So I’m two months into Uni at this point and coursework deadlines are approaching. I feel like I got back into the swing of things rather easily, probably due to a improved lecture timetable that doesn’t have huge gaps for no reason.

So since coming back I’ve been learning some new programming languages, notably C++, JavaScript, and Prolog. The last of which has been described to me numerous times as being “Bullshit fucking hard”. Oddly enough, it’s JavaScript I’m not particularly fond of at the moment. Following the class tutorials, this is what I have currently made:

Some of the image got cropped, but you get the point. To be fair, I am better at it now. Once I noticed that all the things in the scene can be dealt with as if they are objects makes it much easier to deal with.

C++ is pretty standard, the syntax is different and there’s a whole bunch of stuff to do with assembly; but the basic stuff is very similar. Of course, I’m getting beyond basic level stuff now.

Currently I’m getting coursework done and trying to set up a placement for next year.

As for everything else in my life that is going on, it’s getting cold and my general eating habits are not doing me any good. I’m trying to work on it.

Small gaming mention, I ordered a WiiU and that’s currently back home in Northern Ireland. So look forward to some streams of that. Speaking of streams, by upload-speed is actually worth a fuck now at the place I’m staying at, so I should start doing more streams soon.

And a small anime mention, I watched FLCL and it was awesome. Made me question why the Universe exists in the way it does at times with how fucking dumb it gets, but it is very entertaining. Sucks they only made 6 episodes.

That’s all you get for now. I’ll continue to try to post more, but no promises.

-Adam

So quick update on my PC; I decided that after realizing that I lacked the time or resources to properly evaluate what the Hell is wrong with my PC, I caved a got a computer-repair service to come take it. That’s about as far as that update goes, I haven’t heard anything since I handed it over yesterday.

Second thing I feel like discussing is that I’m finally considering rebuilding this site, although whether I do it myself or pay someone to do it for me has yet to be seen. I definitely looked at few HTML5 templates I could use, but I feel like PHP might be the better option. We’ll see how things go.

In other, completely unrelated news; I’m still watching way too much anime and Breaking Bad ended. Now I can focus on work till Game Of Thrones starts up early next year. In terms of games, well I’ll probably make a post on that soon. Maybe tomorrow.

So as far as my first week back in Hull goes; it’s been kind of literally shitty, but I got to see my classmates again and that was fun.

-Adam

OK, so let me explain to you what the fuck has happened to me in the last 38 hours.

So basically I’m travelling to England for Uni via coach, usual shit. Two things happened there; I saw a dude get kicked off the coach for straight up being wasted as fuck coming of the boat, and I finally got my first StreetPass.

Then I got to the city where my Uni is and I do the usual of getting my key and such, drop some stuff off and then go and get the rest of my stuff from the storage locker. Now here’s the bullshit. I get back and start setting up my PC. Once that’s all good to go, I press the button.

Nothing.
Press again. Nothing.

Power is connected, everything is fine. It just won’t start.

So I open up the case and notice two things; one, it has a bunch of cobwebs in it (No spiders, just webs), and two; the motherboard is not lighting up the way it should when the power cable is put in. So I’m guessing a few things at this point. The motherboard is broke, the PSU is broke, or static got in a fucked everything. Either way, I’m too fucking tired to do a full series of check ups right now, so I’ll get to my next point.

I live in a Uni owned house, which means they’d provided the Internet. NOW, they are charging extra just to get the speeds I had earlier in the year, or pay nothing and get the same shitty connection I had when living in London. They gave into the fucking Internet monopoly that everyone who lives in this dump has complained about. Scumbags!

So my badass PC is busted, I’m getting over-charged for something that used to be standard, and I’ve been awake for over 38 hours and I can barely think or see straight. So I have to use my fucking laptop to tell you all that I ate a Steak while arguing with my sister in English and Japanese.

So how are you assholes doing?

The joke about the title here is that the blogs I used to write at the beginning of September were always called “Back To School Edition” when I used to post on GameTrailers back in the day.

So Uni is coming back up and I suddenly realise how much I haven’t done, at the same time impressed that I did anything at all. At the very least, MGC got a new coat of paint so I don’t have to worry about that for a while. And I recently jumped back into programming by starting to get into C++. With practice I should be able to get up to a competent level with it before I start classes again.

In regards to the Summer Report… Well lets not discuss that. It’s fairly obvious. Maybe next year things may work out better.

This does bring me to my next point of interest, I might rename the “Gaming Den” to the “Media Extravaganza” so I can cover more than just games. I’ve been watching almost too much anime, movies, and TV shows recently I it might be worth jotting down my thoughts on some things. Then again, I do talk a fair amount about that stuff in the MGCast. So you can hear me blabber on about it there should I decide against my idea.

Now with the laundry list taken care of, I feel like I should write something meaningful.

..Ha! Meaningful.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here, the last academic year reminded me just how much I hate the education system in England. This ridiculous structure of “Rush through your coursework and then ‘cram, cram, cram!’ for the exams”, ultimately tiring-out anybody who goes through that Hell and making them turn away from their subject entirely.

I’m a huge fan of the BTEC system, which is to take a subject, break the modules down, then break the key learning objectives into specific assignments. No exams. And strictly speaking, no milestone deadlines. Just make sure everything is complete by the end of the year/course. It lessens the stress significantly, and also opens up self-learning opportunities. BTEC assignments are usually handed out at the beginning of the year, so you can work through them as you learn. OK, it is probably a tab more spoon-fed in terms of getting the work, but you still have to practice and teach yourselves core skills, and it is keeping you occupied throughout the year. Currently, it’s taken several weeks before receiving the coursework, often from many subjects at once. At least getting them at the start could give me more time to plan ahead several months and take care of the less pressuring tasks first.

Maybe I’m just complaining here. Although exam are a whole barrel of issues themselves. But I won’t bother over-explaining that. Simply put; how could anyone possibly think that being sat in an uncomfortable chair for two hours, trying to remember a whole years worth of information to fill out a sheet of paper in complete silence; is even remotely accurate to how an actual work environment is? School/University are the only places where you would be put into a situation like that, and it’s fucking torture. It is unnecessary stress being brought onto a person for almost no good reason. Why do we still use this archaic fucking standard of judging a person’s skill when it’s plainly obvious that it is inaccurate?

Sorry, but I felt I had to say it at least once. Maybe we should take a page out of Finland’s book. Their system is excellent and well-proven.

Anyway, that’ll do for now. Maybe next week I’ll do a gaming write-up and such. I just got Rayman and I have a bunch of other games to talk about. Also, MGCast will be this weekend. Later.

-Adam