markus aranko

nthposition

[XHTML|CSS|PHP|MySQL] - [October 2003]

A single-handed redesign and development project for a highly successful online politics/arts magazine. My dissertation project.

Involving:

Liasing with the client
Collecting and defining client and user requirements
Rebranding the look and feel of the site
Implementing valid XHTML structure with CSS styling
Creating a content management system in PHP
Data modelling and storage with MySQL
Developing dynamic layout controls in PHP and CSS
Addition of user registration and commenting
Creating an RSS newsfeed
Writing a dissertation (aka the really tricky bit)

magna [v0.9beta]

[Flash] - [November 2003]

A small space game. An attempt to develop an original concept into a playable product, and also an exercise in advancing my object-oriented programming skills.

Still in beta-testing phase, so a lack of documentation and some technical glitches are to be expected. You have been warned.

Yet having said that, I hope you enjoy it!

A coursework project based on Games Workshop's Warhammer 40.000 universe. Features strongly themed animation, sound and music, along with my first experiments in advanced ActionScript: the mouse-trailing comet and mini combat game (my first Flash game).

the great duck shoot [link dead]

[Flash] - [April 2003]

The highlight of my placement at Country Life Online, this is a simple yet addictive hunting game, which still remains one of the site's most popular destinations.

I should note that this doesn't mean I'm an advocate of hunting, but that considering the target audience, this classic game concept is ideal.

I also made a memory game [link dead] while at CLO. Less complex, but easily adaptable to different contexts my simply changing the images on the cards.

chelsea flower show retrospective [link dead]

[Flash] - [April 2003]

An example of the kind of thing they had me doing at Country Life before they realised my game-making potential. This is a simple, quick yet elegant slideshow of gardens from past Chelsea shows that was featured on their 2003 Chelsea microsite.

the social field - people and the british countryside

[HTML|CSS|RealAudio] - [November 2002]

An early coursework project, encompasing the whole lifecycle of an online news feature from idea, through investigation, interviews, photography, writing, page design, audio editing and page design through to publishing. Partially groupwork in that the homepage layout and overall design theme are a result of group decisions, although the actual implementation in HTML/CSS is by me. The homepage is a fully fluid table layout which works very well, but the CSS isn't cross-browser compatible, a flaw which is particularly evident when trying to read my article on anything but IE/Win. But I learnt my lesson...

A full version of the site, along with working links to the rest of my group and other groups, may still be available on the university servers.

venom and diamonds

[XHTML|CSS|PHP|MySQL]

My weblog (everyone needs one, eh?), featuring various thoughts and ramblings on my work and interests