Why? I mean, it's really no problem to either a) Implement my own spherical normal distribution that works with Mersenne twister, or b) Use a lagged Fibonacci generator or other generator that returns a real type. But still, it strikes me as kind of odd, especially since there really isn't any distinction between the generator types in the documentation. There are no caveats saying "Thou shalt not attempt to use uniform_on_sphere with a Mersenne Twister, or thou shalt perish in the hell of compiler errors."
Still, though, boost::random is the greatest thing since finely ground mustard seed, and will grant you fulfillment and peace in the hereafter. It's that awesome.
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I've been breaking the WoW addiction (played for about an hour yesterday, first time really in about a month that I played). I've played through to some of the highest end-game content there is, and upcoming expansion aside, I feel like there really isn't much the game has to offer me anymore. I login, I sit there for about fifteen minutes wondering what I should do. There is always something to be done, some raid going on or piece of equipment that needs to be upgraded, or some noob that needs to be schooled. None of it really appeals anymore. I've done it all. After 10 minutes, I log off unless my brother happens to be around, then I chat with him for awhile.
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I've been working on inventorying all of the partially-completed tutorials, articles, outlines, notes, ideas written on the backs of napkins or scrawled on post-it notes glued to the desk by age, ancient relics on parchment made from human skin, and all the other odds-and-ends of stuff I have written at some point or other in the last fifteen years.
I tell you, it's simply amazing the sheer breadth and depth of unfinished material there is lurking on my harddrive. It's sad, really, to see the abandoned ruin of so many ideas that were once exciting to me. Dead game projects, dead prototypes, half-finished sketches, half-colored textures, rough drafts of articles, broken libraries, half-completed models.
How does one break the cycle of never completing things? It can not simply be an act of willpower, in the same way that willpower is never sufficient for dieting, exercise, or any number of other activities. It takes a lifestyle change, and I am at a loss to know how to go about changing that much.
Despite months and months of relative inactivity, the old desire to make games is still there. It won't go away, despite a seemingly active effort on my part lately to get rid of it. I still look at screenshots and think, "I could do that in this manner..." or look at old articles I've written and think, "This follows from that, and what I really ought to do is this."
Sorry, it's almost 2 AM and I can't sleep, so instead I logged on and rambled incoherently. Maybe in the morning I'll feel less depressed.
