OnLine Live Conferences - We want your opinion

# 1 24-04-2007 , 02:23 PM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

OnLine Live Conferences - We want your opinion

We're considering the idea of offering OnLine Live Training Conferences. full video (instructors screen) and audio (Audio via Skype or a free phone number we can offer both. IE the communication will be a two way process) the first course will last 4 weeks and hopefully be taught by Mike Mckinley from Buzz Monkey Software. We're in discussion with Mike at the moment about the specifics. But first we'd like to here from you. We'd like to know your thought on the following topics.

*How long should each lesson last.

*Over a 4 week period how many lessons would you like scheduled.

*Are you more comfortable typing your questions to the instructor or do you want two way voice communication.

*How large do you think the class sizes should be.

*Which topics would you like to see covered.

*How much would you like to pay for this service

As well as the above questions we'd love to hear any other thoughts you may have regarding this type of service. We've seen it offered elsewhere but the cost is normally, in our opinion quite high two - three thousand dollars in some cases! We'd also like to bring you instructors that work within the VFX industry thereby giving you all a chance to interact with some of the people that are doing the jobs that you want.

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 2 24-04-2007 , 02:37 PM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

I'll give you my answers so you have a baseline of what we're thinking of, then I'd love to here form you so we can adjust this to peoples needs.

I think the lessons should be between one and two hours two to three times a week.

Over four weeks I think eight to twelve lessons.

I'd like to see two pople running the lessons, one doing the presentaion and fielding the voice based questions (Comuinity discusion (Modderated)) and one person fielding typed questions.

Class sizes eight to twelve people

Topics i'd like dependent on the instructor if Mike does it then I'd like to see Game and Low poly modelling

Price depends on length the course will run, other materials we provide to accompany the course (books, DVD's etcetera) I'd also like to see it at a lower cost than other people are offering this service say 500 - 1000 USD and again this greatly depends on how many people we can realistically take per class, the more people the less the price. but couple that with the less people the more your going to learn.

We'd like to hear from you this is simply not going to work as well as it should if we don't get the feedback from our members.

Thanks for your time
David

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 3 24-04-2007 , 07:36 PM

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Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: New Jersey

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I agree on the length. I'm in college right now and classes are usually 3-4 hours long per week. if it was a 5 week course itd be 8 hours per week for 5 weeks. so I'd say 3-4 classes 2 hours per week.

I agree witht he 2 people running the class. choreographed classes would be nice. 1 person talkin. the other one actually doing the work, more would get done.

I was gonna say 5-10 per class.

can't think of anything for topics at this moment. to be hoenst, anything will be good. maybe something different from the normal tutorials you have advertised.

I'd like to pay 5 dollars. no haha realisticly, I think it would be worth 450-750 depending on class length and depth.

classes on cgsociety are usually around 500. i'm not sure how long they go on for but i think for 8 weeks and are 2 hours a week.

i think its a good idea what you are doing. good luck with it. i think you will get a lot of participants. who knows maybe i'll try one out.

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# 4 24-04-2007 , 08:24 PM

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signed

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# 5 25-04-2007 , 12:08 AM

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Join Date: Apr 2007

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These online classes seem like a good idea, but how would it be different than watching a video tutorial at one's own pace? The main advantage is being able to communicate directly with the instructor, I understand, but is it going to be worth $750-1000?
I doubt you'll have any trouble finding willing participants, since the internet is worldwide, and I've often thought of looking for online classes, and I've looked. The tutorials themselves have been the most useful tool to me in learning how to do things.
If I were to sign up, I'd like to know exactly what is going to be taught to see if the classes are things I already know or far beyond what I know.
Let me just say that the notion is very exciting, but as someone with monetary limits I'd want to know a whole lot more before I signed up.

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# 6 25-04-2007 , 09:48 AM

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Join Date: Dec 2006

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I also thing that on-line classes sounds like a very good idea,but i agree with plaski.The tutorials are very helpful.So why should i pay 700-1000$ for a 1 month class?As far as the length of each lesson,i thing 2 hours is enough,since that is the average duration in every university.Moreover two times a week i thing is fine.As far as the subject is concerned i would say "character animation",since is one of the subjects that has not been covered that much.Lastly i dont mind whether is a two way voice communication or typing the questions.As a conclusion i thing is a very good idea.I am willing to sign up as long as the price goes a down a bit,say 400$ for a 10 student class.

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# 7 25-04-2007 , 11:28 AM

Senior Software Developer
Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Livingston, Scotland

Posts: 1,701

Dave its a gr8 idea, I have participated with the free MS Online seminars before and they are a gr8 help as you get to ask questions there and then. Heres my Input?

Length: I say a lesson should be between 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on topic, as some subjects take longer and then there is the students questions etc...
Lessons: I would agree with your suggestion 12 lessons over 4 weeks is about right
Communication: Offer of both of the in calls comminication would be best. If a student can't get a word in edgesways as someone is hogging the airwaves, then they can type the answer.
Class Size: I think you should not go over 12, it would become a total nightmare with more than that.
Subjects: Everything user added image

. I would like to see a nooby class teaching the UI, basic modeling and texturing and simple animation. An Intermediate classes for more complex topics, character design, character animation, environment creations etc... And finally an advanced class teaching dynamics, advanced animation techniques, nCloth etc...
Cost:Well free ones would be nice (IU based classes and some of the basic lessons for free (ya know samples)) But to attend a full cource at basic, intermediate or advanced levels then I would say anything from $400 to $800 (£200 to £400).

Really this raises a couple of questions for me:

1. How are you going to deal with the time differences?
2. Will any be available for download after the fact (at cost), for those of us who cannot afford to to shell out the money to attend the live course?
3.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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# 8 25-04-2007 , 11:45 AM

SM Tea Boy
Join Date: Apr 2002

Location: Prague

Posts: 3,228

Hi R@nSiD,

to answer your questions

1 time zones are going to be a bitch, most of our instructors are in the USA most of our customers to, so it's going to be US time. Sucks for me as i live in Prague lol

2. Yes we'll be recording everything and making it available on DVD at a later date (probably)

David

From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

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# 9 25-04-2007 , 11:51 AM

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Join Date: May 2005

Location: Manchester Uk

Posts: 6,300

Sounds like a good Idea, if I had the money.

For something like this I would say that the lessons should be quite advanced, maybe with "homework" between the different lessons, so that you get more out of it than just watching someone do something then and copying.

Say for example if you ran a character set up course,

Week 1 - skeleton set up, go through the options, systems in detail and demo's on the software using a set model showing considerations of joint placements etc etc and have the options for the students to either use their own model (prior approved by the instructor for topology etc) or one provided to do the same to for the next lesson, with feedback given by the instructor (maybe have a thread for it where only the people on the course can see it??)

week 2 - Creating controls, again a similar set up the the last one
etc etc

That way it gives more value for money as your making your own model with advice form a pro, as well as getting tuition along the way that can be applied for multiple applications.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 10 25-04-2007 , 11:59 AM

Senior Software Developer
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Location: Livingston, Scotland

Posts: 1,701

Thx Dave.

If its USA times will it be EST PST or central time. seeing as there is 5 hrs difference lol. Sorry I am being arkward. OK. I think Steve is right with the homework suggestion too.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
Twitter
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truely know peace - Jimmy Hendrix

Winner SM VFX Challenge 1

3rd Place SM SteamPunk Challenge (May 2007)

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# 11 25-04-2007 , 02:02 PM

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Join Date: Mar 2007

Posts: 44

Yes! this is a good idea but it has glitches i must say.
I shall say that i would like to have a face to face class, It
would be easy for instructors and customers of simply maya
since we live in America. Hmmm, but i am also concerned
with customers outside of America.

P.S. If there is going to be a homework
who and how will it be checked? This is the question that troubles my
incomprehendible mind. Please do answer.

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# 12 25-04-2007 , 02:30 PM

Senior Software Developer
Join Date: Jan 2005

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Having seen these online seminar/courses before any homework assignment is sent to the instructor by a certain date (same as colleage). If its to be done that way I am sure Dave and the SM staff have it worked out.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
Twitter
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will truely know peace - Jimmy Hendrix

Winner SM VFX Challenge 1

3rd Place SM SteamPunk Challenge (May 2007)

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# 13 25-04-2007 , 02:57 PM

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I have a question about this
Is there a certificate or anything you get after completing the course to prove that you have some kind of experience/schooling of maya and computer graphics? Just curious about this.

- Mike

https://rhetoriccamel.blogspot.com

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# 14 26-04-2007 , 03:53 AM

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I would be interested if there were to be a class purely game related, not so much the modelling/texturing/rigging/animating, but more the technical gumf behind this such as, per pixel lighting, baking lighting information, maybe explaining the difference between tangent and object space normal maps and where/when each are to be used, and other generalities what 'us' not yet in the industry haven't learned. This would probably be more of a Q and A interaction.

If you believe in telekinesis, raise my right hand.

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# 15 26-04-2007 , 04:53 AM

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Join Date: Dec 2006

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I agree with R@nSiD.The classes should be categorized according to one's experience and/or level.Imagine a class of 10 students ranging from beginner to expert.It won't work.So i thing is absolutely necessary to be at least 3 different levels.

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