November 2002 challenge issues resolved in this thread

#77

AS the previous poster put… soronsen is not avaible for either encoding or playback under linux.

Only a small subset of the quicktime formats are supported. (the ones that are use mpeg based compression or png or jpg).

Some of the MPEG-4 based codecs work quite well under linux, compress well and show good quality.

I think divx is supported on Mac, Windows & Linux. Xvid - would be a preferable choice but does not at this point support mac. Since It is open source I see it being avaible on Mac long before soronson is available under linux.

I would be happy to help with testing video formats…

#78

i’m considering to participate in the contest too… i think it’s a great idea to constrain yourself to a restricted format and make the best out of it!
it reminds me of Dogma: back to the roots and use just simple tools to tell a story: gimmicks not allowed!

i already have an idea and will start storyboarding soon.

just to make sure:

static camera -
does this disallow the use of blank cuts to suggest passing time?

sectional geometry -
no binding whatsoever allowed? the character i’ve got in mind is not human and would look awkward being basically built out of detached meshes… a smooth single mesh would suit much better.

#79

Originally posted by maelstrom
[B]i’m considering to participate in the contest too… i think it’s a great idea to constrain yourself to a restricted format and make the best out of it!
it reminds me of Dogma: back to the roots and use just simple tools to tell a story: gimmicks not allowed!

i already have an idea and will start storyboarding soon.

just to make sure:

static camera -
does this disallow the use of blank cuts to suggest passing time?

sectional geometry -
no binding whatsoever allowed? the character i’ve got in mind is not human and would look awkward being basically built out of detached meshes… a smooth single mesh would suit much better. [/B]

NO BINDING/NO DEFORMATIONS - only sectional/parented geometry

#80

oki, roger that!

cam question?

#81

[B]
>> Nahaz <<

Charactor animation is NOT about moving something realistically, it is about bringing something to life.

A cube can be infused with life.
[/B]

Yes man !!!:thumbsup:

#82

Gonna be hard to get that cube to life without deformers though! …hehe

Joke by the way :)… I’m all for this challenge…
I’m a hopeless animater, but one doesnt get any better by NOT animating!..
I have a Character and Small story in mind, and will story board it tonight, and post…
It wont be anywhere near as good as you pro guys, but what the heck…at least without fancy setups and deformers i have a “chance” :slight_smile:

#83

puppetmaster! :cry:

But who says the opposite?
Nobody here says a cube can’t have life! Pfouuuu! :surprised
Why trying to snub us? Every body looked at “The Dot and the Line”(chuck jones) and knows everything can be alive! Ok!

We just say that too much rules and contrainte are not approprietness with an artistic work, and pleasure (We are here for that no?)… Some rules are great and essential! other less!

Nothing more! It was not an attaque again Mod rules, no! Just a point of view and a critic to do the challenge better! nothing more… can we critic something without be considered as a killjoy!

Let the challenge began! Enjoy all together!!! :bounce:

#84

Nobody here says a cube can’t have life! Pfouuuu!

???
I have only substitute Nahaz post nothing more…
I didn’t say anybody says that…joke…:stuck_out_tongue:

#85

Originally posted by Totitch
We just say that too much rules and contrainte are not approprietness with an artistic work, and pleasure (We are here for that no?)…

I respect what you’re trying to say, but I don’t agree. The art will come when you make a stick figure with no face come to life. A facial deformation (eyes, brows, mouth, etc) will make the animation read easier. Making it read without these features will be more challenging and vastly improve you skills and understanding of character animation.

Don’t make me quote the guy from Pixar again. :slight_smile:

#86

quote:

Originally posted by X xtreme3DKillerInstinctMoonLight ShadownShaolinShaquill
I think 3D animation is good but I love skateboard to

I totally disagree with you X xtreme3DKillerInstinctMoonLight ShadownShaolinShaquill !!!
how can you say such a ridiculous thing! animation is not…euh…yes…but…not the skateboa…

#87

eRR, I can use Character studio right?:shrug:

#88

Is it OK to use a couple of textures on the background/set?

#89

I’m a little confused … do we post on cgchallenge after we are completely done with the challenge? and we post are wip here?
Does that go for all the challenges?

#90

I don’t mind most of the rules. The only rule that I don’t like is the rule requiring you to build your own rig. I’m not looking forward to building a rig from scratch. I have a 3rd party rig I almost always use.

As for Character Studio, I believe the rules, as stated, mean you CANNOT use Character Studio. If I remember 3D Studio Max, Character Studio creates the biped skeleton for you. The rules state you have to create your own rig, so that would be against the rules.

-=STZ=-

#91

To all of you doing restroom animations. I would just like to point you to some great inspiration. Animations created by Daniel Martinez Lara:

only one light (1.44 Mb cinepak)

and the long version:
WC preview (4.9 Mb mpeg4)

:wavey:

#92

Ok I did a little testing and OpenDivX encoded Quicktime works well for Linux Users… (at least those using Intel32 architecture) – should be available for Windows and Mac users, gives good compression and gives output quality.

Please consider it in place of Soronson for future challenges.

#93

Hmmm…is it just me, or do the two avatars above mine look alarmingly similar?

-=STZ=-

#94

Originally posted by stzaske
[B]Hmmm…is it just me, or do the two avatars above mine look alarmingly similar?

-=STZ=- [/B]

I saw your avatar just the other night. I friend showed me this animation that was bizarre to say the least, but strangely funny.

#95

OK body animation is what comes first…and it’s really important…

Body animation doesnt always come first. Firstly if the characters got a head then you lead with that, then the body say 2-4 frames later.If the characters got eyes then you lead with them then the head, then the body. All down to anticipation - action - reaction,

  • followthrough from a thought process. Everything you do starts from a thought unless it a reaction to something,eg.being punched but even then your eyes react at about a 100th/sec so you head may delay just 1 frame! I comes from reaction and thought processes. If you can see the object about to hit you etc, even for a split second your brain will take over reacting causing subsequent reactions, throwing your arms out say.

Everything you do is a thought process. Unless its a reaction to something. Which will in effect cause a thought process leading to action, and in turn a reaction.

MAN, this is complicated!

Eek ( been away for a while, just poping in!)

#96

well usually you don’t start animating the facials until you don’t have the correct body animation/motion…

I didn’t invent this, it’s in the preston blair courses, the illusion of life ect ect…one of the first thing U learn in an animation class…

that’s the purpose of the “bag” or the “ball” exercice…

if the global movement succeed in showing what U want, you succeed in your animation then U can go for the facial exp…

then what U want to say in your animation is a different matter…

I’m talking about the technical process…not the meaning of an animation…