Dana, If he doesn't care for (meaning sees no need to learn) calculus, try him in geometry first.
If he likes the 3d gaming idea, and likes animation, geometry is the key. The best math I've ever done is calculating camera angles and flight speed through a 3d underwater seascape used on a commercial for a 3d "ride". Once the idea of _using_ math is in his head, you won't be able to keep him away from calculus. How else is he going to calculate the amount of air needed to fill his moon-dome? It worked for me. Jerry Johnson >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 06/13/03 03:00PM >>> Well so far math has been the subject I really have to ride him on. I personally think that taking calculus was pretty important in my intellectual development. But we can drag around here for the next four years while I MAKE him learn the slope of a line or we can show him why it matters. I doubt you can do much serious animation without math. I have just had a talk with him and the current plan is, he will really try on math this summer (I need to review calculus and stats anyway) and we will try for community college and SATs in the fall. I also explained to him that if he scores high enough on his SATs people will give him money to go to college, which piqued his interest. Let's see what the UNM people say. Dana On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 13:29:17 -0500, Kevin Graeme <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Yeah, that's it. It's really hard to know how impressive this is. There > are lots of step-by-step instructions on gaming forums on what to do, > but if he's writing his own just by looking at the code there, then > that's a bit more impressive. > > As Adam mentioned, it's quite similar to the skills for doing other > server configuration, so in that respect it's potentially useful. But I > was coding games at age 12 by copying code from books. I was impressed > that my Lunar Lander worked, but really I was just a keyboard parrot. > > You could mention that he has done some server configuration on his own > time, but I wouldn't go into the details. And I don't see anything there > that stands in for math skills. > > I know the math geeks here might have something to say about his lack of > interest in math, but I'll chime in from the perspective of someone with > poor math skills. I didn't get much more than basic algebra and geometry > and I find that it has sorely hindered some basic things I'd like to do. > And as with any skill, unpracticed they atrophy. So since my match > skills at their height weren't that great, they have only gotten worse > with time. > > -Kevin > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Dana Tierney [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, June 13, >> 2003 12:54 PM >> To: CF-Community >> Subject: Re: tribes question - annihilation server configuration >> >> >> He is "modding" a file. Here are the first few lines of it. (He left it >> in my test editor) >> ___________________________ >> //bindAction(mouse0, zaxis0, TO, IDACTION_INC_SNIPER_FOV, 1.000000); >> //bindAction(mouse0, zaxis1, TO, IDACTION_INC_SNIPER_FOV, -1.000000); >> >> //bindCommand(mouse0, zaxis0, TO, "nextWeapon();"); >> //bindCommand(mouse0, zaxis1, TO, "prevWeapon();"); >> >> //Control::getPosition //Persistent::TaggedClass<MissionCenterPos> >> //Control::setValue Control::getValue >> //Control::getExtent Control::setExtent >> //Control::setText Control::getText TextList::Clear TextList::AddLine >> //hitShapeName //baseDamageType //whirSound // // >> //newObject("MissionCenter", MissionCenterPos, -(%tw / 2), -(%tw / 2), >> %tw, %tw); >> //addToSet("MissionGroup\\World", "MissionCenter"); >> // >> >> // functions by Plasmatic >> function dance() >> { >> if($dance) >> $dance = false; >> else >> { >> $dance = true; >> getdown(%anim); >> } >> >> _________________________________ >> >> >> He just turned 13 btw, which is no doubt the objection to trying to >> graduate him. Still, his academics are college level everywhere but >> math, and his attitude towards math is that he doesn't see the need for >> anything more than simple algebra. I figure, if he can pass a GED even >> if ingloriously why not let him do so? If he is doing ballistics in his >> games he will see the point of calculus soon enough. Alternatively I may >> just enroll him and the heck with the GED. I asked him about this and he >> is interested. >> >> I am still interested in any comments btw. I won't be leaving for the >> appointment for a couple of hours. >> >> Thanks >> Dana >> >> On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 13:35:41 -0400, cantrl. a <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> wrote: >> >> > I would say this is pretty good for somebody still in school. A lot of >> > maintaining a *nix server is reading sometimes cryptic documentation >> and > then editing even more cryptic configuration files. Instead of >> setting up > an online game it's web servers, databases, and email >> systems. People who > read documentation and then independently take on >> applying what they've > read without getting frustrated or scared are a >> pretty rare find. >> > >> > Now if you came home and he was writing custom maps and game mods - > >> that >> > would be something to really brag about. >> > >> > Adam. >> > >> > >> >> I am not a fan of first person shooter games (I can hear you all out >> >> there going naaawww...you're kidding... really?) :) I do have a >> question >> about Tribes that someone here may be able to answer. >> >> >> >> My son is an avid Tribes player. I think I have mentioned here before >> >> that I homeschool. I need to have a chat with someone about his >> >> academics tomorrow as I am thinking, if he is willing to get serious >> >> about his math, that he would be best off just writing SATs and/or a GED >> >> and enrolling in a computer science curriculum, which seems to be >> where >> he wants to go. The thing is the school system here apparently >> requires >> some sort of permit to graduate early (which I think is >> really dumb) and >> I am liable to need some professionals backing me to >> get it. Thus the >> conversation tomorrow. >> >> >> >> On to the tribes question. He has taken to modifying the >> >> configuration >> >> files, and I would like an idea how impressed I should be by this. Is >> >> this common practice, or something he would find a cookbook for on >> one >> of the gamer sites? In other words, is he just good at following >> >> instructions or is he actually reading code? What is Tribes written >> in >> anyway? >> >> Anyone know? I had assumed he was working through some sort of UI but >> >> what he was looking at earlier looked java-ish. I don't want to >> embarass >> myself by citing this tomorrow if it's something pretty easy >> to do and I >> just don't know it cause I don't play the thing. If >> that's the case I >> will just stick to the hardware skills when I brag >> about his computer >> knowledge <g> >> >> >> >> Thanks for any answers, >> >> Dana >> >> -- Mr Jones and me >> >> We're stumbling through the barrio.... >> >> >> > >> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
