These activities are designed to help prepare you for each unit’s final project.
If you feel these activities aren’t preparing you, or if you find yourself devoting more than a few hours to each activity, please, reach out, and let’s talk. If you’re having a problem, quite likely so are your peers.
There will be 10 activities, which collectively count for 16% of your grade. Not turning in an activity results in a zero for that activity. Not submitting 3 or more generally results in an F for the Assignments portion of your grade, which can pull your overall grade down by a full letter grade.
Submitting them on time keeps you (and the whole class) on track, so make sure to mark the deadlines in your calendar.
See the Grading page for more details.
Throughout the semester, activities will be posted below in reverse chronological orderâŚ
Activity 10
Due by 11:59 PM, December 27th (submit to #activity10)
Download and Install
Download Max from cycling74: https://cycling74.com/downloads
Install it on the computer you use for class assignments. (And if your machine doesn’t run it, no worries — Max is available in the computer labs at Voorhees Hall, so you can complete these tutorials there.)
(I’ve attached the key authorization file and the instructions on how to use the key to this email.)
You need to use the key to authorize the software in order to save patches — and you need to save patches in order to complete activity 10.
Complete These Tutorials
- Complete these two video tutorials:
Tutorial 1: https://vimeo.com/415679601/f2286e8067
Tutorial 2: https://vimeo.com/415903363/f85fdc8302 - Take this online quiz:
Quiz #1 (via Google Forms): https://forms.gle/qv2vu557ddCXFpeD7 - Complete these two video tutorials, which should be done before Class #28:
Tutorial 3: https://vimeo.com/416182341/dfe9930662
Tutorial 4: https://vimeo.com/416347821/2478d2abed
This will prepare you for Quiz #2 (which is 25% of your grade for Project 4).
Completing these tutorials will make completing Project 4 a simple matter.
Send your patch files
Submit all of your patch files (tutorial 2 -4) in #activity10 .
Activity 9
Due by 11:59 Monday, December 9 (post in #activity09)
Read and Respond.
Read Max/MSP for average music junkies (https://web.archive.org/web/20230130115331/http:/www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/culture/music/168579-max-msp-primer).
Write a response of roughly 250-500 words that thoughtfully and thoroughly addresses these questions:
How is the Max interface described?
How was Max software founded (who, why, and when)?
How did Max software development/distribution evolve?
What are the three precursors of Max software?
How does one of the mentioned composers or musicians work with Max?
Extra credit:
Listen to two of the sounds in the Modalities (horizontal separator section; the middle link no longer works) and describe what you hear in relation to the written descriptions.
Watch Audio Facelyzer (horizontal separator section) and describe what effects you see and hear in relation to the written description.
Submit your response as a comment to the â activity09 channel on Discord.
Due by 11:59PM Wednesday, November 13 (post in #activity08)
â˘Read and Respond – Read all three of these articlesâŚ
⢠Physical Computingâs Greatest Hits and Misses, Tom Igoe
⢠A Day in the Life of Wearable Tech, in Time Magazine, written by Gee, Ho, and Raab
⢠UX for Wearables and Physical Computing, on the Adobe Blog, written by Andrew Smyk
Write a response of at least 500 words (max 1000 words), demonstrating that youâve read all three articles by referencing and elaborating on at least one specific example from each article. Also reflect on the examples in relation to your current understanding and interest in physical computing.
Submit your response as a comment to the #activity08 channel on the MTEC1101 Discord.
Activity 7
Due by 11:59PM Wednesday, October 30 (post in #activity07)
Complete Short Study #1: Algorithmic Drawing
Building on what we did in class, create your own unique drawing using 2D primitive shapes.
- Use the MDN Web Docs Canvas API Reference as a reference to help you understand how <canvas> works
- Consult MDN Web Docs Canvas Tutorial on the basics of how to draw 2D graphics with <canvas>
- Reference the code Iâve provided with you; use it as a framework and a template.
You can draw a character, an object, create an illusion, etc., but your drawing and code must be original. (NB: Feel free to use the codepen templates as a starting point â but give credit where it is due! Just like writing a paper, cite your source â in this case, cite your source code.)
Your <canvas> composition must include:
- A canvas size of at least 400 x 400
- At least 3 different types of 2D primitive shapes (rectangle, circle, line, triangle, etc.)
- At least 3 types of variation (e.g. stroke vs fill, scale, outline, color, transparency, corner treatment, etc.)
Include a comment at the top of your script.js; see the attached PDF to see what it must include.
Submit the link to your codepen in #activity07.
Due by 11:59 PM, Wednesday, October 23 (post in #activity06 on Discord)
Building on the example shown in class and the code examples Iâve made available to you, make changes to an existing composition:
- Create a Codepen account: https://codepen.io/accounts/signup/user/free
- Make a fork of the following Codepen: https://codepen.io/seanlanders/pen/zYgwdKW
- Make THREE changes to the code.
These could include:
⢠Making the canvas bigger or smaller
⢠Changing a shapeâs color, size, or location.
⢠Adding additional shapes.
⢠Removing shapes.
⢠Experimenting with adding text.
- Include comments in your code that describe the changes you made.
(// this is how you make a comment)
(/*
also this /* */ lets you make multiline comments
*/) - Include a comment at the top of your script.js, that includes:
Who you are
Describe the changes youâve made.
Talk a little bit about why you made the decisions you made
Who has permission to use your code, when, and for what reasons
How to contact you with any questions they may have about your code
A statement that tells us how, if at all, you used ChatGPT, AI, or a LLM to help you with your process (“I did not use ChatGPT or any other AI to help me with this process” is an acceptable statement, if true)
The date
For the purposes of this assignment, Iâm going to ask you to refrain from using ChatGPT to make the changes for you. If you use ChatGPT (or any other LLM) to research, you must specify that in your code, including a link to the conversation as a comment in your code.
Submit your final code to â activity06 by copying a link to your Codepen to the channel.
Due before Class 15. This an individual assignment, with peer support. If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Activity 5
Due by 11:59 PM, Monday, October 21 (post in #activity05 on Discord)
Read and Respond
âWhat is Code?â by Paul Ford:
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-paul-ford-what-is-code/
Read the required sections, as listed in the linked assignment PDFâeach title is linked to the anchor in the pageâand then write a response (around 500 words), making sure to answer the questions in italics.
Activity 4
Due by 9:59 AM, Wednesday, September 25 (post in #activity04)
Read, Research, & Respond:
Read
Visit the Games for Change Game Archive. (https://www.gamesforchange.org/games/)
Browse through the games until you find one that interests you.
Research
Research the game:
Read the synopsis.
Look at the graphics.
If you can, try playing it!
If thereâs a video trailer, watch it.
Respond
Before class 8, write a brief (250-500 word) review of the game in question.
At the minimum, your response should include:
The gameâs name
Who made it
A brief summary of the game
When it was released
An analysis of the game that follows the VAP game-design rubric:
pink (describe the game),
orange (the social issue it deals with),
green (game mechanics)
and
blue (values).
To review the VAP game-design cards concept, visit the VAP / Grow-a-Game website, or check out this word doc which provides a sample list of games, issues, actions and values.
Due by 11:59 PM, Wednesday, September 18 (post in #activity03)
Obtain free access to the New York Times (and Wall Street Journal while youâre at it):
Follow the instructions in this link: https://cuny.libanswers.com/gc/faq/330892
Read and Respond
- Read this NYT article: Dozens of Women in Gaming Speak Out About Sexism and Harassment.
Write a response of around 300 words that answers these questions:- What were the events that prompted female gamers and streamers to begin sharing their stories about sexism and harassment on social media?
- What actions do you think would be most effective in creating structural change in the gaming industry?
- What is one of the specific womenâs stories, along with the corresponding responses/results?
- What were the events that prompted female gamers and streamers to begin sharing their stories about sexism and harassment on social media?
- Read this NYT article: Chess (Yes, Chess) Is Now a Streaming Obsession.
Write a response of around 300 words that answers these questions:- Describe the viewing of live chess games in relation to the streaming statistics, and other games, that are mentioned in this article (make sure to mention the specific streaming platform and which Big Tech company owns it).
- Describe how the accomplishments of a top player like Mr. Nakamura attracts attention from other media, and how that feeds back into the gaming culture.
- How does your own experience of playing/watching/streaming games relate to any of this?
- Describe how the accomplishments of a top player like Mr. Nakamura attracts attention from other media, and how that feeds back into the gaming culture.
- Describe the viewing of live chess games in relation to the streaming statistics, and other games, that are mentioned in this article (make sure to mention the specific streaming platform and which Big Tech company owns it).
Post your response (two separate ones, or together as one with a combined total word count of around 600 words) as a comment to âactivity03â on Discord.
Activity 2
Due by 9:59 PM, Monday, September 16 (post in #activity02)
Before watching the videos specified below, write a summary (around 100 words) of how you usually come up with an idea for a project.
Break this process into discrete steps. As an example of what I mean by âdiscrete stepsâ: if I were describing how I make a sandwich, Iâd say: 1) I get a loaf of bread, 2) I get the fillings for the sandwich, 3) I assemble the fillings on a slice of bread, 4) I put another slice of bread on top.
Watch and respond: Watch two videos (embedded below and included in the assignment PDF) and respond to the prompts in the assignment PDF.
Read and respond: Read Speculative design: 3 examples of design fiction by Tony Ho Tran and respond to the prompts in the assignment PDF.
Follow the instructions in the assignment link for response & how to submit.
The 4 Steps to Getting an Idea, Kirby Fergusson (https://youtu.be/JPJ3oy-rWUk)
Build your creative confidence, David Kelly (https://youtu.be/16p9YRF0l-g)
Activity 1
Due ⥠by 9:59 AM, Monday, September 9th
Watch and Respond:
Watch the second half of the documentary âThe Digital Promiseâ (2014) by JosĂŠ Manuel Pinillo at https://vimeo.com/199075255. (Download the documentary for easier reviewing.)
Navigate to the time stamp of 36:51; youâll see a couple seconds of black screen and start watching from there through the end of the video.
Respond
Write a response, around 500 words, and submit it as a comment to the âActivity 01â channel on Discord (#activity01):
1. Choose one of the intervieweeâs quotes to thoughtfully reflect on (for example, Mark Dery, Clay Shirky, Nicholas Negroponte, Tiffany Shlain, or any others who are identified in this section), making sure to relate it to how you utilize technology in your life.
2. Choose one of the specific examples of technological development or innovation thatâs mentioned in the video and find one news article that was published within the past year to relate it to (include a hyperlink to the news article in your response).
The news article could be about a current technology that you think is related, or a review of movie, tv/streaming show, art exhibition, etc. that deals with a similar issue.
Compare and contrast some aspect of what is stated and shown in the video with whatâs mentioned in the article.
BONUS POINTS
Earn extra participation credit! Read and meaningfully engage with the written responses of your peers.
