Looks pretty nice... The only thing I would say is get some grime in there... the NS2 stuff look a little too pretty and neat at the moment. Things should be rusty and dirty, not all clean and neat... I would personally put more stuff (boxes, wires, etc.) in the first shot, darkened down those balls or put something in them or lighten up the walls, so the whole shot has the same blue glow to it (like the concept art) so they look less... well... odd and slightly out of place(the balls, I mean). In the concept art there is a lot of smoke/fog and a lot of detail on the ceiling... Since you aren’t really showing the ceiling may I suggest putting that detail in else ware in that shot... The room looks a little too empty. Take a look at the films that inspired NS, such as Alien and Aliens. These films have a stupid amount of detail in every shot, the sets were extremely detailed, and yes of course they were done on much higher budgets, but this is only because the whole thing was a physical set. The sets themselves were often made out of any old junk that could be found, like bits of cars and planes, which went to make up the controls of the space ship. But it was this kind of attention to detail that made Alien and Aliens such good films. I’m sure you could add in these minor things, I believe it would add a great deal to the shot if you included these details... Like: light switches, buttons to move the pods around, more wires, a few terminals.
I know it should like I am nit picking, but it’s the things that you don’t think about, or the average viewer never even thinks about (and sometimes never sees) that is so important in set design, both digital and physical. Take a look at any good set and you will see millions of details that no one will ever see. Even in computer games, there are posters that you will never read on the walls of HL2 that say stuff about life in the game and if a player stopped to look at that poster they shouldn’t just read a load of rubbish, it should say something that means something to the concept of the game. This is all part of set design. Ridiculous, overly anal, obsessive DETAIL.
In fact the more you threw into that room, the more it would look lived in, the more the viewer would believe that this is a real environment. Film sets differ from game sets, in that games often take out a lot of objects (this is changing with recent, increasingly realistic games) so the player wont get distracted and render times will be lessened. In a film it is important to included depth in a set, and so a lot of “rubbish†and “stuff†is often thrown into the set to make it feel alive. Do you realise (to go back to the original example) that the set for Alien was a complete set. That means when you stepped into the set you could walk all the way around it, without ever leaving the spaceship; lighting was built into the set so that it would look as “realistic†(if sci-fi can be that) as possible and would immerse the actors as much as possible, creating an increased sense of realism in their acting.
I could go on about how I don’t really like CG sets as much as real ones, because there are always flaws in them. But I think I have ranted enough for one day.
Apart from the lack of “stuff†in that room I think it’s safe to say you are on the ball. It looks pretty good, especially with that budget, I am well impressed! I am guessing that doesn’t included anyone’s time or pre bought software/lights/power costs etc.?
The armour is kind of bugging me a bit too... Looks a little on the thin side. I am guessing that’s what the budget was spent on? Also could do with a grey/silver dry brush coat to bring out some of the details.
If you can do that well with that budget, I would love to see how well you can do with a huge budget. Nice work. I hope you don’t take what I have said too personally; it’s all meant as constructive criticism, which can only help, right?
Too be honest, I have only made 2 points in this whole, long winded thing. A) more detail in the sets. B) Maybe a bigger budget on costumes (at the end of the day, if the only physical object doesn’t look 100% perfect then people are always going to notice the difference between the two, especially when the CG stuff always looks really crisp).
I imagine that both these minor issues will be resolved, like most issues are resolved in film, in the final edit. If the shots are fast, the cuts are quick and the sets have a nice amount of “dramatic†lighting, then no one will ever notice what the sets really look like, or how cheap/expensive the costumes are. And if the total length of the film is 5mins, I’m sure you could do plenty of short, fast cuts that keep the action going and leave the viewer engaged and not worried about any of the issues I have raised. I image it’s only because I have only seen these 2 short, probably unfinished shots of the NS2 Project that I am being picky about these things. But whatever the case, I hope you take these thoughts in. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Looks good, keep up the good work.
<!--quoteo(post=1679111:date=May 21 2008, 04:21 PM:name=Mojokdirector)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mojokdirector @ May 21 2008, 04:21 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1679111"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Hey guys So I decided to make a demo reel. <a href="http://www.mojokstudios.com/Demoreelonline.mov" target="_blank">http://www.mojokstudios.com/Demoreelonline.mov</a> There is a shot in there from this project, the aliens aren't in the bubbles yet but you should get an idea as to what it will look like. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/asrifle.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::asrifle::" border="0" alt="asrifle.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> its realy good, <b>i love the scene</b> at 0:00:10-0:00:13 it looks<b> like a movie!</b> Keep good work! maybe use a spend button from paypal for the movie budget!
I watched the demo reel and ... cool. I am guessing not all the shots are in the final cut stage, still I appreciate you sharing that, my impression is that a lot of sweat was put into it.
I had an idea while watching this, I watch videos at this website called The Escapist <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/" target="_blank">http://www.escapistmagazine.com/</a> and they have been featuring more and more videos there, of many varying themes and styles (especially Drawn By Pain). The main theme of the place seems to be games in general, so, I think you should seriously try to get your work seen there - I'm not sure what that would entail to see that happen, but I think it could help your portfolio to be seen by many in the online gaming community. Also, are you on Youtube yet? Hmm, what other places would get you "known" more... Other people have used online fame to launch a career into the media entertainment industry, right? Y'know, that is, you may already have that, given the level of your apparent dedication to this particular craft.
Its pretty impressive stuff. Reminds me of the HALO 3 live action shorts that where done: <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=hKb0uWIn9i0" target="_blank">http://youtube.com/watch?v=hKb0uWIn9i0</a>. It could definitely do the same type of underground promotional advertising for NS2. Keep up the impressive work!
Aw, damn, saw that this was started a few months ago and got my hopes up. Well, initially I had low hopes, things like this hardly ever come through. But you did it man. Props. You're doing something I wish I could do, making short movies and movies in general is one of my dreams. Keep at it. =)
So Chris wants to know what you guys think the music from the first part of the film sounds Natural Selection enough. Tell us what you think: <a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3</a>
The climax track will be posted for you guys to check out soon as well. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tsa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::tsa::" border="0" alt="tsa.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1681334:date=Jun 17 2008, 11:44 AM:name=Mojokdirector)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mojokdirector @ Jun 17 2008, 11:44 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1681334"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So Chris wants to know what you guys think the music from the first part of the film sounds Natural Selection enough. Tell us what you think: <a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3</a>
The climax track will be posted for you guys to check out soon as well. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tsa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::tsa::" border="0" alt="tsa.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
First half definitely 'felt' like Natural Selection, where the space ship/planetary base is creaking and groaning in the sway of the cosmic storms, in the second half, there was this "Da da dum" and I thought of, I don't know how to describe it exactly, like it was from a movie, a scene like they are getting ready for war and its panoramic with the main characters inevitably in the fore ground as we get a sense for something epic is about to go down ... like I saw/heard that in, I don't know, Paycheck, I-Robot, Next, or National Treasure recently.
So, very cool, eagerly await to see what you share with us next. Please send along my thanks to Chris for the listen.
Just to keep you guys interested here is a rooms I just started on: <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/screencapture1.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
So I wasn't a fan of the last hive. I went a little zbrush lazy. I started over on the hive so here are some of the tests i did before putting the new model in zbrush. <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hivemodel.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /> <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hivetest.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
So for a little comparison. Here is my zbrush starting point this time: <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hovelowpoly.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Compared to what I started with before: <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/Hivestart.JPG" border="0" class="linked-image" />
With the lo poly starting point inst the silhouette more important than the interior details? The interior details are going to be filled in with normals or whatever so a smoother set of tentacles and curve on the bottom might have been more effective than modelling the gills.
That said the textured detail one looks awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
Check out Chris Haigh's final score for the film: <a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NaturalSelections2fullscore.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/Natu...s2fullscore.mp3</a>
All I can say is wow. I usually just <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" /> about here but seeing this I had to stick my nose in and congratulate you this is some really impressive stuff! I'm studying computer animation, so can guess just how much efforts gone into this, keep it up man it's looking awesome!
I must say, I'm rather impressed with the score. The UWE guys should seriously think about getting you and a few others in teh community together to create an official live-action trailer for NS2.
<!--quoteo(post=1682125:date=Jun 28 2008, 05:26 PM:name=Obraxis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Obraxis @ Jun 28 2008, 05:26 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1682125"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I must say, I'm rather impressed with the score. The UWE guys should seriously think about getting you and a few others in teh community together to create an official live-action trailer for NS2.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I am not a big fan of live action trailers for games. I want me renders.
Anyway: Good stuff so far.
Hint: A Tech Demo showing the improvement uwe made to source, directed by Mojokdirector and released on april 1st might be totally sweet <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
Wow, Cannot believe I never saw this sooner!! I'm flabbergasted! Very much anticipating the final release, keep up the good work!
Just a little thing, I don't find the epic sounding part of the score very Sci-fi-esque, sounds more like a fantasy epic (LOTR, Narnia, Golden Compass) track. But I totally love the rest of it, has a very original HL and Aliens mixture to it!!
Obviously, until we see how the music is being implemented, and the actual scene that it's going into, then we can't say much <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> I envision a scene with marines gearing up after hearing distress calls from the station, or something... locking and loading! gathering their equipment and loading into a dropship! ^^
This is a frame from the glowy squirming. In the shot it is being held by the tail. <img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/glowisalive.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /> This is without the "environment" map but the animation for this shot is done.
<!--quoteo(post=1681982:date=Jun 25 2008, 08:13 PM:name=Mojokdirector)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mojokdirector @ Jun 25 2008, 08:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1681982"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Check out Chris Haigh's final score for the film: <a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NaturalSelections2fullscore.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/Natu...s2fullscore.mp3</a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Wow, feels like a score for a multi-million dollar movie. Blown away.
<!--quoteo(post=1683275:date=Jul 13 2008, 05:14 PM:name=ljcrabs)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ljcrabs @ Jul 13 2008, 05:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1683275"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Wow, feels like a score for a multi-million dollar movie. Blown away.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I usually <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" /> here but I had to post and mention how badass this song. Absolutely incredible work.
Comments
I know it should like I am nit picking, but it’s the things that you don’t think about, or the average viewer never even thinks about (and sometimes never sees) that is so important in set design, both digital and physical. Take a look at any good set and you will see millions of details that no one will ever see. Even in computer games, there are posters that you will never read on the walls of HL2 that say stuff about life in the game and if a player stopped to look at that poster they shouldn’t just read a load of rubbish, it should say something that means something to the concept of the game. This is all part of set design. Ridiculous, overly anal, obsessive DETAIL.
In fact the more you threw into that room, the more it would look lived in, the more the viewer would believe that this is a real environment. Film sets differ from game sets, in that games often take out a lot of objects (this is changing with recent, increasingly realistic games) so the player wont get distracted and render times will be lessened. In a film it is important to included depth in a set, and so a lot of “rubbish†and “stuff†is often thrown into the set to make it feel alive. Do you realise (to go back to the original example) that the set for Alien was a complete set. That means when you stepped into the set you could walk all the way around it, without ever leaving the spaceship; lighting was built into the set so that it would look as “realistic†(if sci-fi can be that) as possible and would immerse the actors as much as possible, creating an increased sense of realism in their acting.
I could go on about how I don’t really like CG sets as much as real ones, because there are always flaws in them. But I think I have ranted enough for one day.
Apart from the lack of “stuff†in that room I think it’s safe to say you are on the ball. It looks pretty good, especially with that budget, I am well impressed! I am guessing that doesn’t included anyone’s time or pre bought software/lights/power costs etc.?
The armour is kind of bugging me a bit too... Looks a little on the thin side. I am guessing that’s what the budget was spent on? Also could do with a grey/silver dry brush coat to bring out some of the details.
If you can do that well with that budget, I would love to see how well you can do with a huge budget. Nice work. I hope you don’t take what I have said too personally; it’s all meant as constructive criticism, which can only help, right?
Too be honest, I have only made 2 points in this whole, long winded thing. A) more detail in the sets. B) Maybe a bigger budget on costumes (at the end of the day, if the only physical object doesn’t look 100% perfect then people are always going to notice the difference between the two, especially when the CG stuff always looks really crisp).
I imagine that both these minor issues will be resolved, like most issues are resolved in film, in the final edit. If the shots are fast, the cuts are quick and the sets have a nice amount of “dramatic†lighting, then no one will ever notice what the sets really look like, or how cheap/expensive the costumes are. And if the total length of the film is 5mins, I’m sure you could do plenty of short, fast cuts that keep the action going and leave the viewer engaged and not worried about any of the issues I have raised. I image it’s only because I have only seen these 2 short, probably unfinished shots of the NS2 Project that I am being picky about these things. But whatever the case, I hope you take these thoughts in. I can’t wait to see the finished product. Looks good, keep up the good work.
So I decided to make a demo reel.
<a href="http://www.mojokstudios.com/Demoreelonline.mov" target="_blank">http://www.mojokstudios.com/Demoreelonline.mov</a>
There is a shot in there from this project, the aliens aren't in the bubbles yet but you should get an idea as to what it will look like.
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/asrifle.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::asrifle::" border="0" alt="asrifle.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
its realy good, <b>i love the scene</b> at 0:00:10-0:00:13 it looks<b> like a movie!</b>
Keep good work!
maybe use a spend button from paypal for the movie budget!
I had an idea while watching this, I watch videos at this website called The Escapist <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/" target="_blank">http://www.escapistmagazine.com/</a> and they have been featuring more and more videos there, of many varying themes and styles (especially Drawn By Pain). The main theme of the place seems to be games in general, so, I think you should seriously try to get your work seen there - I'm not sure what that would entail to see that happen, but I think it could help your portfolio to be seen by many in the online gaming community. Also, are you on Youtube yet? Hmm, what other places would get you "known" more... Other people have used online fame to launch a career into the media entertainment industry, right? Y'know, that is, you may already have that, given the level of your apparent dedication to this particular craft.
Tell us what you think:
<a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3</a>
The climax track will be posted for you guys to check out soon as well. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tsa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::tsa::" border="0" alt="tsa.gif" />
I demand more leaking skulks and Oni!
=]
Tell us what you think:
<a href="http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3" target="_blank">http://www.cphproductions.co.uk/music/NS2ostpart1.mp3</a>
The climax track will be posted for you guys to check out soon as well. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tsa.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::tsa::" border="0" alt="tsa.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
First half definitely 'felt' like Natural Selection, where the space ship/planetary base is creaking and groaning in the sway of the cosmic storms, in the second half, there was this "Da da dum" and I thought of, I don't know how to describe it exactly, like it was from a movie, a scene like they are getting ready for war and its panoramic with the main characters inevitably in the fore ground as we get a sense for something epic is about to go down ... like I saw/heard that in, I don't know, Paycheck, I-Robot, Next, or National Treasure recently.
So, very cool, eagerly await to see what you share with us next. Please send along my thanks to Chris for the listen.
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/screencapture1.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I started over on the hive so here are some of the tests i did before putting the new model in zbrush.
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hivemodel.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hivetest.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
So for a little comparison.
Here is my zbrush starting point this time:
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/hovelowpoly.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Compared to what I started with before:
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/Hivestart.JPG" border="0" class="linked-image" />
That said the textured detail one looks awesome <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
any guesses how long it will take till the final (short) movie?
Out of curiosity, what software was used to generate the music, or did you guys get a bunch of individual instrumentalists together?
I am not a big fan of live action trailers for games.
I want me renders.
Anyway: Good stuff so far.
Hint: A Tech Demo showing the improvement uwe made to source, directed by Mojokdirector and released on april 1st might be totally sweet <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
I'm flabbergasted! Very much anticipating the final release, keep up the good work!
Just a little thing, I don't find the epic sounding part of the score very Sci-fi-esque, sounds more like a fantasy epic (LOTR, Narnia, Golden Compass) track.
But I totally love the rest of it, has a very original HL and Aliens mixture to it!!
Obviously, until we see how the music is being implemented, and the actual scene that it's going into, then we can't say much <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I envision a scene with marines gearing up after hearing distress calls from the station, or something... locking and loading! gathering their equipment and loading into a dropship! ^^
<img src="http://www.mojokstudios.com/glowisalive.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
This is without the "environment" map but the animation for this shot is done.
Wow, feels like a score for a multi-million dollar movie. Blown away.
I usually <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/lerk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::lerk::" border="0" alt="lerk.gif" /> here but I had to post and mention how badass this song. Absolutely incredible work.
You guys rock.