|
|
Post by Goldash on Dec 26, 2010 3:15:52 GMT -5
'Bout time I did one of these things again. Here's what's happening with the event so far:
-All this time off is giving me some prime CAW making time. I have around ten done so far, and I need somewhere around 20 characters made for the event, so I'm halfway done. It's been taking a while, mainly due to the fact that I'm literally importing and tweaking the original 2008 formulas (or remaking the few who were created in 2010)...not to mention it's been tough recreating some of the attire.
-Speaking of tough, some of the morphing values and changed CAW parts make things hard to successfully recreate. Thanks to the lack of quality cornrows (sigh), SBP now looks dramatically different than his last iteration. I tried to make his 2011 CAW a bit more like his 2007 shaved-head iteration, but the change is so dramatic that he looks completely different. He looks a bit less stereotypical than he once was, if that counts. Just giving the trolls fair warning before they flood me with "OMG SBP LOOKS DIFRENT LMAOO" over and over again.
-Speaking of tough once again, attires are going to be a bit more "minimalistic" this time around, so don't expect tons of tight designs layered on top of one-another...if anything, I'm going to try and make things a bit more realistic on the attire front, but we'll see where that goes. As many of you have seen over shows, attires will often change as ideas pop up, so nothing is set in stone (especially Karlsson's, which I was very upset over).
-I'm going to try to make as many wrestlers as I can in order to produce some sort of trailer in the near future. However, the Mac Pro and Final Cut Studio will arrive in the middle of this, so there could be a chance I make said trailer using that hardware and software, respectively. It'll give me much-needed editing practice, if anything. I'm not sure exactly when things will fall into place, but I'll try my best to make some progress, whether on Vegas or on FCP.
I'll try to post some screenshots in the near future. Until then, feel free to be held in suspended animation.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Dec 28, 2010 16:02:37 GMT -5
Quick update:
-I've created everyone I needed to create for Unrivaled Ambition, appearance and entrance-wise, at least...now it's time to tinker with movesets, which may take a bit more time. Everything is falling into place, so that's good.
-On the Mac front, I'm not certain it'll all be ready to go, software and all, as soon as I expected it to. If anything, I'm gunning to make everything, including trailers, graphics and the like, on Vegas since it's the only thing I have access to. This may just be the last event I edit on Vegas, sad as it is. But I'm anticipating it.
-On the trailer front, I may throw something together in the next few days, so some video should be posted this weekend or by early next week, depending on how much time I have. Not sure what its concept is just yet, but I'm sure I'll have fun with it.
-As I said in the last post, expect screenshots soon. I'm very happy with how the characters translated into 2011, and since I'm such a perfectionist, things are (almost) 100% recognizable. I say "almost" because of the previous post's mention of Shane B. Perkins and a few other wrestlers who I had to overhaul the appearances of due to no real fault of my own (blame it on Yukes). With the rest, I tried my hardest to get the faces as close to their 2008 models as possible, while simultaneously striving for a more realistic and less "animated" look. I'm sure all of you will be happy. If not, oh well, haters gonna hate...or I'll try to improve them as much as possible.
Hang in there, more substantial information is on its way.
|
|
|
|
Post by Undamaged Threat on Dec 29, 2010 15:46:58 GMT -5
Does this mean that we will see this guy...  On SVR11?  |
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Dec 30, 2010 0:36:23 GMT -5
Quick mini-update, I've been trying some radically different things out with lower thirds (hint: namebars and overlays) that may or may not work in the context of a wrestling show. I've been making test video after test video and have yet to see if it's a step back or a new way of visual interpretation. Who knows. Just trying new ideas out and you may or may not like them (because WWE doesn't really use them). May post screenshots of these ideas later if necessary but as for right now, I'm trying to bring some unconventional things to the forefront based on my fascination with the "aesthetic" of television. Also, big news...I may just abandon Vegas entirely as I'm going to get the Mac Pro tomorrow. Final Cut may be a few weeks away, however. The PC will still be used, mind you, at least for now, but a demo of FCP and Motion on the stock hardware in the Apple Store exceeded my expectations. Get ready for some amazing things, at least in future shows (not sure about what I'll do with UA). Does this mean that we will see this guy... On SVR11? Yes, along with SVR11's many potentially embarrassing facial expressions (he's booked in the first HighStakes match, if that ever happens). |
|
|
|
Post by DevildrummerX on Dec 30, 2010 2:55:50 GMT -5
Quick mini-update, I've been trying some radically different things out with lower thirds (hint: namebars and overlays) that may or may not work in the context of a wrestling show. I've been making test video after test video and have yet to see if it's a step back or a new way of visual interpretation. Who knows. Just trying new ideas out and you may or may not like them (because WWE doesn't really use them). May post screenshots of these ideas later if necessary but as for right now, I'm trying to bring some unconventional things to the forefront based on my fascination with the "aesthetic" of television. Also, big news...I may just abandon Vegas entirely as I'm going to get the Mac Pro tomorrow. Final Cut may be a few weeks away, however. The PC will still be used, mind you, at least for now, but a demo of FCP and Motion on the stock hardware in the Apple Store exceeded my expectations. Get ready for some amazing things, at least in future shows (not sure about what I'll do with UA). Does this mean that we will see this guy... On SVR11? Yes, along with SVR11's many potentially embarrassing facial expressions (he's booked in the first HighStakes match, if that ever happens). Going with a freaking Mac Pro now? I thought you said an iMac; anyway good luck getting all that set up and situated. |
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Dec 30, 2010 4:12:18 GMT -5
Going with a freaking Mac Pro now? I thought you said an iMac; anyway good luck getting all that set up and situated. Yeah, I was set on an iMac for a good period of time but thought the (entry level) Mac Pro was best because of its potential for upgrading as technology advances. Right now, it's not necessarily mindblowing, but it has space for four hard drives, four PCI graphics cards and up to 16 GB of memory, so there's potential there to turn it into a monster as the demands of my future editing/graphics work (hopefully) increase after I graduate. It costs a bit more than I would have liked (not counting the HD monitor I'd have to get for high-definition editing capabilities), but it's all going to be worth it. I'm fully aware I can get a much more powerful PC and monitor for three-quarters of the price. But I've been itching to get a Mac for editing purposes ever since High School and I guess this is the time. Don't worry, I won't become a nearsighted Starbucks-guzzling Mac hipster overnight, because I don't have any product allegiance...or do I?  |
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Jan 3, 2011 21:55:24 GMT -5
-FYI ,I won't start editing or capturing matches until I purchase the Final Cut Studio suite, so apart from the entrances/trailers, no "real" work has started apart from CAW-making and such. Not sure when it'll happen, but I'm sure that I'll have it in no time. Besides, I'm not a big fan of Adobe Premiere...its functionality is a bit too clunky for a job that demands precision.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Jan 6, 2011 20:26:53 GMT -5
All right, business is about to pick up, and fast. Was able to get a free version of Final Cut Express today, and its limitations don't bother me, so we're about ready to go. It doesn't include Motion, which is what I really wanted to use, but I decided to go with Express because the new Final Cut Studio is coming out in March or April (according to rumors) and I'd rather not waste 300 dollars on it right now. The After Effects and Photoshop trials will last me until I purchase the Adobe Production Suite.
I'll be working on graphics and such first, which should take a few more days, then it'll be on to some event-oriented capturing. Expect some more video teasers and screencaps in the next few days.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Jan 14, 2011 18:40:06 GMT -5
About ready to start full-out match capturing. Animated graphical work and event structure itself is still very much up in the air but they'll be figured out when the time comes.
I'm looking to use some production tropes not widely used on wrestling shows to give the event a more "sport" than "sports enterainment" aesthetic (although it's more like a combination of the two). We'll see what happens by the time everything's ready to go, however. I just want to get stuff done.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Feb 3, 2011 19:14:59 GMT -5
2/3/2011: Scholastic education is back underway, and there's also a prestigious internship I am currently attending to (I mean PRESTIGIOUS), so work on UA is going to have to be a weekend project from here on out. This weekend, I'm attempting to finally get back to work on it, as many graphics are currently incomplete, so that's what I'm attempting to attend to. Capturing will surely follow.
Rest assured that I will try to make time for showmaking as I see fit, since this semester is much less intensive than the last one (but equally, if not moreso important thanks to said internship opportunity).
If this event isn't as graphically intensive as the last one, than so be it. But most of it is just trying things out and playing around with After Effects and such, so...we'll see where it all goes from here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Mar 18, 2011 14:34:54 GMT -5
Notice I haven't been posting or updating recently? That's because there really hasn't been anything to post or update. For all the same reasons, actually. I've been working on many outside productions (audio, mostly) so there hasn't been a lot of time to waste and such...and the time I do have to waste has been sleeptime, for the most part.
Wish I could do more but there are obvious invisible walls in my way (gamers, you know exactly what the hellz I'm talkin' bout)
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Apr 13, 2011 21:20:32 GMT -5
Can you believe it? Real work has begun on UA. Meaning one match, for better or worse, has been captured. I'm going to need a second opinion on it, of course, since I haven't done this for a while, so I'm actually pretty skeptical of what happens when I finally view it again in a few days. However, yes, the event is not vaporware (or the wrestling event equivalent). One match down, four to go.
"Ring Rust" is an understatement, however. It took me nearly four hours just to get the two-controller juggling down again. But it's safe to say I'm back in action. Well, we'll see about that, at least.
|
|
|
|
Post by DevildrummerX on Apr 13, 2011 21:40:54 GMT -5
*Claps* Good to see ya back in action man. Take your time we all want the best event possible not the quickest. The URWL STILL is the most realistic CAW league in existence.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Apr 15, 2011 16:00:35 GMT -5
Devil, the hardest thing is trying to make things look more realistic than ever before in such a short time frame. The one match I captured, Akina vs. !ntero, is quite an anticipated match, so I tried my hardest to get a "big match feel" out of something under 12-15 minutes, since I treat UA as more of a "special event" than a "supercard". Hopefully the match itself is worth enjoying.
Some more thoughts from me after the capturing...
-The movesets, ugh. I know everyone complains about them but the lack of variety is a pain in the ass. Akina's style in the earlier games (minus 2007) was defined by one of the most unique and diverse movesets I've ever put together. In 2011...maybe it was just me being tired the night I put it together, but I can't seem to reach that same amount of "random cohesion" so to speak. Just as I've always said, everything on this show is a work in progress, so things will probably get better down the road.
-Appearances. From far away, Akina and !ntero look...funny to me. I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it's because the line between "realistic" and "super-deformed" is closing, or maybe it's because I totally dropped the ball on the morphing values. Oh well, once again, they are works in progress. When you're in close, these guys look better than they've ever looked. Instantly recognizable. This sort of awkwardness, however, strikes when seen from far away. I can't explain it. Maybe I need to take some more things into consideration.
-I really credit the reversal system with making things a lot more realistic this year, and realism is exactly what I'm looking for. If I can fool people into thinking they're not watching a dude playing a video game, I've done my job. In previous years, I didn't care. The SVR2007 shows I'm uploading are a bit harder to watch because of that. Maybe it's age or just a newfound appreciation for the wrestling business, but I'm more focused on storytelling. If that comes out in UA, awesome. If not, I'm going to try my damndest in the following shows. You have my word.
|
|
|
|
Post by afrobandito on Apr 15, 2011 19:19:08 GMT -5
Good to hear that you're working on the show again. |
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on Apr 24, 2011 11:11:10 GMT -5
4/24: Can you believe it? As of right now, three out of five matches have been captured and are ready to be edited. Things are progressing at an amazing pace thus far, but I've been equally excited and frustrated. Going this long without producing shows has left me a bit rusty, as I've already said, and because of that, I've tried very hard to logically progress. So if any of these matches seem a bit underwhelming, that's the reason why.
From my perspective, however, these matches, warts or whatever, are things I can at least be proud of because they're some of the most realistic I've captured, regardless of 2011's reduced movesets. I think it's all going to work out well when the actual show hits, but at this point, I'm equally pleased and a bit tentative.
Brace yourselves, ladies and gents. This summer's going to be one hell of a ride...I hope.
|
|
|
|
Post by Undamaged Threat on May 7, 2011 18:39:38 GMT -5
I wanna see how you tackle the tag team entrances for SVR2011 since you can't do it in story designer anymore.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on May 25, 2011 15:31:49 GMT -5
Okay, so I just graduated from college. ;D This means one thing: unless I'm swamped in media job searching or on vacation (which is likely), this leaves more time for me to work on Unrivaled Ambition. With the majority of the matches captured, I'm looking to finish some things up and get right down to business. I wanna see how you tackle the tag team entrances for SVR2011 since you can't do it in story designer anymore. I cropped and zoomed in a bit to work around the nameplates in 2008, but since they're a bit bulkier now, I'm not sure. Probably just going to do whatever works best. |
|
|
|
Post by Undamaged Threat on May 25, 2011 19:54:13 GMT -5
I actually discovered recently on a way around the venue graphic at the start of the entrances.
Turn on WWE Universe mode and make a custom match on match 2 or 3 in one of the shows.
|
|
|
|
Post by Goldash on May 26, 2011 18:47:18 GMT -5
I actually discovered recently on a way around the venue graphic at the start of the entrances. Turn on WWE Universe mode and make a custom match on match 2 or 3 in one of the shows. That works a lot better than the way I was doing it...I just had each "first wrestler" enter in a six-man match, since no one seems to hang out inside or outside the ring...and then captured the second/third/whatever wrestler afterward as normal with the first wrestler standing outside the ring for continuity's sake. |
|
