Remember UE2 Runtime?

UDK is essentially the same as UE2 runtime, allowing developers to create their own worlds and technologies free of charge. The difference? You’re allowed to distribute and even sell games and other software made with the UDK, as UE2 Runtime is limited to educational use.

Essentially UDK is the kit Epic Games and other licensees use to create their games. You get everything they get, excluding the C++ source code (although you could create C++ “plugins” with a feature called DLLBind, which allows you to execute .dll files along side Unrealscript). You’re free to create anything you can with the engine, as long as it is fit with the EULA and you’re not using illegal assets in the software.

If you’re familiar with creating total conversions and modifications in Unreal Tournament 3 (or any other UnrealEngine 3 game), the jump to UDK isn’t that bad, as the workflow is essentially the same. You’re allowed to use the UT3 related code shipped with UDK in your projects, with no eye on whether the project is commercial or not.

The community on Epic Games community forums is already very active and projects are sprunging out everywhere. UDK is also updated with monthly builds, latest being the January beta version.

As a secret between us I have begun working on a roleplaying game prototype on UDK as an evening hobby. We’ll see how it turns out.

A BMP-2 assault tank. Note: I’m not in the picture.

Unless you’ve been following my tweets, you might not know that nowadays I drive a BMP-2 assault tank in the Finnish Defence Forces. This means my military service ends in next july, around the tenth day. This week we had our drivers’ license exams and driving tests. Unless I magically failed the theory, I have a license to drive a tank along with a trustful tank leader.

Army’s been tough, but I’ve managed so far. Occasionally its even fun. The two-month basic training season was tougher than learning how to drive an age old tank, which really isn’t a surprise, but I’m relieved the physical stress has relieved.

A few months forward our tank course will see new recruits arrive at the barracks. A few months from that we will begin our war company season, and nearly half year spurt or learning how to wage war with a BMP-2. That means quite a few camping trips during 4 months.

After war company, I’ve got a few months of rest and then begins my education as a media engineer in HAMK university of applied sciences.

Next monday I will be at the local barracks, getting to know how the Finnish military works. This means I’ll be away (visiting home randomly though) for at least six months, with limited access to anything when on duty.

Whether I’m selected to work with multimedia at the headquarters, this will be a nine month duty, but with work related to my interests. Expect a very long pause at rdegree (and anywhere else I might usually be).

Education

Yesterday I got mail from Häme’s University of Applied Sciences. They informed I was one of the lucky 34 applicants who were selected to study media. I’ll begin my education in fall 2010, right after my army is finished and I’ve got a bit of time to organize my life (moving, work, etc.). After that is done I can call myself a media engineer.

My lovely girlfriend was also selected to the same school, to study product development this year.

Win32.Vitro

Last weekend my primary computer was infected with a virus. Its a file infector called Win32.Vitro, which is a variant of Virut (which uses polymorphic code to infect files). Its a tough bitch to clean off, and most probably a reformat is needed to make the system secure again.

Right now I’m doing my best to backup my most precious files (photographs, music, etc.) which can’t be replaced. After that I’ll be nuking my hard drives and starting fresh.

That’s it for now. I’ll be posting news when my first holiday at army begins and am able to find some internet connectivity. Thanks for the patience.

I asked some pals about the problem and how to fix it. Everyone said I should replace the phone. It is five years old, doesn’t have any new cool things such as a huge (touch) screen, painless web browsing, email things, etc. Although it has a 1.3 megapixel(!) camera.

But it works. I can call and text message people. I can keep some notes, view the calendar and so on. But if it didn’t work as expected, what could I do?

I was looking for new phones and struggled to keep my old phone turned on (loading it twice a day sometimes). Some looked nice, some bad, some were cheap, some expensive. I wanted a “superphone”, for a change from my old one. I considered an iPhone or a new Nokia Communicator… But they were too pricey.

When finding nothing which would fit me, I walked towards the doors. Then it hit me. If the battery keeps depleting, why in the hell not try a new battery?

I turned back, asked for a battery for my phone model, handed the clerk 35 euros, headed home, plugged the new battery in, loaded it and then waited…

Right now I’ve been running on that same load for two and a half days. Not a single “block” has dissappeared from my screen. Remember folks, there is almost always a cheaper alternative.

By the way, anyone know how to fix an unresponsive phone button? My “7/pqrs” needs some extra pressing to work properly.

If you wish, you can view the big list of changes from version 2.7 at their Codex. The biggest changes they seem to be promoting are themes and widgets. No wonder, as widgets are now even easier to use, manage and customize, and themes have gained the popular “one-click-install” procedure as well.

Anyway, I tried to open a page, but I didn’t see anything but blue links and a few images. I wondered what was going on, but realized that it must be the black background doing its tricks here. I didn’t know where or how it could be set to white again, so I took a deep breath and opened the page in Internet Explorer. It loaded fine and everything was viewable again.

So this is a word of advice to all CSS coders: remember to give a background color and a base text color to your <body> elements:

body {
          background: #FFF;
          color: #000;
     }

Now user settings will be over-written and texts are readable with some basic CSS and you can override these styles later on in your CSS files.

I also told my girlfriend to change the black background to a dark gray. It’s still dark but I don’t need to open IE if an <body> accident has happened.

White cap has been given, summer hymns have been sung and each of the graduates have been applauded and congratulated. Damn I’m glad. You might not be as excited but I am, and with a long lasting smile I could walk out of the doors of our school.

But I need to prepare for a day-lasting festive here at my place. Got to go.

Next up: army in july.

I’m also working on a few tutorials soon, depending on the time on my hands. And sometime this summer I might release a punBB theme.

Anyways, I’ll be updating later on. Thanks for reading.

For a day I learned the basic functions (of which some are still a bit of a mystery to me). The manual—which I actually read this time—is very useful. The software which shipped along is quite useful too. The 450D feels sturdy and solid, but still I’m a bit affraid to handle it. After using it only for a few days I can’t get thorough, but perhaps later on I’ll post my list of goodness and suckness of this camera. You’ll have to wait a while though.

Me and my girlfriend went to a photo session to a local natural park, Aulanko. It was fun and we both took pictures everywhere. The only thing that nagged me was that my computer froze from time to time when post processing the large resolution photos I took. Here’s some of them (click for a larger version):

It was a splendid evening. We just ran around trying to find subjects and what not to take photos of.

The 450D is very good, but I will need to go out there and learn the best methods to use it. We’re going on another photoevening with my girlfriend tonight. More time to learn new things.

What I have left to say is a thanks for my dad, who listened to my wishes and bought the SLR for me as a gift. Thanks!

I also made some space art last night. Nothing complex, a star field with a nebula. You can view it at deviantART. I’ve also got a print for it in the dA store, if you like to see unknown galaxies and stars around on your walls.