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Welcome to the Playground!

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Welcome everyone! So happy to launch this project space. I have created a 'Playground Guide' - a First timers guide. This will be an evergreen guide, meaning it is going to change and adapt as you all see fit. So if you want to see something new or different, speak up!

Here is the down and dirty

What is the Playground?

Maker Space - a place to make!

Space to Create Freely

Place to Connect

What it isn't

A place to gripe, complain, shoot down other projects. There is a fine line between debating the efficiency of other peoples projects, and being overly critical. This is a place to inspire, so take care of your fellow members playing and creating.

Maker Space... what is that?

"A place in which people with shared interests, especially in computing or technology, can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge."

Are there rules?

This is a space where everyone is welcome and which inspires creativity and collaboration. Some activities will make you think critically, others will turn your thoughts into action.

We support a maker culture where:

everyone shares responsibility for safety
we help one another and are receptive to feedback
we support one another
innovation is encouraged
positive experiences are created.

How to use this space

This space is designed to grow and evolve with the needs and wants of those using it. So first and foremost, if you see something, or have an idea that could be useful for the function of the space, let the admins know!

There are two main parts of the Playground that everything else either feeds into, or diverges from. These are the 'Forum' and the 'Project Library'.

The Forum

The forum is a place to read up on others projects, ideas, or information about tools, software and more. It is also a place to perhaps find people to collaborate with on an idea you have.

Remember the following when using the Forum:

Be respectful.

When sharing projects or posting comments, remember that people of many different ages and backgrounds will see what you’ve shared.

Be constructive.

When commenting on others' projects, say something you like about it and offer suggestions.

Share.

You are free to remix projects, ideas, images, or anything else you find on Scratch – and anyone can use anything that you share. Be sure to give credit when you remix.

Be honest.

Don’t try to impersonate other members, spread rumors, or otherwise try to trick the community.

Help keep the site friendly

If you think a project or comment is mean, insulting, too violent, or otherwise inappropriate, let us know about it.

The Project Library

This is the place where people share projects that they have either completed or are working on. It is a place that you can look for inspiration or ideas. The projects range from actual kites, to using kites for a science, setting world records, art installations, and more! There is no limit!! The only requirement for submitting a project to the library is that it is somehow involves kites. Anyone can submit a project.

There is no expectation that you share detailed plans or blueprints for your project. You can share as little or as much as you want. Remember tho, that when you share your project, it becomes a 'public record'. Others may be inspired by what you have done and seek to recreate or build upon it. We are actually trying to encourage that action, and encourage people to take an idea and run with it!

Is there more coming?

YES!!! There is a lot more that we are already working on. Including a direct mentor program, online workshops, and a video library. Just to name a few! If there is something you think should be included or that you would like to see, speak up! Ultimately, the Playground will grow to suit the needs of the people using it.

Random FAQ

I have an Idea, where do I get started?

Perhaps the best place to get started is the forum. Here you can pitch your idea, find people to work with, information about tools and resources.

I submitted a Project, but I need to make updates... what do I do?

Just submit another one via the 'new project submission' and one of our admins will compare the previous submission with the current one and update it. Soon we will have a more direct way for this to happen. It will help if use the same project name.

I submitted a Project but it isn't showing in the project library!

Every project submission goes into a queue before it is published. This helps us make sure the site is not being flooded with spam and inappropriate content. It may take a few days for an administrator to look over the submission and hit the approve button.

Can I link my project or share it as proof of what I did?

Absolutely! That is part of the reason we created the Playground, is to capture all of these cool ideas and things that are happening. Share away!

Final Note From Nic O'Neill - Owner of Fortuna Found

I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with people that help drive and inspire my creativity. They are what I affectionately call my professional enablers. In reality, they are so much more than that. They are friends, mentors, and guides. They inspire and encourage, they critique and engage. They are amazing. The Playground is a space that is alive because of them. I wanted to share the amazing energy and creative spirit that happens when we are working on something. So please use this space. Use it to ask questions, to engage, to inspire. Everyone has some expertise in something, everyone has something to share. Share your knowledge, share your enthusiasm, share.

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Video library

coming soon

So, we are working on a few videos to add to this part of the site. Videos of skills, projects, and some other fun stuff. If you have an idea for a video or would like to contribute let us know!

Project Submission

Project Examples

example of a current project

WSIKF 2019 Stack Mega Fly

participants:

Organizers: Dylan Nguyen and Alden Miller

start date

status

Completed

prospect:

Beating our own record of simultaneously flying 7 stacks of 44 quad line kites set on August 20, 2018 at the 2018 Washington State International Kite Festival.

solution:

Creating a virtual check in for stack fliers coming together sharing the same passion.

inspiration:

Eight stack enthusiasts Alden Miller, Paul Dugard, Steve Polansky, John Mason, Tom Greenfield, James Fletcher, Spence Watson and I myself, Dylan Nguyen, attended Monday’s Stunt Kite Stack event at the above-mentioned festival. We took turns flying seven stacks of 44 quad line kites for 75 minutes. Spence Watson called the shots, and we flew synchronized to non-stop music, in formations, and performed team maneuvers such as thread, ball, boxes, roll-over landing and all… It was a great sight to see and an awesome feast to be a part of.

Stack Party!!

The pilots flying the stacks

Some Stacks

Stack Party!!

1/3

picture gallery, hover over the photo and scroll

project video

https://tinyurl.com/y5k45tjn

tools or applications used

Stack can be of one type of sail (full, mid or vented sail) or progressive in sizes and venting. Flying lines range from 80 ft to 100 ft, and of 150 lb to 200 lb test lines depending on the stack size and flying conditions. Typical 13-inch handles works fine, however longer ones give better control. We utilize Facebook event, Messenger and Google Drive to coordinate and share materials.

aha moment!

Stacks flying in group involves follow the leader in simple moves like an infinitive figure and 180 turns. When Spence Watson assumed the lead position, team moves like thread, boxes and ball… were thrown in. The initial ‘Curse you, AquaScum’moment (Finding Nemo movie, as they tried to keep it PG-13 for “some” folks) soon turned into a fantastic triumph on the demo field! We are planning to do more complex team moves with stacks this year.

Hmmm moment....

Now this wasn’t a mistake or failure, just something fun to share. Had I known Tom Greenfield was going to go Facebook live on me when I first flew that 8-stack of his, I would don the widest grin and instruct my feet not to turn into noodles!

ideas for next generation?

THE MORE THE MERRIER this year at the same festival, same Stunt Kite Stack event on Monday, August 19, 2019 in Long Beach, Washington. All of the original eight pilots but Tom Greenfield are planning to attend. As of this writing, June 2019, there are 15 additional pilots have checked in, with a collective 30 stacks of almost 200 quad line kites. Ages range from 12, my brother Cardin Nguyen, to 70 and better… Clearly kiting is one of the few sports/hobbies that spans multiple generations and crosses geographic and language barriers. It’s going to be epic. We will update with photos and videos.

abstract:

On the first day of the festival, I watched many veteran stack fliers having fun with their stacks on the beautiful Long Beach peninsula, Washington. Soon Paul Dugard, Tom Greenfield and Alden Miller respectively rested their handles on my hands, gave some pointers, then walked away. I was hooked. Or rather, dragged down the beach. Even though I had merely hours of stack airtime under my belt, the veterans encouraged me to come fly with them and trusted me with their gorgeous stacks. Instead of competing against one another, we decided to put on a collective stack fun fly. Flying quad line stack requires more effort to launch, the strength to counter the pull and the ability to handle unexpected wind gusts higher up. The force of wind on the sail is vastly increased with the more kites in the stack and at certain spots in the wind window. The lighter the pilot’s body weight and strength, the more effort (and skills) it takes to handle their stack. It also takes more skills to hold a hover, fly in reverse, and do certain tricks. The ability to read cues and leave room for a stack to regain its stability is an added bonus when flying with other people. There we were, seven semi trucks weaving in and out of traffic in harmony on a multilane highway. Each of us came from a different state of the U.S., one from Canada and another from England but we clicked the moment we got on the field till the end of the performance. Our hands were tired, body ached but our hearts all filled with joy! It was hard to wipe the smile off of our faces. It was currently the biggest stack fly, especially with team maneuvers, with the most stacks and kites ever in the U.S. Posted videos went viral and has sparked a renewed interest in stack flying and the challenge aspect of doing tricks with it as one kite. It is great to see many being inspired to join and being creative with new aspects of stack flying. Many festivals have gone by and we keep reminiscing about that fun fly. It dawned on me that we should do it again so Alden Miller and I created a Stack Party @ WSIKF event on Facebook in February 2019. That virtual bulletin board becomes a place where people check in, ask questions, share tips, videos and photos… Some have learned to fly it for the first time, some pulled out forgotten stacks, a few made their own...