Dark_Respite
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Posts
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Start searching the forums... letters from the Omega Team are appearing...
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Can I make a recommendation for those reading these?
There's a piece of music that I think so beautifully works for the Omega Team. I'd wanted to use it for a video for the opening of the time capsule, but I just didn't have the time and energy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ckXY6yiVQ
Read the letters again while listening to this.
I've found six of the letters so far. If there's a God and she smiles on me, I hope the character models for the Omega Team get created, so I can actually do this video.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
PS - Niviene, please send my compliments to the writers for these... -
Thanks, you guys.
BTW... Now #73 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Film & Animation.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
I had hoped to do a video for this, but just didn't have the energy.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
I'm thankful I have a husband who loves me, even when I accidentally wake him up in a panic on Thanksgiving because I forgot what day it was and thought he'd overslept for work.
I'm thankful for most of a family that has finally accepted me for who and what I am.
I'm thankful for having skills and talents that can actually get me a job, and the health to actually work, even if finding said job is proving depressingly difficult.
I'm thankful for my (mostly) working car, the roof over my head, the food in my fridge (such as it is, mostly condiments), and the other comforts that many do not have, especially in these troubled financial times.
I'm thankful for the CoH team creating, maintaining, and constantly improving the game that has given me back the creative streak I thought I'd lost, along with giving me other venues for expressing that creativity.
I'm thankful for the small but devoted group of players who cheerfully follow along my rambling storytellings about Positron's love life.
I'm thankful for the not-as-small but no-less-devoted group of players who enjoy and support my video work, and the remarkable lengths to which they've gone to enable me to keep making my videos.
I'm thankful for the playerbase at large who tolerate me running through their game, shouting, "I'M FILMING, LOOK COOL!", and for them generously volunteering their bases, characters, stories, and time for my videos.
I'm thankful for the friends, both real life and in-game, that CoH has brought into my life. You guys know who you are. I may be great with words, but they are inadequate to the task of telling you how much I appreciate what you do for me.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Ouroboros
Dark Astoria
Perez Park
The Hollows
St. Martial
The Storm Palace
Any place that'd make awesome filming location
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Oh, the person who POSTED my video liked it just fine. Just someone responding to him/her that hated it.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Interesting... YouTube's Insight feature lets me track how people find the video. Tracked it back to a Guild Portals forum, where my video has been reviewed as such:
"Extremely lame video, don't bother watching it. No new footage. Just plain boring. Probably her worst work."
I look at reviews like that and think, "why didn't you post that on the YouTube video where I could see it and respond to it?" (Like asking "what would you have done differently, considering closed beta hasn't even started and this is to capture the flavour of the release, not document it?")
Not all my work is stellar - personally, I consider "The Etiquette of Assassination" my 'low point' work for COH.
I don't expect mindless fawning and grovelling for my videos - I welcome suggestions on improving things, provided they CAN be improved. (Telling me, "you used the wrong models" when they don't exist in-game yet, is not a valid criticism.) Case in point - Emperor_Steele and I got into a long discussion about the opening/closing credits on my video (he said they were too long, and in retrospect, he was correct). He was quite helpful in his suggestions, and the ones you see now are the result of his input.
*sighs*
I guess I need to grow a thicker skin.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Well, the teaser peaked on YouTube at:
#12 - Most Discussed (Today) - Film & Animation (Nov 23rd, when it debuted)
#88 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Film & Animation (that's a new one for me!)
Not a bad showing, all in all. Especially since this is the first video I've done as a trailer that the rednames haven't acknowledged in some way, thus driving up the traffic.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Oh, now THEM'S fighting words! I am NOT mainstream. I'm... more like a cult classic. A guilty pleasure that only like-minded people ever admit, usually by secret handshakes and whispered quotes.Originally Posted by Dispari
In other words, you're too mainstream, Michelle.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Oh, no... s/he was quite specific it was me. Though when I suggested simply putting me on /ignore, s/he admitted to preferring being able to tell me what an a** I am.Originally Posted by Westley
They were actually talking about me. You just misheard.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
My entry is almost finished! Test-ran it today, it just needs a couple quick tweaks and then it's done!
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Except when someone starts publicly crucifying me in front of a crowd in Pocket D on a rather large server (three guesses as to which server and the first two don't count) for having "the largest ego they've ever seen," and my "obvious need for gratification and public adoration."Originally Posted by Indiramourning
Okay, what is the cure for goosebumps? God I love your work, Michelle!
With your level of talent it's not a question of 'if' you'll get a break, it's just a question of 'when'. And you don't seem like the type of person who gives up.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:That's not quite fair to David (the PS videographer)... yes, the GOING ROGUE teaser and some of the other official trailers were CGI instead of in-game footage. But he's done some impressive ads still using the game engine.Originally Posted by Mr ?
Probably because it shows the game as it is played. Not some pre-rendered, super sharp graphics that we are never going to be able to play - no matter what spec our machines are.
(Not to mention that I can't do spiffy CGI vids coz I don't know Maya/3dStudio, nor do I own them.)
But I know what you mean about hating it when a game company releases some awesome trailer and then you see the actual game and you're like, "Um... was this the same game?"
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite
PS - *grin* BTW, tell Mrs ? that when she posts vids to YouTube, always include the full list of music used in the video (in either the tags and/or the description) for geeks like me who go, "Wow, that sounds neat, what was that?" -
As my husband John (aka Bloodspeaker) has pointed out, ironic, isn't it, that given that players have donated money to me via my website (ostensibly to keep the site ad-free, but also to help out because making videos isn't cheap)...
... the "best" advertising for the game is actually being purchased by the playerbase?
*shrugs*
Though, really, the 'best' advertising is that which either a) draws new people into the game (or brings former players back), or b) keeps current players playing. I don't know exactly how well my videos do in either capacity.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:It's funny... I talked to the NCsoft recruiter at HeroCon this past October (read: I monopolized the poor man's attention beyond all bounds of courtesy).Originally Posted by Mr ?
As my comment said, If this doesn't get people wanting to play then nothing will.
What you can do with the tools you have to work with, and consistently beat the people being paid to put the CoX videos together. But they still keep turning you down?
It just boggles the mind, it really does.
Oi!- NC - Employ Samuraiko/Dark Respite/Michelle.
From what we ALL have seen, this is the one person that can get the job done.
While my resume/portfolio is just about good enough to get hired for my REAL profession (tech writer - I'm the one who creates all the documentation on stuff a company needs, from procedures to policies to templates, etc), and while he admitted that virtually any company could benefit from someone like me (including Paragon Studios), in this economy, positions like mine are the first to go. So strike #1 - getting in on the job I'm qualified for.
Strike #2 - I don't have Sean (aka Dr. Aeon)'s experience with the MA to show off that I'm a brilliant writer to get in on Joe Morrissey's team. (Sure, I wrote a COH novel, but that doesn't count - it's not playable.) Still, I'm going for his Challenge to see if maybe I can pull a "Last Starfighter" like he did.
Strike #3 - Paragon Studios already has a qualified videographer who has YEARS of experience in the industry. Ergo, no place for me. (AND, btw, I was told by the NCsoft recruiter guy that my videos weren't "quite good enough". I guess I need more practice.)
So at this point... and God it hurts to even type this... I've pretty much given up hope. I'll keep making videos for the players as long as you guys want me to (and as long as I can afford to keep doing it), but doing it officially? I guess it's just not meant to be.
*****
Still, it's extremely gratifying to know that so many folks liked how this teaser came out. I wasn't sure what the reaction would be if I couldn't get Maelstrom and Desdemona 'just right'.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Yep - sorry I turned you into a Behemoth, but it was for a good cause.Originally Posted by Arkyaeon
ahh you did get it out as you said
Awesome job!! - as usual -
Amazing what you did with the the game models :P
Trust me, I was thrilled when Ken Morse (the art lead) assured me personally that the demorecord feature works in Ultra Mode. Mwahahahaha.Quote:Originally Posted by TheSpellbinder
Absolutely beautiful, Michelle. The split-screen scene where they're approaching the portal gave me goosebumps.
I can't wait to see the videos you'll make when you have the shiny new Ultra Graphics engine at your fingertips!
In other news, it seems that the video has peaked at #13 for Most Discussed (Film and Animation)! Woot!
In other other news, I already have the music for the GOING ROGUE full trailer. It was composed SPECIFICALLY for that video, btw, and it is an absolutely fantastic piece of work. So now I just have to get into the closed beta (which I'm due for twice over, once as HeroCon attendee, once as Loyal member), and then I get to make the uber-video.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Cool... coz this unemployment crap is depressing as hell.Originally Posted by Harry_Canyon
A pleasure, as always. If I ever get my animations off the ground, you have a job with me.
Easy - I keep applying, they keep saying no.Quote:Originally Posted by NarfMann
That gave me chills. Seriously, how is it you're not working for NCSoft?
That's one reason why I make videos - SOMEONE has to get the word out that is CoH!Quote:Originally Posted by Scarlet Shocker
Have you not noticed that what NCSoft knows about marketing can be written legibly on the back of a postage stamp?
Great work Michelle
To everyone else, thank you very much - I'm glad you like it! Amazingly, since the video went live yesterday morning it reached #20 - Most Discussed (Today) - Film & Animation on YouTube!
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Oh, don't worry. The ahole in ME was whining and pleading with BABs via Twitter to find a way to get me the models so I could use them.Originally Posted by Mr. NoPants
As awesome as this is the ahole in me wants to complain it's not the new models...he's being sacked by the kid and the gentleman in me.
The ahole was then drowned out by the "demoedit and be damned!" videographer, who then finished the video you see before you.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
You do realize you can delete your own posts now, right?
But I'm still glad you liked my work, jw.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:Thank you very much for the compliment! I'm glad you enjoy my work.Originally Posted by Sister_Twelve
I've never seen your work before today. I just watched all of the videos at your site. You really are quite extraordinary.
- S12
Sorry to disappoint you, Wes, but that was not the new Marauder. And no, I am not in the Closed Beta (yet). Even if I were, I would not jeopardize my (mostly) good relationship with the devs by breaking the NDA.Quote:Originally Posted by Westley
Excellent as usual. However... was that the "new" Marauder that I saw? How did you get the new Marauder sprite?
Are you... *gasp* in the closed Beta already????
H4X!
P.S. Now when are you gonna do something for the Undrn3t?
As far as doing a video for the Undrn3t, if the Undrn3t wants to offer this poor unemployed videographer a job... I'll see what I can do.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
One more for the list, courtesy of Samuraiko Productions...
"A Mirror Dimly" (GOING ROGUE teaser)
YouTube version
High res versions of my stuff are now on SAMURAIKO.COM (please note the new domain name).
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
*sighs* I'm disappointed in you, Steel... if I'm supposed to be one of the voices inflicting the torments of the damned on Matt Miller, I would be begging for a job, not yelling about how I want customizable in-game video features...
... although those WOULD be nice!
But I absolutely LOVED the story.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
I had to set my comments to 'approval' first ever since I started getting hate messages and death threats for my 'support' of the Issue 13 PvP debacle.
Michelle
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Samuraiko/Dark_Respite -
Quote:We'll see what happens once GR actually comes out...Originally Posted by Orion_Star_EU
Really really nicely done - Now I want more (perhaps a video of the Resistance squishing all the pesky Loyalists?).
Keep up the good work
That was good fun.Quote:Originally Posted by Golden Girl
That was awesome - I loved all the quick shots of the Praetorians
Thanks.Quote:Originally Posted by Bill Z Bubba
Nice.
Desdemona was easy... only thing I couldn't get was the neck tattoo thing. Maelstrom, on the other hand... not happening without the actual model.Quote:Originally Posted by Chad Gulzow-Man
Very nice, D_R!
I was very impressed with your approximations of Desdemona and Maelstrom using existing costume options.
Thank you!Quote:Originally Posted by StormSurvivor
Wow. I loved that! Very nice work, as always, Samuraiko. I particularly loved the quick shots of all of the Praetorian guard and the mirrored shot of Maelstrom and Desdemona. Very nice!
Quote:Originally Posted by Caligdoiel
I love how you managed to get the new Praetorian Clockwork in there too. Thanks to Bactchan who sent me the democode info for the new Clockwork. Somehow the Clockwork code I got at HeroCon vanished.
Heh heh heh... that was another last-minute addition.Quote:Originally Posted by Rush_Bolt
Very nifty.
And nice job sneaking that Praetorian Clockwork in. Had to pause it and go back to make sure I was seeing things right.
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite