Friday, February 27, 2015

"DAMN YOU, SCUBA STEVE!!!!"

If you're still wondering what happened to the crazy project that never seemed to get off the ground, I assure you it's never far from my mind. But life happens...

Since last February, I've been recovering from the sudden loss of my mom. My adorable girlfriend moved into the house in March. In August, I moved my business from the tiny building I've been in for nine years to a spacious, beautiful and HUGE location "downtown". And this winter has been one of the most brutally cold and snowy in recent memory. I can't even use my workspace on the porch without hands going numb. I'm trapped inside watching Netflix. 

I've been keeping up with Star Citizen's development, but being so busy - I didn't have time for anything but work, real life, and trying to stay warm. That is, until the sale...


Ladies and gentleman, I present the Mustang Beta. It's the newest addition to my hangar lineup.
Yup - RSI got even MORE of my money.
"NO MORE SHIPS!" I said. "Don't be like those other kids that buy 'digital goods' that don't even exist!"

"Why, yes - I have my credit card information RIGHT HERE!"  

Oh, no. I didn't. Ok, well I did.

All right - at least I didn't shell out the BIG MONEY for an Orion Mining Ship!
That's self control, right?  The impulse buy got me setting up the controllers, finding another desk to house the 39" tv/monitor. Well, it will work for now. 

New patches. New downloads. Optimizing the pc again. Track IR running, ballcap secured. Voice Attack profiles reconfigured, New USB headset set up. I tried to remember the phrase I used to say that got the voice recognition system online. I found the pile of notes under a dusty box of switches and LEDs. Oh, yeah - that was it... 

"Varys - LOCK AND LOAD!" 

That crappy MS Anna voice crackled out of the speakers: "Systems online. Avionics online. Weapons online. All systems nominal. The in-flight meal is chicken..."

And it all came back. For two hours, that new Mustang spun and twirled past missiles, lasers and asteroids. The room shook with weapons fire and impact explosions. I took breaks only to make notes on what worked, and what didn't. I wasn't pushing the old project - I was seeing it all through new eyes. "It's ALIVE!!! ALIIIIIVEEEE!" 

Ladies and gentleman, I can assure you that this project is officially back online. Please stay tuned for some major updates and a complete build log. I'll be including photos, code and regular progress reports from here on out. I appreciate your patience and continuing to follow along. 

I'll do my best to make it worth it!