Bilbao By Dusk

After the press launch we went for an awesome lunch and then we took a ride up the funicular tramway to a high point  and overlooked the city as the sunset. Somebody let me have a go with a real camera and here is a selection of my shots of Bilbao in the dusk....

 

 

Metro Installation

Today we installed the exhibition in the Casco Riejo Metro station which involved hanging the 12 large panels on the tunnel walls. we also quickly inflated the photosphere which will be there for the opening  tomorrow (9th Dec) morning. There will also be a press conference. Here are some pictures taken on my phone, there will be some nice PR shots tomorrow.

 

 

Friday in Bilbao

Went down in to the City yesterday to Bilbao Arté (thats the art centre you know) where we were to meet a van with 12 2.5x1 metre prints. They soon arrived in a van and we hurriedly offloaded them so that Bilbao's traffic flow wasn't too impeded. After struggling up 2 flights of stairs we unwrapped them and they were carefully scrutinized by people with eyes that work.
It seemed all was not well. There were bubbles, bands, wrong colors and I suspect, other more mysterious anomalies all of which were to the obvious displeasure of Matt and Janire. A phone call followed and if you have never heard an angry Spanish woman on the phone let me tell you; it makes a humming birds wing beats seem positively slow. Rapide!
Still, there was fun to be had on Matts new bike on the way home.

Divine Comedy

Well what a mission that was. I left Newport at 10.30 on Wednesday morning on a national express (without a jolly hostess) and from there it all went downhill. The driver announced over his magic microphone that the diesel gauge wasn't working and, even though he thought there would be enough fuel, he wanted to make absolutely sure so we would be stopping at the garage to fill up. This took 20 minutes. My connection in London was 15 minutes after this bus was due to arrive - which the driver informed me - I should never have been booked on because the company always allow 40 minutes for a connection. But it wasn't all bad. The guy opposite me had clearly been a master of deception at some time in his life because I didn't notice him drinking - or even that he was drunk - until he got his old boy out and started urinating where he sat!
I moved to a different seat.
When we were off the motorway he moved to the pavement.
So I got to Victoria Station and caught the A6 national express to Stansted airport. At this point I still had an outside chance of making my flight - that is until we turned out of the bus station. From there on all the way out of London and on the M25 the traffic was a nightmare.
So I got off at the airport and asked when the next flight to Bilbao was. At 17.15 I was told - tomorrow!
Great. Now I had to work out what to do for 24 hours. After some investigating I found that there was a Holiday Inn on the airport, but at £69 a night I thought **** that. So my friend Matt sorted it for me to stay with his parents in Colchester, about an hour away. So I checked out the buses from Stansted. Guess what - National Express! So I asked the guy in the national express office what time the next bus to Colchester was. "8 pm, bay 28" he informed me. I thanked him and went to find a seat for 2/12 hours. I made it to bay 28 in good time and waited for my bus. And waited. And waited a bit longer. I then went into the office again to ask where the 8 o'clock bus to Colchester was. The new monkey behind the desk informed that it had left at 8pm. I was of course perplexed by this and explained my state of bewilderment to the monkey who told me between bananas that I should have been at bay 22. I now had to wait until 9pm. I manged to get the 9pm bus and I'm glad to say that Matts Dad was waiting at the station for me and drove me back to his house where I was far more comfortable than I would have been in a £69 a night Holiday Inn room. Apart from walking a mile in the rain with all my luggage to catch the bus this morning, the rest of today went very well - mainly because I was sure to arrive 2 hours earliy for everything!
Anyway, I'm happy to say that i am writing this from the Ghosts in Armour residence in Bilbao. And I recommend National Express for all your budget journeys.
Adios.

Balloon Bass and Box

I'm really not one of these thats trawls TYoutube all day long watching funny/weird/wacky/cool videos and sending links to everyone via every possible form of social media but.....

This is cool honestly

Beautiful Flash 3D

This is just so nice. I'm not going to say anymore. Just go look for yourself

Cubo Realidad Aumentada

Hola Amigos!

I am in Bilbao, Spain on the last day of the Jetlag BIO festival. If you didn't already know we are here to run an Interactive Augmented Reality stand that is a kind of information point for festival goers. I will write a more detailed post with pictures soon but for now you can go to urbanreaction.org, click on "interact" and follow the instructions to have a play with the "Augmented Reality Cube" or as I like to call it "Cubo Realidad Aumentada".

Interactive Flame Thrower

Just for fun, a little bit of experimentation and a bit of insomnia. I've never used Flash's ability to read microphone input so I thought I would check it out. Its actually quite limited in terms of accessing the raw data (although there is an online petition to get Adobe to allow access to raw mic data, and some cool stuff here). All you need to do is blow at your microphone and make flames!
Try it for yourself

Javascript/Flash mp3 Player

I was recently asked if I could make a Flash mp3 player that was controlled with Javascript. Obviously my first question was why on earth would you want (or need) to do that? The answer I got was perfectly understandable. To have the ability to integrate the Flash element seamlessly into HTML content. In other words the links would be normal HTML links that when clicked played the song in the Flash player. Of course this also has the benefit of streamed content speeds, the user doesn't have to download anything. Flash's ExternalInterface class is the key to this solution, it makes linking from ActionScript to Javascript a piece of cake.
Here's an example. The white pixel in the top left corner of the grey panel is the the Flash content (it's white to show you can see it).

Sometimes I surprise myself....

I am working on my portfolio/website at the moment, in between other things, and since I'm only putting my email address on my contact page for now, I thought it needed something to fill the space. I had an idea to use my business cards since they hold my contact details and I had thought of using Papervision3D and making an interactive card that flips over etc. but came up with the idea you see above. I'm really pleased with the way it came out so I'm sticking with it for now (I surprise myself because I'm generally really bad at graphics).

Flash Developer available for work...

Well I'm still looking for a job but in the mean time if you need any Flash work done, whether its a website, image gallery, template - anything Flash related, let me know. I can also offer web related services including HTML, CSS, PHP and MySQL.

SoundMixer.computeSpectrum + Timeline Audio

I am posting this little Flash ActionScript hint here in case somebody googles the same problem...

When a sound is embedded directly in the timeline of a Flash movie as opposed to being loaded dynamically, using the SoundMixer.computeSpectrum() method doesn't work. Well, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. I had a working sound visualiser when I went to bed last night, and this morning I didn't. No changes to the code at all.
After a lot of googling I found this post by Jason Van Cleave on the [Flashcoders] mailing list. Thanks Jason!

Basically you have to load in an mp3 of silence, assign it to a channel and play it. Then your spectrum analyzer will work with your intended sound/music.

I know - its weird!

I also found loads of posts about how it is not a true spectrum analyser yadder, yadder which were quite interesting. If you like that kind of thing...

[CODE]
// Strange silent mp3 hack
var s:Sound = new Sound(new URLRequest("2sec.mp3"));
var channel:SoundChannel = new SoundChannel();
channel = s.play();

var ba:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
var g:Graphics = this.graphics;
addEventListener(Event.ENTER_FRAME, loop);

function loop(e:Event):void
{

SoundMixer.computeSpectrum(ba, true, 4);
g.clear();
g.lineStyle(3, 0xFFFFFF, 1);
g.beginFill(0xC11226);
g.moveTo(0, 250);

for(var i:uint=0; i<256; i++)
{
var num:Number = -ba.readFloat() * 500;
g.drawRect(i*2, 250, 2, num/15);
}

}

[CODE]

FLAR Adaptive Threshold

FLAR-What? I hear you ask.

It simply means that FLAR Augmented Reality now works in varied and (more importantly) variable lighting conditions. Which means great news for us when we go to Jetlag BIO in september!

Eric Socolofsky is the guy behind this fantastic addition to the world of FLAR (though not the inventor as it were). Read more at his blog

Back from Bilbao

Hey it's been a while amigos!

So I just (two weeks ago!) got back from my first expedition to Bilbao and I gotta say - "I ****kin love that place!" Not just Bilbao, the area in general. It was carnival season when I was there and every weekend a different town had a carnival with loads of live music so i was in Spanish heaven!
The last day was the most fun, we went to Vueltas San Juan Y San Pedro in Najera. The idea is to dance around the town all day drinking and throwing wine over everybody! Awesome! There is a video below so you can get an idea. It's a lot more fun than it looks believe me!



There are loads of musicians with saxaphones, trumpets and drums and Free wine. Woo hoo!

We also did some serious research while we were in Bilbao but thats for another post maybe....

Adios amigos!

Out Of The Other Side

Phew! My degree is officially finished! And I got a first so I'm stoked!
So you would think I would have some time on my hands - no way! I'm as busy as ever!

We (Ghosts in Armour) have got the Jetlag gig in Bilbao in October. Woot! Jetlag Bio is a very cool Participatory Arts Festival that is held for three days and boasts among other very talented exhibitors/participants The Graffiti research Lab. If you haven't seen their work check it out here - its very cool. We will be doing a kind of interactive augmented reality installation. More about that in a later post.

My website is now live www.gordoneverett.co.uk but far from finished. It also has some augmented reality on it - click on my business card and check it out (you will need to print out a card).

I'm really excited about another project I'm working on but unfortunately I can't blog about it just yet. Suffice it to say it could be a very successful and lucrative endeavour...

Multitouch Sphere

jBolton over at nuigroup is working on this Multitouch sphere and he's doing pretty well considering. When I get some time I think I'll make one....

Twmbarlwm Two

Amazing views...

The top!


So this time I did it! I got to the top! You have to do a bit of carrying to get your bike up there as well but its worth it for the amazing views and the sense of achievement. Coming down is fun too. Oh, and I got a new bike (again) and its sooooo much better than the last one.For instance it didn't break.

Vote For Mr Squidling!

Mr Squidling - Augmented Reality Demo from Gordon Everett on Vimeo.
So I entered the Augmented reality contest over at the Papervision3D forum. You can see my entry here. You need to have a webcam on your monitor that you can point down at your desk just in front of your keyboard. Then you need to print out the special marker (link provided on the page) and follow the instructions.

Voting starts tomorrow!

How Green Is My Valley?

What a lovely place Wales is. This was taken from halfway up a mountain called Twmbarlwm near Newport. The view was great but getting there was a little traumatic. We went on our bikes - a 17 mile round trip. And it did hurt a bit...

Video of our Multitouch Interface (at last)!

Multi-touch interface from Reaction Faction on Vimeo.

This is the Interactive Table we (Reaction Faction) made for Ghosts in Armour last year. It was exhibited for six weeks in the Riverfront in Newport UK. Hope you like it! (Arm and hand model available at cheap rates! :) )

My Augmented Reality Progress

So I'm currently using Google Chrome to upload images. Its a ridiculous situation but its the only browser that works....

So anyway, just thought I'd post a screenshot of my Augmented reality project I'm working on. Its hard to explain but, well here goes..... I'm holding a piece of card with a marker on it (something like the one below) in front of my webcam. When the webcam registers it the computer draws a box in its place and out of this box all sorts of things jump, including my name. Pretty cool eh? This is the demo that got us a gig at Creative Capital in Canary Wharf. The actual version we use there will be a bit different. I'll be sure to post a link for when its over so you can have a go yourselves.

Damn you Computer!

At the moment I can't upload or download any images without my browser crashing. Don't know why, don't like it. It makes blogs very boring for everyone.

Work, work, work!!!

I have got so much to do in uni that I haven't had much time to devote to experiments and creativity lately - well almost. All work and no play makes Flash a dull boy!
I have been playing with FLARToolkit, the augmented reality kit for Flash, but my results so far are less than good. I will of course be sharing them with you when I get it nailed.

Spent the entire day today experimenting with the infra red lighting in the interactive table. It was one of those "not getting anywhere then all of a sudden, just when you're about to give up something works!" kind of days. The upshot is I'm confident it will be working better than ever for gotoAndPlay09.

X-Dof effect in Papervision

Speedok of the Flash community came up with this cool effect. I don't really know how to describe it but I like it! Click to change the shape/pattern and move your mouse around to distort it.

X-Dof = extreme depth of field

Augmented Reality Webcam Trickery

If you don't know what Augmented Reality is then I'll tell you.

It's magic!

Well nearly, it's webcam magic. There's open source software available called ARToolkit in c++ or there's FLARToolkit for the Flash platform which is really taking off at the moment. In a month or two you'll probably be sick of it. This demo was put together by John Lindquist with some help from Seb Lee-Delisle and it rocks! Check out more AR examples on John's blog, Seb's blog or at squidder.

The Codfather of Sole!

On tuesday my lifelong friend Matt "Dibbo" Dibbens and your's truly went to Barry Island (in South Wales) on a random excursion/expidition and we found the holy grail.
Boofy's chippy!

Unfortunayely it wasn't open so we couldn't sample the sole. We vowed to return with some talcum powder and a Curtis Mayfield LP and experience the full Boofy experience.

PV3D and Jiglib - Zupko does it again!

Andy Zupko is a real clever guy. Just click on the image and check out this demo. Nuff said.

And to think I was really pleased with my Box2DAS3&PV3D demo....

Box2DAS3&PV3D (thats easy for me to say)

I've got to write a CV, build my portfolio proper etc, etc so I've been playing again instead .... Thanks to John Linquist I've revisited Box2D physics but this time integratedit with Papervision3D. The cubes in the example can be picked up and thrown around and stacked etc. It would be nice to be able to move them on the z axis (backward and forwards) but well - one step at a time I always say :)
Oh and if you're wondering what the letters and stuff mean they are the letters of reactionfaction.
Enjoy!

Tin Foil?

I revisited some old tutorials on Papervisio3D shaders and combined it with some AS3Dmod and came up with Tin Foil. I was going to call it "liquid metal" but, well its not really liquid is it?

Magic Carpet

I tried out Bartek Drozdz' AS3Dmod classes for Flash 3D tonight and I'm extremely impressed, particularly at how easy it is to get cool results. AS3Dmod is a set of Modifiers like you would find in a 3D modelling application like Maya or 3DS Max. The Magic Carpet example uses the Perlin modifier.

As usual click on the image to see it in action.

Bartek does some great 3D work in Flash. Right now he's got a sweet car demo on his blog. Go and check it out.

Wow - 3D Motion Trails by Zupko in Papervision3D

Andy Zupko of the Papervision3D development team has yet again produced some amazing work for all to share. If you use Papervision3D then head over to his blog and read up on it, otherwise just click the image to enjoy the eye-candy.

3D Carousel

3D Carousel gallerys are nothing new on the web I know but I made one anyway.... most use papervision3D but this is entirely done in Flash CS4. Thanks to Lee Brimelow for the tutorial.

Click the image to see it in action. I think it looks nice...

The images are by Wright George photography (and are copyright).

The Strongest Truck in The World!

This game is so cool and simple - and of course difficult to master. It's made using a combination of Papervision and (I suspect) Box 2DAS3. I have managed to flip it three times so far! See how you get on!

Long time posting...

Haven't posted for a while mainly because I have been so busy previously with getting everything finished for Uni. It's all done now though. I'm spending the next couple of weeks on my other projects like virtual tours. Oh, and Ghosts In Armour is going to Bilbao in the Basque region! (Spain area) So we are putting a lot of energy in to finding funding, sponsors and organizing etc. Bilbao is (or was) also home to a declining Steel Industry - they even have the same transporter bridge.