Discussion: Matrix Machinima Contest

well that's just incredible. Eventually I will learn all the flash animation stuff. I had a hell of a time teaching myself the coding for the game. I did a few Day of Defeat videos a bunch of years back, and decided to start working on one for CoX just before the contest went up. So I stopped on that one (it contains tons of stuff I don't own... but I'm also not going to profit off of it and will credit them properly so I don't feel guilty about it) and started in on babytoons. I like them... they're cute and can show the funny newbie qualities of people just starting the game. I may continue on with them and have different episodes like, "Babytoons build their first costume", and "Babytoons get their first travel power" and have the teleporter kid keep runnin into buildings. I dunno. But it's cool to know there's a community of video people for city of heroes! It was fun doing this one. There's SO many things you can do if you just change some of the code. Zloth, you actually taught it all to me without knowin it

Ahhh didnt get mine finished in time.

I sure am hoping they get all these submited entries online sometime soon. Still no response back from any messages.

I got to get into this demo recording thing and figure out how to edit them. I guess that would be the next thing to learn how to do.

Hiya, I'm sneaking over from the WoW machinima community and I didn't realize there was this message board going on here until now. Hehe. I made a little CoV film years ago, and thought I'd make the 'sequel' for this contest (provided it is actually freakin' entered, it says 'compressing' - I hear that's the story with some other folks too though).

I'm glad that CoH/V has some machinima filmmakers; it's a fun engine to film in (despite the really annoying short day/night changeovers - "ok let's get the shot - NOOO THE LIGHT IS CHANGING"). But after filming in WoW for so long I enjoyed shooting in this game again. Good luck to all in the contest!

You can check out my entry (the credited version) if you like, on YouTube.

The Return of the Revenge of Dr. Mechanico

Hey Stone, welcome to CoX community. Nice job on the film, I think the best part was the voice acting, very nice.

One thing though man, Game Trailers/Toyota/MTV have imposed some pretty....mmmm...interesting rules on this contest. Not sure if they're going to show it on Spike TV or what but they're being VERY careful about copyright elements including external sounds and music not pulled directly from the game.

That may give ya problems. Which is a shame, cause it's a very nice piece.

We'll let the legal folk decide.
Todd

DR,

Thanks for the info. I sent David an email with the link to my video, which can be seen here.

OK, well, in case they don't confirm my entry (which would send me on a 3 state murderous rampage), I uploaded it onto YouTube. (I also sent in a link to David)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forums, I present to you - "The Fall"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoC3f...;feature=email

Be sure to click on the 'watch in high quality' link under the view count! I hope you enjoy it.

[ QUOTE ]


One thing though man

[/ QUOTE ]

Stone's a lady.

2Cents, I liked your vid. I hope they don't nail you for being one lousy second over the 4 minute limit...

Stone, the time/light changes are just another good reason to use demorecordings. Changing the time to noon (or whatever you want) is really simple and makes it a lot faster to get your recordings without worrying about "losing the light".

*cue Aerosmith song*

Yeah, yeah, Stone looks like a lady...
Yeah, yeah, Stone looks like a lady...

Sorry, it's way too early for me to be posting anything remotely approaching sense.

In other contest news, as of 7am PDT, August 11th, mine is STILL showing as compressing, but with luck, I will be hearing back from David today (which is good because I can't access the GameTrailers.com website from work) telling me that I'm good to go.

Of course, for those of you who actually have my email address, should you see my video come up on their site, someone please drop me a line?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

Mine is still compressing too. Here's to hoping we all get in there on time.

If not, I promise that my next project (apart from "Positron vs the Marketing Department") is going to be a video SCATHINGLY denouncing GameTrailers.com. I might have to learn how to use Leandro's Splasher program to do it properly, but if I find out that 50% of us were disqualified because their site wouldn't update, the mushroom cloud will be going up over Phoenix.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

I had never even heard of this site before this contest. Seems somewhat interesting. I went to their help threads but they are non ot helpful. The posts (by staff) go back to 2004 where they tell you things are jsut being set up.

Hmm my movie still seens to be compressing : ) and no response whatsoever from thier help system and notes I have left.

Still it was a fun project to make, and I got to meet a few of your cool film makers through this thread in the forums. Perhaps something will change today.

I think the music was only in the credits, which I don't think are supposed to be part of the contest entry. (Which, by the way, is one awesome video!!)

So far, no entries have shown up with a date later than August 7th. The term 'epic fail' comes to mind. They really need to extend this contest.

[ QUOTE ]
If not, I promise that my next project (apart from "Positron vs the Marketing Department") is going to be a video SCATHINGLY denouncing GameTrailers.com. I might have to learn how to use Leandro's Splasher program to do it properly, but if I find out that 50% of us were disqualified because their site wouldn't update, the mushroom cloud will be going up over Phoenix.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]
My name is Obsidius, and I approve this message.

Especially because I'm in the same boat

[ QUOTE ]
Iron Reign - Retribution
Aug 8, 2008
Status: #102 Compressing
It takes a while, be patient.

[/ QUOTE ]
A while, indeed I love vague measurements of time!

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Stone, welcome to CoX community. Nice job on the film, I think the best part was the voice acting, very nice.

One thing though man, Game Trailers/Toyota/MTV have imposed some pretty....mmmm...interesting rules on this contest. Not sure if they're going to show it on Spike TV or what but they're being VERY careful about copyright elements including external sounds and music not pulled directly from the game.

That may give ya problems. Which is a shame, cause it's a very nice piece.

We'll let the legal folk decide.
Todd

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, all the sounds (that I didn't create myself) are bought and paid for, and I did all the music myself. I've never heard of a filmmaking contest where this wasn't okay, considering in the 'real' world this is a non-issue, legally. So if they have a problem with it, then it's just ridiculous and they are just imposing arbitrary rules for no particular reason.

Also, what's this 'demo' thingy everyone's talking about? Heh. Sounds like a lotta extra work though.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Stone, welcome to CoX community. Nice job on the film, I think the best part was the voice acting, very nice.

One thing though man, Game Trailers/Toyota/MTV have imposed some pretty....mmmm...interesting rules on this contest. Not sure if they're going to show it on Spike TV or what but they're being VERY careful about copyright elements including external sounds and music not pulled directly from the game.

That may give ya problems. Which is a shame, cause it's a very nice piece.

We'll let the legal folk decide.
Todd

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, all the sounds (that I didn't create myself) are bought and paid for, and I did all the music myself. I've never heard of a filmmaking contest where this wasn't okay, considering in the 'real' world this is a non-issue, legally. So if they have a problem with it, then it's just ridiculous and they are just imposing arbitrary rules for no particular reason.

Also, what's this 'demo' thingy everyone's talking about? Heh. Sounds like a lotta extra work though.

[/ QUOTE ]

To my knowledge, part of the release for entry of this contest is that you give all rights of sounds that aren't NCSoft (aka the animation sounds) over to GT.com. So those of us who recorded our voice give the rights of these clips over to NCSoft, totally kosher.

If you bought 3rd party music/sound, or use stock clips, you can't hand over rights to those. In either case, the rights for you are to use, but the rights are not there for you to hand over.

Now, I know nothing about copyright, so I may be wrong, but this is the angle I think the powers that be are taking...


Demo editing is basically scripting the game so you don't have to be in game to capture video, or, do things that currently don't happen in the game. An example in my video is having Rulurrlu eyeballs fire the radiation blast snipe animation.

Check out this link and this list for more information. I'm sure there are other, better threads, but these two should give you the map you need.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hey Stone, welcome to CoX community. Nice job on the film, I think the best part was the voice acting, very nice.

One thing though man, Game Trailers/Toyota/MTV have imposed some pretty....mmmm...interesting rules on this contest. Not sure if they're going to show it on Spike TV or what but they're being VERY careful about copyright elements including external sounds and music not pulled directly from the game.

That may give ya problems. Which is a shame, cause it's a very nice piece.

We'll let the legal folk decide.
Todd

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, all the sounds (that I didn't create myself) are bought and paid for, and I did all the music myself. I've never heard of a filmmaking contest where this wasn't okay, considering in the 'real' world this is a non-issue, legally. So if they have a problem with it, then it's just ridiculous and they are just imposing arbitrary rules for no particular reason.

Also, what's this 'demo' thingy everyone's talking about? Heh. Sounds like a lotta extra work though.

[/ QUOTE ]

To my knowledge, part of the release for entry of this contest is that you give all rights of sounds that aren't NCSoft (aka the animation sounds) over to GT.com. So those of us who recorded our voice give the rights of these clips over to NCSoft, totally kosher.

If you bought 3rd party music/sound, or use stock clips, you can't hand over rights to those. In either case, the rights for you are to use, but the rights are not there for you to hand over.

Now, I know nothing about copyright, so I may be wrong, but this is the angle I think the powers that be are taking...


Demo editing is basically scripting the game so you don't have to be in game to capture video, or, do things that currently don't happen in the game. An example in my video is having Rulurrlu eyeballs fire the radiation blast snipe animation.

Check out this link and this list for more information. I'm sure there are other, better threads, but these two should give you the map you need.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the demo links - as for the other issue, it is my understanding that purchasing sound efx means that you are legally able to use and abuse them for any and all reasons including making money off of the film they are attached to (and/or handing said film over to ncsoft because they are now attached to said property in the context of that property), so long as they aren't a specifically recognizable sound or piece of music where someone would go - "Hey! that's from..."

If they think it's a no-go, then "eh" oh well. I'll merely never enter another Gametrailers contest again.

[ QUOTE ]
OK, well, in case they don't confirm my entry (which would send me on a 3 state murderous rampage), I uploaded it onto YouTube. (I also sent in a link to David)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Forums, I present to you - "The Fall"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoC3f...;feature=email

Be sure to click on the 'watch in high quality' link under the view count! I hope you enjoy it.

[/ QUOTE ]
I did enjoy it

Also, I saw DR's video the other night. Another fine job DR

And 8baller... your kung fu is incredible. How did you get those water and cloud effects? I read something about Flash? That's a whole other level! If you don't mind me asking, what video software do you use? (thinking about upgrading from Movie Maker)

ParagonWiki has info on recording and demo editing. (And a big thanks to Scuzzbopper for them!)

Thanks Zloth. I've been meaning to save some useful wiki reference links in my User page, so I think it's time to start

[ QUOTE ]

Check out this link and this list for more information. I'm sure there are other, better threads, but these two should give you the map you need.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, my old film is listed in the films section as an example and I don't even know what demoing is!!

Stone - I agree with your understanding (and frustration) of just about every other video contest I've ever seen...heck on the Star Wars Galaxies contest they didn't even discourage copyrighted music. For one reason or another, they're just being VERY careful about all this. Example: they shot down the use of royalty free music loops early on. Then again, their contest, their rules.

Zloth I used Vegas for the editing (same as DR), and After Effects for the compositing stuff, and Maya for the camera work and fluid effects clouds.

The more 'special' camera shots were done by plotting out key locations from CoX, then transferring those coords to Maya for reference, then animating the camera, then exporting out the camera coords (POS and PYR) to CoX. Yeah, I spent the first two weeks writing the export tools and path and crowd generation tools.

After all that math I felt like a dang zombie. But it all pretty much worked

Oh, and thanks for the Kung Fu comment

Todd

Anyone hear anything yet?

Nein.