LESSONS LEARNED (Cannon fire): Lets TalK!

#1

First I would like to congratulate all who were able to finish
their entries for the current challenge. I am very impressed with the quality of the entries that were submitted.
I know it was a lot of work in a short amount of time, but I think we all stand to learn a lot
from the work we have done in the current challenge.

So Tell us
[ul]
[li]How did you guys felt about the shorter dateline?[/li][li]How did you guys felt about the supplied materials (this case the models)[/li][li]What were the biggest challenges in the challenge?[/li][li]What were the biggest roadblocks?[/li][li]What tools would make team entries more feasable?[/li][li]Should we provide more MAKING OF threads BEFORE the challenge?[/li][li]How would you guys feel about more challenges with filmed elements. Should tracking data be supplied?[/li][li]How do you guys feel about working on a challege beased on ONE mini movie?For example: Imagine a chase between a real Sport car and a Comanche attack helicopter.[/li]
Looking forward to your comments
[/ul]-Roberto

#2

[ul]
[li]How did you guys felt about the shorter dateline?[/li][/ul]

  • i think it should depend of difficulty level of work.

[ul]
[li]How did you guys felt about the supplied materials (this case the models)[/li][/ul]- i don’t really know, but as i see everyone here can model very well.

[ul]
[li]What were the biggest challenges in the challenge?[/li][/ul]I think challenges connected with destruction.

[ul]
[li]Should we provide more MAKING OF threads BEFORE the challenge?[/li][/ul]eee… don’t know…

[ul]
[li]How would you guys feel about more challenges with filmed elements. Should tracking data be supplied?[/li][/ul]Yes we should think about it, do you have some examples ?

[ul]
[li]How do you guys feel about working on a challenge based on ONE mini movie?For example: Imagine a chase between a real Sport car and a Comanche attack helicopter.[/li][/ul]Well i think it’s a FX wars, not animation or composing, so i think mini movie is good but it should consist of some FX features mostly.

#3

Hey guys,

First of all, I just wanted to say thanks again Roberto for taking the time to do these challenges. It has been a very cool experience to share with all you different projects, ideas and such.

Ok, let’s see, how did you guys felt about the shorter dateline?

I think the timeframe that was giving was fine, I know some of us have full time jobs however, in my situation, I was in the middle of graduation so it was a little bit hard to get in extra piece completed.

How did you guys felt about the supplied materials (this case the models)

          Thanks again for supplying models for the challenge. They save so much time because instead of working on models we can actually focus on the main part (effects and comp)

What were the biggest challenges in the challenge?

For me, I guess some of the challenges were, deciding between Fume FX OR Maya Fluid Dynamics just because I was going crazy with the whole time thing however, for my final version I used Maya dynamics (sprites) just because they rendered out pretty fast.

What were the biggest roadblocks?

What tools would make team entries more feasible?

How about having some or a few people who are really good at compositing, to help out put together X project, we will just have to send X targa sequences.

Should we provide more MAKING OF threads BEFORE the challenge?

          It will be GREAT if you guys can provide more “making of” threads before we can jump on any project. I think it will help us to get more ideas on how to go about a particular piece.

How would you guys feel about more challenges with filmed elements? Should tracking data be supplied?

Once again, providing the data for us will help us a lot. I know we can do it however, I think it will be better to spend the time on the actual effect rather than researching it, but this is just my opinion.

#4

Mind you I am just a dabbler/beginner:

How did you guys felt about the shorter dateline?
Would ahve been fine except for work making me work on weekends (powers I cannot control).

How did you guys felt about the supplied materials (this case the models)
The models were great (i used my own model for last challenge) but is a great support.

What were the biggest challenges in the challenge?
Making it look good, there is a lot to learn, hard to compete against the guys with the fancy plug-ins, but fun nevertheless to work with you guys).

What were the biggest roadblocks?
Lack of experience.

What tools would make team entries more feasable?
N/A

Should we provide more MAKING OF threads BEFORE the challenge?
Not quite sure of what you mean, but I personally think that when you launch a challenge and let the members go to it, that is enough. If you ,mean more wip shots - then yes maybe.

How would you guys feel about more challenges with filmed elements. Should tracking data be supplied?
Then I’m out, I have Maya Live but do not have a single second clocked on it.

How do you guys feel about working on a challege beased on ONE mini movie?For example: Imagine a chase between a real Sport car and a Comanche attack helicopter.
Sounds real cool, but I do know how I as a hobbyist could get ahold of such stock footage.

D,

#5

Roberto,

I have to say I am very satisfied with the way this one turned out from conecpt to completion. I only wish I’d had time to participate! Alas, I was busy blowing up a tank! Used fume too! (will show you guys when it becomes available if you want)

Anyway, I really like the format of how you did this one. I think the deadline was perfect for the amount of work involved, and don’t think you should change much. Obviously not a cannon next time, but something to the point.

I love the idea of supplied models… it lets people get to the FX which is what this is all about! After a few smaller challenges I would def. go for some footage based challenge, but the tracking data is essential to it working out well.

I don’t know exactly what you have in mind, but if it’s a 3d helicopter chasing a real car I wouldn’t be too sure about it unless the helicopter was supplied and animated already in sync with the footage… in which case all we would have to do is add in bullets and missiles firing at the car.

Here at Blur as an FX artist the Helicopter could be all 3d, but when I get it it would already be animated… however it would also be rendered and composited by somebody else, along with any additional modeling (for the most part) of the environment… I just have to do the FX, and composite my FX.

Here’s where it gets wierd though: VFX kind of entails everything, and I think for FXWars we should focus on just the FX and compositing just the FX… we shouldn’t have to focus on the entire pipeline which would include the tracking, modeling, texturing, lighting, rendering of the entire scene. Of course, where do we get all that stuff to put FX in??

Congrats to everybody that finished!

#6

I agree that the next challenge should be smaller in scale…

The next challenge might be a water balloon simulation.
Something like this:
[ul]
[li]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ8TJ4E_ihY[/li][li]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m1BpUIG-sQ&mode=related&search=[/li][li]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XngQJzAmVm8&mode=related&search=[/li][li]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuepkCdh9TI&mode=related&search=[/li][li]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3g5MKeqBwI (new!)[/li][/ul]

BTW when we do the filmed footage type of challenges,
I have in mind something that look like this:
[ul]
[li]http://filmgate.se/work/index.php?work=17[/li][/ul]And I agree that most elements should be supplied for it

-R

#7

OMG I think I just about had a heart attack thinking about how to accomplish a realistic water balloon! That’d be hard work, but would be cool as F to see done well… Water is kind of a pain without the right software… and mixing soft body dynamics / cloth with fluid sim is a problem in itself, but a neat challenge… might be too complex though for a lot of people. (myself included!)

I’ll check out that video tomorrow… this computer has some wierd codec issues when viewing videos through web browser…

#8

Well I know Duncan from AutoDesk, lurks around CGSociety helping and answering questions about nCloth for Maya - maybe he will team up with me and help me out with an nCloth simulation :thumbsup:, but that would be cheating, maybe we can get him to enter this one with us to show what nCloth can actually do…DUNCAN!

D,

But the challenge is really bias to only those who have GLU and RealFLow - not saying it is any easier, because I played with the RealFlow demo (complicated), but easier when having this kind of fluid dynamics to suppliment your 3D package.

I believe in Maya…DUNCAN!

#9

Ncloth is about the only solution I can currently come up with that would be semi-complete right out of the box.

And yes, I agree – those with access to Realflow or Glu would have a good advantage, though I think Maya Unlimited would stand a fair chance by itself

#10

I’m already thinking of combining two of Duncan’s examples to try and at least get in the right direction. He has the bag of marbles, and showed us how to make water - so I am thinking bag of marbles tut + water tut = water balloon. dunno

D,

EDIT - was just playing around (hope Roberto doesnt smack my hand with a ruler) - as soon as I added a tear node - the balloon geometry disappeared - this is going to be a tough one for me - ill give it a go - so you guys have soemthing to laugh at :stuck_out_tongue:

#11

Sight…

Ok we go live sometime next week.

To make it fair for people without advance simulation software,

I am thinking of adding some rules,

[ul]
[li]The animation can a be a simulation OR faked[/li][li]You can have the balloon exploding, or not.[/li][/ul]

#12

BTW when we do the filmed footage type of challenges,
I have in mind something that look like this:
[ul]
[li]http://filmgate.se/work/index.php?work=17[/li]> [/ul]

That’s incredible idea !!!
So there is how i see “filmed footage” challenge:

  • 2 or 3 teams making thein filmed footages trying to make it betten that in other team
  • each team include as example - animator/FX, modeller/textures, light/render, compouser/matte.
  • each team makes very big and interesting w.i.p., each member of team makes his parts of w.i.p. process.

This would be interesting for many people out of FX thread and this challenge, this would be interesting esspecially if we gain good quality results.

#13

Ok we go live on Friday…

Any more rules/comments?

-R

#14

We are on!

CgTalk:FXWars! Water Balloon! - Challenge:17

#15

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