Midterm week before Spring Break

 This week has been hectic with midterms and huge point assignments. I had one midterm today that had my brain tired for hours. I have another exam tomorrow, and a 100 point journal assignment which I know will take me all day, but it will make me enjoy spring break more. This week I have just been aware of the feedback I received on my proposal; I put it in a document to go back and make the changes. In terms of the research project, I downloaded the unity file version that josh made the batmon game with, so I start adding things and downloading the material I need. I have started looking at assets in the asset store within unity and searching for programs to create sprites or things like cactuses, rocks, and other background materials I need for my game level. I have looked through tutorials for help in maneuvering the unity program. I have also started to write ideas for what I want the game to have. As of now, I want to find a way to include a small note-like page before the game starts with very brief but informative information on my chosen bat for the reader to get to know the bat before playing the game. The game level will be focused on my chosen bat and the user will pass the level by avoiding the correct predators, obstacles, using echolocation to feed, and the right places to rooster. Basically, this week has been about beginning to be comfortable with the unity platform and planning the game specifications since last week was all research. Not much time was spent on getting to know the platform. 

Research Proposal and research progress

 This week, I spent time researching on the bat that will be my focus for the game level. I picked Townsend's big-eared bat, the scientific name for it is Corynorhinus townsendii. This bat in particular interested me because I have never seen a big-eared bat I am used to seeing the typical bats on television and shows that are usually black or dark brown, with small pointy ears, and a big nose or mouth. The bat I chose is the opposite, it has long ears that when extended can reach to be about half of its body length and they have pale gray or brown fur. They have a similar habitat to other bats, caves. The Townsend bat is native to Arizona and throughout the western united states. Surprisingly, they can fly 6 to 13 miles per hour. They do have predators but are hard to be captured because when they fly they are really good at dodging, hovering, and landing perfectly to get upside down and sleep. An article I was reading mentioned that humans have trouble capturing this type of bat because of how smart they are at dodging objects and flying so well. I thought it was how hard it is to capture them. No one truly knows how beneficial bats can be for the ecosystem and humans, which I hope is proven in my presentation as much as I can and the game itself. 

 image is from https://www.lcrmscp.gov/species/pale_townsend_big_eared.html