Today I turn 44, and I can't help but reflect on how much things have changed in the last couple decades. When I was 22, I was at University, playing DOOM, and just getting involved in ray-traced rendering, using a text-based(!) modelling/rendering software called POV-ray.Today, I'm playing DOOM 2016 with amazingly realistic real-time graphics, and messing around with VR! I can't imagine what technology will look like when I'm into my 60s.Anyway, blast from the past--here's my first animation created in POV-ray, back when I was 26:

Happy birthday mate, all the best :smile: It is really amazing when you look back at all the stages of technology when you think it cant get any better and yet it continually does. ZX Spectrum>NES>SNES/Mega Drive>Playstation/Xbox Generations>VR. Can only imagine what will be available in 20-30 years time??EDIT:Didn't realise that was a video, very nice

Happy Birthday @nalex66, that animation stands up pretty well today!it doesn't seem that long ago when every computer shop window seemed to have demos of ray-traced chrome spheres bouncing around a monitor screen to show off how good the graphics were

Happy BDay from me, too. :smiley:What will happen? Well.... I vote for these ones. And yes, I would not care to be lost in Aincrad at all!

Happy birthday, nalex! I just turned 45 last month myself, and reminisce about those old days too. Playing the original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple //c until I had to get an hour of sleep before leaving for school again... those were the days!I never personally moved far beyond little turtle drawings in Pascal and some player-missile graphics on Ataris, but I must say your videos are very cool, even for today in my opinion!

Woohoo, my birthday present finally arrived, after being stuck in courier limbo all week!I decided that, once I get my GTX 1080, my PC is kind of overkill for 1080p gaming. Simple solution--upgrade my desktop! I bought myself a nice 32" 1440p monitor for my wife to give me, rather than her go out and buy me a sweater that I don't particularly want. Best way to get what you want--buy it yourself! Can't wait to get home and hook this baby up!

It's my birthday! | Meta Community Forums

19 Replies

nalex66
MVP
10 years ago
Thanks! I was dead set on getting into the animation industry back then--I hated my engineering job, and I really enjoyed computer graphics modelling and animation. But, things changed, I got a job I liked better, and real life stuff ate up more time (bought my house in '99, and started a renovation odyssey that continues to this day). I still do stuff in 3dsMax, but just work-related, not really fun stuff anymore.
nalex66
MVP
10 years ago
Woohoo, my birthday present finally arrived, after being stuck in courier limbo all week!

I decided that, once I get my GTX 1080, my PC is kind of overkill for 1080p gaming. Simple solution--upgrade my desktop! I bought myself a nice 32" 1440p monitor for my wife to give me, rather than her go out and buy me a sweater that I don't particularly want. Best way to get what you want--buy it yourself! Can't wait to get home and hook this baby up!
DaftnDirect
MVP
10 years ago
your wife... has she got a sister? I'm just thinking my birthday's in a few weeks...
nalex66
MVP
10 years ago

DaftnDirect said:

your wife... has she got a sister? I'm just thinking my birthday's in a few weeks...

No, but if you're open-minded, she has a brother...
Zoomie
Expert Trustee
10 years ago
Happy Birthday Nalex! I'm coming up on the dreaded 40 this summer. Glad to see life continues after that dreaded marker!
Keylo415
Expert Protege
10 years ago
I'm glad to to the 40 club in the house. Lol I'm already there..
nalex66
MVP
10 years ago
Thanks, guys! I may be 44 (with the spine of an 88-year-old, damn inflammation!), but I can't complain about much. Except those damn meddling kids... Hey you! Get off my lawn!
inovator
Consultant
10 years ago
You think your old with this nesalgia. I remember the 1st game councel called pong.played on black and white tvs. No cell phones never mind smart phones. No personal computers etc The good news is u don't lose your passion for gaming. My rift will be here end of month. I'm. 63. Happy birthday.
SadGamerDad
Heroic Explorer
10 years ago
Happy Birthday! I turn 44 myself in a couple of months.. I hear what you're saying about the advancement of gaming and technology.. I told my daughter today that I remember playing pong and the Atari 2600 and now look where we've come and where we're going is very exciting! Great animation you made, very funny!

Regards,

SadGamerSenpai

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It's my birthday!

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