FOLDER LINKS

Crysis Level -
http://www.mediafire.com/?zd1yw2wb9uwu7n2

Objects File -
http://www.mediafire.com/?8970dp23dqt79rd

Skectup File -
http://www.mediafire.com/?atd1klpx1q4sd5y


 

EXPERIMENT 2 - Final Submission

ABSTRACT

My final Analytics Engine will come in a form of 3 influential categories which are; Windmill - Sustainable Energy, Scale - Environment and the Dwelling.

I have chosen these categories as they can be used to feed any raw data influenced by the current environmental factors effecting the world. Each platform enables a user to determine raw data in an interesting real time environment and demonstrates the benefits of visual representations of data.

*Please note due to pachube feed being frozen I have taken the xml data and manipulated it for effectiveness.

Structure of Engine

• Satelite - Live feed from pachube will enter the satellite situated above and a laser conduit will be seen as the first sign in activating the analytics engine.
• Main Platform - generator underneath will transform the data and feed it through each staging arena.

FINAL VIDEO OUTPUT

Credits:

- Medium - 

Crysis Sandbox2

Sketchup

- Music - 

Magic Fountain - Art vs Science 

- Video Editing - 

Sony Vagas

Fraps

Any Video Converter

Adobe After Effects

Images

Final Flowgraph Image

Tutorial Video and 500 words

TUTORIAL: Glow entity based on XML input

My chosen tutorial will be based on 'glowing entity triggered by data taken from an XML document'.

From my experience there is one lesson on changing material parameters in Crysis, created by Vinh in his step ladder tutorial. The one I have created will expand on those ideas and help those up and coming students or enthusiasts to apply this strategy in a number of ways.

Linking from my experience in Experiment 1 and 2 would involve a combination of changing material glow or opacity with the use of a Boolean node, activating its corresponding material based on a true or false value. Inadvertently, this unique strategy was heavily used for my main concept in Experiment 1 and succeeded in providing an informative visual installment. In Experiment 2,  we delve further into the flowgraph technique in utilizing an external live feed from the web and transforming its raw data into an interactive visual display. So I thought why not combine the two?

Image - Material Editor with corresponding parameters

As you can see from the image above, the parameters that set each entity can be manipulated in a number of ways. Whether increasing glow, changing its shader, opacity, or diffuse colour, or even its material has a major advantage in a much larger and diverse application.

The format in introducing this change will amalgamate a node called String:SetString...see below image.

The example image above depicts values entering a Boolean node Math:less, either true or false output with the connecting action to trigger the node String:SetString. In each of the string node lies the edited material. 

In conclusion, I believe this technique is unique and has a number of advantages in applying to various possibilities within Crysis Sanbox2......I have showed you only one in this tutorial.

WK 4 - 3 X 30 second clips of Flowgraph Analysis

I wanted to illustrate 3 distinct and different visualisations of raw data allowing anyone to understand it in three different  perspectives.

PART1 - Sustainable Energy

In this part of the analysis i wanted to depict speed of rotation dependent on numerical values.....the higher the value the faster the rotation and vise verse. See images of flowgraph below for further information.

Full Windmill flowgraph - xml nodes taken from pachube enters at intervals into logic-Demultiplexer and spits them out to the corresponding entity via its rotate trigger.

Closeup of windmill nodes

PART 2 - The Environment

 

 Initially I wanted to use MoveEntityTo node based on the z axis but had a minor altercation with sandbox not agreeing with me, so I have left it to scale at z axis instead. I think it would be beneficial to understand for those who have no crysis background or experience.

Full flowgraph of Scale Entity - utilising the same format as previous but triggering the scale of each entity. Note also Math:Mul = 0.5 node has been introduced to reduce by 50% of values entering for a more effective delivery of entities on screen.

Closeup Flowgralph of Scale Entity.

 PART 3 - The Dwelling

This part of the installation links in with the SWOT Analysis of my chosen pachube feed. The analysis utilises an automatic rotating roof that opens and close dependent on values, and subsequent glow (natural light) and artificial lights to reflect.

Closeup Flowgraph - Roof segment utilises similar nodes as previous. Xml values are fed in to Vec3:ToVec3 at x axis which will ultimately lead in rotating the roof to open. Initial position of entity is important so I have added a Vec3:AddVec3 to add the x value with the current position of each entity. Lights/Glow Switch correspond with the roof. i.e. If the value is high, roof will open at corresponding angle and material will glow....note i have added time:delays. If roof is closed due to no values entering then internal lights turn on and glow turns off. Math:Less also introduced to trigger lights if value is less than 1.

Added Research

I found this video showing the benefits of utilising infographics in a presentation. The video captures the essence of infographics in displaying raw data in a way anyone can understand. Their format is effective with the use of bright colours, animated in sequence of delivery to educate the viewer and possibly solicit a response.

WK3 - Infographics and Brief of Analytics Engine

Image above represents 3 indicators in association between environmental effects with landscape, wind turbines acting as alternative source of power and a single dwelling signifying an end user energy usage or requirements. My concept would utilise these indicators in a similar fashion and represent Xml outputs towards 3 similar indicators.

Simple yet effective infographics used to illustrate a time line of technological advancements in products of the  Apple corporation. Understanding raw data requires a simple strategy to represent it, so I may utilise this technique.

In this infographic the links are obvious in representing the savings of solar energy. My concept will show the link in a form of an energy source which will introduce the xml code into the engine and activating each corresponding markers.

Brief

1. Developing Link.

My understanding with linking the chosen pachube feed with the flowgraph technique previously done would probably look into introducing xml live feeds that is saved within the mods folder, and then imported into a custom analytics engine in crysis that would translate it into a real-time visual representation in a form of scenarios or effects.

2. Analytics Engine Brief.

My idea in creating an analytics engine to visualize raw data will come in the form of 2/3 indicators. These are light (natural & artificial) and a dwelling incorporating an automated roof that opens and close dependent on the requirement of the sun's light. The dwelling will also be sectioned cut for viewer demonstration and visualization effect.

Breakdown of strategy:

•  Crysis Level - I will be developing a level that is dark in texture and at night. This will allow a more flexible delivery of light to be introduced into the spectrum.
• Arena - A stationed platform hovering above a lake will be the base of the representation of my analytic s engine. Three indicators will lie adjacent to one another.
• Avatar - When local player is in game there will be a separate platform intermittently illuminated in the distance encouraging the avatar to enter its platform. Once entered, a trigger will initiate a series of light shows transiting to the stationed platform finally activating the analytics engine.

Although this is in its conceptual stage, it may change along the way with tweaking of ideas to improve due to trial and error. I am still undecided on how to add the historic values of the feed....either i go vertical, horizontal or even something totally unorthodox is not known yet. 

WK2 - XML Flowgraph

Video below will show the Flowgraph for WK2 in action. It clearly demonstrates how the flowgraph can capture distance traveled between local player and the entity, and integrating xml document to open and save the total distance traveled with a press of a button.

Flowgraph Images:

Close up images: