October Challenge -Sounds Posted! - Page 4 - Simply Maya User Community

# 46 09-10-2003 , 04:43 PM

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If you read your latest newsletter I think you will find that the deadline has been extended to November for this challenge.

Personally I think that one month for a modeling/texturing challenge is ample time but not for an animation challenge - animation is HARD!

Just checked above on the newsletter:

All challenges on all sites are now to be extended. From November 1st the challenges will run for 2 months. We are also pleased to announce that prizes will now be given for the winner - More details on this next month.

Originally Posted by

So you got till the end of he month - OUCH!

Tickety boo and ta ta for a bit...
Gazzamataz
https://www.gazzamataz.com

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# 47 09-10-2003 , 06:25 PM

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Until further notice, the Oct. challenge will end Oct. 31st. Starting November, the challenges will extend. So, the next challenge will be Nov/Dec.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 48 09-10-2003 , 07:30 PM

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All of you here that are no good with rigging, thry this on for size. FINAL RIG. Look n the SCRIPTS section.

Takes a bit of learning but will rig your character for you. Not really cheating either because the emphasis of the challenge is on animation, not the rig itself.

Dave Baer
Professor of Digital Arts
Digital Media Arts College
Boca Raton, Florida
dbaer@dmac.edu

Last edited by dave_baer; 09-10-2003 at 07:59 PM.

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# 49 09-10-2003 , 07:31 PM

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ATTENTION!

Had a concern expressed.

The goal of this challenge is to have a character or two reacting to these sounds. OR if you're character(s) are creating the sounds, to have some sort of context as to why.

Just having a head pop up and roar or scream with no apparant reasoning is not the idea.

I thought this was rather obvious, but perhaps I was mistaken.

-Mike
The Maya Toolbelt

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# 50 09-10-2003 , 07:58 PM

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In other words, people... Say for instance for the ROAR sound. You can either have the character itself roaring, or have a character reacting to the roar.

A good example would be to have a big ugly monster sneaking up behind a cute little fuzzy bunny, the bunny suddenly turns around and lets out that vicous roar and the monster runs off scared. (this example is invlaid for the challenge now that I have said it. Please don't have any monsters sneaking up on little fuzzy bunnies user added image

)

Your animation should provide its own explanation as to what is going on in the scene. The viewer should be able to read through the scene as if they were reading text that explains it.

I've noticed a few comments here stating that one month is not long enough to complete this challenge. Guys.. it's only 10 seconds of animation. Especially if you're using pre-built and rigged characters, the animation itself shouldn't take more than a few days to a week to finalize. Remember, pre-plan the shot. Know exactly what it is you're going to do before you do it.

Here's a few pointers for when you're creating the animation.

1. Pre-planning - Plan the animation and everything thats in it before you decide to start animating. Making additions later will affect the way the scene plays out and may force you to have to go back and start over just to implement the changes.

2. Timing - Time the animation according to the sound. Your character shouldn't react to a sound before it is heard nor should it react to late. You can't have a reaction without first having an action. In that I mean, the reaction must always happen after the given action. Not before and not at the exact moment.

3. Entertainment Value - Make your character live in the scene. Show us that they are part of what is really going on in the scene and not just a bunch of moving images. While a monster standing there roaring is kewl; the monster - ripping a car in two and stomping on poor innocent people while tearing apart a city and roaring is GREAT! You see the entertainment value in that last one?

4. Action - Make sure to have your character doing something worth watching. I guess this could fall into the catagory above, but in itself is very important. While it doesn't have to be as elaborate as the above example, give the viewer something interesting to watch, not just a talking head.

Those are just a few pointers to try and help you along in your animating this challenge. Remember, make it fun and interesting. Be creative. I've heard the sound files and there plenty of room for creativity with them.

Good luck!

user added image

Dave Baer
Professor of Digital Arts
Digital Media Arts College
Boca Raton, Florida
dbaer@dmac.edu

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# 51 09-10-2003 , 08:53 PM

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>>this example is invlaid for the challenge now that I have said it. Please don't have any monsters sneaking up on little fuzzy bunnies

I already have a hunter sneaking up on a fluffy bunny, which I did already post as a storyboard; I assume I can still use that, despite the fact that having given the punchline away it is about as funny as an eviscerated dead goat. As for it all being easy to finish on time, some of us have never really animated anything and have other things to do in rl.

Last edited by Witchy; 09-10-2003 at 08:59 PM.

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# 52 09-10-2003 , 09:02 PM

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>eviscerated dead goat

HAHAHHAHAHHA. . Ahem.

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# 53 09-10-2003 , 09:02 PM

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Perhaps I should put a goat in it....

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# 54 09-10-2003 , 11:35 PM

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Err what newsletter was that?

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# 55 10-10-2003 , 08:52 AM

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dave_baer said:

I've noticed a few comments here stating that one month is not long enough to complete this challenge. Guys.. it's only 10 seconds of animation. Especially if you're using pre-built and rigged characters, the animation itself shouldn't take more than a few days to a week to finalize.

Originally Posted by

Is that a full working week or a week of evenings?
Witchy said:

As for it all being easy to finish on time, some of us have never really animated anything and have other things to do in rl.

Originally Posted by

I should be able to finish my little idea on time and I only have three weeks left user added image

- only cos I have done some animation before. Using pre-built, pre-rigged characters does help alot but boy getting the timing just right on some things can be a MARE!

As witchy said some of us only get a little bit of time here and there and find it harder. But as Mr McKinley said the contests will last two months from Nov onwards.

Just my two penneths worth... back to the animating!

Tickety boo and ta ta for a bit...
Gazzamataz
https://www.gazzamataz.com

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# 56 14-10-2003 , 03:08 AM

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Hopefully everyone's good into the animation part by now. user added image

-Mike
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# 57 14-10-2003 , 03:55 AM

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Witchy and gazzamataz: I too have real life issues, and I totally understand how they work. But to give you an example, the animation I have on my site with the blue robot was concepted, modeled, blendshaped, animated and textured in less than a week, and it runs for about 15 seconds. And that was a week of evenings.

Now maybe some ppl here aren't as adept at animation, and that's kewl. But that's what these challenges are for. To help you learn and challenge yourself to do something and in good time.

Mike and I are here to try and encourage you guys to do a good job. Maybe I'm a little more critical than most others here but take it as only that, simply criticism. That, in itself, is a good lesson to learn. Because if you can't take criticism by a lowly old, scruffy looking nerf herder moderator, then I'd hate to see what happens when your boss says he doesn't like your model, start over. user added image

Anyway, this is all about fun. As long as your trying is all that matters. Do what you can, do the best you can, and when it's all over, you can do it again next month. user added image

btw: Witchy... The date you posted your storyboard was before I posted my comment, so you're good to go. :p

user added image

Dave Baer
Professor of Digital Arts
Digital Media Arts College
Boca Raton, Florida
dbaer@dmac.edu

Last edited by dave_baer; 14-10-2003 at 03:58 AM.

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# 58 14-10-2003 , 03:55 AM

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* Hopefully everyone's good into the animation part by now.

Um...I'm well into the book *about* animation. Does that count? user added image

(edit: there was a post here just a second ago! I promise I'm not talking to myself!)

(edit again: aw, crap...it was further up. Mercy, I've got to get to bed. I think I'm going nuts user added image

)

Last edited by Nataliia; 14-10-2003 at 03:59 AM.

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# 59 14-10-2003 , 04:12 AM

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I think you missed the point of my post Dave, if I and others did not want to learn things then we would not be here. I've learnt more from this site and the people on it than from many hours of reading etc.

However you seem to treat the time limit / ability issue etc rather casually - perhaps if you remember when you were starting animation, rather than looking at it from your current position, you would have a different perspective.

I don't care what you say about my modelling or animation as long as there is some grain of helpfulness in it; I have heard far worse and am hardly likely to burst into tears over it. But simply telling me how easily you do things and how much better you are than me in this field is not that helpful - I already know that.

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# 60 14-10-2003 , 04:23 AM

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But simply telling me how easily you do things and how much better you are than me in this field is not that helpful

Originally Posted by

Whoa dood. I didn't say that and please don't misread anything for what it isn't. If you think I'm looking down on you, I'm not. It was an example, plain and simple. What I implied was that it shouldn't take a month or two to do a 10 second animation. No matter what level of animator you are. In fact, I said it shouldn't take that long if you're using pre-built and pre-rigged characters.

Anyway, let's get on with the challenge and leave this where it's at. user added image

Dave Baer
Professor of Digital Arts
Digital Media Arts College
Boca Raton, Florida
dbaer@dmac.edu

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