Baneling Ambush: Starcraft 2 Tribute

#1

Hey guys, we’re back off our Tron Homage for another short, Baneling Ambush! Since we’re all Starcraft 2 fans, Reed brought up the idea to do a short inspired by his favorite race, the Zerg. Since he already had a baneling mesh he was working on, it seemed like a logical start.

So here we go!

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Team:

Kiel Figgins (Protoss): Animation / Team Lead
Reed Casey (Zerg): Character Modeling
Blake Guest (Terran): Lighting/Rendering
Wayne Hollingsworth (Zerg): VFX
George Longo (Terran): Environment Modeling
Zach Christian (Protoss): Matte Painting

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Latest Animation:
http://www.3dfiggins.com/banePub/0707_Baneling_Previs.mov

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Latest Update (07/15/2011)

Baneling Anim Rig (still a wip) on the low proxy model from Reed (also Wip):

A skin test from wayne: Quicktime Movie

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Highlights

Previs Stills:

Model Wip:

VFX Wip: Quicktime Movie

More updates are in route. We’re looking to spend about 8 weeks on this on, since that timeline seems reasonable.

Enjoy!

#2

So here’s the first round of tools we had in mind to help this project:

Dynamic Cables:
Since I didn’t want to hand animate cables, nor did I want to limit reed on the design of the scv, we decided to go with a more dynamic solution. So far the results have been very positive. Far from refined and still being developed, however. But even this base attempt shows that this is an avenue worth pursuing.

Process is fully automated, runs in real time, without caching, with a layer of hand key options to fix penterations without resimming:

Quicktime Movie

Custom Poly Cable:
Again, making the cables on the SCV as cool as possible, and hopefully more then extruded,
tubular elements. So this is a straight forward way to taking a curve, laying it out, so the modeler can design the cable on a straight axis. Then, click a button and see what the results would be in the curved position. This helps see where detailing or more edges would be needed.

Also, this allows the cable to be rigged from a straight pose, instead of in pose, where the deformations may already have a crease in them.

#3

Great previs guys, a very interesting concept. Looking forward to seeing the dynamic nCloth solution in action.
(Protoss)

#4

another awesome entry from you guys. The preview is pretty cool. Keeping an eye here.

cheers bro,

#5

Looking forward to seeing the progression of the vid. :slight_smile:

By the way, are you going to re-rig the Banelings to accommodate for their rolling-style of locomotion?

#6

[QUOTE]their rolling-style of locomotion?[/QUOTE

No, the “centrifugal hooks” upgrade hasn’t finished yet.

#7

Heres another round of updates:

Revised Previs: Quicktime Movie
-new scv mesh
-raised him up vertically, wanted him to feel more adult and less squatty
-speed up crystal bounce
-instead of baneling emerging and looking around, i had him sluff of rocks atop his back. Also going ot have the crystal roll off his head to tie it all together
-changed how banelings run after him
-sped up side running shot. Going to alter it more to be more linear, so that that the camera close guy comes into frame straight into a more noticable yell
-added in the scv turning and ground stomp, since this is a first pass, the flow needs a lot of work
-changed the scv from just standing there and blowing up to actually ****ing up the baneling with that shard. This is much cooler and closer to the story I had in mind.
-end framing and timing still needs a lot of work

SCV leg demo: Quicktime Movie
-showing how the shin and ankle are laid out
-still nice and blocky like the orginal design, but allows for more motion and less penetration
-added construction guard to cover the ankle senstive bits during construction and to raise up while walking for more motion

Replies:
-Thanks Leonard, still working on the ncloth setup, but shows a lot of promise.

-brazz, thanks for following, hope you enjoy.

-rust edge, haha, yea, I thought about that. And I’m sure i’ll do a version to see what it feels like. In the context of the ‘story’ though, having him roll into a ball not only adds another ‘beat’ to the short, but makes him that much less relatable when he gets stabbed. But who knows, maybe it’ll look awesome. We shall see.

Theres also some Explosion VFX wips that I hope to host tonight.

Enjoy!

#8

can’t wait to see that bug lit up!

#9

great stuff Kiel. I liked the new pre-viz.

#10

Nice! But I got a bit disoriented when the baneling pops out of the ground. There isn’t that much of a variation in the shot between the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd shot. So when the baneling unburrows, it kinda looks like it’s still the 2nd shot, which would be confusing because it would facing the wrong way from the SCV.

There’s nothing actually wrong with it, but I think it would be clearer if you could reposition the camera angles a bit so that it is clearly two different camera angles.

Maybe it’s just me though, but that’s my two cents. It’s looking pretty good!

#11

what drewpan said makes sense, i just had a look at it again. It is a bit disorienting because I get the feeling that the banelling is closer to the robot but in fact he´s not because they all start running from far away.

#12

Here’s the latest round of updates:

A skin test from wayne: Quicktime Movie

Baneling Base Rig (still heavy wip) on the low proxy model from Reed (also Wip):

@Tyler - Thanks man! One of these day I hope to snag you for a side project : )

@brazz/drew - Thanks for the feedback on the camera, the previs / layout is still in the works so I’ll be sure to give that a bit more distinction.

#13

Further rig updates on the baneling. Pretty much have the anim rig taken care of. Will do a lot of deformation and secondary setups once the model is finalized.

#14

Cant say anything negative…it’s Starcraft :stuck_out_tongue:
Cant wait to see the rendered version

#15

It’s looking great =] But I do have to agreed with drewpan and brazz that in the shot when the Baneling unburrows it looks as if he was closer from the SCV than it shows in the following shots. Nothing too distracting though, as I only really noticed it with a second look.

As for the rest, it’s awesome! I’m a Zerg fan as well, and banelings are one of my favorites units =D.

#16

Looking good guys, keep it up

#17

Hey, I just found this thread…very cool stuff.
I’m a huge sc2 fan, I hope to see this get finished.

#18

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