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Challenge Team Interim Report

Team Number: 075 School Name: Rio Grande High School Area of Science: Computer Science Project Title: Propagation of Insects in a Virtual World

Here is the initial problem we posed and the goals we set for ourselves:

Problem: How will various insects survive in a virtual world?

Definition of Problem: What factors or environmental situations will cause insects to mutate to overcome living conditions?

Action Plan:

1. Research various insects and their natural habitats.
   
2. Use C++ programming to figure the odds of mutation factors, survival odds, rate of population, and chaos.
   
3. Use a 3D Multimedia program (such as 3D Studio Max) to illustrate the problem and various solutions.

We have gone through some very tough problems during our project. Here are some of the major problems we have encountered:

• Among the members of our team, we had many varied programming backgrounds. (Different platforms, etc.)
• The styles in which we physically organized our code were different making the communication of our ideas harder.
• When we programmed, our code was usually disorganized and needlessly long.
• Of course, there were many different bugs/glitches in our code that we needed to work out to get anything to work.
• When we started we had absolutely no idea as to how to use a 3d-modeling program like 3d Studio Max (we still need to work on this).
• We have found that we have a lack of resources for insect research on the Internet and even find it hard to get the information we need from encyclopedias.
• A very major problem has been a lack of code resources or people with programming experience to help us with further developing our code.
• Another major problem that still stands is the severe lack of time that the team members get to work on the project together.

In spite some of these seemingly hopeless problems, we have in fact made some very good accomplishments during the course of this project. Here are a few:

• We were able to obtain Visual C++ 6.0, making it easier to program and not be connected to the network at the same time. We are able to transfer whole projects to out school server and then to our homes or wherever we need to work.
• We were able to solve many of our programming differences in order to produce compatible, readable code.
• We found many ways to compact our code for easier communication and readability
• We have progressed on researching the Japanese Scarab Beetle and the Egyptian Scorpion Fly.
• We have been able to identify the bugs and glitches in our program and fix them thus far.
• We have developed a nice base program to base further work on.
• We have contacted a potential assistance on finding code resources.
• We have had FUN!

Here is our current position in our project:

• We have a basic program to base further modifications upon.
• We are learning to use 3d Studio Max.
• We are researching more insects.
• We are trying to get some assistance on finding code tutorials/resources.

We certainly have learned a lot during the course of this project. We would like to share that with you now:

• We have come along well on learning to work as a team.
• We have also learned to solve problems as a team.
• We have learned how to communicate ideas effectively.
• We also have learned how overcome difficulties and use what you have in the best way you can.
• We have progressed in learning C++. This will be very useful to us someday.
• We have learned how to research more effectively on the Internet and elsewhere.

Where are we going from here you ask?

• We will work on finding good code resources or help to produce better code.
• We will strive to complete our insect research the best we can
• We will set more goals for ourselves and motivate ourselves with deadlines.
• We will have fun doing the above and try to overcome the stress!
• We will do our best to turn in a complete and accurate project in April.

Thank you for your interest and for taking your time to read our report!

Team Members

Team Mail

• Alan (The Guy) Alvarez
• Ronald Padilla
• George Lopez

Sponsoring Teachers

• Tom Healy

Project Advisor(s)

• Tom Healy