Anyone up for a real challenge?

[Blikkie]

It looks quite interesting indeed, but quite impossible as well for me. Actually I already have a few images in my head, but in the end my use would be limited. I'll be able to come up with some short story, and am definately interested in modelling a building or verhicle or two, but I am overly focussed on modelling and too n00bisch to be a decisive factor at that.

Oh, and I don't think any matte artist would be insane enough to try it in the GIMP, so we'd definately need a proper matte artist with proper tools.

[Rambiert]

Your dream sounds really great.
Greetings!

FX War Blizard:7'th HYBRID is just perfect theme to test Blender's particle systems, behind deadly time conditions.

[raythex]

at this point i would like to remind you of blender's particle limitations. and contraint limitations. so when your going for large snowfall effects, your looking into millions of paths for such a simulation.

i dotn know what help i would be. i have a good hand for modeling but apart from that. i know many people submitting to this forum that have a more capable resume when it comes to lighting and textures.

might i also ask how you would go about transfering HD footage for compositing?

ray

[Smb]

Well I have some skill with creating particle effects in Blender, but I don't have much free time for this, although if there would be more volunteers for this, I'd be glad to provide some help :)

[RobertoOrtiz]

Well guys, I do hope you all form a "Blender" team.


I wish you luck, and feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.

-R

[BLENDER-FREAK]

hey people i have some expierence at particle effects and modeling it sounds great and it is challenging (trust me) what we need is to create a team to make the animation and a fast pc to render ir...(not mine..thats for sure) reply if u need my help :thumbsup:...cheers

[Joat]

SMB: I think particle limitations can be dealt with by rendering stuff in layers and comping it later to form a final image. Working with layers might be a very good practice anyway, since the scenes would undoubtibly be very heavy.

RobertoOrtiz: Honoured to have attention from you. If we find a grew to try this out, I'm sure we will. In participating to the FXWarz I feel the obstacle is not the software, but the cababilities and experience of it's userbase. Myself included of course.

Everyone: I think if we try to form a team, we should do it here. Since someone has to cast the first stone and I already started this thing, I try to make the next step happen. Here is a rough sketch of the tasks and duties that need to be fulfilled. Feel free to add tasks and titles if I forgot something:

Pre-production crew:

1. Script writer (Writes a storyline with a twist, writes the storyboard)
2. Concept artist (designing the look and feel of the animation, thinks how the different final scenes should be produced, writes the storyboard)
3. Director (Camera-angles, tempo of the animation, moods in the scenes, spanking of the fellow team members, artistic overlord and man with a Vision, writes the storyboard)

This is the core of the team, and ones who create the vision together. They will be there to guide the punch of people called - Production crew:

4. Set supervisor (builds complete digital sets, supervision of the static object modellers, helps director to have his/her vision realized, works close with lights guy)
5. Lighting kahuna (takes care of the lights and makes sure the scenes give out their best and feel just like the director and concept artists have described)
6. Modellers (every object needs to be modelled, so the project will need a lot of these. Buildings, cars, characters, you name it)
7. FX artists (Important in this kind of a project. People in the know of particles, animated textures, light-based effects etc.)
8. Animators (If there's something moving in the scene, it should be moving with style)
9. Matte painters (Expecially with the big city scene it is utterly pointless and nearly impossible to model everything. People who are confident and skillfull with photoshop or gimp)
10. Coposition artists (when we have all those layers and all the other stuff, we need someone to stich it together)
11. Texturing artists (someone who is good with UV-mapping and preferably exellent with painting textures in ps or gimp)
12. Team coordinator (Someone to make sure people get what they need when they need it, give what they have when they have it and breaths to their necks until they have it)
13. Someone to provide us with live footage required (it's the rules of the challenge, baby)

Of course it is possible to pull this thing off with less than 12 people. The duties are probably not that fixed either, but this is just to get the point across. If there ever will be a team of Blenderists to participate in that challenge with a quality entry, it needs to be done from the start the organized way. It is also vital that people actually commit themselves on the tasks they promise to do.

The time is another huge issue. If the deadline of the project is the deadline of the challenge, we need to have a schedule people know and are willing to obey from the start. It is still going to be super-tight.
We need to have everything modelled and textured within 5 or 6 weeks. And that leaves only 2 weeks for the lights, rendering, post etc. And before we can start modelling, we have to have story and concept art for the scenes ready.

Scary stuff. Still anyone interested? =)

[Joat]

Well, this just doesn't seem to leave me alone. Instead of sleeping (it's 5am in here at the moment) I have been drawing my idea of a storyboard. This is not much, and merely a basis for a conversation, but a start nonetheless. Do not be too hard on me, as it has taken me 1,5 hours from initial idea to this point. Most of what has been wacomming around.
Shameful drawing, but I have not yet gotten the hold of the wacom. It is still like drawing with a dumb needle to a greasy surface.
Anyway, here is my first take on the storyboard for the challenge:

http://www.pennimedia.fi/cgtalk/storyboard.jpg

C&C is mandatory, since if this project ever is going to be anything, it will be a collaborative project. Just don't comment the drawings too harshly. They should be enough for what they are meant to; visualizing the general idea.
Off to bed.

[TroutMaskReplica]

i can participate in the following two areas, as well as storyboarding if necessary:

6. Modelers (every object needs to be modelled, so the project will need a lot of these. Buildings, cars, characters, you name it)

11. Texturing artists (someone who is good with UV-mapping and preferably exellent with painting textures in ps or gimp)

my involvement would be conditional on

a) you retain project leadership and keep the momentum going as you have done so far.
b) we get sufficiently qualified volunteers in the early stages so that the project can/will advance to completion.

[BLENDER-FREAK]

i love challenges i want to participate in the mdeling team and particle systems but if u want a real pro at particles call Cog to participate:thumbsup: hope a lot of people participate...

[Smb]

Just read your story.... looks nice and promising ;) And I think you should take the leader role in this competition... you started all the thing, so it's up to you :thumbsup: As for me, I could be some use in fx shots and animation.... really hope more blenderheads join us soon :buttrock:

[Samo]

My holydays are just to begin, and I should spend them away of computers,
if not, family and friends are going to kill me.
so I'm afraid I can't help very much, at least in August,
maybe some little advice and little modelling.
If you keep the thing up, I can participate in September.
Non-organic modelling, Lighting, Texturing, Composition.
My best whishes.

[Kaare]

It looks great, and I would love to help if I can do anything (not sure if I'm good enough). It's a nice story, but hard to do since it involves humans in close ups. Hope there's volenteers to pull it of!

[raythex]

im in for organic nurb modeling and shader creation. but... im not very keen on doing UV unwrapps. those get annoying.

[Joat]

Thanks for your trust in me. Hope I can be worth it.
I'm going to start another thread for this. We need to have the tasks sorted out, so we can start doing something more than talking about it.
I think we still need a couple more guys. I have a bit of social obligations this weekend, but I try my best to get the ball rolling today or tomorrow.
People who are intrested in joining the team, welcome. Tell us about your intrest and area you want to contribute in this thread. Until the "FXWars: big freeze" - thread starts, that is.
The official team thread will be up today or tomorrow.

[Apollux]

My hands are somehow busy with the s2d2 project (see signature), but if you have an opening I would love to contribute.

BTW, I was most impressed by the storyboard, specially the ending.

[Scott Wilkinson]

Too bad the game physics aren't yet connected to the animation IPOs in a smooth manner. You could put together some cool stuff with it.

[TroutMaskReplica]

Thanks for your trust in me. Hope I can be worth it.
I'm going to start another thread for this. We need to have the tasks sorted out, so we can start doing something more than talking about it.

once it has been created, could you post a link to the new thread in this thread? i think you will still need this thread in the blender forum in order to recruit new blender heads. the new thread will get lost quickly amid the piles of entries.

[Margie]

A most interesting (and difficult) challenge. Thanks for the intiative and the storyboard Joat!

OK, so you're looking for Blenderpeople. Erm..uhm..umm..... I'm doing two projects of my own, one an animation and the other some Dutch documentation on Blender (sadly lacking) and I really want to have some time for that. So can't go out full force and fulll-time (in my spare time) committed to a third project.

However, I can see some room for a small contribution to this project. I'm no expert on the Blender particle system which you would need for an animation like that, but I can do something in the way of (interior) modeling. matte painting and texturing and rendering/lighting if it uses Blender internal render engine. I have a "style" (somewhat classical/traditional/formal) however not everybody may like.

Have a look for yourself at my not yet fully developed website. If you think I fit in for a contribution to this project, I'd love to hear it.

http://www.marbrie.com/gallery.html

[Joat]

As of now, there is a production thread for this and its here. (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?t=261191)

[Joblh]

Shit! How did i miss this thread! i was allready starting my own unofficial challenge (not enaugh people nor experience ;) )

anyway this will be my contribution to this challenge

this is the base of the scene.
im gonna make an Ice texture on this, make an animated mask with animated metaballs, to let the ice freeze over time. Than i'll apply that animated mask on the UV mapped Ice scene, and for the final touch i'll give the footage some cold color correction and than it will "freeze" like in day after tommorow!
... well, that's the plan

http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=tracking3Dscene

[Joat]

Welcome! We need your experience on camera tracking also. Check the other thread "FXWars: Big Freeze - WeatherBlenders"

[BLENDER-FREAK]

Hey people can i join the challenge i may help in modelling:D and can anyone contact Cog he might be of a help

[Joblh]

Welcome! We need your experience on camera tracking also. Check the other thread "FXWars: Big Freeze - WeatherBlenders"
i allready saw that thread yeah ;)

but can we use this shot where im working on right now, cuz that shot will get my full attention. For the next.. 2/3 days.

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