I’m evaluating MaxIm DL and PixInsight at the same time because I only want to purchase one image processing package. The first significant obstacle I’ve come across is that PixInsight doesn’t seem to scale dark frames very well. I’ve run the exact same calibration process on the same image and I get completely different results with the two packages. I’m testing using a 600 second raw image, a 300 second master dark frame, and a master bias frame.

After almost two years of work the Transformers: War for Cybertron game is finally done and the demo is available for download. I had to rewrite some of the code in our data collection system* because so many people are playing! So far the reception has been really good. The demo currently has a 4.5 / 5 star rating and the forums seem to be filled with positive comments.

We’ve been keeping this part of the game under wraps for a while. I’ve been focusing my effort on this part of the game for the last year and it’s turning out to be a really fun part of the game. The game’s website has gone live as well: www.transformersgame.com

Can’t wait until next we can talk about multiplayer…

I’ve combined my love of track days with my love of data analytics. Here’s a summary of data from my lap timer. Dashboard Powered by Tableau

I haven’t updated this page in a long time, mainly because I’ve been working on this game night and day. It’s going to be good! Transformers: War for Cybertron Video Game, Exclusive Debut Trailer HD | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com

The AMA is responsible for creating rules for the motorcycle racing series that ensure fair competition between motorcycles of different manufacturers and construction. The AMA Sport Bike series mixes motorcycles with 2, 3 and 4 cylinders from many manufacturers. Lately, the underdogs (Buel) have been doing really well and people are starting to suspect that the rules are slanted in their favor. The AMA recently dyno tested all the bikes and released the minimum and maximum weight-to-power ratios.

I used the GDC schedule builder to make a lecture wish list. It’s fairly obvious that I won’t be able to see everything I want. This happens a little every year, but this is ridiculous.

RescueTime is a great tool for monitoring what you do. It allows you to big-brother yourself. You install a background service that monitors which applications you’re using and it aggregates and sorts the data in a way that helps you understand what you’re spening your time doing. This is a live chart of how I’m currently spending my month. I think most of the ‘untagged’ time is consumed by random web sites I’m visiting.

After scanning in some of my old slides I decided to stack a couple of M8. This image is a total of 1.5 hours of exposure from 2001. The Lagoon nebula is a bright nebula in the summer sky. It’s easy to see with the naked eye if the sky is dark enough and its brightness makes it a relatively easy target for astrophotography. However, any tiny technical mistake shows up with exposures this long.