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I thought it would be nice to start a diary. It won't be funny, it won't be a paperback best seller, and go on to make a girly film with Geri Halliwell singing the soundtrack... it's just a bog standard diary. I'll try and update it as much as I can, to show you the progress through the animation.
Why?
Because I can.
Of course, anyone else contributing to the animation, such as Pb, are very welcome to add to it... perhaps we could pile it together at the end, fling it on a DVD, and call it a 'Special Edition', even though it's utter crap.
First of all, if you haven't seen this pic yet, perhaps now is the time to do so.
http://swordspines.homestead.com /files/Tafs.jpg
What I'm basically doing first, is creating all the characters, faces, arms, bodies... so on. I first sketch them in my drawing pad... and then draw them on pc, from what I made.
That was the early Sheepy on the left, and Sniper on the right... unfortunatly, because I smoothed out the face too early, I had to start it again. All it takes away is time though, it will still look the same.
I've nearly finished Sheepys head now, including hair... Fancy a look?
No?
Ah well.
I'll at least give you the choice.
http://swordspines.homestead.com /files/Sheepy-mock2.jpg
The mouth will need to be made properly, and the eyes could be tidied up...
Apart from that, pretty good I think. It's the first time I've done hair, and I think it looks ok.
Here's something for you to do though... I'm not sure wherever or not to give him ears. I personally don't want to, basically because it's hard, and I'm lazy.
One thing I'm worried about at the moment is lip sync... it's not going to happen. If you have this wonderful vision of all the characters speaking perfectly, get your brain brush, and scrub them clear. You'll get a lovely *mouth open-mouth closed* movement. No more, no less.
And that concludes todays update. I've drawn Ant already, so I may start him tommorrow... or I'll start Sniper again. If you have any ideas, or comments, please put them forward.
Why?
Because I can.
Of course, anyone else contributing to the animation, such as Pb, are very welcome to add to it... perhaps we could pile it together at the end, fling it on a DVD, and call it a 'Special Edition', even though it's utter crap.
First of all, if you haven't seen this pic yet, perhaps now is the time to do so.
http://swordspines.homestead.com /files/Tafs.jpg
What I'm basically doing first, is creating all the characters, faces, arms, bodies... so on. I first sketch them in my drawing pad... and then draw them on pc, from what I made.
That was the early Sheepy on the left, and Sniper on the right... unfortunatly, because I smoothed out the face too early, I had to start it again. All it takes away is time though, it will still look the same.
I've nearly finished Sheepys head now, including hair... Fancy a look?
No?
Ah well.
I'll at least give you the choice.
http://swordspines.homestead.com /files/Sheepy-mock2.jpg
The mouth will need to be made properly, and the eyes could be tidied up...
Apart from that, pretty good I think. It's the first time I've done hair, and I think it looks ok.
Here's something for you to do though... I'm not sure wherever or not to give him ears. I personally don't want to, basically because it's hard, and I'm lazy.
One thing I'm worried about at the moment is lip sync... it's not going to happen. If you have this wonderful vision of all the characters speaking perfectly, get your brain brush, and scrub them clear. You'll get a lovely *mouth open-mouth closed* movement. No more, no less.
And that concludes todays update. I've drawn Ant already, so I may start him tommorrow... or I'll start Sniper again. If you have any ideas, or comments, please put them forward.
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Yup, memory hungry beatch that it is.
On an update on that, I lost the entire scene, and had to start from scratch. So I've kept it a lot more simple now, which has annoyed me immensly... one of the reasons for doing this anim was to use it as a show thing for Rareware. If I can't use all my ideas, then it's not going to be a fair representation.
However, good news at last. Contacted Planet Gamecube the other day, to ask how the hell they managed to fit so much movie on a disc... they did a section on Japan gaming, with some videos and stuff, and I wrote to them asking how they compressed it.
I got a letter back today, telling me not only what they did, but the best things for the job. Loads of information on it. God I'm happy.
I'm now using the DivX codec to render the movies. It's now running at about 12 Meg a minute, instead of about 25 Meg a minute, and there's hardly any loss to quality at all.
Excellent. And don't worry, the codec is simple to download and install, so you'll be able to watch it.
One problem however, it's not going to work on slow computers. But I doubt that will be too much of a problem.
On an update on that, I lost the entire scene, and had to start from scratch. So I've kept it a lot more simple now, which has annoyed me immensly... one of the reasons for doing this anim was to use it as a show thing for Rareware. If I can't use all my ideas, then it's not going to be a fair representation.
However, good news at last. Contacted Planet Gamecube the other day, to ask how the hell they managed to fit so much movie on a disc... they did a section on Japan gaming, with some videos and stuff, and I wrote to them asking how they compressed it.
I got a letter back today, telling me not only what they did, but the best things for the job. Loads of information on it. God I'm happy.
I'm now using the DivX codec to render the movies. It's now running at about 12 Meg a minute, instead of about 25 Meg a minute, and there's hardly any loss to quality at all.
Excellent. And don't worry, the codec is simple to download and install, so you'll be able to watch it.
One problem however, it's not going to work on slow computers. But I doubt that will be too much of a problem.
Grix Thraves wrote:
> Can't believe what's happened now.
Big problem. Spent three hours last night
> designing a scene that will be part of an extended scene in Grix's mind. It's
> going to be very detailed, and in my opinion, very powerful.
Start to render
> the scene? Guess what happens.
My computer isn't powerful enough to render
> it.
Christ. That of ALL things I didn't expect to happen.
No idea what I
> can do now... the only things I can see myself doing is completly removing all
> the lighting effects, so it will all look a little flat. Shame, I suppose, but
> it looks like I'll have to do it.
Problem number 2. Everytime I try to load
> what I managed to save of the scene before it crashed... it crashes. Sodding
> hell. I might have to start it all again.
This is three hours work, and I was
> working fast. Damn.
Welcome to Windows.
> Can't believe what's happened now.
Big problem. Spent three hours last night
> designing a scene that will be part of an extended scene in Grix's mind. It's
> going to be very detailed, and in my opinion, very powerful.
Start to render
> the scene? Guess what happens.
My computer isn't powerful enough to render
> it.
Christ. That of ALL things I didn't expect to happen.
No idea what I
> can do now... the only things I can see myself doing is completly removing all
> the lighting effects, so it will all look a little flat. Shame, I suppose, but
> it looks like I'll have to do it.
Problem number 2. Everytime I try to load
> what I managed to save of the scene before it crashed... it crashes. Sodding
> hell. I might have to start it all again.
This is three hours work, and I was
> working fast. Damn.
Welcome to Windows.
Can't believe what's happened now.
Big problem. Spent three hours last night designing a scene that will be part of an extended scene in Grix's mind. It's going to be very detailed, and in my opinion, very powerful.
Start to render the scene? Guess what happens.
My computer isn't powerful enough to render it.
Christ. That of ALL things I didn't expect to happen.
No idea what I can do now... the only things I can see myself doing is completly removing all the lighting effects, so it will all look a little flat. Shame, I suppose, but it looks like I'll have to do it.
Problem number 2. Everytime I try to load what I managed to save of the scene before it crashed... it crashes. Sodding hell. I might have to start it all again.
This is three hours work, and I was working fast. Damn.
Big problem. Spent three hours last night designing a scene that will be part of an extended scene in Grix's mind. It's going to be very detailed, and in my opinion, very powerful.
Start to render the scene? Guess what happens.
My computer isn't powerful enough to render it.
Christ. That of ALL things I didn't expect to happen.
No idea what I can do now... the only things I can see myself doing is completly removing all the lighting effects, so it will all look a little flat. Shame, I suppose, but it looks like I'll have to do it.
Problem number 2. Everytime I try to load what I managed to save of the scene before it crashed... it crashes. Sodding hell. I might have to start it all again.
This is three hours work, and I was working fast. Damn.
Grix Thraves wrote:
> But one real one, and one linked one with adverts on. :0P
...
*goes to do something*
> But one real one, and one linked one with adverts on. :0P
...
*goes to do something*
But one real one, and one linked one with adverts on. :0P
Grix Thraves wrote:
> This isn't so much a diary, more like a big advert.
With two domains :P
> This isn't so much a diary, more like a big advert.
With two domains :P
This isn't so much a diary, more like a big advert.
The last thing I want to write is a Diary. Its like a badly designed nuke, it blows in your face. I wrote one once while I was at Primary School. I couldn't be bothered to put anything in it though.
Grix, your name is gold. You should be getting it perfect first time!
Also, my mobile phone is broken :( Got run over earlier. Luckily the SimCard is ok. Its sitting in front of me all open and me admiring its futuristic insides...
*falls into a deep conversation*
.. so there I was, standing next to Nelson... I looked down into his eyes and he winked.. I knew at that point my mobile phone could take me home.
Also, my mobile phone is broken :( Got run over earlier. Luckily the SimCard is ok. Its sitting in front of me all open and me admiring its futuristic insides...
*falls into a deep conversation*
.. so there I was, standing next to Nelson... I looked down into his eyes and he winked.. I knew at that point my mobile phone could take me home.
*breathes*
Might as well update diary, anywho.
I've been a bit delayed at the moment, it's not that bad, but because Sheepy can't use his computer, I'm unable to do any of the earlier stuff at the moment. :0)
So I'm moving on a bit, and storyboarding, and now actually animating, some of the later scenes. Stuff not needing lip sync.
Problem then would be... with every single bit of animation I do, I get better. I don't really care about the animating getting progressivly better through the whole thing, but when it's jumping from good to bad animated stuff, it's going to get annoying, and not feel consistant.
So either I've got to be very careful about my style, or make sure I do everything perfect first time.
I'm storyboarding scenes to music now as well... good fun, and works remarkably well... I don't want it to be good because of the music... I just want the two things to merge well.
Here's hoping, anywho.
Might as well update diary, anywho.
I've been a bit delayed at the moment, it's not that bad, but because Sheepy can't use his computer, I'm unable to do any of the earlier stuff at the moment. :0)
So I'm moving on a bit, and storyboarding, and now actually animating, some of the later scenes. Stuff not needing lip sync.
Problem then would be... with every single bit of animation I do, I get better. I don't really care about the animating getting progressivly better through the whole thing, but when it's jumping from good to bad animated stuff, it's going to get annoying, and not feel consistant.
So either I've got to be very careful about my style, or make sure I do everything perfect first time.
I'm storyboarding scenes to music now as well... good fun, and works remarkably well... I don't want it to be good because of the music... I just want the two things to merge well.
Here's hoping, anywho.
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