================================================================

Name: Toan Pham

================================================================

Questions/comments about the syllabus or project handout:


================================================================

Project Title 1: Omega 2000
Omega is an old commercial game for the PC (I think -- it might
have been old enough to be an Apple //e game). It is essentially
about programming the AI for a tank, then pitting that tank
against other tanks. This project would expand on that idea and
allow humans to take control of tanks in the simulated battle-
field. Tanks can be programmed to work with other tanks with
specific IFF (friend or foe id's), thus allowing human players
to have AI-controlled partners in the field. The battle field
would be rendered in 3D, and the game would be networked to
allow for multiple human-controlled tanks.

Local Users: anyone who likes computer games

Score
        Useful to others: Poor (but very entertaining)
        Has specific users: Excellent
        Can be scaled up to PC product: Excellent
        Divisible: Excellent
        In C++ on Suns: Excellent

        Overall: Good

Pros:
Fun idea -- provides motivation to gamers among us (i.e. do it
right and you'll have a fun game to play). Lots of topics
involved including AI, compilers, networking, graphics, etc.
Very scalable -- the more people available, the more detailed
the game can be (i.e. more complex programming language for
tanks, better graphics, more goals possible other than to kill
the other guy, etc.).

Cons:
Would be too distracting if we made the game too good.

================================================================

Project Title 2: Visible Human
Take CT images of the human body and make a 3D model. Manipulate
it, render it.

Local Users: anyone who has been a patient and who is curious
  about the data collected on them -- but they need to have access
  to digitized CT data, unfortunately very few do

Score
        Useful to others: Good
        Has specific users: Poor
        Can be scaled up to PC product: Good
        Divisible: Excellent
        In C++ on Suns: Excellent

        Overall: Average

Pros:
Very many patients (potentially anyone one of us) are curious
about their disease processes and what tests show. This program
can help patients and their doctors visualize the disease
process.

Cons:
Project restricted to image processing for the most part.
User base will also be very restricted until CT images become
more widely available in digital format.

================================================================

Project Title 3: BattleZone II
Expansion of the old BattleZone arcade in which the player
controls a tank in the battlefield. Improved graphics. Networked
to allow multiple players. Perhaps allow for multiple tank
configurations with trade-offs. Allow multiple goals other than
to be the last one alive -- i.e. capture the flag, etc.

Local Users: gamers

Score
        Useful to others: Poor
        Has specific users: Excellent
        Can be scaled up to PC product: Excellent
        Divisible: Good
        In C++ on Suns: Good

        Overall: Good

Pros:
Involves multiple topics including AI, graphics, networking.
Very scalable depending on desired level of detail and gameplay
features.

Cons:
Not useful, but entertaining. Not as many disciplines involved
as Omega 2000 (see above).

================================================================