Epic Post

Well, it has been a long time since I last posted anything on this blog, and because people discontinued to read it, I decided to make a new post. I will start by saying that my promiced guide on taking apart a Wii will come. For now, I will start by showing everyone an old IBM 98 that a friend gave me:

It definitly looks old. Lets take a look at the back.

Nothing here that's not to be expected. Lets pop the cover off and take a peek.

Looks like any other motherboard. Four PCI slots. Look at that cool white thing by the heat sink.

A 400w Hipro power supply.

Closer Look at the motherboard, and the Intel graphics card

Two 64 mb sticks of old memory

CPU:       Intel Pentium 3 330mhz

Graphics: Intel Onboard

Power:    Hipro 400w

RAM:     128mb

HDD:      4GB  (Large Drive, bigger than 512 mb)

Oh yes, and an IR port!

   

      I thought it was pretty cool. In fact, I got another one that was Windows 98, but it wasn't IBM and was much more powerful. I had fun playing some old games such as the original Myst and Riven, which I would highly reccomend.

Speaking of Myst and Riven, I finally decided to go to GOG (Good Old Games) which has lots of great old games. The ones I have purchased are Riven, RealMYST, Flatout, and Neverwinter Nights Diamond. (You also get Teenagent, Lure of the Temptress, and Beneath a Steel Sky free for just joining.) None of the games are over $9.99, and they even have sales every weekend for 50% off if you buy everything from the publisher or 30% off each game seperately. And the best part is that it is DRM free! So you can install it on any of your computers with no limits! (For some reason, you can get The Witcher 2 on GOG when it is released.)

Other than the games mentioned above, I also got a couple more games. After beating Flatout, I decided to get the third one, Flatout Ultimate Carnage. I was amazed. The game is beautiful, it has more races, more variety, more modes, more cars and more minigames, and Windows Live. The other game I got is Fuel, but I need more RAM than 2 GB for it to run. So sometime I am going to get 8gb ddr3 ram, and that should take care of my problem.

One final thing, I created a movie poster/cover for a mix between Chessmaster 9000 and Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith.

I find it epic.

Comprehendable Post

Well, I'm not in town, so I don't have my computer. Or my video games. Or my trumpet. Or my pottery. Yes, I don't have much, but I do have beautiful scenery. And internet access. On my last post, many people mentioned that it was hard to understand except for the pictures. So I decided  to rewrite that post in English:

I just got computer parts that make my computer look cool and make my games look good.

That's it. That is pretty much what I was trying to say. Anyway, I ran a program (3Dmark 05) that tests how well the graphics card (The part in a computer that makes games and movies work) performs in games (computer programs for the amusment of the user). It did well. I also got an internal (inside of the computer) fan (spnning blades that keep things cool). I also got a case (what the guts of the computer stays in). Now that I clarified all that, I need to go because people in line are getting mad.

Card, Fan, and Case

Over the course of the last week, my ATI Sapphire Radeon 4670 ddr3 1GB graphics card came. And my Azza Orion 200 case. And my Thermaltake Blue LED fan. In other words, it was a good week overall. I tested my graphics card with 3D Mark 05 and I was amazed. It ran very smoothly, unlike my ATI 200 series that came with the motherboard, which had come with it. The fan looks great, it looks like a mist. The case is great, however, my motherboard had been custom built for my machine, but is was so cramped in the case that I finally decided to build a computer over an Xbox 360. This means that I need to buy a new motherboard. So I haven't quite decided, but I will soon. This temporarily puts my project on hold.Now for the pictures:

WooHoo!

The back of it

Pull out a box, opeded it

Thee actual card

The card in my horribly cramped old pc

The fan

The fan on

Good or Bad News?

Well, hello folks. Today I read that Halo Reach will be the last Halo game developed by Bungie. This quote from Dan Ryckert of Game Informer sums it up:
"With the Halo franchise out of Bungie's hands after Reach launches in September, the studio intends on going out with a bang. While you'll assuredly see more Spartans and Covenant gracing the Xbox for years to come, the developer that turned the series into a phenomenom will no longer be at the helm.... For those faithful to the original developer behind the game, Reach is the last hurrah as we've known it."

Well, that is bad mixed in with the good. The good part is that there is still Reach. The bad news is that Bungie Studios won't be developing Halo anymore. I look forward to see what else Bungie makes, I'm sure that it will be a great game, but still not Halo.



That was the debut trailer.

Well, I finally decided to get a gaming computer, and my budget was around US$200. My Amazon wish list is here. I have already gotten the case and the card. Click here to see it. As you can see, it doesn't have all of the required components, although it might by the time you read this. I will also probably put together a guide for making a computer. Anyways, sorry for the short post; Amazon shipped my order today, so i'm getting anxious.

InvisiWeb and Taking Apart a Wii

Last night I went to work on InvisiWeb and found that I couldn't find it. So, I decided to do what anyone would do and rewrite it from scratch. I compiled and published InvisiWeb: Version. 0.0.0.1 . It can be found Here (0.0.0.1). If this works, please email me! It has worked in the debugger but not when I actually run it. You can also get the first version Here.  I'm sorry that this is so short, but I should have a guide on taking apart the Wii soon.

Programs

Well, I just began programming in Visual Basic again and have created a new program. This took about an hour to make. It is basically a calcualtor. Download version 1.0.0.1 here. Another, simpler program that I wrote is InvisiWeb, which is a basic web browser, except that it's see-through (hence the name InvisiWeb). I don't currently have a stable build, but here is a screenshot of it:

I think that it is awesome, but it looks even better when you are actually running it. I will try to have a stable version soon, I use InvisiWeb when I want a change for a day. In fact, I am actually using the unstable build to write this post.

 I'm sorry for this being so short, but I am currently working on a guide to disassemble the Wii. Enjoy the calculator!

Taking Apart A Nintendo DS

After taking apart two Nintendo controllers, it felt nessecary to take apart a Nintendo system. I was working on another one, but wasn't finished. I decided to work with the Nintendo DS. Again, most anyone should be able to do this, but it will be easier with some experience.

Taking it Apart

Step 1

First,  remove the screws on the back of the DS with a Tri-wing screwdriver. There are three, with a few underneath rubber. Then remove the battery cover and battery. Unscrew the 2-3 screws underneath. Then slowly remove the back cover. It may stick, but don't force it, and slowly maneuver it until it pops open.

One screw remains

Then remove the two or three screws on the back and slowly remove the circuit board.

Step  2

Peace in the DS

Here is an interesting touch: Peace Symbols! Instead of the standard two of three connectors, the engineers decided to put peace symbols. It is an interesting touch; similar to microchip manufacturers putting their company logo microscopically on the chip.

Step 3

Next, remove the rubber and unscrew four screws on the top of the front of the Nintendo DS. This gives access to the top screen and speakers. Slowly pry open the screen with a flathead screwdriver.

Step 4

Remove the screen by slowly  pushing it away from the shell. Be careful as the section on the bottom will stick. It may sound like you broke it, but you probably didn't if you were careful and used common sense.

And that's it! Keep reading to find out special instructions when putting it back together.

Putting it Together

When putting anything together, especially a piece of precision electronics, be sure of three things:

1. That you are gentle

2. That you make sure that everything fits together

3. That you DO NOT FORCE ANYTHING.

If you follow those rules, you should be good for the DS if you look back. However, putting something together is very different from taking something apart, and the DS is no exception. There 

are a few things you need to be careful of on the DS:

1

1. Be sure that the screen, speakers, and board are in the correct way. The speakers should fit nicely into the slots; be careful because there is a plastic ring that the speakers rest upon. The board should fit right below the left speaker. The screen should be firmly in place.

2. The buttons should be put, face down, into the case so that the tabs on the side fit into where they should. Then the three rubber pieces should be put onto the buttons with the black facing up; the Start and Select buttons should also have rubber that fits over the pieces.

3. Be sure that all screws are screwed firmly, but not grindingly, tight. Also be sure that the circuit board is in place.

You are now finished! Whether you took it apart to paint the case or just to see the insides, you now know how to open up a Nintendo DS. Continue reading for an eye-catching change that doesn't require any internal modification.

A Simple but Eye-catching Mod

This is simple, but cool. All you need is tape.

To do this, don't screw on the top of the DS. That's pretty much it. You should tape down the speakers as you can see in the picture. This is garunteed to turn heads. The reason I figured this out was because I was modifying the top, but still wanted the DS to be functional. The one problem is that the screen is unprotected, and so be sure to protect your DS from sharp hits or falls. (You shouldn't be hitting it anyway. Even if you die on Bowser.)

Disclaimer: This guide may be reused, but please include my name and this blog's website (artmusicvg.blogspot.com) visibly near the top of the guide. This disclaimer shouldn't be reprinted, please write your own. It would also be nice to email me and let me know. Anything you try is at your own risk, but it shouldn't break if you follow the guide.  Thank You!

Questions, problems, or just want to tell me something? Email me at artmusicvg@gmail.com

Taking Apart Nintendo Controllers

Today we are going to take apart two Nintendo Controllers: The Gamecube controller and the Wii remote.
We will start with the Gamecube controller:

Step 1

Unscrew the screws on the back with a tri-wing screwdriver. This is like a phillips screwdriver but with three wings instead of the usual +. These can be purchased off of Amazon for $5, it is worth it.

There are six screws on the back of the controller. Be sure to put them in a bucket so you don't lose them. (This isn't as important for controllers instead of handhealds, but it is still a good habit to be in.)

Step 2

Slowly pry off the back. Be sure to note where the Z button is, it can be a little bit tricky when putting it back together (if you do).

Step3

You have now opened up the controller! Notice the large motor in the center of the controller. This is the Rumble feature. When we open up the Wii remote there will be quite a difference...

NOTE: There are two white switches next to the Rumble motor, when putting the controller back together be sure that they are pushed toward the wire.

Take the circuit board out of the plastic case. Examine it. Notice how the circuit board is (in this case) white, whick is an odd colour for a board.

And there you go! Sorry about the image quality. To put it back together, follow the steps in reverse. Be careful about the L and R white switches and the Z button.











The Gamecube controller is the most straightforward Nintendo product to take apart. Now, we are going to look at the Wii Remote.
Wii Remote

Step 1

The Wii remote is easy to take apart, but putting it back together is a little bit more complicated. To begin, take out the batteries and any extension controllers. Then unscrew four screws in the battery compartment. Next, slowly pry the area near the B button open.

Step 2

You will end up with this, unless you kept the buttons in the outer shell.

Step 3

Slowly remove the circuit board. DO NOT FORCE IT. It may stick a little, but that's okay. You are now finished! If you look below the white rubber in the picture, you can see the Rumble motor. Quite a difference from the Gamecube controller.

How the buttons should go on the shell

Now, putting it back together is a little bit more challenging, but only a little bit. Anybody with any experience will be done before they finish reading this, but it is important that you do this right if you are inexperienced. Put the buttons in the shell so that they fit into the slots and don't turn. Also, remember to put the speaker so it fits and that the plastic thing is on the four LED squares..  Then put on the rubber in the exact way shown, this is very important. When you are finished, put the circuit board in exactally as you found it. Then put the two parts together, and screw.




Voila! You just took apart and put back together a Gamecube controller and a Wii remote, and they still work!

Art+Video Games

In this post, I would like to talk about whether video games are an art form. Because this question is so deep, we'll start at the basics: a video game always starts as art. For example, here is one of the early drawings from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64:
Beginning of the Adventure

Here we can see that this is art, it is hard to deny that this beautiful watercolour painting is art. This is how most video games start, as art. The question now is whether they continue to be art along the way. Anyways, after all of the concept art is finished, the story is also written. Many people describe written works as art. Now, it is true that many video games don't have a story, the point is to blow the heads off of incoming aliens. But if we look closely, an increasing number of video games have the story as a central part of the game. For example, let's look an Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. This game revolves around the story, as Solid Snake gets old and his body starts to wear down. (The entire story is somewhat complicated, and would take an entire post to describe, so I suggest looking it up online.) In fact, to thoroughly tell the story, the game contained two full hours of video. In fact, the game could arguably be made into a movie using mainly videos on the blu-ray. This is another example of video games as art.






Back to concept art. This here is concept art for MGS4:
Old Snake
This is also art. So MGS4 started as art, and the story is art. But does the final output qualify as art? Here are a few screens of the final result:
A Metal Gear
A Salute to the Fallen
Battlezone Barricade


These shots are beautiful. The second picture looks like a real photograph. It's a shame that I cant show these in full 1080i HD, but they look amazing. This is art.

Although many do not believe that video games are art, some definitly are, such as MGS4. The fact that producers are beginning to make their video games art is comforting, knowing that video games are more than shooting everything that moves.

Hmm...

Well, hello again. The reason that I haven't been posting in a while is because (a) I have had lots of stuff to do, (b) I haven't done much stuff regarding art or music, and (c) I have more intrests than just art and music. So I created a blog elitevg.blogspot.com. Go check it out, I think that I might be doing more on it.

Today I woke up early and ran down the stairs and grabbed the old horn. I went downstairs and started playting a few notes. I hadn't played it in a while, and it didn't sound great. I then decided to start practicing more. After some video games I went to the piano and did some improvisation. The file can be found here. This piece was created using mostly Bb, C, D, and Eb. I also used some of the nots below Bb as chord backings. This gives an interesting effect, as seenhere . In this example, I change from a C chord to a Em chord to an A ₇. It starts out with a happy feel, but quickly deteriorates into a sad key.

Well, that's all for now, I am very busy.

Welcome

Welcome to this blog. This blog is where i post random art and music pieces that I or others have created. Usually, I will also go into detail about specific elements of the piece. Because this is my first post, I don't know if I will be able to put anything on today, but I may edit the post later. Sorry about this first post being so short, but expect longer posts soon.

EDIT: Here is the FOX NFL theme that I revamped and composed. Enjoy.
Click Here For MIDI Version
If you want, or if your computer does not support MIDI (Most computers do), then you can listen to the Mp3 Version. Please note that this version has lower quality instruments, and I feel that it does not sound as good as the MIDI version.

I did this song in Anvil Studio, the free version. It is a great MIDI composer, and I use it to write the final drafts of most of my songs. The rough drafts I do on the piano, of course. The main thing I don't use Anvil Studio for is improvisation. That I do on the trumpet or on the piano. You can click on a recording of an improvisation I did a few weeks back Here. Unfortunatly, I don't have the MIDI version, but the Mp3 version is very high quality.

I am now attempting to upload the file; it will be uploaded by the time you read this. The computer that I am using is slow today, it has taken almost 10 minutes to upload a 14 MB file. While you're here, you might as well go to my sister's blog, as she gave me the idea for a blog. Well, that wraps up the first post (didn't I say it would be short?!). Stick around, follow my blog. Adios.

Note: If you are having trouble playing the audio file, try refreshing the page. Please note that it can take up to about 10 seconds for the file to load.