[Kolgena]

I think I see reflected light off the asteroids in Ancients 4.

Very nice effects

[mjn.mixael]

Someone wanted to see some animation so I rendered out a quick low-res preview of the first 20 seconds of EndGame. Note that I HAVE NOT worked on Lighting, Engines, Explosions, and haven't yet tweaked the little details of the animation.

It's link is on the first page.

[MatthTheGeek]

The subspace tunnel looks like it rotates quarter a turn, stop, repeat. This should be smoother I think.

Aside from that that's really awesome. I hope the lighting will make so the Thoth and the Ulysses just before the last part are a bit more visible, cause for now they only are barely.

[mjn.mixael]

Yeah, I noticed that on the subspace tunnel after the render. I'm pretty I accidently set my repeating keyframs to bezeir and they need to be linear. The lighting and engine glows will make them much more noticeable.

I also tried to give the Ursa a bit more of a jolt when the explosions happen near it.

[Rodo]

I also tried to give the Ursa a bit more of a jolt when the explosions happen near it.

Noticed that, good call it makes it look more dramatic.

[sigtau]

I just got finished watching several of these, and might I say DO WANT. 

I can't wait to see you do Hall Fight.

[mjn.mixael]

Yeah... there are some terrible animations of the Shivans in that one... I intend to fix that.

[Shivan Hunter]

O hai.

You've got some truly awesome stuff here. I am seriously impressed by the quality of the Ancient cutscenes.

Anyway, I have two concerns about the animations you have in the first post:

• The quality of the nebulae and starfields you have is astounding, but the resolution on the planets is less so. This is slightly evident in the first cutscene, and a bit annoying in the third. You could check out what some people are doing in the Celestial Objects Thread- their work has done nothing but improve greatly ever since that thread was started. I'm sure some of them would be willing to contribute to the high-res cutscenes.
• I know this is probably a moot point since Endgame isn't done yet, but some of the animation seems forced. This is especially evident at the end of the cutscene, starting at about 16 seconds- some fighters accelerate or decelerate almost immediately. Sorry if this is just something you haven't addressed yet.

Again, this is astounding work. The cutscenes are one of the few aspects of FSO showing their age, and these are certainly welcome improvements. I know I'll enjoy seeing these once they're finished.

To quote the Vishnans (dunno if you've played Blue Planet) - "You fly unbound beneath eternity."

[mjn.mixael]

Yeah, I'm still tweaking the animation. On the bright side, Ancients 5 is almost finished rendering!

[Galemp]

Don't forget normal maps! Even the original cutscenes had those.

[Oddgrim]

simply amazing stuff 

[Titan]

The word FMV kept me back at first. I need to watch less spoony expirement.


Good work dude.

[Lucika]

I need to watch less spoony expirement.

Have you seen his 90-min vlog?

[mjn.mixael]

Sorry guys, it is just taking some time to get the Terran model right. At the same time I'm tweaking Ancients here and there, as well as fixing up and preparing to animate the next section of End Game. I'm still going strong though. I am also back to work this week which means a little less free time...

[WhiteFox]

Don't give up.
It is okay - Everybody has to work.
We stand behind (/with ?)  you

[Galemp]

Erm, before you set to serious work on the really tough stuff like Hall Fight and Endgame, can we have the finalized versions of Ancients? Just in case you vanish, as people have on occasion.

[mjn.mixael]

I guarantee you that I won't vanish. I say this not because of some unproven love of FreeSpace or whatever else, but because video and film are my absolute passion. Between studio projects, I'm always looking for something new to challenge me and it has been a while since a new tutorial on sites like VideoCopilot.net (while a fantastic site) have been truly challenging. This project has already taken me to new levels of video production. Ancients 5 for example forced me to think up new ways to solve the 'corona' issue. End Game is cake, it just takes a bit longer because of the need for a 3D program.

Hall Fight is the last one I'm doing. Right now I'm working on the FS1 Intro and it's just the Terran models that are taking some time. I've modelled interiors before, so I'm not worried at all about the Arcadia Comm Room.

All this to say that I'm here until this project is finished. Also, in all the time I've been doing video work (since about 2002), I have only left 1 project unfinished. Don't worry friends, I'll finish.

Besides, I'm not quite happy with the Ancients videos yet.

[Kszyhu]

I don't know if you heard about that, but there are some renders made by Volition, available here. Perhaps they could be used as a reference.

[mjn.mixael]

I don't know if you heard about that, but there are some renders made by Volition, available here. Perhaps they could be used as a reference.

Thanks! That will help GREATLY when I begin on the Vasudan and Shivan. Not to mention the room in the Arcadia station!

[Titan]

When you're done, are you considering doing those unmade cutscenes, such as the fight in the bar between the terran and vasudan?