...anyways...

So, for those who are able to, can we plan on using the chat room 6 - 8pm tomorrow, Wednesday July 8th? If anyone is planning on going to sturm let me know and I'll meet you there, elsewise I'll use my laptop.

Otherwise we may as well just stick with blog posts, but we need more activity someplace... (he typed, thinking about how bad he's been at checking)

I hope summer is enjoyable for you all! Hopefully we'll be hearing from one-another soon!

Chat room

I set up a chat room at

http://tinychat.com/3650elecfur

could some of you try it out to see if it looks like something we could use?

Hello!

I'm on vacation in Florida right now visiting my parents. I get back about mid-July or so. I'm going to start working full-time but I would like to work on some things for the project when I get back. Hope everyone is having a good summer!

Meeting Next Week?

Do you guys want to set up a meeting next week sometime? We can either organize on the blog or through email (whatever people are more comfortable with). Email me or post comments, whatever works.

DROPBOX

Hi all, the files are in dropbox, and an email should have been sent to you. Please post if you will be continuing over the summer or not.

- Ruben -

Anyone else in?

I will look into the video conferencing site to see about setting up a meeting to resume work. If you have checked in but not posted, please let us know what you are planning to do so the shots can be assigned. I hope the summer has been relaxing for all.

Bill

The time has come...

Count me in! I will no doubt be busy and preoccupied with jobs and such, but I will make some time to spend on the project.

I hope that everyone got to rest a bit, and that you all are excited to resume work! I will have the files up and available before tomorrow is over, and will post to let you all know.

- Ruben -

Checking In

Well, it's June 15th and I'm still around. I'm not sure how much time I'll have this summer to continue on this (might be a little...might be a lot), but even a snail's pace is better than none at all. My first task will be to re-weight the uv-mapped/smaller Squeak rig so that will be ready for everyone to use. Who else is still in?

Andy Rig Texture

In my stupor from being awake for consecutive days during finals I didn't put the updated texture for Andy on the server. Download these two .jpgs and copy them to the "sourceimages" folder for your Andy rig to render Andy with the Tactigon shirt on:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/eztzt4gdqyu/boySmiley.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/file/nnjlzztxynd/boySmileySpecular.jpg

See you in a few,
-Beau

Looking ahead (Summer Plans)

File Management
Dropbox (software for Windows, Mac)
http://www.getdropbox.com/



June 2nd (After class) - Ruben will get the files (not the animatic though) off of the server, and into Dropbox


June 15 - setup a reminder to look at the blog, because we'll resume planning and proceed work

5/28

YOU CAN POST FILES UP ON HERE/FLICKR FOR FEEDBACK, JUST REMEMBER TO POST

Sc1

  Sh3 - Remember the previous shot was Ben checking the camera, so he should start closer to the camera, maybe with a turn instead of walking

            Starting around frame 15 - with added step it may be about the same frame length

            Hip angle is back a bit

            Watchlacement association of hip with feet

            End with one more step - get to about 

  Sh4 - Consider starting with Ben in Frame at the corner already, not entering in

            Maybe hop up from the side, give more personality

            Hand needs to be adjusted to new control panel height

            Ben doesn't need to completely shut the door

Sc2

  Sh1 - Work the poses with arms (no longer in T form)

            Timing may be a bit quick - pad it with a "beat" or two to give some time to take in the room

            Consider having Ben excited - jogging over to the chair, not calmly walking.

Sc3

  Sh1 - Area of interest is Squeak's section

            Turn the wrists down - hold map down and then bring up

            Trap adjustment 

  Sh3 - 

            Still feels a bit mechanical

            Stationary camera before Squeak leaps onto the tree (around frame 350)

Sc4

  Sh1 - Should be longer - about 4 seconds

  Sc2 - the game animation needs to be about 4 as well (8 seconds total for Sc4 is probably enough)

            We need something for this - doesn't have to be fully animated game

Sc5

  Sh1 - timing looks good

  Sh2 - timing could be longer for the light going on/off

            a bit closer (not as much open space on left and top)

  Sh3 - need to see the plug getting pulled out

            weight/balance seems a bit off - set the left leg farther, right back

            facing the camera

Sc6

  Sh1 - timing looks good

  Sh2 - timing looks good

            Some breakdown work around frame 70 - 90 as Squeak starts to sneak off-screen

  Sh3 - can end without kneeling - replace with another walking step

            swap legs at kneeling, this looks more natural and will open up the pose to the camera 

            head should be tilted back  - makes for stronger silhouette as plugging cable back in

            watch weight/posture as bending down

  Sc4 - Interaction is tricky, but coming along well

            remember that the breakdowns can be more than one part at a time, but spread out

            Ben holds position leaning back for too long like that, add in the extra step here

Sc7

  Sc1 - watch playblast/render rate

            Consideration: Squeak should be getting to the chair later, let Ben hang a bit and struggle - enter Squeak in the last quarter of the shot

            Shot at end - Squeak's tail could be curled out more for stronger silhouette

            End of shot - empty space in the upper left corner isn't great - angle/camera shift could be played with to make a stronger pose

  Sc2 - looking good

  Sc3 - start in the pose he's at midway through - already getting ready to move in

           

Sc8

  Sc1 - watch the shoulder as he grabs around the chair

           Squeak's back should arc out/back towards the chair, and then can curve in as he's being grabbed

           Jump - butt down, springs up onto the desk computer; turn body inwards

FOR THE WEEKEND

Basic Lighting - Yard - Directional (think behind Squeak)

  Yard - add another trap

  **Ruben will have this in the Yard by Saturday morning @ 10am at latest**

Basic Lighting - Room - point/spotlight for inside

BEFORE TUESDAY

Try to get each scene as far as possible; one at a higher level of polish

Render out your scenes before class (*NOT PLAYBLAST RENDER*)

Rendering

Select Master Layer - Maya 

Render Settings Window - turn on Mental Ray

    Settings: AVI format; Compression: Cinepack, 100%

      Name.ext (Multiframe)

      By frame: 1  (you can set 2 or higher if you want to run tests, but REMEMBER to return it)

      640 x 480 Size

      Renderable Cameras MUST BE SET TO YOUR SHOT_CAM (or whatever your actual camera name is)

    **down the line, Targa .tga is ideal for single frames, allowing you to clean up single frames if some in a range don't work correctly**

Render Settings - Maya Software

    Quality: Production quality

Window Settings/Prefs  Mayatomr needs to be loaded and autoloaded (put the checkbox in both options)