...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)

Mel Wiki

I know this post doesn't really deal with Electric Fur specifically, but while searching to see if maya can load textures from a location from the set project and not a specific location I found a really good Mel wiki site.

http://mayamel.tiddlyspot.com/

Also the Maya links are pretty useful as well.

(And if you are bored check out the non-Maya links as well, some of them are really cool.)

Andy Shelf

Ok, made the shelf for the Andy Rig. I tried to find all the hidden controllers, but I might have missed some. It's on the server in the Andy_Rig folder, called "shelf_Andy_Ref.mel".

5/21

This weekend:

Get playblasts on server BY NOON FRIDAY

      Use the same naming convention all have so they can be replaced easily

Strong blocking - move away from the basic; strong poses where they should be

      Remove your in-betweens after you get the poses and work on animation to get breakdowns

Work on breakdowns farther

Goals for June 2

Through Breakdowns on every shot; one shot per person should be in curves.

Come in Friday if you want more insight

      Bill will be in 

Erica: UV Mapping

      (thinking fennec fox)

Tati: Finish AE with what we have; 

Grant: House window; Tactigon game movie & assets for Beau/Nick

Damon: work on scenes

Nick: add to room props

Beau: Explosion for Sc9; basic indoor lighting; Ben's clothes

(Beau & Ruben - meet Monday for lighting work)

Ruben: finish Camera (mount); make post-explosion yard; neighborhood - try solid plane for sky dome; basic outdoor lighting

Notes from Playblasts

Sc1

  Sh1 

      No motion tracking? On the first sweep, Ben is already in the gate walking

      Revert to the Cam1 to transition to Sh2 - ends with Ben going under the sight of the camera

  Sh2

      Consider Ben grabbing the camera to adjust it down

      If Ben does tap/interact with the cam, the ShotCam should reflect that

  Sh3

      Change in POV transition is perhaps too great  =>180 rule

      Try camera looking more

      Slight dolly in (first 20-30 frames)

      Ben comes in from off-screen

      Transition - end a bit closer to screen right

  Sh4

      Transition - start closer to the window

      Longer interaction with control box

      Camera comes in closer to focus more on the door

Sc2

  Sh1

      Camera should be a bit closer to eye-height

Sc3

    Sh1

      Tree moved closer to house

      Watch out for the line connecting Squeak's nose to the trap to the house

    Sh2

      Move in even closer - this shot is about the map more than Squeak

    Sh3

Sc4

    Sh1

      Camera - great angles with desk, etc

      We don't want the shelf to intersect with Ben's head.

      More engagement with Ben's face - cheat it with him facing the camera a bit more

      Perhaps camera slightly more to the right?

Sc5

  Sh1

      Camera could be moved in, and a little to the left; left edge can be kept where it is

      Transition - rotate more towards the box

  Sh2

      Transition - rotate a bit more towards the box

      Not too much of a butt shot

      More of a crouch - rather than the 90 degree sit; remember he needs leverage to pull the cord out

      Have him crouched at an angle to face the camera

      

Sc6

  Sh1

      Lying on the back to open the window is a bit exaggerated, just a basic lift will suffice

      Transition>

  Sh2

      Transition>  End with Ben rotated to face the box a bit more; Squeak sneaks off to the left

  Sh3

      Head facing the camera when he crouches

      When lifting himself up, have him favor the left arm to grab the top, and the right arm pushing off the side or the ground, so as to not cover the face, and make the silhouette more interesting

  Sc4

      Add in so we can see how it looks

  Sc5

      Transition> Squeak jumps off Ben

  Sc6

      The final arc as Ben falls should be added in to see how it looks - do we want a clean fall, or a skid - leg catching the roof and sliding. 

Sc7

  Sh1

      Parallelism - use the same camera as Sc4Sh1 - it shows Squeak at the comp, and the window for Ben

      Squeak may not start in the chair, but jumps into it later

      Think about Ben rotating as he's hanging, starts the scene

  Sh2

      Camera on the other side of Squeak, and probably closer in - Squeak will get new hi-score in this scene, and we want to see it

  Sh3

      Ben enters through window - he is freaking out a bit, but gets 

Sc8

  Sh1

      Transition> Ben should enter from screen right

      Camera angle a bit more to the left to see towards the window a slight bit more

      Transition> End with Squeak jumping towards the top of shot

  Sh2

      Transition> Squeak will be ending the jump and has to rotate; Ben should be leaning over the chair

      *Redo this scene from scratch so the blocking is blocking, not smooth and awkward

Sc10

      Use the start of the previous, so there isn't the rotation

      Transition to higher position to show all of Squeak

      Switch 1/3 with ben

      Slower pull out initially

SET NOTES

  Yard

      Back Tree - *Has been moved

      Traps have been added to back

      We need the neighborhood

      Post 

  Room

      Shelf near window could be moved more to the right (Sh4Sc1 has it intersecting with Ben's head - we don't want that)

      Dormer window aspect should be reflected in the construction of the room - add in the short extension that leads 

  House

      Needs windows; door on left to open; basic start of hallway (end of Sc1Sh4 will have door open and show a slight bit

      Ruben will add camera prop to house

  Roof

      Needs cable

5/19

In between frame adjustment:

http://justinanimator.com/mel-tweenMachine.php

This allows you to adjust the weighting of the 

For Playblasts:

Use the Custom Setting of 640 x 480

Save them in the Animatic folder of the project. "Blocked Scenes"  is the folder, with the appropriate date

**Use the Resolution Gate to be sure what will be rendered

View>Camera Settings>

Setting for should be set to "Fill"

Remember to turn off the Res Gate

Inside Display Options to 1 rather than 1.3

For Thurs

  Make changes

  New playblasts of same size

    >>Hide the layers of controls, etc

Blocking notes/suggestions

Remember to have 3 - 5 main poses only for blocking

Sc1Sh3 - give greater sense of the danger for traps - get near, look at/nearly touch the spikes; refer to images below for walking path, the scene starts and ends with some walking

Sc1Sh4 - 4 main blocking poses (steps, control panel, doorknob, entry)

Sc2Sh1 - 

Sc3Sh1 - cam higher, farther back (don't cut off the fence); make sure to show some sky

Sc3Sh2 - be on other side (180 rule); more over the shoulder/closer to the  

Sc3Sh3 - slight compression in timing can be done; move cam in a bit closer than it is now to start frame nearer, try the dolly follow when Squeak jumps

Sc5Sh1 - separate head from roof when coming up (a little jump?), quick look around before passing control box

Sc6Sh2 - loosen up Squeak's body, so it's less static; give camera more of a diagonal to make the scene more dynamic; Ben will be to the left of the dormer

Sc8Sh1 - at frame 60ish... already at the chair - Ben enraged;  contact by end of scene, start jumping up toward computer at end

Sc8Sh2 - start with the landing/twisting

Sc10Sh1 - Squeak landed on branch, is sprawled, falls from it as it pulls out; start with camera lower; create set of destruction - opening of scene looks normal

Cable should run up and around the dormer (roof shots)

**dolly - move camera; zoom - change the lens**

Character Descriptions for Editing

Ben
Full Name: Benjamin Johnson
Description: Ben is a boy whose game play is interrupted by a power outage.

Physical Description
Age: 13
Hair: brown
Eyes: brown
Distinguishing Features: freckles
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 103 lbs

Motivation
Goal: Ben wants to be the best at Tactigon 2000.
Plan: He plays Tactigon 2000 any chance he gets, including when his parents think he's asleep or doing homework.

Character Background
Family: Ben is the only child of Steve and Rachael Johnson. Steve is an accountant for a large IT company, and is often out of town on business. Rachael works as a part-time librarian, is active in PTA, and volunteers time for after-school programs for elementary kids. Steve and Rachael's busy schedules often leave Ben home alone, which is just fine by Ben.

Education: Ben attends middle school, where he usually receives mediocre grades. He's never failed a class, but usually puts in just enough effort to pass and no more.

Habits/Vices: Avid gamer, collects anything and everything related to Tactigon 2000, obsessed with Tacticon 2000, he has posters, miniatures/action figures, t-shirts, underwear, and even their name-brand cereal.

Personality: Ben has a somewhat reclusive nature in real life. He'll talk to people, but rarely starts the conversations. Ben's real love is Tactigon 2000, which he will discuss avidly with anyone who will listen (or even pretend to listen). Ben is active in several online discussion boards and fan clubs centered around Tactigon 2000.

Likes: Tactigon 2000, video games, Mountain Dew, pizza,

Dislikes: Math (unless it relates to figuring out the best stats for Tactigon 2000), vegetables, cola, pizza with veggies,

Movement Analysis
Energy Level: High, excited, animated, sudden, as long as Tactigon 2000 is involved. Slow and depressed otherwise. Somewhat clumsy.
Emotional Temperament: Excitable, overzealous, and obsessive about Tactigon 2000.
Power Center: Somewhere between his hands and his head.
Body Tension: Tension in shoulders and neck from so much time hunched over computer.
Weight of Character: light and quick
Physical Disability:
Attitude:
Before-> Ben has just come home from school has been playing Tactigon for 4 hours (since he got home from school), and is finally almost to the highest ranking in Tactigon 2000. Ben plans to achieve the highest ranking today.
Current Mood: Ben is unspeakably excited.


********************************

Squeak
Full Name: Squeak
Description: Squeak is a raccoon-like critter who unplugs the power line to Ben's house.

Physical Description
Age: 3
Hair: reddish gray
Eyes: brown
Distinguishing Features: big ears, prominent teeth
Height: 2'6"
Weight: 40 lbs

Motivation
Goal: Squeak wants to play Tactigon 2000.
Plan: Squeak plans to unplug the power to Ben's house, in order to sneak in and play Tactigon 2000.

Character Background
Family: Squeak was born to fairly normal critter parents, whose primary goal was to find food. Squeak's parents were not supportive of his interest in human entertainment, calling them "uninteresting" and "a waste of time". As soon as he was able, Squeak set out to find his own fortune, and eventually arrived in the neighborhood where Ben lives.

Education: Squeak can open a trash-can with a locking lid in under 3 seconds. He's also very dexterous with his paws.

Habits/Vices: Compulsive collector of junk.

Personality: Squeak is a devious little critter, and will go to great lengths to get what he wants. Once set on a plan, Squeak will pursue his goal with single-minded focus. Squeak is also very curious, and is fascinated by tv and video games. Squeak spends much of his time studying humans, and is very knowledgeable about human behavior. He uses this knowledge to manipulate people so he can achieve his current goal.

Likes: cheese, shiny objects, sugar, human-watching

Dislikes: rat poison, people who leave their trash-cans inside, lawn mowers, corn on the cob

Movement Analysis
Energy Level: high, like a coffee-drinking squirrel
Emotional Temperament: wired, quick, short-viewed, but obsessive and focused on a goal
Power Center: creature of the heart
Body Tension: nervous wreak
Weight of Character: small and quick
Physical Disability:
Attitude:
Before-> Squeak has been planning and trying to get in to play Tactigon 2000 for quite some time. Today, he's finally ready to make his move.watching Ben play Tactigon 2000 for 4 hours. He is fascinated by the moving characters, and the boys apparent ability to control them.
Current Mood: Obsessive, interested, goal driven.

***********************

Tactigon 2000

Tactigon 2000 is a science fiction fighting game where player can battle opponents with a variety of weapons, armor, and special moves. Before each match, the player selects the armor, weapons, and special moves based on the options currently available to them and who their opponent is. Some gear/moves are available to any character, and others are restricted to specific characters or are unique to one character. Each battle results in ranking points, which can be spent to purchase new/better armor, weapons, and special moves. The game features many types of weapons and armor styles, including: guns, swords (of various plausibility), thrown weapons, bows/crossbows, sticks, and various others.

5/14

Use Insert Key or hold down 'D' to move pivots

Squeak Rig Overview (Thanks Erica)

Click on the + controls to switch between FK/IK

In the attributes: 10 all IK, 0 is FK

Don't be afraid to select multiple parts of the back to rotate at the same time, it will be smoother.

Remember, we're going for how it will look from the shot, not a perfect physical replica.

Forearm grasping: use IK, and then pull vector for elbows

**Remember there are multiple ways to accomplish things

PC: 

DocumentsAndSettings\name\MyDocuments\maya\2009\prefs\shelves

Mac:

user/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/200x/prefs/shelves

Decisions/Tasks

To Do

Damon: work with UV mapping

Beau: work on mapping for Ben & Squeak

Grant: House - door, hallway, control box;

Ruben: Yard - lighting; back yard tree; Camera

Erica: look into Rig tweaks; texturing - room/house; learn particle system in maya (Beau has tutorials)

Nick: work on Room - materials

Tati: look into the particle systems for the explosion

Looking ahead

Materials - simple - lambert & blinn; remember to name them

Lighting - 

2 main lighting rigs: 1 for yard/outdoors; 1 for room/indoors

Tactigon: Grant is working on the images - send to Tati

Map: Beau will build the prop

perhaps use photo of our projected map to map the map (oh yes, that's worded correctly)

For Tuesday

Blocking: Complete

New playblasts

Break-downs: As much as possible

visuals; pass on to Tati