In class, we were asked to provide three ideas, so it seems to me that I should report those as my first post to the thesis class blog! Naturally, I had done plenty of thinking about my own thesis over the summer (and even before then), so I was definitely prepared to talk about two ideas in particular. Though, the “crazy” idea — perhaps we can substitute “particularly ambitious”? — had been floating around in the back of my mind a bit, too.
First Idea: Most Likely
Essentially, it is a web-based application for creating your own cross-stitch patterns. I was inspired by the obvious connection between this style of embroidery and pixel art, since each stitch is made in rows and columns. However, there are limitations of trying to represent a cross-stitch pattern as pixel art. For example, a program for pixel art will be unable to mix colors within a single pixel (as some patterns may call for), nor is it able to do any outlining between the pixels (the way backstitches are sometimes used).
A natural extension of this tool would be the ability to customize a pattern based on a digital image. While there are tools that can convert your image into pixel art, which usually also recommend which thread colors to embroider with, no program that I have found online factor in the two shortcomings of pixel art.
Basically, this thesis would be a major design and development project, with a focus on user interface (UI), computer vision, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Second Idea: Alternative
This was actually my first idea for a thesis project. It would be a revisiting of one of my early IMM projects: a game using abstract art to convey a message about the pressure to assimilate. The original venture was in p5.js (not p5.play!) and was never completed. The idea seemed to me the perfect way to come full circle as a college student. From my first coding class, to my final project as an undergraduate!
However, I am starting to question whether a career in game development is right for me. There are some serious cultural issues in the video game industry, such as working extreme unpaid overtime in periods of “crunch.” As a survivor of the Downingtown STEM Academy, I have learned the value of sleep, pacing myself, self-care, standing up for myself/my needs/my boundaries, and keeping sane. Basically, if I don’t go into game dev, why should my thesis project be a game?
I do, however, still consider this a legitimate alternative since there are clearly valuable skills to be learned by tackling my game as a solo project.
Third Idea: Particularly Ambitious
This one is hard to describe, but basically I want to consider accessibility in VR for people with limited vision by instead focusing on audio design. This would be less a game and more a toy/experience, as a person dons a headset and is tracked in their space. As they approach certain auditory stimuli, the [surround] sound may grow more intense. Some items would be interactive. I would want to include some tactile feedback as well, such as a gentle breeze.
It’s a more underdeveloped idea, but I consider it ambitious because I would probably have to learn to model, rig, and animate most of the objects in the scene. While I do want to expand my skill set through this project, I would much rather focus on my ability to problem-solve using code.
If you got this far, congratulations! This has been good practice building a post. Remember to check out the “Thesis Projects by Student” page and bookmark my category (Robin Friedman) for future updates.