Development > Artwork
MIMIR Telescope/Carrier Animation
Psawhn:
It's almost ready, I think.
https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~djetowns/public_html/misc_files/UFO_AI/MIMIR_final60001_0425.avi
There are several things I want to fix:
Starfield: Overall I'm happy with the look and feel of the starfield I'm using. There are just some weird streaks that I suspect result from the post processing combined with adjacent pixels. I'll have to find a way to fix that, somehow.
The engine is lit by sunlight. It should stay dark until it lights up to fire.
Jaggy zoom boxes.
The atmosphere in the zoomed version should have a longer falloff. Overall I'm very happy with the look of the atmosphere. (Too bad it turns white as the camera turns away from the planet. I wonder how to fix that.)
There are black borders around stars that can be seen through the atmosphere.
I can also add graphs and charts and a bunch of numbers, to make it look more NASA-sciency.
So. Feedback? Direction? Criticisms?
Winter:
--- Quote from: Psawhn on January 21, 2008, 10:56:29 pm ---It's almost ready, I think.
https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~djetowns/public_html/misc_files/UFO_AI/MIMIR_final60001_0425.avi
There are several things I want to fix:
Starfield: Overall I'm happy with the look and feel of the starfield I'm using. There are just some weird streaks that I suspect result from the post processing combined with adjacent pixels. I'll have to find a way to fix that, somehow.
The engine is lit by sunlight. It should stay dark until it lights up to fire.
Jaggy zoom boxes.
The atmosphere in the zoomed version should have a longer falloff. Overall I'm very happy with the look of the atmosphere. (Too bad it turns white as the camera turns away from the planet. I wonder how to fix that.)
There are black borders around stars that can be seen through the atmosphere.
I can also add graphs and charts and a bunch of numbers, to make it look more NASA-sciency.
So. Feedback? Direction? Criticisms?
--- End quote ---
It's . . . not quite what I was expecting. Very different from what we discussed, and I don't think it works. The zoom box looks very cheap in this implementation, and it's horribly unclear what's going on with the whole video, which is why I suggested the double pass in the first place.
The camera moving all over the place just makes it all more confusing. At the resolution the video will be playing, I don't think the player would be able to get a clue what it's all about.
Sorry if I seem harsh, but that's what I'm getting away from it.
Regards,
Winter
Psawhn:
--- Quote from: Winter on January 21, 2008, 11:41:00 pm ---It's . . . not quite what I was expecting. Very different from what we discussed, and I don't think it works. The zoom box looks very cheap in this implementation, and it's horribly unclear what's going on with the whole video, which is why I suggested the double pass in the first place.
The camera moving all over the place just makes it all more confusing. At the resolution the video will be playing, I don't think the player would be able to get a clue what it's all about.
Sorry if I seem harsh, but that's what I'm getting away from it.
Regards,
Winter
--- End quote ---
I don't mind harsh. :)
Here's what I had in mind for the camera movements. The satellite is controlled by momentum wheels, giving a gyroscopic effect to its movement. The telescope is also computer controlled, with a program that tries to focus on anything unusual. Because it has to react quickly to this sudden object, the gyroscopic effect of the momentum wheels adds a rotation while the camera tries to track the UFO.
The zoomed in version is done after the fact, and stabilized to the initial view.
I'll try to get another version done tonight.
Psawhn:
Pff, took me long enough... ::)
https://webdisk.ucalgary.ca/~djetowns/public_html/misc_files/UFO_AI/MIMIR_final70001_0833.avi
Went with a blinky zoom box instead of a picture-in-picture approach. There's a bunch of dressing and scientifikey whatzamahoozits that I I want to add to the image later.
What I'm worried about is when the animation starts playing for the second time, before the zoom, the player might think "oh, it just repeats" and not actually watch anything. It's easy enough to cut bits out if it doesn't work.
Winter:
Hrm. Tough one. Here are my two comments:
1) I'm afraid I still don't like the camera movement. It makes it feel like the telescope is either anticipating the jump or tracking the Carrier after it jumps in, rather than a chance catch on a big wide-angle shot. It doesn't do anything to help the player understand what's going on in the video, either. I personally find it quite confusing, making it difficult to track what's supposed to be primary focus of the video, the Carrier, not the camera. Do you see what I mean?
2) In order to draw the two passes together, don't just do an immediate restart after the first pass. Try playing a second or so of static after the first pass, then pop up a freeze-frame of the beginning, followed by the zoom-in effect, and then resume play.
Also, I'm assuming the frame or two of blank cube at the beginning isn't supposed to be there. ;)
Regards,
Winter
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