United3dArtists Archive

IMPORTEND

THE FIRST 3D ANIMATION CONTEST START'S ON 2. OKTOBER 2009.

WE EXTEND THE TIME FOR THIS ANIMATION CONTEST UNTIL 30. NOVEMBER 2009 !!!!

All animations which are submitted until the end of this day are in the contest. The poll for this contest will run from 1. DECEMBER until 5. DECEMBER - exactly 5 full days. LEONREGIS will open the thread for this poll.

THESE ARE THE RULES (JUST) FOR THIS CONTEST:
ALLOWED:
- any 3D software package are allowed
- no restriction in length but the resolution should be a minimum of 480x360
- any theme are allowed (comic, robotik, facial animation, tracking - never mind)
- you can use any model's - no matter which source
- upload your final animation onto youtube and present it here OR upload it anywhere else in a "normal usable" codec like XVID/DIVX or MP4 so that anybody is able to see it

NOT ALLOWED:
- it is NOT allowed to use motion capturing files - this is a animation contest - no model, rigging, drag'n drop contest !!!
- it is NOT allowed to use animations that you have created before but you can use your rigged model, see above !!!

So let's have fun and create cool animations. The best will be win and he can make the rules for the next competition.

Use this Topic here JUST to present your final entrys. For discussions, WIP etc. create a extra topic. Thank You.

What is the Theme?

The fun is, no theme. Just what you want!

I was hoping to eventually animate my outpost WIP. Any way I can just continue on the WIP for the Outpost for the Animation contest, or start a new WIP for the animation? Can I even use that model?

Of course you can use! About the WIP I don't know, would be better don't mix modeling with animating so it's good open another, if you disagree do your way.

Cya

OK, here goes a question. I use motion capturing software EG. Camera's to create alot of my motions. These are not predone motion files, as each one is done just for that animation. So are you saying that we are not allowed to use that kind of data either?
Is the a restriction to the type of content allowed?
Is there a restriction as to how many animations can be entered in per user for each contest?

As they say, beggars can't be choosers, so I don't believe there
is a limit on how many animation submissions allowed.

I know you make your own motion files so I'll leave that question up to
the Challenge administrator for this Month.

1. You can create so many animations that you want.
2. Hmm....ok, in the case that you are create the Motion Capture by yourself i would say (for this contest) it is allowed. But it would be good to show this in a "making of" as real video how you have done it.

To the 2. one:

it would be cool if anybody could explain how he has done his animation to give a few informations and "how to's" to the comunity but i believe this was also say'd by leonregis

Right DD, that's the way so... Yeah, I talked to show how you did the animation, but I think is optional or could be a requisite...

hmmm...i thinking a bit about the "making of"...

what is your opinion. Show a "making of" after the contest or create a WIP thread, tell the story and show how the animation progress goes?

I think that if the guy did on a WIP he could just post the link to the WIP and if someone didn't the WIP then he need to write the little ''how to''... that is it.

okidoki...

in this case i also will start a wip thread

So, here it is - my WIP THREAD: vi ... ?f=5&t=965

Hey to everyone out there.
I see that now I must explain how I create my own motions and how it is done. So here I will tell you of the software and provide a link where you can download a trial version of it.

The software is called shoot3d website http://www.shoot3d.biz"
The way it works is by using the software and two webcams.
Yep that is all you need and a little practice with the software and you are creating your own moves.

I have a extra room in my house that allows me to use as a green screen room and a motion capture area.

I use two logitec webcams that I bought off of craigslist and I wear black sweats and a black long sleeve shirt as I shoot against a white wall as you will need that contrast to make it work.

After recording your moves you then use the software to map your movements, the software then takes a little time to run through the video and it then creates a standard motion file that can be used in your favorite 3D animating software.

What works best for me is to import the action or motion file into Poser from there I am able to make any needed adjustments in the motion that might have been missed in the capture process.

Once I am satisfied with the overall motion I then export it from poser and bring it into TrueSpace as a BVH file.

One thing you must remember is that this is not rocket science. If you try to make everything too perfect in the motion capture software you will end up with movements that are that of a robot as they say to error is human, you want that certain amount of error in your motion to make it real.

For example in a walk cycle you only need 30 frames of it and then you can repeat the cycle, you dont need a room so large that you can capture 1 minute of walking.
Head movements can be captured separate and then latter applied to the overall motion of the object, the same applies to arm movements.

NOTE: use a well lit room, the better the contrast between the dark clothing and the white walls the better results you will have. I have used blue jeans and a dark colored long sleeve shirt, the results are not as well.

Now that I have explained myself and how I create motion capture files I would hope that my method is ok and I can go ahead and finish with my animation and present it as an animation for the contest.

That is cool, if I ever get enough room I may have to give it a try. I don't mind you using the motion capture at all, I think the main reason for the rule was to prevent someone from just making a default model and adding a free BVH to have it dance around for 3 minutes. Not much animation in that, but I followed your WIP with the Video you submitted to FOX. I look forwarded to seeing what you put together.

Karthogen says it: "I think the main reason for the rule was to prevent someone from just making a default model and adding a free BVH to have it dance around for 3 minutes." - is exactly what i mean. In your case is the creation of a animation also a big challenge and needs a lot of work. So for me it is acceptable and i'm interestet to see a animation with this technic.

Sorry, but I don't know what are you talking about...

Jeffroig has his own section in the WIP Section. You can take a look at some of the animations that he has already done. And I beleive he was using the same technics, please correct me if I am worng Jeffroig.

vi ... f=30&t=406"

The Bar has been raised.

Yes you are correct in this statement.
For the past year and a half I have created all my motions using this method.
I had a very vast library of canned motions and I decided that this was not the way to go and I deleted them all and now all the motions I use are ones that I have created using the software and webcams. I now have a very very vast library of motions that I can say are 100% mine that I have created.
One more point I would like to make about the software is its ability to load a video into it that is not of yours.
For example you can take a video of anyone walking or moving or doing any action you would like to use and load it in and map it. Once again please pay attention to the contrast. What I have found works the best when doing this is to convert the video to black and white or grey scale and then play with the brightness and contrast to get the best results.
You dont have to spend thousands of dollars to create your own motions. A few hundred dollars and you have your own motion capture system.
One more point I would like to make and that is the software shoot3d is a very large file and contains alot of various DLL's to make it work, I have found that it is best if can do it to install it on a computer other than the one you use TS or any other animation package on as at times I received errors and it was do to conflicts between some of the files the shoot3d installs and what is needed for your animation software. I use a Dell Optiplex GX 260 to run the motion capture software on and do all of my 3D design on a HP DV6000.

Thank you for the heads up on that one.

Here is my submission. I have a lot of work to do on learning how to animate.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QGoJmCD7LTE&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QGoJmCD7LTE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Really well done! It's really truth...

Sadly I think I'll not finish my animation until the deadline

3 Days for the poll... and just one animation! What we should do?

Declare a Winner....?

Animation Contest here are going to be extremely tough to get started
because of the amount of time it takes. There is no Carrot on a stick
(Prizes) to inspire.
If the SMC and MMC gets little support the Animation Contest will certainly
suffer the most. Our numbers here are not strong enough yet. (may never happen)

An Animation WIP will probably be the best options at this point for generating interest.
Others might like to join in an help.
I'm actually thinking about starting one soon as another experiment.

well, regarding prizes, I could offer up a choice of either the obj package or the fluids plugin.
We gotta get this show on the road!
It'd be good to get something up on the web page as well.

I agree Steinie...
Froo I already thought about it (put prizes) but since I have not to offer (just models, and it you can encounter easily..) would be great and I will be really thankful if you do it, of course I'm already thankful but more is better...

Cya

PS: I remembered, Karthogen did an animation... so we can choose between Kart's and DD's animation!

Dont be so fast to judge a winner. I am rendering off mine and will have it up today.

No Problems! I would do the poll just in the deadline...

Steinie wrote:An Animation WIP will probably be the best options at this point for generating interest.

I had no time for this contest and for the robot contest (2 subject i love). But i remenber an old anim competition on caligari forum. It was my only one contribution for animation contest.
The page on the site:
http://www.caligari.com/gallery/animati ... efault.asp
or directly download my video here:
http://www.caligari.com/gallery/animati ... m/1095.wmv
You can see the hand i use for the centibot. Already 5 years. Time flies!

the winner will be announced on the front PAGE

Here is my animation for the contest.
Startedon it at 7:00 am this morning and finished it at 1:00, rendering took 2.5 hours.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CRyF9dAWDfU&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CRyF9dAWDfU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Hello guys,

i'm so sorry. I had not the time to finish my animation for the contest. Reasons:

- i was deseast for about 2 weeks
- small family "problems" ... well baby's
- my mother is here to visit us
- i had to much to do

To the last point ... to much to do ... i can show something. It is not a 3D Animation but it is a animation. I have done this for a good friend of mine who creates the cool music for my animations. He asked me to create a music video for him and i could not say NO - so, here is the result:



I don't know if this video would be allowed for the contest but if not - no problem, rules are rules. Will the best be win and i try it again in the next contest.

best regards, DD