What project to do for diploma?

Farls

Hey guy's,

I know its been asked here a few times before but i'm wondering what projects ye all done for yer diploma? I'm just starting 3rd year now and drawing a blank in the old project ideas class at the minute!

I'd like to do something fairly new but i can't think of anything we'll be using C++, JAVA, VB, SQL, ASP.......any of those languages but mainly C++.

Thanks for any ideas if any!...hehe

Farlz

Farls

Ok, i've had a few ideas myself after a bit of lookin about n thinkin n searchin!

Somethin with Wap --> not too sure what

a mobile game --> it would have to be in C++ but could implemnt java mainly

a DVD ripper --> I'd love to do this one but i'm not sure what would be involved? we would be doing some windows programming as well so it would help with the front end on this

Compression tool --> sounds boring enough

Client/Server app --> not too sure again

Security --> not sure again

Games --> interested in this also but not sure what game to do i wouldn't mind learning opengl it looks pretty interesting

Any other ideas or could someone clarify a game or what would be involved in a dvd ripper?

please?...hehe

Farlz

satchmo

By far the most important thing is to pick something you're interested in. Otherwise, after the initial flurry of starting a new project, once you get stuck in it'll become a real drag and the whole thing will suffer as a result. That, and don't bite off more than you can chew.

Somethin with Wap --> Forget it, WAP's pretty much already dead.

a mobile game --> Could be very good.. mobile games are hot at the moment, and getting hotter as the platforms get better. Plus with the recent release of OpenGL ES, you have a chance to do something new as well. The only problem could be getting your hands on the equipment, which could be pretty expensive.

a DVD ripper --> probably too low-level, unless you have experience with similar programming. Plus, having to incorporate DeCSS to break the DVD encryption mightn't go down too well with college!

Compression tool --> boring!

Client/Server app --> ditto (unless you can find some novel twist)

Security --> Could be interesting enough.. you could implement an encryption algorithm like AES - not too hard at all if you can find a good enough explanation, but big enough to probably be worthy of a diploma project. As long as it has a nice enough front-end! Or an enigma machine emulator etc etc..

Games --> The obvious choice for alot of people.. as long as your supervisor agrees (there's not all that much academic merit in writing a game!) this can be the most interesting and fun project to do. OpenGL is very easy to learn, and you can do some great things with it if you're willing to put in the time. But don't go straight for a quake clone, try something more original..

Trojan

Do a search on this forum, I'm pretty sure there were posts on this a year or 2 back.

Al.

tommycahir

hi i just gone into 4th year and for my proj i did a logic gate simulator twas interesting enough.. you could try doing something like a collage timetabling prog or two my mates did a prog in java for a pda where you ans a questionnare then the details were entered into the prog and when you walking round the city it would alert you if any sites /buildings/shops of interest were near by. used a gps card on an ipaq...
hope those ideas help..

Farls

Ok, i've finally decided to a game for a mobile phone, but before i take the big step of putting this beside my name on the projects sheet i would like to know what all would be involved? The equipment wouldn't be much of a hassle.

Any ideas help?

gtg Farlz

Silent Bob

programming

more seriously, you may have to do assembly level hacking to make sure your game can fit into the phones memory footprint etc.

Small space and speed are issues that jump right up when you mention mobile phones.

And the biggest problem of all is creating a fun game. IMHO this is harder than any of the other stuff...

festivala

The J2ME is your friend, mate.

HaVoC

mobile games can be done in c++ using a special compiler that compiles the c code into the machine code for the phone.

well at least with nokia phones do look up the nokia site they have a sdk on there and guides etc

oh equipment will not really matter as there is always emulators

Karoma

couldn't agree more with Jazz-thingy - pick what interests you,no matter what the level of difficulty. It also doesn't hurt to pick something with a difficult-to-pronounce title or plenty-o-buzzwords mine was steganography (Stick a String inside an image. tada! )

Farls

Ok, i'm going to do a game now i was thinking something like tetris but again i'm not too sure i have until friday to decide what i'm going to do and i'm trying to reseach this to see what would be available to me.

festivala mentioned the J2ME, i take it this is an enviroment for writing the code?

I looked up the nokia site there and there is borland add on's for compiling the C++ code.

Ok just downloaded some stuff of the nokia website to play around with later and see whats what.

Any ideas or opinions greatly appreciated because at this stage im not quite sure what im at!

cheers

Farlz

scojones

if you are doing a tetris-like game, o'reilly have a version of it written in perl and it's available on their ftp site. Very informative!

Farls

I went to my co-ordinator there to tell him i wanted to do tetris but its already been taken so i've decided to do draughts now instead, this will be a tougher challenge i think due to the AI side of things.

I still want to do it so it will run on a phone my ideas are that the board will be set up on the screen and you use the directional buttons to highlight the piece you want to move and then highlight the square you want to move it too. I'm trying to work out now what all i'll need to know for this, the game has to be mainly C++ but i can implement any language i want. I'll want the board to look well and use graphics so is OpenGL ES the graphics language to learn?

as always any ideas, opinions would be a help!

cheers

Farlz

jank

to my knowledge j2me is a version of java thats used on mobiles and pda's
at least thats what I think

correct me if im wrong here anyone

but if you know java then you know j2me

fractal

I hate to expand a T.L.A. but J2ME == Java 2 Micro Edition.

tiny version of java suitable for use on mobile phones and other memory restricted devices.. Contains equivalents of a lot of the most commonly used J2EE libraries, but not all.

If you know J2EE you'll know J2ME when you figure out the libraries you're missing..

But I ramble...

jank

so knowing java is a good step in knowing j2me

cause me i havnet a clue of java but know c++

im thinking of doing a project like that mentioned abouve but with a bit more spice

im going to try to make it multiplayer or to have some networking aspect involved with the game( eg hi scores saved in a server and the players with the highest scores win a trip to mongoila!! notified via sms or or something like that:D

but i think the multiplayer aspect is a bridge too far for me as my programming is ****e!!

so basicly what im saying is j2me easy to learn and/or is java a good steping stone to j2me

cheers:D

Farls

Good to see someone else is taking on something similar jank!

Goto the nokia website and look up the developers forum its very good.

I'm currently putting a new pc together for myself so i have yet to install these tools i've downloaded for the J2ME and play about with them

good news is that i can do the project in java alone and not c++ as i was first told!

There good add-on ideas jank my idea is to get the game working on the pc, then on an emulator then on a phone, if i can get this done then i'll look into doing something more with it.

btw where you in college?

Farlz

GUI

Farls where u in college ?

yossarin

Farls - if you're set on using C++ have a look at programming for a symbian OS device. Many new mobile devices run this OS and it offers Java, C++ and VB platforms.

Farls

I'm in college up in Letterkenny I.T. I'm surprised how little the college up here is mentioned or rated for that matter, i've been in a good few college's around the country and the facility's here are second to none everything is brand new.

/off track

Anywayz i'll look at that cheers yossarin, but i'll do the project in java either like i'm not that pushed what i use yet.

cheers

Farlz

GUI

Farls
colleges are rated by their points!

unforunately thats the way it is

DeadBankClerk

Originally posted by HaVoC
mobile games can be done in c++ using a special compiler that compiles the c code into the machine code for the phone.

Isn't that kind of special compiler called 'a compiler'

Sorry to get pedantic but it's late and I am bored.