Owen
About Me
Hi, I'm Owen! I'm in the IDEA Program. I am a Freshman at DHS, and am one of the top Freshman on the Cross-country Team. I also like biking, sailing and skiing. I have a dog named Pearl. Some hobbies that I like are reading, playing video games, drawing, and coding. I chose my IDEA project because I like computers and designing video games, but didn't really have enough time for coding.
My Project
My project is to demonstrate the connection between code, the parts of a computer, and the client-server structure. I will do this by building a desktop computer, and then to learning how to code in Lua and creating a video game in Roblox. I plan on learning how to code through tutorials, tutors and other online resources. I will work on small projects focusing on specific aspects or skills that I want to work on, leading up to a large project. At Achiever's Night, I will show how games work behind the scenes and how different systems must interact for them to run properly.
My Mentor
My mentor is Mr. Honohan. He has prior experience building games, and has even built an arcade consol in his classroom. He and his students have also built a robot.
Reflection
If I had to change something I would have tried to work on my computer faster and have spent more time coding so that I could have made an actual final game. The final game that I planned wasn't developed enough, so I changed my most developed project to be the main one. One of the most important things that I learned, of course, was how to code. But I also learned that you might not always succeed on the first try, but you might on later tries. The thing that went well was the computer, as it is now fully functional and can work! I think that I did somewhere between more and less than I originally planned. I planned on the computer being less work, though I did more with that; however, I didn't get as much done with coding as I had hoped. My project was originally to code, but my mom's computer had broken, so I changed my project to build a computer and to code a game on that computer as well. I do plan to continue coding in the future, and I haven't even started any of the projects that I really want to do. My advice for future students would be to not procrastinate and have a definite plan on what things you are going to do and when you are going to do them.
Progress Report Presentation #5
My goal for PRP #5 continue working on coding. My current goals for this section are to continue learning to script and to start working on my final project. Some things that I need help with are still finding time for scripting, though I would also like some ideas for my final project.
Progress Report Presentation #4
My goal for PRP #4 was to start working on coding. I started researching coding and worked in Roblox Studio. My current goals for this are to review tutorials and make more mini-projects. Some thing that I need help with is finding time for scripting, because most of the time that I script is during the weekend, because I have a lot of homework during the week.
Progress Report Presentation #3
My goal for PRP #3 is to build the computer and to start learning how to code. Over winter break, I finished building the computer and installed Windows 11 on it. So far, I haven't done that much coding in Roblox Studio, and instead focused on using Studio. I did make some things, such as a tank scene, and did do some basic coding to try and re-learn the basics.
Mini-Goal #3
My third mini goal is to actually build the computer and to start working on coding. I will have to wait for any remaining parts to arrive before I build it, as well as any tools that I need (although I'm pretty sure that the only tool that I need is philips-head screwdriver.) After I've finished building the computer, I will actually work on coding projects themselves. But in the meanwhile, I will just research coding, and try to refresh myself on the basics.
Progress Report Presentation #2
My second mini-goal is to finalize my parts selection through the help of my friends and family and start working on the computer. But, since it was likely going to take a long time for the parts to arrive, I decided to start researching coding as well. That way, I could continue working on my project while I was waiting for the parts to arrive. However, while I did finalize my platform, I didn't do that much research into coding, which is something that I am going to work more on.
Mini-Goal #2
For my second mini-goal, I plan to finalize my parts list by talking to friends and family members. After the parts list is finalized, I then plan on ordering them from the various websites and hopefully start building the computer. Since it will likely take a long time for the parts to arrive, I probably won't get to actually building the computer until after Thanksgiving.
Progress Report Presentation #1
My original first goal is to research what parts to get for the computer, and then to order those parts and to build the computer. I ended up having to shorten this to just researching the copmuter parts: what each part did, what the diferent words and numbers meant, etc. I chose to start with making the computer because my current computer isn't very well suited to making 3D games and if I started coding on it then I would have to transfer everything over to the new computer. Also the screen is broken.