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December 19th, 2008 by: admin
For those of you moving from Actionscript 2 to 3 (with a heavier focus on proper object-oriented principles), you may find that accessing your Main class and Stage isn’t as straight-forward. In this post we’ll highlight organizing your classes to properly reference your main class. First, let’s take a look at our Main class:
package {
import flash.display.Stage;
import flash.display.MovieClip;
public class Main extends MovieClip {
private static var _instance:Main = null;
public function Main() {
_instance = this;
}
public static function getInstance():Main { return _instance; }
public static function getStage():Stage { return getInstance().stage; }
}
}
First we define a static variable, _instance, to hold a static reference to Main. We are assuming throughout this that we will use Main statically. In other words, there will only be a single instance of our Main class. Next, in our constructor, we use the line _instance = this; to set our static version of Main to the one that is created when the constructor is called.
We will use two methods to get access to Main and the main stage. First, getInstace() is a static function that always returns a copy of _instance. If you want the stage instead, use getStage(). All getStage() does differently from getInstance() is return the stage property of _instance rather than the object itself. Using this format simplifies your code in other classes.
Now let’s say you want to use these functions in other classes to add something to the stage. Let’s pretend we have a Tree class that needs to add itself to the main stage when it is created. You could use this code:
package {
import flash.display.Sprite;</code>
public class Tree extends Sprite {
Main.getStage().addChild(this);
x = Math.random() * Main.getStage().stageWidth;
y = Math.random() * Main.getStage().stageWidth;
}
}
You can see that we can easily get properties of the stage (stageWidth and stageHeight) simply by statically referencing Main. Note that we could have used the following lines instead:
x = Math.random() * Main.getInstance().stage.stageWidth;
y = Math.random() * Main.getInstance().stage.stageWidth;
It really just depends on which example you find more elegant. One additional benefit of using the techniques described here is that you can use the getInstance() to determine if Main has loaded. Simply do:
if (Main.getInstance() != null) { /* some function */ }
Hope that gives you an easy framework for accessing your stage and Main class in AS3!
December 19th, 2008 | Tags: Actionscript, AS3, Classes, Flash, Objects, Stage
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers
December 5th, 2008 by: Donna
I recently interviewed one of our former campers who we have featured on our website. He attended our computer camp for five seasons and is now gearing up for college. His story is extraordinary – but one that is replicated in big and small examples each summer.
Whether you’re contemplating joining a gym for the new year or signing up for an AP class in high school, several questions guide your decision. What will come of your effort? Will it be worth the time, energy and money? Questions like these plague parents and students on a daily basis. The fact of the matter is: we’re driven by the prospect of attaining positive results. Paying that monthly gym membership fee is a lot easier when you’re happy with your health and appearance as a result. Likewise, if a student passes his AP History exam with flying colors, that means potentially one less “boring” lower-division class in college – all those extra studying hours will have been worth it.
So when the question comes up of whether or not to attend iD summer computer camps, we’re breaking it down using this same method. Kids and teens who attend iD see immediate positive results in a variety of areas including: increased confidence, exposure to new and exciting fields, preparedness for school and even college, making new friends in a social setting, and more. Long-term results are even more impressive. The fact is that iD Tech Camps inspires students to reach beyond themselves and aspire to do something big. What students take away from their experience at one of our 60 prestigious locations is more than you can confine to a resume (although it definitely looks good on paper too). We conducted a survey over the summer with our iD student alumni, and the results were incredible. We found that 94% of former iD students go on to college. 94%. That’s significant. We think our camps fulfill a fun, educational niche that many students just wouldn’t get otherwise.
Take a look at Ian Cinnamon. He attended iD Tech Camps for five summers. When I caught up with him the other day, my jaw dropped when he told me what he’d been up to.
Excerpt from interview with Ian:
iD: How has attending iD Tech Camps inspired you?
Ian: At 15, I wrote Programming Video Games for the Evil Genius (McGraw-Hill, 2008), at 16, I became a programmer/developer for the Apple iPhone creating several applications including “Car Finder” which was recently featured in the New York Times. Last summer I led my Harvard-Westlake (Los Angeles) rocketry club to the national “Team America’s Rocketry Challenge” competition and was recently approved by NASA as a government contractor for the Student Launch Initiative. I’ve also been involved in two UCLA science internships. The common denominator in all these activities is my love of programming and engineering which took root at iD Tech.
You can read more about Ian here.
Granted, Ian’s results are quite extraordinary, but big things can be measured in small ways too. Better grades. Higher self esteem. Even simple happiness. iD Tech Camps inspires students to take what they learn at camp and apply it in countless ways to benefit them in the future.
Want to learn more about other iD Tech Camps Alumni and their accomplishments? Check out our Do Something Big page to be further inspired.
Start your own success story with us this summer.
-Donna
December 5th, 2008 | Tags: computer camp, kids camp, programming for games, summer camp, teen summer camp
Posted in: do something BIG
December 1st, 2008 by: Pete
I got a chance to catch up on some reading over Thanksgiving. There was one particular headline that jumped out at me, “No playing around: Video game sales jump 18 percent.” The article by Troy Wolverton of the San Jose Mercury News explained that “retail sales for the month of October tallied $1.31 billion, up 18%” from the same period a year ago.
Of course, this got me thinking. If sales are up, it signals more demand for video games, consoles, etc. And if there is more demand, it should generally translate into good news for gaming publishers, developers, etc. And if the publishers and developers are doing well, that means they’ll be able to hire those lucrative graphic arts, software development, marketing, and other positions.
It feels good to know that iD Tech Camps and the iD Gaming Academy teach real-world game development skills including Maya® Unlimited, Unreal® Engine and other industry-standard tools. We’re teaching skills that will be useful in college–and in a possible future career in the gaming industry. At our summer video game camps, students get a real taste for what it means to work in the gaming industry–and its not all glitz and glamour. Working at a gaming studio means long hours, lots of teamwork and collaboration, the ability to multitask and hit deadlines…and the acknowledgement that one must constantly improve his/her own skills. The industry is filled with amazing talent and is very competitive. So, how do you break in to the industry?
Get started early! Practice makes perfect! Tiger Woods is not the best golfer on the planet by chance. He got an early start. He had great mentors. He is fiercely competitive. And he knows that he has to work hard day in and day out to stay competitive.
The good news is that the video game industry is growing. It is a sweet spot in our economy. Long term, the industry is poised to continue its phenomenal growth. The question is, will there be enough talent to continue the innovation in the gaming industry? The answer to this question rests with the new generation of gamers. Good luck!
December 1st, 2008 | Tags: gaming camps, video games
Posted in: CEO's Blog
December 1st, 2008 by: Donna
—————————————————
For Immediate Release
Contact: Donna Pianka, iD Tech Camps
408.871.3734 or donna@internaldrive.com
Interested in Graphic Arts and Graphic Design?
With careers in technology and design reaching an all-time high, kids and teens (and specifically, girls) are searching for creative ways to learn more about these industries. The fashion industry is exploding with new talent from designers. Shows like MTV’s The Hills are exposing a whole new generation to fashion design, from computer-aided design to merchandising.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for graphic artists and graphic designers is “expected to grow 10 percent as demand continues to increase from advertisers, publishers, computer design firms and the entertainment market.”
Recognizing a need for an introductory-level course in Graphic Arts, iD Tech Camps has expanded their course offerings to include a Graphic Arts camp for kids and teens ages 10-17 at various prestigious university locations.
“With both artistic and technological elements, this digital arts camp is one of a kind,” states Pete Ingram-Cauchi, President and CEO of iD Tech Camps. “We’re recognizing a need based on feedback and trends and turning it into a camp where students will not only have fun, but leave with a design portfolio that they’ve built at camp that they can keep building upon for school, college, or even a future career in graphic arts.”
With one-on-one instruction averaging six students per staff, industry professionals will open whole new worlds to students interested in graphic arts and design.
December 1st, 2008 | Tags: graphic arts, graphic design, Summer Camps
Posted in: iD Tech Camps
November 14th, 2008 by: Pete
—————————————————
For Immediate Release
Contact: Donna Pianka, iD Tech Camps
408.871.3734 or donna@internaldrive.com
Does Your Summer Camp Have ACA Credentials?
Each summer, parents send their kids off for a week or more of summer fun at various summer camps for kids and teens throughout the United States. What’s the top concern for parents? Most say “safety.”
Lori Shipley was looking for a sense of security in a cool summer computer camp environment for her son when she found out about iD Tech Camps, the nation’s largest technology camp. iD Tech Camps has been in operation since 1999 and has over sixty camps across the U.S. and Canada at America’s elite universities. iD Tech Camps provided the track record, reputation and credentials she was looking for. Beyond using state-of-the-art technology to create websites with Flash, film and edit digital movies, design video games, or learn to program in C++ or Java—she also wanted to make sure that the mental and physical well-being of her son was a major priority for the camp.
“This was a great camp,” said Mrs. Shipley. “Everyone was very responsive to any questions we had and it was very safety-conscious. Since my son was only 7, I was a bit concerned about how he’d do, but he did great and loved it! Safety of campers is definitely iD Tech Camps’ main concern—and it shows.”
In 2001, iD Tech Camps voluntarily sought to be accredited by the authority in the camp industry, the American Camp Association, or ACA. Continuous, uninterrupted status of ACA Accreditation means being part of an elite group of summer camps for kids that pass over 300 criteria on health and safety.
“We follow ACA guidelines at each of our summer camps,” said Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO of iD Tech Camps. “Being ACA Accredited is a big piece of the risk-management puzzle. We have thousands of kids and teens who pass through our program each season, and we’ve been extremely successful in reducing risk—which makes our parents very happy. I’m a parent too—I know what it’s like to drop off my kids in the care of someone else. You need to know that they are prepared.”
Moving into their 11th camp season, iD Tech Camps is one of the only summer camps for kids and teens that boasts eight straight years of American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation.
Some aspects of camp that are evaluated and must meet very high standards in order to receive ACA Accreditation include:
-Parent Notification Procedures
-First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Care
-Sanitization Procedures
-Medication Management
-Staff Training and more…
“Our hiring process is one of the most strict I’ve seen in the entire summer camp industry,” explains Kate DeHart, Human Resources Manager at iD Tech Camps. “We hire adult-only staff and we conduct criminal background checks, multiple reference checks and require valid CPR certification and in-person training of our staff members. We work with risk management specialists and work hard to anticipate problems before they even arise. That’s no small feat!”
If you would like to find out more about the ACA, please visit www.acacamps.org or for more information about the ACA Accreditation of iD Tech Camps, please click here.
November 14th, 2008 | Tags: Summer Camps
Posted in: iD In The News
November 3rd, 2008 by: Pete
Hello iD Nation,
We just launched our 2009 season. Our team has been pounding the pavement since the summer camp season ended, and we’re anticipating a great year. We just announced our new university locations at over 60 universities nationwide.
We’re excited to announce New York University (NYU), Purdue University, Colorado State University (CSU), Wesleyan University, Rollins College, University of Kansas, Loyola University, American University and a host of others to compliment our current lineup.
We appreciate all of the phone calls and emails from you over the weekend! Welcome back!
So, I am sure the #1 question you might have if you are a returning camper or parent, is “what’s new this season?” Rest assured, we’ve been doing A LOT to prepare for the season. Please check out our what’s new page for the latest. New Locations. New courses. The new iD Programming Academy. Microsoft XNA is now featured at the iD Gaming Academy. We’re debuting a new location for the iD Film Academy in Montreal, Quebec. We’re using hot new software versions including Maya Unlimited and Adobe CS4 . We’re expecting more girls this year! Technology is not just for boys! The list goes on…make sure to see all the cool stuff that’s going on.
I want to welcome everyone to iD Tech Camps, iD Gaming Academy, iD Film Academy and the new iD Programming Academy. We’re ready for an exciting season. Registration is live, and you can also view our new 2009 computer camp catalog. Finally, I want to give a big shout out to the team at iD Tech. Nobody dedicates their time, passion and energy to this business like we do. Our employees go above and beyond to ensure we are delivering the best–and delivering on our promises. I thank each and every one of you for your contributions.
On behalf of all of us in the iD Family, I want to welcome you to iD.
Sincerely,
Pete Ingram-Cauchi
CEO, iD Tech Camps
November 3rd, 2008
Posted in: CEO's Blog
September 30th, 2008 by: Donna
Ignite your child’s internal drive to attend Stanford and Other Universities
College admittance is getting more and more competitive. What can parents do to give their students an edge in the race for admission to colleges like Stanford and Columbia? One solution is to send children and teens to academic summer camps and computer camps to increase academic readiness and put them one step ahead.
A study by the American Camp Association showed that positive youth development from pre-to-post camp occurred in many campers in all measured domains, including, but not limited to: personal identity, social skills, personal values, and physical/cognitive (thinking) skills.
Students surveyed also showed positive change in making friends, positive identity, independence and leadership, all of which are important factors when it comes to succeeding in high school and then getting into college.
While it’s tempting to say that students who attend these academic summer camps are already planning on going to college in the future–or that their parents give them the support and funds to make it possible–the individual camp experience can make all the difference.
According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, “Money [or a lack thereof] is not the barrier to college. Evidence indicates that the vast majority of students who don’t attend college are kept out by academic barriers, not financial ones.”
Deborah Dietrich wanted to give her son an advantage, so she found a summer technology camp called iD Tech Camps. iD Tech Camps provides summer technology programs for kids ages 7-17 at over fifty prestigious universities across the U.S. At this summer computer camp, students use state-of-the-art technology to produce cutting edge projects like creating a website with Flash, filming and creating digital movies, designing a video game, or learning to program in C++ or Java. With small class sizes averaging only six students per instructor, students are given individual attention at the camp–unlike school where there are usually twenty or thirty students in a class.
“iD Tech Camps has pointed my son in the direction of becoming a true leader,” said Deborah Dietrich. “After camp, Sebastian’s confidence increased as he learned real world technology skills that will take him far in life.”
Students who attend summer computer camps such as iD Tech Camps leave with practical knowledge and skills in technology, as well as new friends. While most summer computer camps for kids and teens can claim this as well, attending iD Tech Camps has proven to put students one step ahead of their peers when it comes to getting into–and attending–college. A recent survey distributed to former campers reported that an astounding 94% of iD Tech Camps alumni went on to attend college.
“This is impressive and something we are very proud of,” states Pete Ingram-Cauchi, President and CEO of iD Tech Camps. “iD Tech Camps gives students a solid educational experience while exposing them to the many facets that make up the university experience–increasing their readiness and excitement about college. We’ve been running our tech camps for 10 years, and we are finally seeing the data come full circle. The trends are exciting.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “roughly 35 percent of college-aged students go on to attend college.” So why are students at iD Tech Camps increasing this percentage so drastically?
One word: inspiration.
iD Tech Camps inspires students in many ways. By holding summer camps at 50 prestigious universities including Stanford, UCLA and MIT, iD Tech students get a feel for what it’s like to go to college; they then strive to get in “for real” after high school. Students at camp are given the opportunity to further develop a hobby or passion then turn it into a potential career.
The mentors at camp are enthusiastic instructors immersed in the tech field. Instructors teach using cutting-edge products that the pros use like Photoshop®, Flash®, Final Cut Pro®, Maya®, Wacom Pen Tablets® and others, inspiring students to dive into their specific program of interest.
“My daughter learned creative, programming and development skills while at iD Tech Camps,” said Madelyne Woods. “These skills will help prepare her for college and a professional career.”
Attending summer academic camps and computer camps like iD Tech Camps plays a large factor in preparing students for college.
September 30th, 2008
Posted in: iD In The News
August 22nd, 2008 by: Jimmy
Congratulations to our 2008 Ultimate Gaming Weekend Champions!
Banditz, Zach M. from University of Washington and
Gh0stfaceK1llah, Chris S. from the University of Central Florida
These two amazing gamers, attended our Ultimate Gaming Weekend program and achieved the status, nay, the very pinnacle of success that defined the Ultimate Gaming Weekend Gamer.
Battling the minions who dared to challenge them in the arena of multiplayer gaming, they came out victorious. Foe after foe slayed by the mighty left and right mouse button, they ignored the cries of misery and instead rallied behind the mighty power of “PWND”.
On behalf of all of us at iD Tech Camps, we want to congratulate you for all of your hard work and dedication to the sport of gaming!
August 22nd, 2008
Posted in: do something BIG
August 21st, 2008 by: Ryan
Computer Camp Teaches Children New Technology
By Heather Murtaugh
Flocks of sheep can fly and talk with Scottish accents.
Well not in day-to-day life, but those are common sights in 12-year-old Eric Snyder’s modification of video games, also known as modding. Actually, Snyder does not yet know how to give the sheep the accents. But the flock is definitely soaring overhead. Learning to create these different situations in an existing video game is just one lesson students can choose to pursue at iD Tech Computer Camps. The camp is offered in 23 states, Washington, D.C. and through a study abroad program in Spain to students 7 to 17 years old. In our ever-changing technology-driven society, many of the skills children learn at an early age can be put to use for professions in the future.
Or in the case of 14-year-old Nick Peterson from Burlingame, those skills can be used straight away. Peterson first signed up for camp four years ago. The first two years he opted to go during the day. This year and last year he stayed over night. Each session gave Peterson the ability to build on tech skills.
During his various camp sessions, Peterson has taken digital video, Web design, special effects and gaming design.
He’s been able to use his video skills as a sort of side job.
“I love camp, and I learn a lot,” he said near the end of his one-week session.
ID Camps average about six students per staff with only adult staff. Additionally, each student has their own computer in which to work. Camps are partnered with over 50 universities – locally with Stanford University. Through the week, students learn skills such as web design, animation and Flash through projects.
Foster City resident Sandra Kung, 11, was able to build a Web site about puppies. She picked the topic because she really wants a dog but can’t have one.
Kung previously attended a different technology camp. She left it unimpressed and brought those same apprehensions to the first day of camp in Palo Alto this year. She was pleasantly surprised, however. Kung plans to help her friends design Web sites.
Fourteen-year-old Stephanie Lee designed a site about soccer. She plays for a local club team as a defender.
“It’s fun to be able to create [a Web site]. It’s a lot of fun and it’s cool to see when you finish,” said Lee as she showed various aspects to her soccer Web site.
Although the focus is on technology, it is still a camp, explained Lead Instructor Dory Abrams.
“It’s really fun but also educational,” she said. “It’s a hard balance, but we manage to pull it off.”
There’s special activities planned each night for the students like movie night, talent show and an ice breaker event where staff introduces themselves using costumes and funny skits.
Students also have set time away from the computers in the afternoon to play games and sports.
Participating in camp can be rewarding for the staff was well.
Director Lydia “Big Apple” Luxama teaches ninth grade English during the school year. This is her ninth camp season, and the sixth with iD Camps. As her time with the company expanded and grew, so did her opportunities, she explained. Luxama began as an instructor. Today she is the director at the Palo Alto location.
For Luxama, a big component of camp is enhancing the children as individuals. Students get tickets for things like working well with others or helping another person. Those tickets go into a raffle at the end of the week.
Eleven-year-old Paul Touma from Atherton had a lot of tickets stored in the lanyard around his neck holding his ID. Touma was participating in a special camp allowing him to choose a sport - in his case tennis - to participate in half the time with the rest of his camp focused on technology.
Touma was nervous to attend camp, which he regretted by the end of camp since he made so many friends.
Learning to create the games was easier than Touma had originally thought, at least once he got into it. He created a basic shooting game. Once home, Touma most likely will not make additional games since he simply does not have access to the software.
Creating first-person shooting games has a certain amount of violence build into it. The camp, however, has a patch on the software preventing students from creating games with certain violent actions, explained Counselor Emily “Thumper” Lindsay.
Lindsay joined the staff from Canada and teaches 3-D game design and game modding. Some of her students also create a puzzle game. Each has the chance to stump Thumper with their game. Students take turns attempting to stump each other as well, she said. Teleporters seem to be very popular with the students.
Sean Morgenthaler, 12, used his skills to modify games to make games he owns harder, he said.
Morgenthaler , from Portola Valley, began taking the classes in 2004 because he really likes computers. He definitely sees himself working in the computer science industry later in life.
“This is a fun place to go and do what you like,” he said. “It’s a lot different from some of the other computer camps. You have freedom. They give you guidelines, but you can use your imagination.”
For more information visit www.internaldrive.com.
August 21st, 2008
Posted in: iD In The News
August 21st, 2008 by: Ryan
iD Tech Camps Weave Web of Learning for Kids
By Dave Thomas
Just because school is out for the summer does not mean students are not learning. One local tech camp is making sure students learn and have fun at the same time.
The iD Tech Camps, which include offerings locally at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), make available weeklong sessions for day and overnight, beginner to advanced students, ages 7 to 17, at more than 50 prestigious universities in 23 states and Spain. The local camp, which is in its ninth year in La Jolla, will run through Aug. 8 at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
Students learn how to create video games, experience game modding, improve gaming skills, build robots, design Web sites with Flash, produce digital movies, create comic books, learn programming and more.
As a result of attending iD Tech Camps, the student’s self-esteem improves as he or she returns to school and incorporates the learned technology into school projects and extracurricular hobbies. Oftentimes these students are mentors for other students and even teachers.
Every camper has his/her own computer and there is an average of six students per staff member.
Campers also get exposed to university life as they are on campus, work in the lab and eat in the cafeteria. Overnight campers sleep in the dorms.
At UCSD, students can also take a Surf & Tech program in which they spend half the day learning to surf and the other half making a Web site or creating a video game.
A number of local students are partaking in the learning and fun this summer, including Liberty and Montana Ruderman of La Jolla.
The two said they have learned how to make Web sites and flash animation. They first put the images together in Photoshop and then used Dreamweaver to create the code for their very own Web site.
Asked why they are attending the camp, they noted that they have their own Web site and their dad wanted them to get experience making Web sites while having fun at camp.
The two said the best thing to date at camp so far was flash animation, with Montana adding, “I made my character wave.”
La Jollan Kasi Ladjevardi is also attending this summer, noting that last year she came to this camp and made a cool video game.
“This week I’m making a Web page and animating a character in flash,” Ladjevardi said.
Asked the best thing about camp so far, Ladjevardi noted the help given by the instructor.
“She showed me how to animate my character,” Ladjevardi added.
Norby Cisneros of San Diego said that making a really cool comic book was fun.
“I also learned how to use the computer keyboard and mouse,” Cisneros said. “I used the Wacom tablet to draw pictures for my comic book named ‘Robots Attack.’ ‘The Unknown Creature’ is my second comic book I’m working on with my partner in class, Ava Ladjevardi.”
Cisneros added that the instructors are nice.
“I get tickets for the Friday raffle when I do stuff that’s good,” Cisneros added. “The best thing about the camp is that I like working with a partner to make an even cooler comic book.”
And not to leave out the local flavor, Cisneros added, “The cafeteria at UCSD is a buffet.”
There is still some space available at the UCSD camp. For further information and fees for the remaining weeks of camp, visit www.internalDrive.com or call (888) 709-TECH (8324).
© 2008 San Diego Community Newspaper Group
August 21st, 2008
Posted in: iD In The News
