A Project Demo! - Bits and Bytes #1

       Recently I have been writing so much for prompts that I am writing either fiction stories or poem; free write completely forgotten until yesterday I was writing my dear diary and realized how much I missed it! So here is a new concept 'BITS AND BYTES' that I came up with the help of my dear friend Nibha Gupta, under which there will be a free write every week starting from today.

       It is the exam season and this week I had lab exams. I am so glad that I am done with it! Though it should have been easier than theory, it definitely is not and we despise these a lot! A major credit of this hatred goes to the Viva Voce that will be conducted during these exams. I swear these are the only times when I feel so helpless and oh yes, clueless too! Though this time we didn't have viva, we had an even more challenge! Demo!

        I had finished executing the program and I sit there waiting for my turn to be slaughtered. Finally the external calls me and my project partner and asks us to give a demo of the game we have designed. He sits there staring at the screen, his expression assures the already scared mind of ours that we are in for trouble. So we start with the demo. We aren't even halfway through when he decides to interfere. 

Examiner: "Stop! How does this work?"

I don't know why but during these times, my speaking ability goes weak and my inner voice becomes dominant! 

Inner Voice: You would have learnt it if you had paid attention to what I said till now! 

image source: marthabeck.com

       But of course I don't say it aloud. I explain him the concepts again. Once he nods his head indicating he understood, I resume with further explanations and he doesn't take long to interject! 

Examiner: "Where did you get inspiration to work on this?"

Inner Voice: Inspiration? Please! I was forced to do this. If not for the syllabus, I would never have done this. So the question of inspiration is a moot point! 

Me:"We used to play this game online and when we were presented with an opportunity to design one, we knew it had to be this!"

Examiner: "So how did you like working in OpenGL platform?"

Inner Voice: I definitely would ban it from syllabus if I could! What's the use of struggling with something which isn't of much use for us!

Me:"It was an awesome experience sir! We got to learn so much about graphics and the concept of designing a game"

Inner Voice: aah! How I hated the whole lame process!

Examiner: "So why did you stop? Continue with your explanations"

Inner Voice: I would have finished it by now had you not thought it necessary to interject at every point!

Me: Sorry sir! I will complete it now.

       So I and my partner finished explaining the whole thing and he did look intrigued. He asked us questions about how it worked again and once he got it, he turned scornful!

Examiner: "So what's special about this? I think its pretty simple and I am sure I can finish it for the first time only"

       And he starts playing. And he lost :D Oh how I loved it! 

Examiner: "Well that was because I was a little confused and I didn't know it right. I will do it this time"

Inner Voice: That is what first time is all about! If you are well trained at it, then it wouldn't be called your first time!

       We didn't speak a word and just watched his attempts at figuring out the game, which he did eventually and with a smug expression he continued.

Examiner: "See. It was as simple as that! I don't understand what was so special in that. Tell me why do you think I will accept this?"

       Though he looked intrigued by it few minutes back, now he was calling it simple! And was threatening us about the validity of it! We didn't know what to answer and over time we have learnt that, the more you answer, the more questions follow! So we just kept fidgeting in our seats waiting for the punch line, which soon followed.

Examiner: "I will give you some modifications. If you can incorporate those in your game, I will accept it. What say?"

Inner Voice: Have you left us an option to say no! 

Me: "Definitely Sir. We will do it"

       He was having fun, more than he should! He gave us some changes to do and left to see the demo of another group whom we watched with pity! We could hear the same conversation continuing there. After half an hour of efforts, we finally figured it out. Phew! He came to check it further and his reaction was incredulous!

Examiner: "Hmmm... This is what you did! I see! Oh well that's fine I guess. Okay I will think about your project!"

       He definitely was teasing us now enjoying every bit of it. He didn't talk any further and just said we could leave! We were waiting for it and escaped from there without as much sparing a glance in his direction, for we feared he would start all over again! We heaved a sigh of relief once we were out of lab. That was one such experience.

       Phew! Thank God it ended! At least I can breathe freely for next six months before another such encounter! That was my experience. Did you have any similar experience? Do share them here.

Until the next post,

Keep Smiling :)

Love,

Swathi :)