Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 19)

This is another musical volume of my favorite youtube videos (for the most part) inclues some interesting Pomplamoose, some home made music from Zelda and then an interesting play though of a fan-made hack of Chrono Trigger.

• The first video in this set is Pomplamoose's cover of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." As with many songs Pomplamoose covers, I think this one is far superior to the original and it's always fun to watch Jack play with any instrument he can get his hands on.
• The second video is a version of the "Saria's Song" (from the "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time") by Sp0ntanius. While this isn't may favorite of the songs from Zelda, the video song on blown bottles style is really creative and fun.
• The third video is by the always interesting, cool and creative ukulele wielding Molly Lewis. This is her open letter to Mr. Stephen Fry suggesting that if he ever wants to carry his genetic line on, she'd be happy to help.
• The fourth video in this volume is an interesting one. It's the first video in a play through of a game called "Crimson Echos." This probably isn't a game you've played since it was a fan made sequel to "Chrono Trigger," made by hacking the "Chrono Trigger" ROM. It was however hit by a cease and desist letter as it was nearing completion and so the people working on it stopped and put out this replay (which goes on for hundreds of parts) to show what they had done. 
  
  It's an interesting project with a lot of creativity that would have made a really interesting game. A lot of the music is new and the concept of the game is an interesting extension of the ideas laid out in "Chrono Trigger" (plus it's very fun to see new things in the "Chrono Trigger" universe). That said I also feel that it's a bit of a waste that all the tallent used on this project didn't go to something newly created. While this was just in the fan microcosm, I think that's probably true for a lot of the game development community.
• Finally we have a collaboration between Pomplamoose and Louis Cole & Genevieve Artadi. Very cool experimental sound and video.

Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 18)

In this volume of my favorite YouTube videos, we have a wide ranging grab bag. From video game music, to teddy bear tossing, to the dawn of a new YouTube star (who keeps drawing on stuff), to some four legged film makers and finally to a nerdy song about the matter of the Universe.

• Baba Yetu is the opening theme to one of my favorite all time video games, Civilization 4. Here's it's covered by ModestOne, who had done a good job making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Another vote for why music is the most important element of video game production (well, at least I say it is). In formation about the original composer and a link to an mp3 version are in the video description (which is a nice touch).
• The next video is a bit of a departure from the norm for my favorite YouTube videos, but it's included here because it's a very important part of my life. Each year the Calgary Hitmen (my local junior hockey team) hold a teddy bear toss in which fans all bring teddy bears to the arena and when the Hitmen get their first goal of the game throw them on to the ice. The bears are then gathered up and distributed to several organizations throughout the city to make sure that kids who need a teddy bear have one for the holidays. 
• The next video is an early video from the mathamagician Vihart, who seems to get board and find herself doodling in math class from time to time and discovering the fundamentals of mathematics  You might have heard of her (or not who know how far the internet reaches). She's gone on to be an amazingly insightful and educational YouTube creator and educator. The firehose pace at which she unloads information is exciting and all of her videos will make you think about at least one thing you haven't thought about before.
• The next video is Cat Diaries: the first ever movie filmed by cats, and it is (as the title rather suggets) filmed by cats. Now say what you will about cats, they are for example lousy camera operators (their whiskers keep getting in shot), but this video is adorable and heart warming. 
• Finally we have another Hank Green song, this time about Quarks (no not the Deep Space 9 bar) the fundamental constituant of matter. Up, down, strange, charm, top, bottom. As a bonus this video also announces the unveiling of dft.ba the url shortening service that reminds you not to forget to be awesome.

Projects 4 & 5 Deadline Update

So I've dropped well past the deadlines I gave myself for both the Snake project and the SNES coaster project. This has been due to a combined effect of actually getting things done at work, having some catastrophic computer issues and not getting excited enough and getting things done.

It's a coaster (or it will be)

On the SNES coaster project, I have managed to get excited enough to at least start making prototypes (as you can see in the picture). I still have a bit of work to do figuring out how I'd like them to work (in particular they need a backing for added table protection, plus reinforcement of the beads) and then I need to actually make a few and test them out as coasters. Ideally this should all happen in the next week so I'm giving this project a new deadline of November 24, 2012.

I've made less progress with the Snake project but am planning to jump back on it soon. I haven't actually tackled any of the items I discussed last time and given schedules for all the things that need to be done, I think I won't have too much time to focus on it. I'm giving this project a new deadline of January 1, 2013.

Blog: Favorite YouTube Videos (Volume 17)

Welcome to the 17th volume of my favorite YouTube Videos. This volume has a lot of music and a little bit of thought about design.

• Have you listened to a good book lately? The first video in the volume is a video song for Hank Green's "This is Not Harry Potter." Harry Potter has always been an important touch stone in Nerdfighteria, and Hank puts out an annual song with sometime to do with Harry to celebrate that link. I always enjoy the one voice and guitar style and I think this is one of my favorite song Wednesday songs.
• The second video is the video for Janelle Monáe's song Tightrope. I noticed this song because it was in a car commercial and was hearing it 20-30 times a day (thanks YouTube/network television). When I looked the song up I discovered the video had a great concept (as I guess does the whole album, although I must confess that I haven't listened to it in its entirety), was really visually compelling and just a lot of fun.
• The third video is from designer and nerdfighter Karen Kavett. She plays an exciting game of "what if" with YouTube. As you might have guessed by now I spend quite a bit of time on YouTube so I find this pretty cool. Some of the ideas she has have since been taken up by YouTube and some of them are kinda crazy, but it's really refreshing to stop and think about how websites we use all the time are simply products of design.
• The last two videos in this volume are from Pomplamoose (are you surprised, I can tell that you are). The first is a great cover of Deck the Halls, complete with crazy exuberance  the thing I'm calling the "Pomplamoose Key Change" and one of the back up Natalies even smiling! The second is not only a great song but also a great story, which I'll let them tell you at the end of the video.