MAKE | 2008 January 12

Micropolis: Sim City open sourced

Don Hopkins has released a GPLed version of the original Sim City, cleaned up and renamed to the original title, Micropolis:

The “MicropolisCore” project includes the latest Micropolis (SimCity) source code, cleaned up and recast into C++ classes, integrated into Python, using the wonderful SWIG interface generator tool. It also includes a Cairo based TileEngine, and a cellular automata machine CellEngine, which are independent but can be plugged together, so the tile engine can display cellular automata cells as well as SimCity tiles, or any other application’s tiles.

The key thing here is to peek inside the mind of the original Maxis programmers when they built it. Remember, this was back in the day when games had to fit inside of 640k so some “creative” programming techniques were employed. SimCity has been long a model used for urban planning and while it’s just a game, there are a lot of business rules, ecosystem modeling, social dependencies, and other cool stuff going on in this codebase. It may not be pretty code but it’s content sure is interesting to see.

The source will compile for X86/Linux systems, and I’m betting we’ll see ports to other platforms at some point. If you’re on a Mac and just want to play the game, just run a copy of Ubuntu in an emulator like QEMU and install the binary there.

SimCity Source Code Released to the Wild – [via] Link
Micropolis Downloads – Link

Posted by jstriegel | Saturday January 12th, 2008 7:41 PM

Categories: hacks | 1 Comment

HOW TO – Make your own XO laptop bag

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Drakemj writes -

The finished product is a custom laptop bag for an OLPC XO laptop computer, but these instructions could probably be modified for many portable electronic devices. The bag core is made of high density foam, reinforced with paperboard. The bag is trimmed in polyester belting, has an adjustable strap, and a parachute buckle closure.

HOW TO – Make your own XO laptop bag – Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Saturday January 12th, 2008 11:30 AM

Categories: Computers, Crafts, DIY Projects, Instructables | 8 Comments

Exporting 3D objects into the real world

“Export to World” by Linda Kostowski and Sascha Pohflepp is a workshop/project that aims to create real-world copies of virtual objects found in the multi-player world of “Second Life”. The site features some how-tos on exporting objects, importing into 3D applications and “unfolding” the objects into 2D cutouts you can print out and assemble at home. Doesn’t this glazed, Second Life donut look tasty?

Export to World – Link

Posted by jonahbc | Saturday January 12th, 2008 3:00 AM

Categories: Gaming | 7 Comments

The 01-31-07 memorial kit

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Never forget 1-31-07 with this memorial kit from Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories -

You know what it is. You know you want it. Soldering and batteries (three D cells) required. Kit description: A no-compromise top quality electronic art project. Easy through-hole construction. Basic soldering skill required. You provide tools (solder + iron, clippers). Assembly time: 2 hours. Overall size: twelve by fifteen inches. Mounting holes provided. Hackable. This is a one-time, limited duration, limited run project. It will be over very soon. Order cutoff date: January 20; sooner if we run out.

The 01-31-07 memorial kit – Link.

Posted by Phillip Torrone | Saturday January 12th, 2008 12:38 AM

Categories: Culture jamming, DIY Projects, Electronics | 24 Comments

Meanwhile, in a Parallel Universe 3 doors down and across the street…

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You couldn’t ask for a better poster boy for Eccentric Cubicle than my bud in Utah, Joel Dubliner. He’s working his way through the nano projects in preparation for digging in to one of the larger builds, and has already earned his Maker wings with a quick and dirty mod to the drill press lathe that I’m still kicking my butt about for not thinking of it first.

My version of the headstock involved mutilating the end of a piece of threaded rod with a dremel and needle files to form a nice, edgy ‘X’ to anchor the stock securely while it’s spinning. Finicky, time consuming metal mangling at best.

Joels’ solution? Lop the tip off of a big-assed phillips screwdriver and clamp *that* into the drill press chuck instead.

Quick. Easy. Precise.

Duh.

Here’s Joels’ picasa albums of his workshop shennanigans; you might wanna book mark ‘em, since he updates regularly:

Workshop – Link.
Lathe – Link.
More workshops – Link.

Make Pt0231
…And for those of you who don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, here’s a pdf of the entire drill press lathe project, as seen in Eccentric Cubicle – Link (PDF).

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Eccentric Cubicle
Who says office cubicles need to be dreary? In this book, author Kaden Harris of Eccentric Genius introduces aspiring and die-hard Makers to a highly entertaining parallel universe of surreal office-based projects that are sure to pique the curiosity of even the most jaded officemates. Get it at the Maker Store.