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So the aesthetic appeal of our game was going along beautifully until we realized that our great mansion was lacking the one thing that would make it "great." This was the problems that we had to incorporate into the map for the others to solve. Construction began immediately. Left and right we worked together to make problems for the other players to solve and it was going well for a while. I spent time myself outside of class creating and perfecting at least two of the problems themselves, while Michael worked on his trap door project. Eventually the group split into the four aspects. I created puzzles, Michael worked on traps, Mikey worked on the aesthetics, and Sierra worked on the spawn point. However we soon realized the biggest problem that all the groups were struggling with this past week. The dreaded spawn point. There was no easy way to do it. For any of the ways there were always some sort of advanced red stone network that had to be sorted out along with codes that were at least a mile long to specify what was going to happen. All of the codes had to do with teleporting a player to a certain spot in the map if he had a score of zero. Then another code was added to give the player a score of 1 so he wouldn't keep teleporting to the same location because that would put a serious constraint on those trying to complete the map. Maybe that should've been the first puzzle for the people to solve within the mansion... making a global spawn point. Anyways as the week went on we got more pressed for time and the spawn point seemed like that one thing in life that you can't quite reach. I left for my hometown this Friday and left this project in the capable hands of Michael. I will stay in contact when I can and I truly hope that we solve this spawn point issue, for everyones sake. Have a great rest of your weekend everyone! Minecraft on!

This past week began the beginning of the actual designing of the game. Throughout the week my partners and I created four different worlds on our accounts to see which terrain would represent the best atmosphere for the game we were designing. We came to the conclusion that the map generated in my world was the best. We then moved to phase two of the project in which we decided what we would be building and what the story would involve. It quickly came to our realization that with Halloween on its way what would be better than a haunted house themed map. So the brainstorming began. In a quick fashion I was able to type up our groups brilliant idea the night before the proposal was due and I quickly sketched what I would want the mansion to be like. However as we began building I realized the challenge that had been placed against us. To make a building that actually looks good as well as making the traps and problems actually work within the building. So the work began, we cleared trees and with trial and error we were able to create the space in which the mansion would be made. Then the weekend began. On Friday night I looked at gates for mansions and messed around with different materials on my own to find out which blocks would create a more "creepy" atmosphere. This continued and I went through many different ideas until I found the perfect blocks for the effect I wanted. Unfortunately the problem that I faces was that the vines on the walls act as ladders. Therefore the player could somehow climb out of the area that they are supposed to play in defeating the purpose of playing the game. This will have to be looked at and worked out but we should be able to break through this constraint. We will hopefully make some major progress this week. 

Being a digital native I have a lot of pressure to do things correctly when setting up a computer or something along those lines. Unfortunately this is what people expect of the digital natives these days even though the term only defines that we are born into this age of technology. The article we read on these natives was talking to parents about the resources that we digital natives have and how they should be careful because of the potential that we posses with technology. Really this fear is irrational and parents should just show us how to properly search things on the internet. These fears are like the fears of the movie the terminator becoming a reality. There may be a small tiny chance, like .000001 chance, that it could happen but people know that it won't. As for the hacking problems it is just what comes with new technology. It is just the same as any other technology that came out for the first time years ago. Originally cars were nothing special. It was something that would soon be used to smuggle stolen goods. There is always repercussions when a new technology is introduced and this is simply the problem with the coming out of this technology. Being a digital native I know the stresses that come along with being born in this age, and I try to not take for granted the technologies that I have at my finger tips. This world is changing and technology is the spear head leading this change. Soon the technology that I am familiar with will be outdated. Soon I will have to be a digital immigrant and I will be at the mercy of the new technologies that are constantly being created every day. Being a digital native I know from experience what how to handle the technology given to me these days wisely.

Sponsors of literacy. This was the first article in which I learned what a literacy sponsor is. There are so many sponsors out there. And each sponsor shows what they see in a company or another person. These sponsors put out whatever amount of effort they think they need to unlock the full potential that they see. As for literary sponsors, instead of money, they provide us with the knowledge we need to unlock the full potential of the areas that they helping us become literate in. At this point I have already stated some of the sponsors in my life but they can be almost anyone that is ahead of you in a certain literacy that is able to teach you. The more we learn in a certain literacy the better because then later in life we can contribute the same thing to others that we see potential in. As we go through our lives there will always be some sponsor in our lives. There will always be someone to teach us or help us through something. A family doctor may even be a sponsor if you take the advice he gives you. He could help you become more literate in how to be healthier. Literacy sponsors are everywhere and from what I gathered they will always be in our lives to help us learn how to be literate in something new. As life goes on we are able to learn how to do new things and find new people to help us learn these things. It is great to know so we know who to look for to help us in our lives if we want to become literate in something. I know that is not that descriptive but there are just so many things you can be literate in that it is not fair to just put one thing down. This is what I took from that article.

 On one of my Thursdays I stated that I was playing a game. This game was most likely Civilization 5. This is a game where you start off in the ancient era and work your way up through the ages all the way up to the future era. This is a fun game especially for me because of the history aspect of the game. The more you play of a game the more literate you get in it and this is why I play them in addition to the aspect of simply just settling down and enjoying myself. I can be extremely competitive and this is why I want to become more literate in games. This game has a lot of strategy and juggling between tasks to do. For instance you may have to work on the economy of your civilization to keep up the happiness of your people but you may also have to go to war at the same time. It is a pretty involved game, but as you get more literate at this game the better you get at problem solving and figuring out how to handle certain situations. It is through this game that I have been able to figure out how to problem solve easier and use strategy which I enjoy doing. This game helps me build on the strategy literacy that I like to have. As I move through my life I like to have that calculating side to me that I can use to make other decisions. I can weigh all the outcomes of the choices I have with this skill. With when I have a major choice to make it is good to have this skill so I do not do something I will regret. For instance making a bad purchase of something I really didn't need. This is why I like games like this because I like to weigh my options and go with the best decision that I can come up with at the moment. So this game helps cultivate the decision making literacy that I have.

Well this picture is a lot bigger than I thought they would be when I uploaded it but in the center is my Mom. She has been yet another big sponsor in my life. However She has affected my literacy in many different areas as my Dad has. She has helped me pursue things in my life and has advised me in situations where I would've never known the answer. In a way she has helped me become literate in how to make good choices. In a way this blog could be about my parents as a whole because they have both equally contributed to this literacy area in my life, but I'll try to strictly keep it to my Mom. The biggest part of my life that my Mom has fostered my literacy in would probably be my faith. She has always been there in my life to help me choose the right path and has always supported me in this are of my life. She was always there for me and always was able to answer any questions referring to my faith. She was able to morally guide me through some difficult situations as well and I have her to thank for being so instrumental in who I am today. Today I believe that I have acquired the proper decision making skills and I got those from my Mother. As I move through my day I go through all the things that my mother has taught me and have used what I have learned to get through the situation properly. I really appreciate all that my Mom has done for me and I appreciate how she still wants to be an instrumental part of my life and is always there for me even when I am out of the house and at college. The literacy she has provided me with will be a skill that I take with me through the rest of my life.

I have become more literate in the subject of math yet have found that it is most likely an area that I should not pursue. In a way this math course has helped me become more literate about my self and what limitations I may have and the amount of breaks I need before I go back and try it all over again. This is how my days go with math and the more I learn about math the more I learn about myself. I stated for my response to the math home work that I was getting frustrated and this is how I came to fully realize my feelings about math. I still try hard but not the extended times that I used to. I do see however why math is important to others and see how it is essential for us to move forward in many different aspects of our society, whether it'd be technology, economic, or building. Math is important, it's just not my forte

This literacy is a special one that carries on through my life. I can keep up with all of my family members that are spread throughout the world. This will allow me to be knowledgable of what they enjoy and how they have changed since the last time I have seen them. Whether it is a good change or not it allows me to take a glimpse into their lives. Oh and there are some pretty hilarious pictures on Facebook. So in addition to all the literacy I have gained Facebook has the opportunity to brighten my mood. 

Even though I struggle with being a leader here and there I still understand so much more about it because of Mr. Barber. Once could say that I became literate in leadership through my experiences in band. I learned that a leader has to do things that are not the favorite choice but benefit the group as a whole in the end. I learned that you have to give respect to gain respect and most of all I learned that through hard work and perseverance almost anything is accomplishable. All of this I noticed and became a part of through watching this great sponsor in my life. He treated all of us like family. He encouraged us when we were discouraged and scolded us when we laughed at our mistakes. He is one of the greatest sponsors in my life besides my parents. For me I only have good things to say about the directors and program of the Homestead Spartan Alliance Band. I like to think that the skills I learned in band have carried me here to Purdue and will continue to help lead me in the right direction. Band changed my life for the better and through all the hard work I was able to complete my high school goal one year early. Now with that same perseverance applied to my college life I like to think that my possibilities are endless, and what better place than Purdue to have these options. Boiler Up!