United3dArtists Archive

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 17 Oct 2009, 15:58

Welcome on the new wip for the part4.
This month, I search some ideas for the futur special effects of the movie. For many times you ask me to explain more the construction of my work. Here's an example:
To make a tornado, the most important is the speed change of the rotation. On the ground the column turn faster than the upper. In fact the wind did not change speed but as the diameter increases, the speed of the rotation decreases.
I must therefore create an object that shows this effect. It should be useful to setting the speed change between the ground and the sky. The basic object shows the shape of the tornado. Then, I separate the object in horizontal slice.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 17 Oct 2009, 15:59

Now, I pile the objects so that a portion of each object is superimposed. The superimposed part coincides with the alpha mask texture. This setting is necessary for the effect of the tornado. I select all the objects and do several rotation. now they have the same speed of rotation.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 17 Oct 2009, 16:01

On the scene editor, all cursor objects are aligned. By moving the dimensioning tool I can vary the speed rotation of each slice. The difference in rotation between the slices will be attenuated (in the render) by the alpha mask of the textures. It look like a smooth transition of the speed between the slices. Note the Clip area (red) represent that i need. What is useful is you have a visual idea of the variation of the speed. Here, base0 (ground) have a speed x20 than base 8 (sky). The others objets are a duplication of the base to create debris around the tornado (with the transparency shader eroded). Just I change the diameter and the speed. I use a layer for each complete column.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 17 Oct 2009, 16:03

Here is a test. Realism is approximate. Just to see the speed change between ground and sky.

v3rd3 · Post by **v3rd3** » 17 Oct 2009, 17:41

Amazing Marcel....

DesignDevil · Post by **DesignDevil** » 17 Oct 2009, 22:29

short: WOW !!!

This is great. Simple idea - great effect - give me more

One question, the flying particles around the rotating "cloud" - are a post effect?

Steinie · Post by **Steinie** » 17 Oct 2009, 23:02

You are one cool French Dude! That effect made me smile!

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 17 Oct 2009, 23:18

He is more than a cool french dude, he is Marcel

3dvisuals dude · Post by **3dvisuals dude** » 18 Oct 2009, 00:12

You never cease to amaze me Marcel.... truly great talent!

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 18 Oct 2009, 01:34

Outstanding!

An animated texture on the rotating rings might enhance the effect.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 18 Oct 2009, 07:57

Thank.

DesignDevil wrote:short: WOW !!!
This is great. Simple idea - great effect - give me more One question, the flying particles around the rotating "cloud" - are a post effect?

No post effect! It is only the 3d render ( particules around the tornado are another column with transparency shader eroded). see the scene editor and the wireframe. for this animation, I will use post effect for the sky and thunderbolt.

"finis" An animated texture on the rotating rings might enhance the effect.

Yes! better for hd video.

When i want to do something, i search a simple solution. I use plugin when i have no solution but I prefer to work without plugin if it is possible. It is better to control a native scene on a soft. no problem of compatibility.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 18 Oct 2009, 22:11

I added the town. At the right there will a park. Lacks atmosphere, sky and dust. It will be fun to break some windows later. I have an idea on how to proceed.

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 18 Oct 2009, 22:18

OW, amazing Marcel! I'm not surprise anymore... Any Pic you post it's good, getting boring

kidding!

I don't know if you want it but the tornado are very uniform and symmetrical, so maybe do it irregular? But then the problem will be the rotation...

Amazing indeed!

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 18 Oct 2009, 22:30

Leon: next time I'll try to do something more ugly but it's not easy.

The tornado will be deformed by moving. I have not worked this detail. I must also coupling with the sky: a huge storm cloud. A lot of things to do for some seconds of animation.

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 18 Oct 2009, 22:47

Yeah, I know what you mean. Animation is cruel... sometimes you spend several days to search how to do then more days to do just for some seconds... you do whole amazing scenes for appear for 4 seconds... a entire world is created just for 3 minutes of action. Do pics is not compared to a good animation as yours. I appreciate pics of course, so that I do pics and not animations but just for now. Some people do pics/scenes because they think that is better to transmit a feeling, other do pics/scenes because is easier to do than a animatio (include me in the second)

Keep the Good Work!
Cya

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 19 Oct 2009, 17:33

People think what they want but pics or animations are no better to transmit a feeling. Pics is not easier than animation. Animation can hide default (speed, motion blur,...). Still image need to be perfect. Before to render an animation, I see if the first and the last image are perfect as a still image.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 20 Oct 2009, 15:11

Here is a screen shoot during the render of the animation with a motion blur. the tornado is an artificial storm created by the centibots. There will be a view of the sky show the inside of the tornado. This looks like a hollow vortex with objects that are sucked into the sky. A real tornado expel objects outward but here it is an artificial manipulation of the atmosphere. You can see more details if you clic on the image.

noko · Post by **noko** » 21 Oct 2009, 10:45

Awesome! Love it

Great stuff.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 21 Oct 2009, 16:03

Thank Noko! I like your sky too.

Here is the movie of the storm:

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 21 Oct 2009, 16:23

Amazing Marcel!!! I just think that the shadow of that building in the tornado is too much strong (not soft). But is a small observation.

Cya

DesignDevil · Post by **DesignDevil** » 21 Oct 2009, 16:33

wahooo ... looks amazing (what i'm talking ... comes from marcel - ha).

One idea. I know it is a huge tornado and normaly they look like this. But this one looks a bit to "exact" in my eyes. Is it possible to twist him a bit more (or is bend the better word?) so that the "nozzle" more looks like this one here - i think this gives a bit more action to the scene. Maybe with a deformer object.

Steinie · Post by **Steinie** » 21 Oct 2009, 16:58

Looks awesome but was the shadow of the building on the twister intentional?
I would make the trees slightly taller, I thought it was grass at first.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 21 Oct 2009, 18:08

Thank for yours comments.
DesignDevil: It is not a real tornado but artificial vortex and the form is controled by the "Orbital Terminal". I think you'll understand after the view from the sky. I have not yet done. Imagine several vortex begin from the sky which descend to the ground like tentacles (see image). In the other side (view from the sky), we can see the energy making the holes. Look like a ceiling with illuminated holles.

Leon, Steinie: yes the shadow was intentional but I am not really happy with that. I need to change the setting of some building to avoid to cast shadow here. The trees are about the size of 4 floors and we understand that is tree in the hd video. But I can change the size of the trees. Also it lack fog on the building away. I think it will be better to show the size of the scene.

this scene is important for the movie and I'll improve it.

DabblingDan · Post by **DabblingDan** » 21 Oct 2009, 19:26

I am so envious! This is fantastic.
-D-

Karthogen · Post by **Karthogen** » 21 Oct 2009, 19:40

If I could make a request, for this wip?

when you get around to animating the storm dropping the tentacles could you show how you are animating the deformaion of the vertexes, I really had an issue with getting that to work.

Thank you if this is possible.

tahnoak · Post by **tahnoak** » 31 Oct 2009, 17:06

Marcel.... exquisite work and a big thanks for sharing the screenies of your progress. I know that takes away from the task at hand and can be distracting. For folks like me who barely know their butt from the eye of a tornado it helps.

Steinie · Post by **Steinie** » 31 Oct 2009, 18:13

tahnoak wrote:Marcel.... For folks like me who barely know their butt from the eye of a tornado it helps.

I would love to hear that one in French!.. probably spoken from one bad driver to another...

Amazing stuff Marcel!

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 22 Nov 2009, 18:34

Thank for yours comments. Today I have a little time to do some test (I have too much work). I need a lot of windows with broken glass. The glass explod from inside to outside because of depression caused by the storm. First I model a flat broken glass as stained glass to create fragments of glass. Then I use the physics simulation with a sphere who pass throught the windows. I have simplified the model because you must imagine the action with several windows simultaneously.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » 22 Nov 2009, 19:27

I would only thank you for your "tutorial" (and all others things you have posted) on doing a tornado. It's always great to see your works and I appreciates that you describes how you are working. I'm learning a lot from your posts. Thanks a lot.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 22 Nov 2009, 21:26

Thank tommy. Here is a video of the explosion of the window to complete the "tutorial". The interest of the sphere is starting the destruction of the surface by its center and spread to the edge of the window.

Finis · Post by **Finis** » 22 Nov 2009, 21:50

How did you make the window parts so that they fit together?

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 22 Nov 2009, 22:40

It's very simple. Here is an example to model Figure 3.
1 - duplicate A and the cylinder. subtract the cylinder to A. Intersect A and the cylinder.
2 - duplicate A and B. create an other cylinder (or what you want). Duplicate the cylinder (you need 4 cylinder this time). Repeat the step 1 between A and the new cylinder and between B and the new cylinder.
3 - The result: the 4 parts fit togheter. You can repeat this until you have all the parts you need. Remember to duplicate the objects you use before do the bolean operation.
It seem complex but it is very simple with a little practice.
everything I do is always very simple.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 25 Nov 2009, 18:23

To destroy the windows by starting at the center I use two sphere. The first do the impact. I also put a wall behind the window to prevent debris from returning into the building.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 25 Nov 2009, 18:26

The big sphere continue the movment to create the illusion the glass inflates before break. Some pieces of glass in the corners of the window are not affected by the sphere

v3rd3 · Post by **v3rd3** » 25 Nov 2009, 19:50

Marvelous Marcel..... wow... almost a T-Shirt logo in the making....

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 25 Nov 2009, 20:43

thank v3rd3.
To hold the pieces of glass near the edges of the window, the glass is sandwiched between two frames with a small space so they can move slightly but not separate from the frame.
soon, animation accentuate the effect with motion blur. Then I'd do a few micro debris and a flash with post process. The sound will be fun to do.

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 25 Nov 2009, 20:57

Am I already said that you are a master?

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 25 Nov 2009, 21:09

i don't think so.

the best leg length is when the feet touch the ground. That's my philosophy.
My next effect for the animation will make the water that flows between objects. Yes, we can do this with TrueSpace modelside!

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 26 Nov 2009, 17:50

The animation of broken glass with sound. the little fragments are created by post process. I think to do several scenes like this and each scene will be faster than the previous.

Breech Block · Post by **Breech Block** » 11 Feb 2010, 04:57

I have really enjoyed following this thread and seeing your amazing tornado in action, something that has been on my own To Do list ever since seeing Twister starring Bill Paxman and Helen Hunt. So this has ben a fantastic inspiration for me. Are there any updates for this great thread?

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 11 Feb 2010, 12:44

Breech Block wrote:I have really enjoyed following this thread and seeing your amazing tornado in action, something that has been on my own To Do list ever since seeing Twister starring Bill Paxman and Helen Hunt. So this has ben a fantastic inspiration for me. Are there any updates for this great thread?

Yes i continue when i have time to do. I worked on the "electric storm", not a real twister but a kind of vortex created by the terminal. the part 4 is to show the destruction of Skytown to retrieve all the debris and to continue to build centibots. I hope to finish this part soon. There will be a part 5 to show the new world that is growing in the sky with a final surprise inspired by continental drift. When all the scenes are made, I could work on the final cut with a little music. What power this thread for a few more months.
Here is some view of the vortex above the storm controlled by the centibots. It is a simple object with animated meshes and twirl textures. As you can see, all that i do is very simple.

LeonRegis · Post by **LeonRegis** » 11 Feb 2010, 12:47

Seems like shots from a new super production in Hollywood!

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 11 Feb 2010, 17:58

Thank leon but surely it is cheaper.

Here is some update of the electric storm, the terminal and the destroy of skytown. I want an an atmosphere more oppressive:

DanX · Post by **DanX** » 11 Feb 2010, 23:19

Wow Marcel

I wish I had more time to browse this forum so I could keep up with projects like this. I must say that you are an incredible talent. Very impressive.

marcel · Post by **marcel** » 29 Mar 2010, 08:39

B.O.T.4 is finished! I think it is the last "dark" part. Next part will have more flowers.

This is where everything begins and will end:

Bleak Orbital Terminal - WIP Part 4

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