Discussion: Matrix Machinima Contest

[ QUOTE ]
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

[/ QUOTE ]

Falcon - The original "Dr. Mechanico" was a hoot, and I'm glad to see you came up with a sequel. Thanks!

---

- Green Lantern
"Say, Jim...woo! That's a bad out-FIT!" - Superman: The Movie

Me 'n my posse: http://www.citygametracker.com/site/....php?user=5608

[ QUOTE ]
how does someone gain access to signature heros and villains like states man and lord recluse???

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a technique built into City of Heroes called "demo editing". It's a way to record/playback/and script your own scenes. It's completely text-based and about as much fun to code as pulling teeth from a shark...but the things that can be achieved are pretty amazing.

Todd

---

"Scumball in the side pocket." - 8 Baller

so how does a normal person, someone without coding knowledge, get to use these toons?

---

PHAT - 50 mastermind (bots/dark)
Sgt. Major - 45 corr (ar/traps)
DIRT MONKEY - 30 brute (SS/fire)
Longbow Reject - 50 crab
chiken hawk - 10 brute (ss/wp)
all on virtue

Kungfu Bunny - scrapper (ma/regen) freedom

Hehehe, I consider myself pretty normal most of the time

I think "use" would be the wrong word. Let's take Babytoons for example. The easiest way to create those shots would be for someone to record their toon (not a signature toon) jumping from the top of Atlas and fighting etc. When you record it creates a text file. So you go in and edit the text file to replace your character jumping down and fighting with a signature character, like Lord Recluse.

That's in super simple terms. The coding that was probably involved with the shots in Babytoons is pretty amazing. It's no small undertaking.

So you see, there's no way to really 'become' a signature character in real time.

Todd

---

"Scumball in the side pocket." - 8 Baller

so i supose asking BaBs or Posi "please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please can i use lord recluse and statesman in my video of them sitting around a poker table deciding the future of paragon city" would be out of the question.

---

PHAT - 50 mastermind (bots/dark)
Sgt. Major - 45 corr (ar/traps)
DIRT MONKEY - 30 brute (SS/fire)
Longbow Reject - 50 crab
chiken hawk - 10 brute (ss/wp)
all on virtue

Kungfu Bunny - scrapper (ma/regen) freedom

[ QUOTE ]
so how does a normal person, someone without coding knowledge, get to use these toons?

[/ QUOTE ]

Go to the Feb 8th edition of the City Scoop - you'll find an article I wrote called TOONS ON FILM that's a fairly step-by-step set of instructions on how novices can take a crack at videos.

There are also a couple REALLY awesome guides in the Guide to Guides section on "demo editing." They really are writting for the folks who look at democode and go "WTF?"

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

[ QUOTE ]
A shame Samuraiko didn't make it, a darn shame. And in my opinion it was a toss up between Leandro, 8 baller, CollegeJem, and Samuraiko. All amazing videos, really great work everyone.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks... I was horrendously depressed at work all day today, which frightened quite a few of my co-workers because I'm the one who's always cracking jokes and stuff. I think almost everyone in my department was wondering who in my family had died.

But I'm still glad I took part, and I'm glad that some talented friends of mine made it all the way to the finals.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

[ QUOTE ]
so i supose asking BaBs or Posi "please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please can i use lord recluse and statesman in my video of them sitting around a poker table deciding the future of paragon city" would be out of the question.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, all you need to demo edit that is a table, and the models for Lord Recluse and Statesman. Like previously said, the best bet would be to demorecord you and a friend in the Pocket D sitting at a table, then edit out your two characters, replacing them with the Lord Recluse and Statesman models. In fact, that'd probably be a good way to get your feet wet doing it, if you are interested.

Check out the resources found in this link, it has all the info you need to know to get started.

---

Arc #345863 - When The Bough Breaks
"Curse you Perry the Plata...wait, is that Love Handel?" - Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb

Besides, KungFu, considering I had Lord Recluse and Statesman MOSHING in one of my videos, I doubt they're gonna spaz about you having them playing poker!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

[ QUOTE ]
Besides, KungFu, considering I had Lord Recluse and Statesman MOSHING in one of my videos, I doubt they're gonna spaz about you having them playing poker!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]

And Statesman and Ghost Widow dancing together after being shot with a Dance Gun

Word up.

---

Arc #345863 - When The Bough Breaks
"Curse you Perry the Plata...wait, is that Love Handel?" - Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb

Some really great videos were submitted for that contest and I'm glad I didn't have choose the finalists but I think Etiquette of Assassination should have made it in just because of the cool music.

Congratulations to the final five, you all did amazing work.

---

Don't forget to vote!

(And thanks for the compliment on the music, I had a lot of fun doing a remix of the Heroes1_Loop music.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

Heck, getting toons together in the same place, even doing odd things like dancing, is the easy part as far as I'm concerned. It's positioning the camera that eats my lunch...

Thanks for the mention, 8Baller. I'd give you a hug, but, as I mentioned earlier - I'm a guy... LOL! Oh. Wait. Are you a girl? LOL!!!

Seriously - It has been a pleasure to compete with such a great group of heroes. You've demonstrated the true Heroic Ideal in the way you've reached out to help others, supported all that needed it and made this competition an uplifting experience. There are no "losers" in this group, and I'm honored to have shared the stage with each of you.

---

What Star_Dancer said.

And I'm STILL getting negative comments on mine! (Including an "I told you you wouldn't make it into the top 5" remark).

I'm thinking that once this contest is over, it's the last time I have anything to do with GT and its users.

I'll host my OWN contest! I can't give away a car or anything (I wish), but maybe once February rolls around and John and I get tax money and VSI check, I can host some kind of video contest with a prize of some kind for the top three...

Of course this means I can't enter my own contest, but oh well...

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

[ QUOTE ]
I'm thinking that once this contest is over, it's the last time I have anything to do with GT and its users.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, you better slip over to the Retrospectives page to see if there's anything you want to watch.

Oh, and don't miss Monty Oum's stuff. He's a one-man Pixar!

---

It's pretty obvious why those 5 made it to the finals. Each of them features a heroic or heroic seeming person turning to the dark side or at least seeming to. I'm including Babytoons in this because it includes a seemingly nice friendly teacher who turns into somebody who gleefully beats down another super being. In other words showing a completely different side.

If you actually watch the little commercials that you have to sit through before each contest video you will see the same theme. Someone seemingly good doing something just a bit naughty.


There are others which may be good videos but have absolutely no light side to them. The character is dark side all the way through. I think what eliminated Samuraiko's video from being a finalist was that it suffered from this. Although technically polished to a high gloss as usual for Samuraiko it lacked the concept that they were looking for. Somebody with a light side getting in touch with their dark side.

---

Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!

Interesting to note, the "Know the Council" video on YouTube is slightly different than the one I submitted to the contest.
I took out the copywrited music for the contest entry and reedited the ending to remove that in the credits.
I did have to have multiple approvals in order to use a text to speech program for Orders voice. But in the end they said it was okay...

---

[ QUOTE ]
There are others which may be good videos but have absolutely no light side to them. The character is dark side all the way through. I think what eliminated Samuraiko's video from being a finalist was that it suffered from this. Although technically polished to a high gloss as usual for Samuraiko it lacked the concept that they were looking for. Somebody with a light side getting in touch with their dark side.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're probably right, Mandu, which would explain why a video like "The Return of the Revenge of Dr. Mechanico" didn't make it either.

Which is ironic, because if I'd been allowed to use my choice of music (ie, not just from the game), the video I wanted to create was VERY much "light turning to dark." But since I could not find a piece of CoX music that did the concept justice, I opted not to use it, and created "Etiquette" instead.

Oh, well. Guess I'll just have to top myself on my next one... *snarky grin*

Coming up on the roster... the "Ode to the Videographers" and "Positron vs the Marketing Department."

AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I'm thinking that once this contest is over, it's the last time I have anything to do with GT and its users.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, you better slip over to the Retrospectives page to see if there's anything you want to watch.

Oh, and don't miss Monty Oum's stuff. He's a one-man Pixar!

[/ QUOTE ]

The Final Fantasy retrospectives just made my jaw drop. Especially the FF6 one...and I'd never finished the game...

---

Arc #345863 - When The Bough Breaks
"Curse you Perry the Plata...wait, is that Love Handel?" - Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, Phineas and Ferb

[ QUOTE ]
It's pretty obvious why those 5 made it to the finals. Each of them features a heroic or heroic seeming person turning to the dark side or at least seeming to.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I've been thinking too. They did say in the rules it was 25% of the judging. If I could go back in time, I'd definitely change my storyline to reflect that much more.

---

I really can't say one video or another should be up in the top 5 that already isn't. In fact, I could probably choose 10 other videos that I feel also deserved one of those spots. There's just that much awesome from this competition.

Picking the finalists couldn't have been an easy decision, and it's not one I would have wanted to make.

---

Can't wait for the Videographers one, DR. I hear it has some handsome heroes in it ;-).

Im also never going back to gametrailers, ugh, its such a disgusting swamp of negative tards. I'm actually glad that I'm done with it. Now I can work on other stuff and not have to worry about it.

Don't forget to vote folks and don't be too discouraged. We are finally getting events in our arena, I'm sure more will come. :-D

---

A Guide to Champion Drama
My Videos
Ashcraft been published.

If I could have chosen it, The Return of the Revenge of Dr. M would have got my vote. Samuraiko would have been second place.

Out of the options, I voted for Dark Advice because it got the biggest laugh out of me.

---

[ QUOTE ]
If I could have chosen it, The Return of the Revenge of Dr. M would have got my vote. Samuraiko would have been second place.

Out of the options, I voted for Dark Advice because it got the biggest laugh out of me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Second place would have been nice (hell, even third would have rocked)! Why?

HEROCON MONEY!!!

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

---

Babytoons was absolute gold!!

---

Shard Warrior - 50 MA/Regen/BM Scrapper

Founding Member and Leader : Shadow-Force
Co-Leader: Council of Heroes
"Whatever evils come this way... we will be there to stop them."