Intro Video (specific) planning thread

[Destructavator]

(As I mentioned in the sticky thread, I'm breaking up discussion so each video has its own thread, and the sticky thread can be for general plans that apply to all in-game videos.)

http://destructavator.com/92dl/Intro.avi

This is a ~20 second test render of several clips put together.  It doesn't start at the start of the storyboard plan because I don't have enough low-poly city buildings yet.  It also skips some clip plans because I don't have a modeled cockpit and Phalanx pilot yet.

This is a work-in-progress, far from complete.

I'm thinking of seriously re-doing the radar screen display, but this is a start.

BTW, You've gotta admit - The Stiletto looks pretty bad*ss with those weapons shown mounted on it...  (Shiva cannon and two mounted Sparrow missile launchers.)

I'm hoping to get mostly idea-feedback at this point, so I don't end up polishing something that won't get used.

[Crystan]

Nice Ill add sounds to it right now.

[Destructavator]

Nice Ill add sounds to it right now.

You can use this to get a general idea of some of the sounds that will be needed, but as I said this isn't a final product and there will likely be changes before the final version.

Some other sounds that will be needed:

When the cockpit and pilot models are made, the pilot will be pressing buttons and using controls - might want to have a few button "click" sounds and beeps ready.

When the combat parts are rendered, we'll need explosions, missiles being launched, etc.

[Hertzila]

Looking good, if you ask me.
You might want to insert that radar screen (assuming 0:08-0:14 is it) into the HUD. Perhaps so that the radar is where the UFO's picture will pop up shortly afterwards.

What were those white blocks on the bottom and left in the HUD?
Is the SHIVA and Sparrowhawks untextured or just simply painted black?

[Destructavator]

The white blocks are just part of the HUD, which would scroll when the aircraft changes heading or pitch.  I just thought they would add a little bit of a nice touch, but they don't have to be there - I admit I don't know a lot about real fighter aircraft HUD setups.  Taking them back out would be easy.

As for the weapon models on the aircraft, I checked - Yes, the textures did load in the software, but I probably need to tweak some shadow/specular settings on them a bit.  The same goes for the aircraft itself, so it doesn't look like it has low-poly shiny panels in a few spots.

As for the radar display, I understand what you're saying, I'm just not sure if it would really look good in the HUD or not.  I suppose it depends on just how it is done.

[Crystan]

Thats what i got so far

http://www.mediafire.com/?lccwmw4w7fkmk10

[Hertzila]

The white blocks are just part of the HUD, which would scroll when the aircraft changes heading or pitch.  I just thought they would add a little bit of a nice touch, but they don't have to be there - I admit I don't know a lot about real fighter aircraft HUD setups.  Taking them back out would be easy.

I get your point and I do think they would be nice. However, right now they're too big, wrong color (arguably) and wrong way. Admittedly, neither have I been inside an actual, modern jet fighter, most of my knowledge comes from flight (combat) sims.
Worst thing IMO is that they clip annoyingly: In the lower right they're on top of each other, which looks bad and confusing. They're also usually more green, with the setup being: top for heading, right for altitude, middle or right top for pitch and left for speed, usually with numbers in the middle of each.
The HUD also usually shows the weapon and remaining ammo in the lower left.

Pics from ARMA2 coming in a moment to explain what I mean.

[Destructavator]

Thats what i got so far

http://www.mediafire.com/?lccwmw4w7fkmk10

Oooh!  This set of sound FX sounds lovely - As a test I mixed it with the video to see how they would go together (I couldn't resist):

http://www.destructavator.com/92dl/Intro_b.avi

Yes, when a final video version is in the works, I think sounds like these would be perfect - The only hard part might be getting them to integrate with any music so there aren't any parts where the sounds and music are "fighting" for attention.  One way is to have the music only in some of the video, not all of it, but the sound FX throughout - If it is done right, I think it would work well.


@Hertzila:  Hmmm...  I'm feeling more and more like I should just leave the bars out altogether.  I now think that would be much easier then trying to fully imitate a complete, realistic fighter aircraft HUD, especially since I really don't know what trends are going in the field and have no idea what would be expected ~80 years in the future.

Air combat sims, at least for computers, unfortunately have to cram everything to fit onto a computer screen with a different shape and dimensions than a real cockpit, so I guess what this comes to is to not try to re-create such a HUD, unless someone with real flight experience comes to this forum and can really help out with this.

Until then, I'm probably going to leave those bars out then.

[Hertzila]

@Hertzila:  Hmmm...  I'm feeling more and more like I should just leave the bars out altogether.  I now think that would be much easier then trying to fully imitate a complete, realistic fighter aircraft HUD, especially since I really don't know what trends are going in the field and have no idea what would be expected ~80 years in the future.

Air combat sims, at least for computers, unfortunately have to cram everything to fit onto a computer screen with a different shape and dimensions than a real cockpit, so I guess what this comes to is to not try to re-create such a HUD, unless someone with real flight experience comes to this forum and can really help out with this.

Until then, I'm probably going to leave those bars out then.

I don't mind. I didn't expect you to completely re-create the whole cockpit. Just thought those might be useful to you (or anybody else) intending to model the cockpit and the HUD once the intro is more final.

I don't expect the look of HUD change all that much in the following years however. Mostly we'll be able to implement more colours and actual pictures (like that UFO close-up) into it but the I'd think the basic look would stay similar.

E: One idea for a HUD radar. Basically a simpler looking version of the one already in the video.

[Crystan]

Well i think that music/sound mix thing is not a real problem - its just a matter of how the music is used. We can reduce the volume of music slightly if we want to highlight sounds. Or else we can use/compose music that is in harmony with the sounds.

[Destructavator]

@Hertzila:

I like that (looking at your example graphic) - I think something simple like that would certainly work for the HUD without creating too much clutter, yes.

When the UFO is first detected by the Stiletto's sensors, perhaps a blip could appear - as well as the crosshairs - at the same time, which could look good if it is done right.

BTW, I've fixed the contrast for the Stiletto's weapons (quick example pic attached).

@Crystan:

I agree, there's several ways of doing it - although it will probably be more clear as to which way would be the best when the visual parts are all done.  I'm thinking what might be good would be to have subtle instrument sounds in-between silence when the Stiletto is by itself before it detects the UFO, then as it starts to chase it the music picks up, until finally it is more intense when combat takes place.

[Destructavator]

Here's another idea:  When the UFO is spotted, detected, etc., at some point before chasing it the pilot could press another button and the aircraft computer could be shown quickly figuring out that the UFO is headed toward the city.  ("Uh oh, I've got to stop that thing before it reaches that city...")  Perhaps the computer screen could show a simple wireframe diagram with arrows and an icon for a city or something.

[Crystan]

I like the idea.

[Bartleby]

to the techdemo:
- well... is the stiletto scouting or does he already know that ufos are on earth?
  1. if he is scouting, why does he has that much rockets?
  2. if he is in war, why is he so slow?
- i dont like the fighters hud. should be green and with some lines and numbers
- the green sensor (the waves) are a) ugly wide b) why visual? i would delete them
- the terrain-graphic and pingsounds are great.

videoidea:
1. stiletto scouting. countrymusic in background. just like everything routine.
2. u  see an ufo flying very very fast from left to right
3. than u see a red flash on the radar
4. pilot says "holy shit" (in all translations, should be ok...)
5. u see the ufo in the left corner of the screen flying to a city (visual on the ground on the right)
6. u see the stiletto flying like in ure video, but faster, with red light flashing on radar right in front.
7. u can see a burning city from the stiletto-huds-view. (if burning not possible with engine: u can see through the stilettos-hud the ufo flying towards the city.
8. u see the ufo ai slogan/header (dont know word).

maybe i should watch "top gun" again. i think with a good storyboard with some aktion and speed, maybe a mysterious backgroundmusic, when u see or "feel" the ufo (like the white shark in "jaws" has), the intro will get great.

i love to see all the gui talk. and now that videodemo. u all really do a greta job.

[mor2]

according to the ufopedia, we already know aliens are attacking (which is why they created us) so its more of patrol mission.


as for the tech demo my two cents, why make a stiletto at all? its not about interception. i like the scenario i read here, here is my take on it:
1.starts the same with peaceful town  (from here each part picks up the pace)
2. show our blue beauty from space, mother(carrier) ship pops to view from behind the camera, passing with engines roaring, sending "scouts" to earth    (btw i dont recall anything about motherships or carrier in ufopedia)
3.  we see the same radar screen with udo poping on screen (only its radar room on our base) then the alarm goes off, red light etc, running soldier boots in the coridor (easier than full models) and stilettos take off from the runway.
4. here there is no need for a movie just skip between good pictures of a dog fight(some thing for the imagination)  with last one shwing alien ship goes down.
5. here we are slowing down, showing an alien hesitantly going out of the ship streching this part and then bamb he got shot by phalanx troop.
6. zoom on his phalanx patch ....

and if you want to be real cheesy put the inception sound track