A request for a simple animation....

Hi all.

I'm working on a couple of small projects, but I've run into a problem. Trying to get a shot of a large group of charging Rikti, I haven't found a willing or obliging group thus far in-game.

I admit to having no facility at all with /demoedit and admit to not really understanding the vectors and planning that goes into making such shots possible.

I would greatly appreciate anyone compiling a shot if they could of around 30 Rikti (this comprises drones, infantry, mentalists) charging towards the screen, firing weapons, on a street in the Rikti War Zone. It doesn't have to be more than 20 seconds long if this at all can be done. Either PM or leave me a message on this board if you think you can help.

Many thanks in advance,

S.

Can't offer my own personal services on this since I don't even have time to put forth the umpteen ideas in my own head, but I can offer suggestions on just how to do it.

Anyway, here's how I'd probably do it without having to do too much editing:

1. Find a friend, preferably a tank but anything with good agro powers will do.

2. Have your pal herd some rikti up and play cameraman. If you're grouping up stuff around your level it'd probably be good if you had some stealthy powers and/or buffs to avoid the hassle of either of you possibly dying.

3. Edit the demo, either taking out your pal or replacing him with a rikti. Probably best to just take them out of it since they're probably a mile ahead of any moving herd. You could even avoid the editing by positioning yourself in a way that doesn't show your pal.

It may not be quite what you're looking for, but I hope this helps.

I have tanks on Freedom and Virtue if you need some extra bodies to shift Rikti around. Aggro cap makes it a bit hard for just one person, though if you annoy the comm officers, they will happily make more Rikti too.

Think it depends on what you specifically envision the shot to be. Herding tends to create a packed pile of melee Rikti, running in a line, and the ranged Rikti spread out at the back, not moving until LOS is blocked, then they do the conga line too.

If you want them to run straight at you for any distance, all spread out in dramatic fashion (not conga line piling), it'll probably have to be demo-editing.

30 will add up to quite a bit of work. One possibility is to beg 30 people to move how you want, and then replace the models.

Another way (the way I got my 5-6 Arachnos to charge together) is to mark start and ending positions with /loc, and use Zloth's demo editor to put in every single model's running path.

Firing weapons adds a layer of complexity to the demo-editing as you'll have to specify the effects too.

Oh, one other possibility might be to try and herd Rikti to the forts. If they don't die too fast, they do tend to spread out shooting at the multitude of targets.

Okay, thanks for that....I know it's a difficult shot to try and create in-game, so I'll look at the demoediting, even though I'm not very confident about getting it right.

Tell me where you want the footage shot (meaning specifically where in the RWZ) and I'll create it for you. I think I can muster enough members of the Sinclair Syndicate on Triumph to get several folks charging the camera.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Tell me where you want the footage shot (meaning specifically where in the RWZ) and I'll create it for you.

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That's what ya call full service help.

-> TT MA Arc ID 1755 -> Join TankHQ -> Media -> @AceMACE

Hey, I have a reputation as a videographer and generally cool person to maintain!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

But have you saved 15% or more on your auto insurance by switching to GEICO?

Hi Dark_Respite....

that'd be fantastic if you can manage it. I've been doing most of my filming around the Vanguard base at the Thin Red line, but those pesky missile launchers have made it problematic. I got relatively close to the giant blaster statue there (the one you get the Ace badge at).

If you can film/herd relatively close to there and then PM me as to where I can d/l the raw footage from (I think rapidshare would work nicely), I'll definitely give you and your SG credit.

I'm guessing by what you've said you know to have a screen clear of health bars, etc, so I'll leave that to you.

S.

And no, I haven't switched to GEICO.

Hmmm... if you'd like, I can probably create a good shot of a mob of Rikti charging the 'open' gate of the Vanguard compound (shot 'through' the gates, as it were - I'd need to pop into the RWZ to double-check logistics of it).

When I get it done, I'll just put it up on my server and you can d'l it from there.

And yeah, I can film without the HUD showing up.

Okay - so, at the moment, we're talking 30 Rikti re-enacting the "Charge of the Light Brigade"...

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

EDIT: Found a better place. The link goes to a screenshot I put on my server. Tell me what you think...

Location, Location, Location

Depending on how I can mess with the code, I might even be able to map in some other stuff.

Heh....no, not really necessary.....all I really need in the shot is the Rikti charging...considering the various shots I have already, tying a Rikti charge to a landmark as obvious as that would require some major reshoots on my part.

If you can keep it to a stretch of road where they're just charging along, it'll work much better with the player shots I'm using now. Don't get hung up on locations....this is my one-minute 'teaser' clip featuring lots of quick cuts and action, action, action.

Sorry if I wasn't more specific on that....but you know how we filmmakers are about our precious visions. You know that brief cut of the Rikti charging from the original CoH trailer as they pour out of their giant dropship? I'm aiming for that. Rikti charging the camera, guns and stuff blazing....hopefully that helps a lot. Again, sorry for not being specific.

Think...let's see....300. All you see is the enemy swarming towards you....it'll make more sense when I incorporate it into a rough cut and post it on Youtube for you.

S.

Okay, not a problem. I will find suitable stretch o' street and have the Rikti hordes come sweeping in.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

how good are you really d_r?....after reading the arbiter thread in the SoA forums i had this idea, would it be possible to edit a toon, Arbiter Sands, and Lord Recluse onto an already existing video?

Many thanks, Dark_Respite. I look forward to seeing what you've done.

S.

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how good are you really d_r?....after reading the arbiter thread in the SoA forums i had this idea, would it be possible to edit a toon, Arbiter Sands, and Lord Recluse onto an already existing video?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a rather awkward question. Um... if I had access to the demorecord file, mapping in Sands and Recluse would be easy - I just swap out whoever's standing there. But if it's an actual video file, that's a whole other animal.

To give you an example - you saw the scenes I did in the I-12 teaser (to pick one at random, say... all the heroes standing in the base at the start of the video). Instead of having all the heroes, I could swap out the codes and instead make it, oh, Positron, Ghost Widow, Jurassik, Statesman, Battle Maiden, Azuria, and a random Carnie. (now THAT'd be an interesting sight)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

alright yeah it would be an already existing video but i suppose it could be done ingame...i dunno if you've ever seen kung pow but it was a joke about arbiter sands

Just checking on this....I imagine Dark_Respite might be a bit busy with things at the moment, but any update you can provide (hopefully it hasn't been a pain for you to do) would be vastly appreciated, as I've stalled out some with available footage thus far.

S.

Still working on it - yes, been busy, hubby came down with a WICKED case of food poisoning, so neither of us have gotten any real sleep for close to five days. Also spent a good chunk of time at the open casting call getting info from people but I have not forgotten you.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Ah, very sorry to hear that.....look after yourself first, get plenty of sleep and get to it when you can. *smiles*

For the record, I was that big lug you saw both times you were filming, the big magic Tank called Burnum with the white body paint on the grey body doing the Hulk impersonation . Hope you get well very soon.

S.

Hooray, it's done... now I get to find out if I upheld my reputation as a filmmaker...

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite