iD News and Blog

More Ms. Pac-Man Pizza – with Ghosts!

Hi Everyone! This blog is a Part II to my Ms. Pacman pizza blog. After making my Mrs. Pac-Man pizza, I had an entire pizza crust so I decided to make the “ghosts” from the Ms. Pacman game!

Remember, never cook with out an adult present. I am no exception to this rule. Fortunately, my good friend, adult and former iD Tech UCLA director, Jeff was still around to help me out:

1) SHAPE THE CRUST
The difference between this and the Ms. Pac-Man Pie mainly the shape of the crust. Each pizza crust will yield two ghosts, so start by a cutting a line right down the diameter of the crust, thus halving it:

Next, make two vertical cuts on either side of the crust. How deep in to make the cuts will depend on the size of your crust, the distance from the edge should be about 20% the width of the pie. Then, to round out the top a bit, shave a bit off of the edges:

PROTIP – Don’t waste food! Dip the excess dough in the sauce you are making while you wait for the pizza to bake – yum!
Next cut out three triangular shapes from the bottom of the pizza:

(again, an example of “real life” subtractive 3D modeling, a modeling method taught at our 3D animation camps)

And repeat on the other half of the pizza.

2) MAKE THE SAUCE

Next is time for the sauces, unlike Ms. Pac-Man, we actually have some options other than making an Alfredo “White” Pizza depending on which ghost(s) you want to make:

Blinky – the red ghost – Just as I was about to stir up some red food coloring I realized that I could just use the most fundamental of all pizza ingredients – tomato sauce! A pizza that only has tomato sauce as a topping is called a “tomato pie” (my favorite, a Philly tradition), however as we’ll be adding mozzarella slices for the eyes, this will be a “margarita” pizza.

Pinky – the pink (duh) ghost – for this we can use an “blush” sauce which is usually used for pasta, typically gnocchi and ravioli. A blush sauce is a mixture of tomato sauce and Alfredo (more or less). Refer to my Ms. Pacman blog for an Alfredo recipe or just use your favorite off the shelf!

Sue (or Clyde in the orignal Pac-Man) the orange ghost – for orange, you can also use a blush sauce however , you’ll want to vary your ratio of tomato : Alfredo sauce. You’ll want to use more Alfredo sauce and possibly even add some cheddar.

Inky – The blue ghost – No “natural” options here. Time to get our the blue food coloring! To achieve light blue a little bit of color goes a long way. Fill a small bowl with Alfredo and stir, stir, stir:

Once the sauce is made, pour the sauce on slowly and smooth it out with a knife or spoon, remember to leave room around the edges:

I decided to make Blinky and Inky.

3) ADD DETAIL

Next, for the ghosts eyes. You’ll need a tube of mozzarella. Cut down a slice of it into a rectangular shape:

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN USING KITCHEN KNIVES AND ALWAYS HAVE AN ADULT PRESENT

Next, simply cut a black olive in half and place each half in the corner of each eye:

4) BAKE THE PIE!
Now it is time to bake! Preheat the oven 450 degrees and let Ms. Pacman bake for about 10-15 minutes, checking frequently as cooking time will vary depending on what kind of crust you are using.n While you are waiting, you should get some fresh air and do something outside, like gardening:

DO NOT LEAVE AN OVEN UNATTENDED! MAKE SURE YOUR PARENTS ARE WATCHING THE OVEN WHILE YOU GARDEN!

6) TIME TO EAT!!!
Another master piece! Now let’s eat those ghosts like we were Pac-Man!

 

Posted in iD Tech Bloggers | No Comments »

 

 

Technology Enhances Olympic Games Experience

The 2010 Winter Olympics are into their second week of competition in Vancouver, British Columbia. Each time the games roll around, I am amazed at how technology has enriched my experience of the Olympics over the years. The modern Winter Olympic Games started back in 1924 in Chamonix, France. The original members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could have no concept of how far these games would come in a century.

1924 Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, France

2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Cutting-edge technologies play a part in every aspect of these games, from the first torch relay hand-off to the closing ceremonies. There are so many behind the scenes stories of how creative thinkers adapt existing computer technologies to gain a competitive advantage. Athletes and trainers use technology in preparing for the games to optimize their training. Sports equipment manufacturers use design technology to build improved apparatus, gear and more that will enable their clients to deliver a high level performance. Broadcasters use technology to better inform viewers of all aspects of the events. Everyone involved is looking for technologic tools they can use to give them the competitive advantage to get on the podium.

Technology allows us to more fully appreciate everything about the competition and the athletes who commit their lives to fulfill their dreams. At internalDrive, we are proud to be laying a foundation for young people at our summer camps to explore computer technology and find ways they can express their dreams. We have kids and teens learning about and creating computer-generated projects that amaze us. We’ve been doing this for eleven seasons now and we continue to be impressed by what our campers accomplish in just a week or two of summer learning.

Whether a student chooses to learn filmmaking, digital photography, programming, modeling or 3D animation, they could be taking that first step towards their own professional goals – perhaps even in a future Olympic Games event. Here is a sample of the courses offered at our computer camps and teen academies across North America. Perhaps your son or daughter can jumpstart their dreams with us!

• Maya® – 3D Modeling & Animation
• Graphic Design
• Video Editing and Special Effects
• Digital Photography & Photoshop
• Programming in C++ or Java
• Film Production with Final Cut Studio at iD Visual Arts Academy

It is inspiring to see athletes who break through previously attained heights in speed, technique, style and spirit. There is no doubt that the Winter and Summer Olympic Games will continue to be influenced and enhanced by the use of computer technology in preparation for and during the events. It’s the way of the world. And as they say, “The World comes to these games.”

Interested in visiting Canada this summer? Check out our new summer computer camp held at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and our two-week summer program iD Visual Arts Academy for teens offered at McGill University in Montreal.

iD Visual Arts Academy students hitching a ride at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec

If you would like to know what iD Tech Camps is up to, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Become a fan on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter!

 

Posted in McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Summer Camps, iD Tech Camps | No Comments »

 

 

Summer Learning – One Week of Programming Camp Can Change Your Life

Hello iD Nation,

This email was just sent to one of our client services reps.  Roque received this email yesterday and sent it to me.  I love, love, love hearing stories like this.  We often hear that students at our summer camps learn more in a week with us than they do at a year in school.  The below email pretty much sums it up:

_______________________________________________________

From: Susan (Last Name Withheld)
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 3:29 AM
To: roque@internaldrive.com
Subject: ID Tech Camp experience 2009

My son, Andrew, attended ID Tech Camp C++/Java class at the University of Michigan in the summer of 2009.  This year, Andrew is in the 10th grade and attends our high school’s math/science program.  One of his classes this year is Java 1 and he is scheduled to take Java 2 next year.  I would like to share with you the progress Andrew has made this year because of the education he received at your camp.

The instruction he received at your camp in one week was the equivalent to about half a year of his Java 1 class.  His computer teacher would like him to work aggressively through the remaining modules so he can complete Java 1 and 2 this year.  I would like to commend you on your dedicated and talented instructors that provide such an excellent education.

Sue (Last Name Withheld)

_______________________________________________________

Sue, thanks for writing to us!  It is great to see that Andrew had such a positive experience at our summer camp for teenagers.  He is now on the fast track.

Best,

Pete

 

Tags: computer camps, programming camps, programming classes, programming courses, Summer Camps, Summer camps in Michigan
Posted in CEO's Blog, University of Michigan | No Comments »

 

 

DIY: Creating a Pop-Up Card

That big red, white and pink holiday is just around the corner and there’s still time to send out a pop-up valentine card to someone you know. I learned how to make these pop-up cards way back in elementary school and they’re easy and fun to make. All kids and teens out there, think of how much Mom or Grandma would appreciate it if she received one of these cards? Who knows, she may even sign you up for that iD overnight summer camp right after she opens it. I might give one to my manager at the office and see if it gives me clearance to attend a site visit at one of our Visual Arts Academies so I can brush up on my filmmaking skills. It’s always worth a try.

STEP 01: GRAB THE CARD TEMPLATES
Below are two templates that I’ve created that you can choose from. The first one allows you to have one pop-up image; the second template gives you spots for two pop-up characters.

Download: PDF Template 01: One Pop-Up Card
Download: PDF Template 02: Two Pop-Up Card

Once you download them, don’t print them out just yet, since you’ll want to first decide what and how you’re going to write a phrase on the inside of the card (the template you just downloaded.) You have two options here. The first is that you can grab art supplies you have at home and hand-write a phrase. If you decide to do this then go ahead and print the template.

If you have Photoshop at home, you can also open the PDF template into Photoshop and create your text there. After you’ve created your text phrase and any other design elements in Photoshop, then you can print the template on your home computer. Being that I love to use Photoshop, I decided to open my card up in Photoshop and add some of my own flair using the skills I’ve learned as a graphic designer.

STEP 02: GRAB THE POP-UP CHARACTERS
Download the page of gaming characters to add as the pop-up elements to your card. You’ll be doing the same thing here as before; you can either color them with art supplies or you can color them in Photoshop.

Download: PDF Template 03: Character Cutouts

If you thought all valentines were adorned with mushy hearts and flowers, think again. I’ve picked out some cool characters that could be in your projects this summer if you attend one of our game camps.

STEP 03: ASSEMBLE YOUR CARD
Now that you have all of your artwork prepped, let’s recap what you should have in order to assemble your card.

• The inside part of your card taken from the downloadable template.
• An outer part or cover for your card. You can use a nice piece of construction paper or just another piece of printer paper.
• Your cutout characters, colored and ready to go.
• Glue or another adhesive like double-sided tape.
• Scissors

Assembling your card is really easy. Let’s go through the steps:

1. First take your inside template, cut out the card to be 8.25”tall x 5.5” wide. Fold it in half and cut on the dotted lines.
   
   

2. Next, open your card up and fold it the opposite way so that your text is on the inside of the fold. Open the card slightly, and use your finger to push forward the flap(s) that you just created by cutting on the dotted lines in Step 2. Slide a pencil into the flaps, so it’s easier to do the next step. With the pencil still in place, fold your card so that you crease the flap you just pushed in. 
   

   Your card should now look like this.
   

3. Cut out the characters you want inside your card. Then on the front area of your pop-up flap, place an adhesive like glue or double sided tape.Take your character and stick him on the front of the pop-up flap. Open and close your card and see how cool it looks!
   
   

4. Now we just have to put the last finishing touch on it. We need the cover so that the person who receives the card doesn’t see the big pop-up hole(s). Cut out a piece of construction paper to the dimensions of 8.25” tall x 5.5”wide (if you want your card to have a border on the inside, cut it a bit bigger). If you don’t have construction paper handy, white printer paper will do just fine.Fold your outer cover in half, then using an adhesive, stick the cover to the outside of the card.
   Once your card is dry, you can decorate the outside. I created my outside design in Photoshop.
   
   

That’s it! You’ve now created a 3D card adorned with your favorite gaming characters. The cards you make don’t even need to be used for valentine’s day…they can used for birthday’s or other holidays too, so feel free to modify the graphics by using your own designs. It would be great to see some photos of your pop-up card creations, so if you make some and want to share, send them to info@internalDrive.com. We here at the main office always love to see the creative side of our campers (and parents too!)

(PS: If you want to mail your artwork to someone, your card will fit perfectly in an A2 envelope. A2 envelopes are sized to about 4.375”x5.75” and can be found at most craft stores since it’s a common envelope size for cards. )

 

Posted in iD Tech Bloggers | 5 Comments »

 

 

Playing Video Games Leads to Lucrative Tech Jobs

For Immediate Release

San Francisco, February 9, 2010

As a featured guest at the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Pre-G-20 Forum this past fall, Google Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt was asked what type of training young people should pursue to gain the skills necessary to work in the tech sector of the future.  Not surprisingly, he wants kids and teens to learn programming.  But the idea that surprised many in the room?  He thought playing video games had value too.

“The game world is good training for a career in tech,” said Schmidt.  “It teaches players to build a network, to use interactive skills and thinking.”

Schmidt’s words may come as a shock to those of us who weren’t born with a laptop or a smart phone in our hands.  His comments directly contradict what popular culture has been telling us for years; that video game playing is only for entertainment value and doesn’t lead to any long term benefits.  We think of gamers as chip-eating, soda-drinking couch potatoes destined to work minimum wage temp jobs for the rest of their lives.  We haven’t connected the dots…that gaming can actually be a valuable stepping stone leading to better results for surgeons, athletes, computer scientists and engineers.  An AP Article covered a study from Beth Israel Medical Center with the title “Surgeons may err less by playing video games:  Three hours a week decreased mistakes by 37 percent, study finds.”

“It’s refreshing to hear somebody like Eric Schmidt address the topic,” said Pete Ingram-Cauchi, President and CEO of iD Tech Camps, the nation’s largest youth summer technology program.  “We’ve been preaching that same sentiment for years and have actually seen the positive effects that programming and video game design can have on students.”

The summer camp uses gaming as a vehicle to build critical thinking skills.  Students work with gaming titles like Unreal Tournament^® 3 and Half-Life^® 2, along with the 3D modeling package Maya^®, and game development software from Multimedia Fusion 2 Developer ^®.

“Our students want to learn how to create video games—to learn game development skills.  But that’s the head fake.  Along the way, they gain problem-solving skills and teambuilding skills which are absolutely vital in the tech field.” said Ingram-Cauchi.

Are the days behind us where kids and teens are treated as outcasts for having a keen interest in video games?  Probably not.  But Mom and Dad can now rest a little easier after spending $50 on a video game.  It just might be an investment.  And who knows, it might lead to fulfilling the dream of attending Stanford, UCLA or MIT.  Or even getting that lucrative dream job.  Eric, you still hiring?

###

Written by Ryan Barone

 

Tags: learn programming, make video games, Summer Camps, video game design camps
Posted in CEO's Blog, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, UCLA, iD In The News | 2 Comments »