How to Update Graphics Driver?

Update your graphics driver for better gaming or display.


Here's a simple tip on how to update your graphics driver. Those who had problems with their computer display having large icons or wrong resolution, will have to get your drivers. Some games which you cannot support or having graphics problems can also be solved by updating your drivers.

Windows Users
1. Laptop Users
You should visit the website of your laptop manufacturer (if you're using Dell, visit Dell's website) to download the latest driver. On the website, they should have a Downloads section and you can select the laptop/package you bought.


2. Desktop PC Users
Firstly, you need to know what graphics card you're using. To do that, go to Start Menu and click Run. Then type in "dxdiag" in the textbox and click OK.

A new window should pop-up with a few details of your computer. Click the Display tab and see the name of your graphics card.

Now that you know what graphics card you have, visit the manufacturer's website to get your latest drivers. These are the famous graphics card websites...


NVIDIA: http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
ATI from AMD: http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
Intel: http://support.intel.com/support/graphics/

Macintosh Users
Click the Apple, and on the Apple menu, click Software Update.

If there is a Mac OS X update available, you can install it. If there is a graphics driver update, it will be included in the Mac OS X update.

Typical look of a graphics card.

FAQs and Problems
1. I can't find Run on my Start Menu!
Right-click on your Start Menu and click Properties. Click on the Start Menu tab and click on Customize.

Then, find for Run Command and tick the box.

Alternatively, you can hold Windows Key + R which is the hotkey to open up the Run window.


2. I don't know what type of Windows I'm using!
Right-click on My Computer (it should be on your start menu) and click Properties. Then look under Operating System or System Type.

That's all for this post. Any questions you can still directly ask in the Message Board. Good luck!




Love,
Nicholas.

How to Write Love Poems?

Writing a poem for your lover can be ever so difficult!


Most lovers would really like to write something passionate and heart-melting to express their deep love towards their partner. However, some of us run out of ideas of what to write and how to write.

Get started with a pencil and a paper.

Portray The Meaning of Your Poem
The main theme of your poem is anything about your partner or your love. Then, for each stanza, it can be your lover's beauty, personality or the things you did together. It can also be about your relationship and love towards your lover.

Know what you have to write about. Then, know what meanings you need to let your lover know in the poem.


Example:
You want to write to Lily that you feel relaxed with her.

Meaning to Portray
- I feel calm when you're around.





Substitute Words / Write Lovely Words
Now you have your meaning, you would want to substitute certain words, or rewrite a sentence that is more lovely and attractive. Your sentence can be a complex sentence, or with the usage of objects to express. It can also contain "hidden" meanings. Exaggerate a little bit and show how much you really mean when you wrote it.


Example:
Meaning to Portray - I feel calm when you're around.
Sentence - Your presence invoked bliss.


When making these sentence it is important to know that you can also use metaphors, personifications, similes, idioms, slang and others.

A letter filled with love is a letter with romantic poems.

Writing Progression In Your Poem
When you write in a stanza, you want everything to link together and it's based on something. If you write like say...


You were walking with one shoe,
And with every step my heart paced,
The sky ripples are so blue,
Like how the blue in your eyes interlaced.


It may sound nice but there is no connection in what you're trying to say. Lily was walking with one shoe (it might had really happened on a date) and with every step your heart paced, is good. Then it suddenly switched to how the sky is, and it's like her eyes. No link.

It's best that you continue on after how every step your heart paced, maybe say about how graceful she can become even if she's walking with one shoe, walking like a duck and maybe in one of her most embarassing moments. Example continuation...


I didn't help but stood like a statue,
I was dazed as even so you still graced.


This explains how graceful Lily could be until she had you stunned like a statue, not only in that situation, but possibly almost all situations.

Simple and nice with a smooth flow will look beautiful.

Using a Set Number of Syllables or Words
This is not really important when writing your own poem. However, if you want to make your poem more lovely, you can write a set number of words or syllables for each line. That way, when you say out your poem, you will get a lovely flow and sounds neat.

Lesser words forces you to be even more creative and unique in your writing. Portraying a meaning strongly by using only a few words is always powerful and lovely.




Rhyming
Although you have gotten your meanings to portray, you still need to rhyme it at the end of each line. Make your first two lines first, then after you thought the meanings of the last two lines, think of a word that rhymes.


Example:
Your presence invoked bliss,
Without effort just like magic,

3rd Line Keyword - kiss
Sentence - As with every single kiss,

4th Line Keyword - panic
Sentence - I grew less panic.


If you don't know what words you can rhyme with, you can look up here. (http://www.rhymer.com/)




Recap
1. Know the meaning you want to show to your lover.
2. Write it down in a more strong and romantic way using your own words and style.
3. Make sure they rhyme as you wanted and still keep the meaning.




Love,
Nicholas.

How to Start Making Games?

Want to start making a game? You need to understand a couple of things beforehand.


As technology advances, making games have become easier as compared to our earlier days. High-end graphics, and powerful processors capable of high speed rendering has made games more powerful and realistic.

There are many game developers out there who work solo or in a small team, where they do games themselves and on open source. Some even work online with people from different countries, in forums by posting their content and put it together from time to time. However, now I will tell you how to start solo, and the best way to start is to bring your closest friends to start with you first.

Games can be made for all sorts of platforms.

Getting Your Game Engine
Game engine is a software system designed for game development with rendering engine, physics engine, collision detection, sound, scripting, AI, animation, networking, memory management and everything else.

Every game company uses a game engine and reuses it for many of their other games. Game engines provide you almost everything you need to start making games and most of these engines have pre-made stuff as well as easy graphical user interface.

All these cool games are made using game engines.

Questions on Game Creating
1. What Game Engine should I get?
I recommend getting Unity3D. It is a very flexible and powerful game development tool with awesome graphics. You can programme your games for many different platforms such as Xbox, Wii, IPhone and even web-browser based games. Of course there's a PRO version to it, but it's free version is also quite powerful. Try using it first!

Unity3D works well with many different programmes. In games, you probably would make models in 3DS Max, Maya, or maybe other more powerful 3D modelling and animation programme. Unity3D supports models made by many other modelling programmes including those mentioned above. It also supports many different audio formats and TrueType fonts.

Also, Unity3D is easy to use. Little programming knowledge is needed to start a simple game or even make it online with multiplayer gameplay. This is a very powerful programme and I recommend getting it even if you can't make games because this thing is simply awesome.

Unity3D rocks, and so does their logo.

2. I Have No Knowledge on Programming, Modelling or Texturing!
It will be alright to not have any knowledge on any of those. For starters, you normally will begin with a very simple game. Simple games are fun too, especially with multiplayer.

Once you've downloaded Unity3D, they have their own manuals on how you can script or build your game world. If that's too hard for you to follow, visit (http://www.tornadotwins.com/) for video tutorials which are easy to follow!

It's all graphical user interface / drag and drop, very user-friendly!

3. I Don't Have Models and Animations for my Objects / Characters!
For a start, it's best that you don't use human models for your game. Draw a simple sphere or cylinder. Not necessarily it must have animation, but at least it's a cute little shape.

If you don't know how to model, TornadoTwins has taught on how to draw simple shapes in Unity3D itself. So just get the concept and create your own simple toy shapes as models first. By default, Unity3D has pre-made trees, textures, grass, decals and many simple objects. Put them to good use!

When you're more advanced you'll realise how to play the animations of models and blend it together with other animations for smooth movement and so on. But for now, let's just stick with non-animated stuff. Also, always remember that you can get free models in the net for you to play with. So try it out.

Beautiful and realistic scene created with Unity3D.

4. How do I Know Where to Start?
When you start your very first game, it's best that you make everything as simple as possible. Grasp the functionality of your game engine and what you have first, before moving on into more complex games. You need to write down your ideas on your game and how its system will work.

How will your character move? Point and click? WASD controls?
How will your character attack? Automaticly? On every push of a button?
How will your character win? Reaching an area? Killed all enemies?

And so on. To ease your problems a bit, Unity3D has some pre-made scripts that you could just drag and drop to apply. Instant WASD movement, how cool is that? Just write a simple game with simple objectives and simple controls.

Then, create a simple world with a cube object as the floor. Then just add whatever you want and everything takes place on that floor, starting from the player. Then other objects and enemies.

Unity3D's default first person function and sample level ready for you.

5. I Don't Understand ANYTHING! Light-mapping, Rendering, var, int, WTH?
You do not need to fully understand about what all of them really mean or do yet. Just keep moving on with tutorials and videos and eventually you'll capture the meaning of it! Just do it, and you'll go on. If you don't do anything, you won't go on. You must have passion for what you'll be doing!

When you have the free time, you can just look it up on Wikipedia or Google it up to get the information you need. Just be sure to dedicate lots of time in it when you want to learn because it will be much more complex and difficult to understand.

The real deal of making games is actually much more complex and so crazily difficult that you probably won't wanna hear about it. So proceed slowly and find alternative ways on making your game as simple as possible! The Internet is always there to help you out.

HUDs are 2D images that make the game cooler as well as being indicators.

Through trial and error you will be able to get the concept of what certain things are there for. If you don't know, just search it up on the net or ask the friendly people in the Unity3D Forums!



Love,
Nicholas.

NS Survival Guide

A basic guide on Malaysian National Service or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara.


Being in the National Service Malaysia, there a few need-to-knows on the camp before you actually go. This is to ensure that you're ready for the worse things you can get in the camp.

PLKN Logo for show.

What to Do Beforehand
Before going to National Service, you are provided with a few forms. You will notice this orange and yellow form which is for your medical check-up. This is important, because if you don't do the medical check-up, they will still accept you irresponsibly and if anything happens to your health, your family will be the ones to blame for not bringing you for a check-up and they'll think you're pretending to avoid the training.

State all your medical history to your doctor, your allergies especially and some that couldn't be checked. Normally for these "uncheckable" disorders, you probably had seen a doctor earlier or since you were young. If so, have your doctor write a letter on your medical history to aid the check-up in the government hospital or clinic.

After you've done your check-up and filled in the permission forms needed, you may proceed to the gathering area...

Also, learn to wash your clothes, iron clothes, polish shoes and so on.




What To Bring
- Buckets or Pails for Washing Clothes
- Detergent
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Clothes Peg
- Clothes Hanger
- Your Own Pajamas/Public Clothes/Undergarments
- Biscuits
- Cereals
- Money & Coins
- Identification Card (NRIC)
- Slippers



Yeah they said no need to bring pails, but they wouldn't provide you anyway, so just bring your own. Cereals and biscuits are crucial and I will explain why later.




What You Don't Need to Bring
- Iron
- Cigarettes
- MP3s
- IPods
- PSP or other sort of electronics
- Cup Noodles
- Medication (only pills for gastric, vomiting, etc. allowed)
- Coffee / Milo


They will take all your cup noodles so there's no point in bringing them.

Yeah, cute pretty girl with a bunch of brownies for show.

Registration
After packing all your stuff, you're ready to register for National Service. When you reach your gathering area you should see a few booths with the name of your camp. Parents will wait outside of the fenced area. Present the forms needed and you'll be directed to a bus where you will then proceed to your camp.

Note: IF you did not do your medical check-up, they will still accept you. This is a problem as once you're in the camp, you might not get your medical check-up. If anything happens to you, they assume you're just faking it because your medical report says nothing. If you die, they won't take the blame because you had not done your check-up. Demand a medical check-up no matter what, even if you have entered the camp.





Be Prepared For These Situations
1. Inedible Food
This seems to be the most common problem on almost all camps. The food will be extremely bad, it's not your typical kampung-style. Most probably your food will consist of stale eggs, dead chicken, stale fish and so on which they got for a very very cheap price. Vegetables will be half-cooked and the meat will be fried as solid as rock and you can't even stick a fork into it.

This is why cereals and biscuits are crucial because these are the stuff you will eat if you cannot eat any of the food there. Most people experience diarrhoea and vomiting, but some couldn't take it and have indigestion and persistant vomiting until sent to hospital, THEN face the same problem again.

Even if the camp tries to cater for your menu, they will still serve the same thing. Don't bother with them because it's a waste of time so just get your cereals and bread.

Yeah, rotten apple for show.

2. Filthy Surroundings
There will be many many insects because your camps are mostly near the jungle. Cicadas are most probably the very common insects you'll find lying everywhere on your bathroom. The people you live with are various people and you might not get used to it because they might not be as hygienic as you are. Dead insects in your shower room, dead stuff everywhere.

Some people wear shoes into dormitories even when they're muddy or wet. Be prepared for full-time cleaning or you'll have to bear with it.




3. Strenuous Activities
If you do not really participate much in sports or activities in school, or simply just not physically strong, you will suffer. Especially for girls, marching under the hot sun for 2 hours is enough for them to pass out. So remember to voice out if you really can't take it, or just pretend dizzy so you could rest. If you feel too strained doing the activities in the camp, you could pretend to be sick just to get the extra few hours of rest to ease yourself. Heck, just pretend to be a weakling and relax.

Yeah, all standing still, no movement just for show.

4. Less Sleep
Even if you can withstand the vigorous activities, you wouldn't have enough sleep. On a daily basis, you would probably sleep at around 12am after everything's finished. You would have to wake up at 5.30am in the morning and get ready to assemble. However, Muslims will wake up much earlier at around 4.30 to 5am who will maybe cause a ruckus or noise loud enough to arouse you from your sleep.

So you would only have about 4-6 hours of sleep. With the food you're gonna get, and the constant lengthy activities, most people will be visiting the medic very often.




5. Boredom
As if the food and environment is not enough to kill you, you will be going through various boring activities. You will be going for character building classes which makes not much of a difference. The only fun part is you'll get to play games with your friends in the classes.

And they'll tell you that you have to share everything in class...pour out your personal stuff with people you completely don't know. Your best bet is to just sit down and pretend the class is very exciting, tell utter lies about your life and just look at some pretty girls.

At night you will watch character building videos. If you enjoy watching Malay dramas or movies, then it might suit you. Else, just fall asleep. I also forgot to mention that sometimes you will need to sit in the canteen or hall for hours doing nothing for no apparent reason.

For a first-timer, jungle-trekking, abseiling or firing a M-16 might be pretty fun. You will be restricted to many stuff you could actually do, and it might take away all the fun. For example, you might think getting a chance to hold a rifle is fun, but in the camp, all you do is go prone, fire some shots and that's it. No reloading, no pulling bolt, no checking barrel, no turning safety off, no nothing and you only get to do that once in 3 months period.

Yeah, fo' show man, for show.

6. Unfriendly or Grouchy People
You might meet unfriendly people who might actually be just frustrated and strained, but it's best not to start any arguements or fight within the camp. Just retain calmness and walk away if you need to.

However, most likely you'll be making lots of friends and cracking lame jokes. Most of the time there will still be separated groups of people of different races, but it's okay and there wouldn't be much racism. Girls and guys are obviously segregated except in certain activities only.

Yeah, girls only area, for show.

Safety Issues
Remember, your own safety comes first. If you feel that your life is at stake, tell your trainer and don't do it. If you don't know how to swim, do not try water sports. If you cannot pass motion or vomit, seek the medics immediately and call your parents. If you couldn't get pass motion or vomit, it means waste substances aren't coming out from your body. If it's not out, you will die. This is a case which happened in Malacca, where a girl, Too Hui Min died of colon infection.

A short info, colon infection is based on the food you take. The food gets stuck in the colon, you get constipated, stuff ain't coming out and you get infection. This may seem like a small matter on the outside, just plain stomach pain and constipation. You think it's curable by medication. Doctors say it's a small problem. But where do big problems come from? They come from these small problems.




Parent's Guide
1. Child's safety comes first.
If you think your child's life is at stake or if your child is unsafe, you can visit your child. If they do not allow you in, cause a ruckus and be upset. You are the parent, you have every right to ensure your child's safety and you don't need to care what the hell is protocol and what the hell doctors say. If you feel your child is in danger, you should be there. National Service is not prison.


2. Understand National Service's protocol.
The problem with how trainers and these people work is that they don't even know their protocols. Their work and coordination is all messed up and you'd probably have to wait unnecessarily. However it is, you must know that they could give your child a leave if your child is quite ill. This allows your child to return home and get treatment from your own doctor instead.

You cannot do medical check-ups yourself after going for the camp. Your child must be escorted by trainers if a check-up is needed.

If anything goes wrong, you can complain to the headquarters in KL. Annoying them is better than nothing if all else fails. You gotta make some noise if there's a problem.



3. Visiting Time
You are allowed to visit your child on Sunday every week. At least that's how it was on my camp. You can bring food, items and stuff for your child.

This is better than PLKN fo' show a hundred times man.

Last Notes
- Be strong mentally.
- Be street smart.
- Be a good actor.
- Do not hide anything from your family.
- Just do it.
- Do not strain yourself.

Overall, National Service is good for discipline and character building. But let's just face the fact that smokers will still be smokers, mat-rempit will still be mat-rempit and idiots will still be idiots. 3 months of training will not make a difference in lifestyle or thinking. If someone wants to change, they'll change.

Love,
Nicholas.

Back from National Service

Alright, a short notice for all blog readers!


I am back from Malaysian National Service, I went to hospital twice...had persistant gastritis problem. Then I did a medical check-up and the doctor states that I am not able to continue the National Service (Tidak Layak), and I will be exempted from it for good. So right now I'm back and I'm alright, in normal condition, though still having a little gastric.

The blog continues on, and I will update it from time to time now. So fellow readers, be sure to visit! I will udpate a guide on surviving the National Service tommorow.



Love,
Nicholas.

How to Prepare Tang Yuan?

Tang yuan is a dish of glutinous rice balls served in a sweet broth. In Chinese culture, it is traditionally served on Dong Zhi, the winter solstice. By eating tang yuan, you welcome in the winter and become one year older.

Tang yuan makes a delicious winter snack and is easy to prepare. Despite its association with mid-winter, it can be enjoyed at any time of year.



Ingredients:

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• 4 ounces water
• Brown sugar to taste
• Food colouring (optional)
• Fresh ginger (optional)

Preparation:

1. Pour the glutinous rice flour in a bowl and slowly add water until the mixture becomes the texture of dough.
2. You may not need the entire 4 ounces of water to reach the proper consistency.
3. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
4. You can divide the dough in half and add food coloring to one half.
5. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll it into small balls.
6. Drop the balls into boiling water and cook them until they float - about 5 to 10 minutes.
7. While the balls are cooking, prepare a sweet soup by boiling water and adding brown sugar.
8. Fresh ginger can also be added to the soup.
9. Put the cooked balls into the soup and serve.
10. Tang Yuan can also be stuffed with a paste made from peanut, black sesame seeds or red beans.

This Tang Yuan below was made by me!





Love,
Nico.

[I]'ll [B]e [W]aiting [F]or [Y]ou

I never thought that I would see the day when my phone stopped ringing. Until today when Nick went off to NS (National Service). On January 3rd till march 14th I've promised to be strong... to take care of myself and to up date this blog. But the most important thing of all is to smile every day for him... and to prove so here's a picture of me smiling.
On the night before he went, we promise to wish one another good night every single night even if we can't hear each others voices before going to bed. All I hope is for him to be safe and sound. Now the only thing I can do is to wait for his return. =)

Missing You~


Love,
Nico.

How Pickpockets Work?

Strictly for educational purposes only.


If some of you are keen to know how someone could take away your wallet which is so close to you, or even something in your handbag which you're always carrying it, here's how. Pickpockets are very skilled and is one of the thieving where it requires more of a smooth act than brute force.








Context
I will use a couple of words from the pickpocket world. These are the meanings.

Mark - Target
Lift - Stealing/Pickpocketing




There are 3 main things pickpockets have to do. Scouting, Diversion and Lifting.


Scouting
Whenever pickpockets are in a crowded area (which they really like), they need to find a Mark. Their mark would probably satisfy the following requirements:

- Loose pockets.
- Wallet at back pocket.
- Wallet sticking out.
- Opened latch handbags, those with no zips (for women).

Pickpockets do make use of the "BEWARE OF PICKPOCKETS!" sign, as people would pat on their pockets to check after they saw the sign. But a few minutes later they'll forget about it, and pickpockets now know where their wallets are.





Diversion
Once they spotted the correct mark, they would have to do a diversion. One of the most unsuspected diversion is the bump.


1. Bump and Lift
When a pickpocket bumps into their mark, they immediately use their 2 fingers (index and middle) to push the bottom of the pocket, to let the wallet rise to the opening of the pocket. Then with the other hand, they take out the wallet with their two fingers acted like a tweezer (do a peace sign, the wallet goes in between) or with thumb and index finger grabbing the edges of the wallet (that way the hand will be as flat as possible).

The Tweezer Finger Thing

Another good diversion that skilled pickpockets would like to do in the bump is to fold a newspaper about the same thickness as the mark's wallet. Then using the two fingers acted like a tweezer to dip in the pocket and take it out while putting in the newspaper. If the mark feels for his wallet, he'd probably think it's still there because of the newspaper.


2. Make a Mess
A pickpocket can "accidentally" spill juice or water over the mark, and apologize by helping them clean up. During the wiping process, the pickpocket can pretend to wipe or clean the mark using one hand, while the other gets the wallet. The mark is probably in a rage and is busy cleaning instead of worrying about their wallet.


3. Bait
Just drop some money or something valuable on the ground. When the guy reaches down to pick it up to satisfy his own greed, the pickpocket will reach for the wallet. This is also good as when you bend down, your back pocket is more exposed and opened, which makes it easier for the pickpocket to take it out quickly.


4. What about pickpocketing from a handbag?
Pickpocketing from an handbag is much easier for a their kind. This is because it's harder to feel the pickpocket's hands than it is to have a wallet in the back pocket. Same concept, but no diversion is needed. They just need to keep you looking elsewhere. Most pickpockets do this when the woman is moving, they follow her with the same speed while lifting. When the woman walks, she would not notice the movement caused by the pickpocket (opening, unzipping and lifting) as her movements also move the handbag.

Pickpockets Have Movies Too

Lifting
Lifting is as easy as dipping in with fingers and take the stuff out. To ensure that it doesn't alert the mark, lifting is always done on a loose pocket and its more of a fast action instead of slowly taking it out.

If the pocket is too tight or its too hard for them to reach in from the opening, they would use a razor blade to slit the bottom of the pocket. This is a much easier way of doing it, the slit can be done in a bump as well. Slitting is done to lift from a front pocket as well.






That's Impossible! I Would Always Know If My Wallet's There!
Humans cannot focus two different things at once. As an example you can try counting 1 to 5 while saying in your mind the word Superman at the same time, which we couldn't do. We can only think of it one at a time.

Feeling Inferior with Your Brain Now?

Another example is to hit yourself with a hammer at one side and tap yourself at another side of your body. You would probably only feel the painful hammer hit, and wouldn't feel the tap. But of course, doing that you might still feel the tap, because you knew it was coming!

Diversions are not only from physical contact but also what you see and what you hear can divert your attention. A simple bump and the pickpocket who waves at you to say, "Sorry." with a smile would probably leave you in a pause and you would want to say, "It's Okay!". You won't realize about your wallet just yet, unless you knew it was coming.






This is strictly for educational purposes only. This is to show how pickpockets work, and is for all to know to take precautions against these methods used. No pocket is pickpocket-proof, as they always have ways to pick. Therefore, we must be cautious and take care of our belongings by being aware of these petty methods. DO NOT TRY THIS!



Love,
Nicholas.