

Cybernetics in architecture also relates to other notions, including: the creation of evolutionary architecture that achieves in the built environment the symbiotic behaviour and metabolic balance that are characteristic of the natural environment, the construction of building elements that have the ability to respond to data streams in real time, the utilization of algorithms to generate architecture- in a sense 'breding' the forms achieved. 

"All manner of data can be collected, transmitted and relocated, and this data can be used to create animated surfaces withinstructures while also forming the fundamental building blocks of buildings. Therefore the old typologies of buildingshave become corrupt and blurred. Without the rapid evolution of the computer and its ways of processing and keeping check on large amounts of data, none of there new projects would be possible." Neil Spiller, Digital Architecture Now- A Global Survey of Emerging Talent, p. 13

EXP2: TESTING 3D SHADER (Image:FilterGrain)

FilterGrain = 7

FilterGrain = 13

FilterGrain = 7



FilterGrain = 13

USING THE 3D SHADER TO HIGHLIGHT ARCHITECTURE - The Satellite City Towers by Luis Barragán

EXP2: WHAT GOOD 3D VIDEO LOOKS LIKE

KM3D-1 from Highsnobiety on Vimeo.

EXP2: MOVEMENT THROUGH SPACE VERSUS TIME SPENT IN PLACE

"Static No.12 (seek stillness in movement), which takes as its subject the slow and graceful movements a man he filmed randomly taking tai chi exercise in a Shanghai park. Crooks’ study of this gentle martial art is a meditation on the movements themselves, and the sequence of tai chi forms appears and disappears in a molten assemblage of attenuated body parts. The body’s movement spreads horizontally across the frame and the viewer is astonishingly privy to the entire span of the practitioner’s compelling routine, all at once, compressed into single moments and expanded across time." http://www.bos17.com/biennale/artist/25



http://danielcrooks.com/

WEE9: SKETCH

a

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e

EXP 2: THE 3D PICTURE

As part of my developing brief I am considering making exp2 completely 3D. This would not be a meaningless exercise as my intent is to further comment on how peoples interactions are influenced by architecture. I want the viewer to be conscious that what I am commenting on directly relates to them. Using a 3D shader within Crysis to emulate a 3D environment will hopefully allow me separate certain elements from others and highlight element that are closer than others.

With help from Russel I have been able to successfully install Xzero's zStereoscopic 3D (Red & Cyan) Shader and I've quickly outlined how I did this below:

1. Download the Shader: First you need to download the type of Stereoscopic Shader you wish to use. You have a choice between Red/Cyan, Amber/Blue, and Green/Magenta; which one you choose really depends on which type of 3D glasses you have laying around the house, check out the wikipedia page here. Like I said I used the Red/Cyan shader which I've reuploaded unzipped to filefront as the original .pak file.

Jeremy's Red/Cyan Re-Upload: http://www.filefront.com/17325188/ZStereoscopic3D.pak

You can also download it and the other shaders from Xzero's original upload which I've provided direct links to below:

Xzero's Red/Cyan Original Upload: http://crymod.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=71889

Xzero's Amber/Blue Original Upload: http://crymod.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=71890

Xzero's Green/Magenta Original Upload: http://crymod.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=71891

2. After downloading your desired shader you need to get the .pak file (which you will need to unzip if you downloaded Xzero's oringinal upload) and place it in your Game directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\Crytek\Crysis Wars\Game).

3. Once the ZStereoscopic3D.pak shader is in the Game Folder you need to load up your level in the sandbox editor and create a  Flow Graph by clicking View > Open View Panel > Flow Graph. Once the Flow Graph Editor is open click File > New

4. Then create the following two nodes by right clicking on the gray space

a)  Misc > Start

b)  Image > FilterGrain

5. Change the FilterGrain settings to Enabled and set an Amount to 13 (although Xzero suggests that anything between 5 & 10 works well). Once you have done this create the following Flow Graph: 

6. Your done! All you need to do now is get into the game and check it out, don't forget to put on your glasses! I'll try to upload a video in the next few days but here are some still captures for now:

Source: http://crymod.com/thread.php?threadid=58566&threadview=0&hilight=&hilightuser=0&page=18

WEEK8: MASTERY OF THE NODES

Entity:GetPos


Scaling Archetype according to how long the player has remained stationary. For every 10 seconds the height is increase by the original height of Archetype (i.e. 20 seconds = 2 times as high). Spawning only occurs when the player moves away from the postion where they have remained at for more than 10 seconds.

AI:AIGoTo

'

MOVEMENT:ROTATEENTITYTO

EXP2: REFRENCE TEXTS

http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/unsworks:1616#datastreamsView

WEEK8: A DEVELOPING BRIEF

CONCEPTUALISING:  How people interact with each other and how architecture can support and influence these interactions. Specifically how architecture 'deals' with people and how this impacts on the personal space of people. People define the spaces of architecture just as much as architecture defines how people use a space. That is to say, architecture must consider how people 'use' any particular space: how people interact needs to be part of that consideration. Particularly the concept of 'personal space' since this is a basic human desire. The proximity to others needs to be factored into even the simplest of designs; there is no point of having a corridor which requires its users to 'squeeze' past each other.

HYPOTHESIS: Architecture has the potential to influence how people interact within a space. A space should respond to how it is used, the greater the usage the more adapted it should become.

WEEK8: S.W.O.T ANALYSIS

WEEK7: THREE CHOSEN NODES

AI: EXECUTE

Entity:EntitiesInRange 

Entity:EntityPos

Entity:GetPos


Scaling Archetype according to how long the player has remained stationary. For every 10 seconds the height is increase by the original height of Archetype (i.e. 20 seconds = 2 times as high). Spawning only occurs when the player moves away from the postion where they have remained at for more than 10 seconds.

AI:AIGoTo

'