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Geek Culture / Game Development on Macs?

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 01:47
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Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if anybody knew anything on the subject of game development for Macs? The reason I ask is that I am becoming a Windows-to-Mac convert and am going to purchase a 13" MacBook Pro in the not-too-distant-future, mainly for video editing. I'm not that into game development, but I would be interested in creating games for the Mac (doesn't matter if they're 2D or 3D).

Please bear in mind that this isn't a 'ZOMG ur switchin 2 mac? n00b!!1!' thread, I'm just asking a question. I do still love Windows and look forward to using 7 later on, but for now I want Snow Leopard on that shiny MacBook.

Thanks!

-Yodaman Jer

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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 01:56
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XCode and Objective-C for developing on the Mac. You can use C and C++ code but Objective-C is preferred. The OS X APIs are supposed to be pretty "elegant" whatever that means. Probably nothing.

Some alternate languages are available such as GLBasic or (maybe, unsure) Blitz.

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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 01:57 Edited at: 14th Sep 2009 01:57
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Your Honor... I'll quote the Darkbasic FAQ:
Quote: "Question:

Do you have a version of this program for the Macintosh?

Answer:

Sorry, but no. None of our products are available for the Mac."


I rest my case.

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BearCDP
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 02:10
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Hi Yodaman, I switched to Mac from Windows last year and found myself asking the same question. I'm still using DB products on a bootcamp partition because I'm already familiar with them.

However, I've tried to learn Objective-C and Xcode. However, I personally find Xcode to just be a tad awkward to work with. So rather than write Mac-native code I moved over to java, and found this great engine: http://jmonkeyengine.com/

It's a little more work setting up a scene than in DB--you actually construct a "scene graph". But in doing so it allows for easy grouping. For example, take your root scene node add a node called "boxes". Make and add a box to this node, then clone it several times and position them in the world. Now, you can apply a single "render state" (texture + shader effects and other rendering settings) to the node and it will affect all those boxes.

Another alternative would be to use Python and Carnegie Mellon's Panda3d engine. I haven't used this myself (or Python at all) but great things are said about it, and it's apparently documented very well.

The added bonus of using python or java, of course, is that your games will run on OS X, Windows, and Linux. Also I believe if you fiddle around with it you can also get jMonkeyEngine working for Java ME--so if you have a phone with a relatively open OS you can make a cell phone game. And, java manages memory FOR you, something I have to keep remembering as I play around with C++ and DarkGDK

If you decide to go Java, I highly recommend NetBeans IDE.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 03:17
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Thanks everyone!

I'll definitely be checking out Monkey Engine, that sounds really intriguing and promising. I'll also check out the thing with Python.

@NeX:

Yes, there's an application called BlitzMax that allows users on all platforms to make 2D games. So if I ever wanted to make 2D games, I could use that. Me thinks I shall check into it.

-Yodaman Jer

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Slow Programmer
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 03:21
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I am trying out the Unity engine trial on my mini and am pretty happy with it so far.

http://unity3d.com/unity/
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Inspire
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 03:55
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http://http://www.klinksoftware.com/http://www.klinksoftware.com/

Try Dim3. It's pretty nice. The screenshots are kind of outdated, much more can be done in it.

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 05:39
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Quote: "mainly for video editing."

Why? You can video edit just as well, if not better, on a PC than on a mac. I know.
I'm going to be graduating next month with my degree in video and 3d editing. I've used macs and PCs for A/V stuff, and I can honestly say that, from my experience, PC's are better for this task.
I assuming that you're getting a mac to us Final Cut? (There's no PC PC version) It is VERY similar to Adobe Premier, and, IMO Premier is easier to use and is a bit more intuitive.
</my 2 cents>

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BearCDP
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 06:26 Edited at: 14th Sep 2009 06:28
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Quote: "I assuming that you're getting a mac to us Final Cut? (There's no PC PC version) It is VERY similar to Adobe Premier, and, IMO Premier is easier to use and is a bit more intuitive."


To each his own, I'm no video guy. But, I know that from the audio side of things, I found Soundtrack Pro to be very easy to work with when doing a school project that required me to reconstruct a 5 minute portion of the entire sound track (effects, different music, dialogue, etc.). Also, the sheer number of plugins that come with Logic Studio are rivaled only by the insane amount of generators and synths that come with Fruity Loops. I've got a copy of Pro Tools 7.4, which of course is the cleanest for a quick and quality recording, but I wasn't willing to buy the PT 8 upgrade and then a bunch of plugins when I could get Logic Studio 8 academic for the same price. I've also used Sonar in the past, and found it a little awkward.
</Mac Love>

Ooh, also, Torque will work with Xcode and GNU C++ if you're down for some C++ and TorqueScript. I got an email from them a few weeks ago showing off their new engine, and while pricy, looks substantially better than the old Torque. They appear to be catering to the "need a budget engine that's almost as good as Source or Unreal 3" market.
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monotonic
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 13:57 Edited at: 14th Sep 2009 14:02
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Get the C4 Engine, it's a freakin awesome engine that can run on Mac, PC and PS3. I bought that engine a few months ago and I haven't regretted it even for a second, amazing rendering capabilities, fantastic editor and great engine functionality plus it's always being updated with new features.

http://www.terathon.com

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 14:08
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ZOMG YOU'RE SWITCHING TO A MAC!!!!11111oneoneone

Nowt wrong with it. Personal preferences and all that, if you'd prefer a Mac, that's entirely up to you.


Unity3D, as already suggested is a good engine - I played with the 30-day (I recommend downloading) and it is a very well designed engine and easy to get the hang of - follow the Lerpz Tutorial first, as it is a really good in depth and practical tutorial - it really helps you get started.


Torque is another, but I've got a copy of Torque Game Engine 1.4.2 and it's a good engine, but it ain't easy to use. If it's a "on-the-side" thing as your post suggests, then you're perhaps not willing to spend hours learning the ins and out of Torque.

Irrlicht and Ogre are supposed to work with XCode, so if you would rather program your own engine from the ground up, rather than using toos like Unity or Torque, then they might be more your thing, the bonus is that both are open-source and free.

Quote: "Yes, there's an application called BlitzMax that allows users on all platforms to make 2D games. So if I ever wanted to make 2D games, I could use that. Me thinks I shall check into it."


It also lets you work in OpenGL as well, so there are some 3D plugins available for BlitzMax that utilize OpenGL, I am fairly sure Leadwerks can be used in BlitzMax, but I am unsure as to whether or not it'll be compatible with the Mac version of BlitzMax.

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monotonic
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 14:24
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Quote: "I am fairly sure Leadwerks can be used in BlitzMax, but I am unsure as to whether or not it'll be compatible with the Mac version of BlitzMax."


Apparently Josh is working on cross platform compatibility for the LWE.

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 20:25
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@Omega:

While the main purpose for me switching to Mac does revolve a bit around its video editing capabilities (Final Cut Express), I'm also switching because I like it better than Windows. Don't get me wrong, I still love Windows and look forward to using 7 later on (I might dual-boot it with OS X Snow Leopard), but I know I would be happier with Macs in the long run.

@Seppuku:

I definitely want to develop games on the side, as a hobby. I"ll definitely be checking into 3D plugins for BlitzMax and see if there are any for the Mac. If there isn't, no big deal, I'll just make the graphics in the 2D games prettier.

@Inspire:

I'll check into Dim3 as well, that looks pretty darned good.

Thanks everyone! You're really helping me out here.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 14th Sep 2009 20:32
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meh, to each his own, I suppose.
BTW Yodaman, are you planning to go to college/going to college for video-editing-film-making kinda thing?

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 01:17
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Quote: "Yodaman, are you planning to go to college/going to college for video-editing-film-making kinda thing?"


Most likely. I still have a year of High School left, so we'll see what happens there, but I'd love to go to college for video editing and such. I was just thinking that I'd love to be an editor for a TV show of some sort, even if it was only local. Basically, I just want to be an editor, with some knowledge of graphics work and special effects, and 3D modeling/animation.

And maybe I'll get a side degree in web development, as I still like to 'program' a bit.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 05:11
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Im at PTI till October 13th, and I'm already a editor at a local TV station. (Internship ) PTI is an awesome school, and it gets you pretty much what you just described in the multimedia course.
the first year, you take intro classes to both web/interactive and video/3d core stuff. The start of the second year, you pick between web/interactive or video/3d, and then you focus on that.
Most colleges are 70% general education, 30% core classes. PTI is the other way around, and all two years. They set up your internship for you, ad they have guaranteed job placement right out of graduation.
They also have the highest accreditation a school can get, and offer free refresher courses every six months.
</shameless plug.>
But yeah, its a great school, and I loved learning about video stuff. So, Yodaman, if you dont mind moving 8 hours or so from home, go to PTI!

I have a devious mind.
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BearCDP
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 05:32 Edited at: 15th Sep 2009 05:33
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@Seppuku
Did you ever get anywhere with Torque 1.4.2? Looking back, I'm feeling like I spent all that money and got very little value out of it. Especially now that GG has their big, sexy new engine out with better documentation.
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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 10:58 Edited at: 15th Sep 2009 11:03
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Not really, I started a few projects with it - like a Zelda Fan Game and Viking Game, but my main problem was I was using the resources on the website and certain engine editing features like melee I found impossible to get working - though it worked once, then stopped working when I recompiled the scripts.

Also, I want 1.4 back, rather than 1.4.2 because on my old computer and this computer, if I create water and I move close to it, it just disappears. I never figured out why. It was a good engine, but I've never properly sat down and worked out the mechanics of it - I've got a nice thick book on it in my room, though it's for a dated version (1.2). So, my next investment in 3D engines will be Unity3D, I was impressed by the demo and the scripting I found to be a lot more comfortable - I even kicked out a rather crappy RPG demo, but it was cool. But at the moment, I'm just doing 2D stuff instead.

But judging from the fact that some universities teach Torque as part of their curriculum I imagine it's something you'd need training for and that's something that's not easy to pick up via tutorials...then arguably the first year students at our Uni who took the Game Dev course were learning XNA, (and Unreal for the second year) and that's not too difficult to get the hang of and it has decent enough content to get started with.

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 20:17
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@Omega:

How much is intuition at PTI? It certainly sounds very intriguing, and I could talk my parents into sending me there...perhaps. Depends on the intuition costs.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 20:32 Edited at: 15th Sep 2009 20:33
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umm.. you mean tuition. Intuituon is kind of like a 6th sense kinda thing...
But for me, PTI was actually very (relatively) cheap. I got tons of grants and funding.
My tuition for this quarter, (04/22/2009 TO 10/13/2009) is $8,650, plus $232 for books and supplies. However, this is my final quarter here, and I only have one class (taken twoce a week) and my intership, as opposed to the normal 4 classes, each taken twice a week. With all my funding, I only owe $0.48 for this quarter!

Tuition will depend on a few different things, like your grades, family income, that kind of thing.

PTI also has brand-spankin-new on campus housing, and these places are NICE! I live at home, simply because it is easier for me, but the new housing buildings, (just finished being built in july) are literally less than a minutes walk from the main school building.
PTI also has a brand new, $65,000 AV studio, with comlete greenscreen room, High-def P2 media cameras, sound-proof sound booths, professional lighting equipment, the works!
IMO (and the opinion of just about everyone who goes here, lol), PTI is an AWESOME school.
*waves hand like a Jedi*
You WILL go here...

EDIT:
linky
Also, my admitions coordinator was Mmark Stotts, great guy. Ask for him, and tell him his old buddy John Wetzel sent ya.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 20:36
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Quote: "umm.. you mean tuition. Intuituon is kind of like a 6th sense kinda thing..."

I don't know how I got those two confuzzled...lol.

Thanks for the link! I'll definitely have to run this by my parents and some other peoples.

*bookmarks link*

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 20:37
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no problem.

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Jeku
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 21:10
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@Omega - Do you have samples of your work online? Internships are great but you'd probably need a portfolio as well to get a job in that industry, no?


Senior Web Developer - Nokia
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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 15th Sep 2009 21:15 Edited at: 15th Sep 2009 21:15
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@Jeku. I do, but the site is under constrcution.
The sample pieces are there, but the site looks like crap.
Also, PTI has GAUANTEED Job placement, right out of graduation!
The one class I have this qaurter is, in fact, portfolio developement. I have to have my site fixed up by next week anyway, so Ill post a link here later.

EDIT:
Lol I seriously highjacked this thread, without even meaning to. Even the MODS are off topic!

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 00:55
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@Omega:

No worries man, you were giving useful information to help a guy like me out. I really appreciate it!

Okay, so out of curiosity I just built a Dell Inspiron 15 laptop with a lot better specs than the cheapest MacBook Pro ($1,200) and it only costs $944. It has 3 GBs of RAM, 2.40 GHz processor, Vista Home Premium (with a free upgrade to 7 when it comes out), a 160 GB Hard Drive, a 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 graphics card, 9-cell battery (more power!), and a bigger screen, all for only $944! That's a lot better value in my opinion. Granted it means I can't run Final Cut Express, but I can find software. The only other thing I'm concerned about is a FireWire port; the camera I want to purchase transfers footage via FireWire, and I don't know if Dell offers those on their laptops. Is there a way I can put one in, or is there maybe a FireWire-to-USB converter that one could use?

And for those of you wondering...

I will still switch to Mac eventually, but I just can't afford it right now. I can't even really afford this setup until I get a job (hopefully within the next couple of weeks). That, and Omega had some valid points about PCs.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 01:00 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 01:08
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GET A BIGGER HARD DRIVE.
TRUST ME.
Raw video footage is BIG. I have a 100GB portable hard drive COMPLETELY FILLED by footage from ONE SHOOT.
Its roughly a half hour of footage, and it was transferred from HD P2 Media cameras, but still. 160 GB will NOT last in the world of video editing.

Also, what type of processor is that? A 2.4 GHz Dual core isn't bad for low level editing, but if you want to go high def or use a lot of processor intensive effects, you'll want either a higher speed, or preferably, a quad core. Or both.

EDIT: In addition, if you are serious about video editing, dont get a laptop unless you already have a decent desktop to use an editing station.
While laptops are nice, they just dont match up to what desktops can do. Besides, its quite difficult to edit video on the go anyway. If you're on the bus, in the car, what have you, you'll find it difficult to do accurate edits with the vehicle bumping you around, plus, video editing eats up battery life faster than a lot of stuff.
I use my laptop for light graphical work, (titles, adding in text, etc...) but all my serious editing is done on my home machine.
My home machine has a 2.83 GHz Quad core, 6.5 GB or RAM, a 1GB NVidia Geforce 9500 GT, and a 500GB SATA HDD, a 1TB SATA HDD, and a 160 GB IDE HDD that I connected through an adapter.
The 160 GB is almost totally full of winrar archives of all my shcool projects, and only three of these contian any serious video.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 01:06 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 01:08
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It's an Intel 2.40 GHz processor at 1066Mhz/3MB L2 cache (best processor Dell offers for this laptop).

I'll definitely be getting a bigger hard drive, fo' sho. I have a 250GB external drive that I plan to use for this as well, and I was thinking about purchasing a 1TB drive in the near future.

As for HDV editing, I plan to be doing a lot of that in the future, but not AVCHD...until everybody has a DVD player that supports that format (unless you can convert it from its raw format into a compatible one, but still retain the hi-def quality?). Of course, I'd need a 3.0GHz processor for that, which Dell doesn't offer for this laptop...but nonetheless, I'll look into it. Maybe the Inspiron 17 will be a better deal...I'll look and see real quick.

EDIT: No room for another desktop in my house, and the current setup is less powerful than the Dell Inspiron...so even this will be an upgrade, lol.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 01:09
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Quote: "It's an Intel 2.40 GHz processor at 1066Mhz/3MB L2 cache"

But is it a dual core or a quad core.

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 01:17 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 01:20
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Dual-core.

I found something better, and it ain't hardly any more expensive!

It's the Dell Studio 15, and here's the Specs (attached image).

As you can see, it's a LOT more powerful, with 3 GBs of RAM, a 2.8GHz Intel Core Duo processor clocked at 1066MHz/6MB cache, a better video card, better OS (will be better when it turns into 7), and just a lot better. It also has a FireWire port (1394 port)!

And it's all for only $1,074. Much better specs and a lot cheaper than the MacBook Pro.

-Yodaman Jer

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Jeku
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 02:20
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Quote: "Also, PTI has GAUANTEED Job placement, right out of graduation!"


I wouldn't trust any school or institution that claims that, and this is speaking from personal experience. I was screwed over 10 years ago by an art school in so many ways. I'm not saying PTI isn't great, but those statements are impossible to guarantee (IMHO).


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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 02:26
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@Yodaman: Nice. Much better processor, but what about the Hard drive?
@Jeku: I was skeptical too, at first. But PTI has delivered on all its other promises, so I have no reason not to trust them.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 03:08 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 03:15
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It has a 250 GB Hard Drive, so that's 90% more room than the standard 160GB.

For video editing software, I was considering Vegas Pro 9. It's $600, so it's a bit cheaper than the Adobe Creative Suite. What do you think?

EDIT:

Found the same laptop at Best Buy for only $750! The processor speed is reduced to 2.1GHz, but it's definitely a dual-core, which technically means it would be 4.2GHz speed, doesn't it?

It has a 320GB drive, a slightly better resolution (1440x900), and offers a free upgrade to 7 when it comes out. Link.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 05:45
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Quote: "The processor speed is reduced to 2.1GHz, but it's definitely a dual-core, which technically means it would be 4.2GHz speed, doesn't it?"

not quite.
First off, the GHz rating is for each core, but you dont ad the cores together for total speed.
Second, a 2.1Ghz dual core is NOT very good for video editing. When I bought my machine, it came with a 2.2 GHz dual core, and it seemed to be ok. THEN I upgraded my CPU to a 2.83 GHz Quad core. The difference is night and day.
If you are serious about editing, especially HD editing, and you dont want to tear your eye out from frustration, a 2.1 GHz dual core is simply not good enough. I would recommend at LEAST a 2.6 Ghz for a dual core, and at least a 2.2 GHz for a quad. But TRUST ME, a quad is well worth the price. Heck, you MAY even want to go for broke and get a Core-i7!
But AGAIN, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING FOR A DESKTOP, NOT A LAPTOP.
read my post, 6 posts up.

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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 05:53
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I wish I could, I really do, but I really don't have enough room for another desktop in this house...my brother and I share a small room and can't possibly hold a computer in there, unless I got an iMac...and even then the TV that is in there would have to go and it would need to reside in the closet. I'm not joking! It's why my only option is to really get a laptop...although, I suppose if I found a small desktop and a super-flat screen, and put it underneath the set of bunk-beds it could work...then I wouldn't have to get an iMac even though it saves space...I'll just have to think about it.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 05:59 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 06:00
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How long until you leave for college? Because, honestly, your best option may actually be to wait until you have room for a desktop. As a rule, a laptop, no matter how awesome, will simply never be as good as a comparable desktop for video editing.

EDIT: Also, as far as editing software goes, I'd recommend Adobe Premier and Adobe After Effects. That's what PTI uses, so if you do go to PTI, you'll HAVE to use them.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 07:48 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 09:27
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I've no choice, I simply have to get a laptop. I tried to figure out how to fit a desktop in my room, but there's no way, and it definitely can't go anywhere else in the house. So, I have to get laptop and make use of it, no matter what. I admit it may not be as powerful as I want it to be, but it will still be more powerful than the current setup I'm using and that's all I really need for now. Someday I'll have a house in which a desktop will fit!

EDIT:

If I can talk my parents into it, I might be able to fit this computer in my room. Only downside is, it doesn't have a FireWire/1394 port! I've been looking for a FireWire to USB adapter, but can't find one anywhere that isn't a card.

So I have another question...

If I used an AVCHD camera, could I convert the raw footage into a friendlier format, such as .AVI that plays on every DVD player while still retaining some of the higher quality?

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:13
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That Desktop isnt half bad. And FYI, the only reason I was suggesting so strongly that you wait and get a desktop, is that It'd be foolish to spend all your money on a laptop that would be unsuitable for your needs, then have to go out and spend more money on a desktop for proper editing.
As for AVCHD footage, if your editing software supports it, you can certainly export/render it as an .AVI, .WMV, .MOV, or whatever.

Do you have a sample of AVCHD footage you can send to me? if you do, I can test it in both Adobe Premier and FinalCut.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:15 Edited at: 16th Sep 2009 22:16
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My brother and I tried and tried to figure out a way to get another desktop in our house. The only way we could see actually doing that is either we replace the one I'm using now that really has no other purpose than accessing the web (and it's a huge computer, takes up a lot of space on the desk), and VERY light gaming. If I replaced it with the Studio Slim PC, then it could be feasible, but I'd have to convince my parents to let me do it...it would actually end up being great because there would be more desk space and another LCD monitor that my dad could use for the computer he uses (which uses a huge 17" CRT monitor).

And if we got a wireless mouse and keyboard, my brother and I could replace the TV in our room with the computer monitor and stick the PC where the DVD player and GameCube currently reside. We could still watch movies through the computer, but as for playing GC games, well, I'd need to find an adapter for that. The Studio Slim doesn't have an S-Video port, so could I still plug the GameCube into the computer via other means? If not we'll have to sacrifice the GameCube... Or replace the other computer in the house entirely. Those are our only options.


EDIT:
No, I don't have any AVCHD footage. I don't have a Hi-Def camera yet, but I want to know if I should plan on HDV or AVCHD.

-Yodaman Jer

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:21
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Quote: "The only way we could see actually doing that is either we replace the one I'm using now that really has no other purpose than accessing the web (and it's a huge computer, takes up a lot of space on the desk), and VERY light gaming."


*epic, EPIC facepalm*
So whats the problem with doing that? I would suggest you do that anyway! I mean, if the current machine isnt good for much other than web access, I'd get rid of for a new machine right away.

Also, HOW big is big? what are the dimensions of the tower? And are you using a big, old-fashioned monitor, or a flat screen?

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:29
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Quote: "...if the current machine isnt good for much other than web access, I'd get rid of for a new machine right away."


Yeah, I know, I've just got to convince my parents to let me do just that. They're good listeners though and understand my needs, so I don't see why they wouldn't let me. We'll see.

Quote: "HOW big is big?"

The height of the desktop tower is 17.5", width is 6.8", and depth is 18.2", and this is all on a *small* desk (width is 2'8"). The monitor is a flat-panel so it doesn't take up much space, but the computer tower has to be on the edge up against the wall.

I think I'll definitely try to convince them to let me put the Studio Slim on here.

-Yodaman Jer

Click, it's a funny video!
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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:39
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After some digging around, I've concluded that you will have a pretty hard time finding a USB to firewire adapter. Your best bet is to get a machine with a firewire port built in, or install a simple interface card on a machine that doesn't.

Also, I would recommend getting a more traditional system, not that one-touch thing. From what I can tell, it would be much easier to upgrade/add on to a traditional machine than a touch screen machine like that one. If you're current machine is 17.5" by 6.8" by 18.2", you should easily be able to fit a decent editing machine in its place.

I have a devious mind.
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Yodaman Jer
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Posted: 16th Sep 2009 22:56
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Thanks for your help and advice Omega. I'll start seeing what I can do...I still need to check a few things out and try and convince my parents of a few things. *sigh* Who knows what will happen?

-Yodaman Jer

Click, it's a funny video!
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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 21st Sep 2009 05:42
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Hey sorry to bump this thread from a few days of inactivity, but I remembered that Jeku had asked about me having an online portfolio. I've got the basic site set up with some of my work, and I didn't really feel that it warranted its own thread.
John Wetzel Media
So that's my site so far. I've yet to get my feedback from my instructors, but I feel happy with it.
Anyone wanna critique my site/work?
*Raises flame shield, braces for impact*

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Phaelax
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Posted: 21st Sep 2009 08:20
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Quote: "If you decide to go Java, I highly recommend NetBeans IDE. "

I used Netbeans also, and while I do believe its much easier to work with, Eclipse is a much more efficient IDE. Netbeans is a memory hog.

Omega, I had a look at your website (needs a little work and some IE fixes) and also saw your resume. I think you should create a functional resume considering the small work history of which most is unrelated to your pursued field of study. Your college should have a career advisor that can help you build a resume.

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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 21st Sep 2009 17:17
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Quote: "Your college should have a career advisor that can help you build a resume."

We do. That is my final resume and has already been approved by the career services department.
But what do you mean a "functional" resume? Whats wrong with it? I can't change the fact that I only have a small work history.
Also, thanks for the heads up about the EI fixes. Hadn't gotten to checking that yet. I've only checked in FF so far.

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Jeku
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Posted: 21st Sep 2009 21:21
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Yah it's really tough finding your first "real" job that is outside of fast food and movie theatres. Once you have been working for 10 or so years you can remove things like Wendy's from your list (which you definitely should if you are applying to work in video editing).


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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 22nd Sep 2009 01:06
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lol yeah. I'll be getting rid of the wendys and such as soon as I can. But we had to put something down.
Anything to say about my work though?

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Jeku
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Posted: 22nd Sep 2009 03:31 Edited at: 22nd Sep 2009 03:31
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Well, you've posted the trailers before, from what I remember. I still think they don't have the "feel" of a real trailer. If you watch some real movie trailers they almost always have a narrator, for one thing. Also the flying word sentences that accompany the trailers appear for too long and look too amateurish. If I remember correctly you wouldn't take any constructive criticism from the trailers before because apparently your teacher thought they were great.


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Omega gamer 89
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Posted: 22nd Sep 2009 04:07 Edited at: 22nd Sep 2009 04:08
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Actually, I dont recall ever posting these trailers. I DID post a different trailer for "I am Legend" a while back.
It wasn't that I "wouldn't take constructive criticism". I merely disagreed with the criticism I received. I listened to what people had to say, evaluated it, and came to the conclusion that I did not agree with the criticism. It wasn't even because my teacher thought they were good. I had only said that I was more inclined to put stock in what he, a professional video editor, said. As opposed to someone without film industry experience and a degree in the field.
As for having a narrator, I think that's getting just a bit less common.
There are pieces that aren't trailers there, too. Any feedback on the kinetic typography or the promo commercial?

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Phaelax
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Posted: 22nd Sep 2009 05:05
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Quote: "But what do you mean a "functional" resume?"


A functional resume focuses on your skills rather than simply a chronological work history.

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