Bot War

# 1 21-12-2004 , 06:05 PM

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Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: VA

Posts: 53

Hello everyone!

Here is a project that I have started for my demo reel. I have a ton of stuff that I have done for my job but that is all military related so I want something different to add to the reel.

I am kind of figuring this out as I go and don't really know what will come of it. I am looking to creat a 2-3 min animation with this bot, or many of these bots as the main character. One idea is to make the animation look like a documentary of the testing that this thing would go through for deployment if it where a real war machine i.e, movement, tracking, live fire test, etc. etc. The other is a battle scene between Bot.

At any rate here are some stills and some test animations to show you where I am at. Any C&C more then welcome!!!!!!!!!

Animation

Here is a Highres still from the tracking test animation

user added image

Live Fire Test.mov

HR Still from the fire test....

user added image

The modeling is done and the texturing is up in the air. I am thinking of adding way more detail to it but at the same time I like the new clean look to. Heavy partical systems have been added to cannons with collision events and dynamics for sparks on impact.

The Balls are also running on Dynamics and the bot is set up to track the balls with a locator acting as an aim point. The guns are also set up with trigger systems that allows me to simply turn a nurb circle to turn them on and off through the use of driven keys rather then having to go to the emitter and keyframe it.

More to come....

D.

My Site
BotWar W.I.P.
C17-Crash

Last edited by Dragon3D; 28-12-2004 at 04:07 PM.

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# 2 21-12-2004 , 06:23 PM

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I am impressed! I really like the fire test animation, good job with the particles :tup:

Watch Space Wars at www.3dden.co.uk now!
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# 3 21-12-2004 , 07:09 PM

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Very nice, smooth animation and modeling. I don't have any criticisms, so I wish you good luck.

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# 4 21-12-2004 , 11:43 PM

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Really nice mate.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

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# 5 23-12-2004 , 03:01 AM

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Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: VA

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Hey thanks everyone!

I think that I have desided on a scene for it so I will post a pic to get some input from you guys if you don't mind. It may be a bit though with the holidays.

Thanks again for the comps! user added image

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# 6 28-12-2004 , 02:44 PM

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Hi Dragon3D, right here's my comments:

The modelling is ok/fair it's too basic. Get some more detail in there into the joints etc etc nuts bolts wires etc etc. They don't have to be detailed persay but just knobs and twiddles etc.

"The texturing is up in the air

Originally Posted by

It's fairly non-existant!! Get some maps on there and make it look like it's been in a few wars before etc Going for the "nice clean look" means you're being lazy user added image

The Animation on the bots ok, it's quite smooth maybe could be more mechanical. Lose the big swinging camera move though it's awful! user added image

Use cuts if you want to show different stuff.

The particle effects are ok, nothing special, you could try to make them a bit more interesting (and speed up the first ones as they feel like they are flying through treacle!) user added image

I look forwards to see you taking it further.

:bandit:
Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

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# 7 28-12-2004 , 03:58 PM

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Thanks Alan good stuff!

I have to agree with you on the texture ( it's really just colored shaders for testing user added image

) and had desided to do a custome texture last week, after some other feedback and yes even another lazy comment, user added image

using the 3D paint tool (I love that tool by the way!!!). It has been started though not much has been done do to the holidays, and me getting some new games user added image

. I hope to get back on it later this week and will post up a pic for some more C&C

These animations are really just rigging and dynamics tests so the camera work is well....crap...so I will keep the cuts in mind for the final. I will think of some ways to improve the particals as well user added image

Thanks tons for your in-put Alan! Being that this is for my demo reel it is nice to get some C&C from someone of your expertise!

More to come...
D.

My Site
BotWar W.I.P.
C17-Crash

Last edited by Dragon3D; 28-12-2004 at 04:05 PM.

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# 8 29-12-2004 , 12:27 PM

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No problem, that's why we're all here at the end of the day user added image

:bandit:
Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

IMDB

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# 9 29-12-2004 , 08:53 PM

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Pretty cool. My crit is that the guns do not give off a recoil. I would have him lean into the shot befor and be pushed back after the volley. Remember you principals of animation. It would help with the anticipation. I did see that you had him crouch down and that was good.

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# 10 29-12-2004 , 09:46 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Hey Dragon

I think Alan has pretty much said most of 'what needs'. But there is something else that could be added, and thats a bit more weight to it stepping around as while I was watching it I felt I could blow it over with a single breath and also when it fires the head should jolt from the energy expelled from the guns.

Just my 10p
_J

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# 11 30-12-2004 , 02:14 AM

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For some reason the server u had it hosted on was painfully slow when I tried to download it. I mirrored it on mine for you.

https://www.csxe.net/sd/files/LiveFireLR.mov

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# 12 30-12-2004 , 05:17 PM

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Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: VA

Posts: 53

Thanks everyone! Loven the feed back!

Immortal: not sure way but thank you for doing that!!

Jango: Thanks man I will work on the weight some when I get back into animating

Rick: thanks man! I am thinking about changing the guns now. After some thinking I realized that being that it only has the 2 cannons making them a plasma type gun just isn't a good idea (reload time fire rate) so I have desided to switch them to a Gatlin type gun.

Small update:

user added image

Being that I want this thing to look like a military weapon I am thinking that I will be going with a future desert camo texture. This is just the start, I need to add more dirt and some bump. I will be able to work on this more this weekend so I hope to have some more updates real soon.

Thanks everyone!
D.

My Site
BotWar W.I.P.
C17-Crash

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# 13 30-12-2004 , 06:12 PM

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No, do not change them to gatling guns please. These are your heavy hitters. You see gatling guns to often. I liked the plasma. A gatling gun maybe as a secondary under the front but only a secondary. With plasmas you can do all sorts of cool effect having them charge up. Look at the mech I was working on. Those vents on the side of the guns were for cooling when the particle cannons build up heat. They are angle like that so you cannot make a durect hit down the pipe. The other guns below are auto rail guns. Wlaking tank You could have turbo chargers or such on the side that charges up.

On the textured part, I would work on the modeling side. I would avoid having areas were your two modeled parts overlap. I would work on the joint. Over lappin parts always tend to show while rendering and the lighting tends to go funny. Stay away from booleans. Model the seperation. Sounds like a lot but it makes all the deference.

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# 14 31-12-2004 , 02:46 AM

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Good point Rick, they are over used so maybe I will try a hybrid idea that just came to me allowing the same gun to do both....well kind of....but with Plasma...hummm....let's see.....:devious:

more to come.....:p

D.

My Site
BotWar W.I.P.
C17-Crash

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