I'm working on a live action short for NS2. Here is one of the sets I started on. I still have to start on the walls and ceiling and I have a lot of tweaking to do.
Right now the plan is to have the infestation growing into the room while the soldier examines one of the in the bubbles. Then live s show up and s##t hits the fan .

Really I would like to talk to Max or Flayra or someone about trying to tell some of the story or maybe conveying how some of the game play works or something.


Tell me what you guys think so far.


Updates:


Video test: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skMZdXiicK0

Video test 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXS1KQ4ysDw





Script: Done
Done shooting.

Music will be by: www.cphproductions.co.uk

Pretty. Bit dark though.

haha very cool idea!
would be good if the dev's could lend you props and 3d models

Are you sure you don't mean a pre-rendered short? Live action implies the use of real-life stuff.

Are those container spheres rendered in a toon shader or something? I think if the whole short was rendered in that style, it'd be great!

Yea the lights aren't all set up and there is no ceiling or walls so the light doesn't bounce around the room. It will be a bit brighter.




That would save me some time. I havn't been able to get a hold of them yet though.




This will be live action on a green screen set. I will be doing camera tracking with boujou to integrate the 3d environment and lerks into the scene.
I just started, The spheres need a lot of work. I was thinking about some styles to play with because i do like the slight cartoony-ness as well.

Well, it loks ok so far. I would hol doff posting anything further until you have done a proper CG/Motion tracking and compositing test. As this will be the big test to see if you can pull this kind of thing off at a decent quality.

I do however look forward to seeing it. How are you going to do props and the marine armour/helmets/guns?

I work a lot with boujou and green screens so this isn't a first try at this type of thing.
For the gun i have several options including tweaking one of the prop guns i already own and working with a prop builder i know.

The armor is along the same lines, I do own swat gear but I don't think that will be true enough to the game. I have also contacted a few prop rental places but none of the armor i have seen is quite what i want.
I will be focusing more on this once i have an animated set and a lerk under my belt.

There is a good concept of the armor on the site but not much as far as guns so i am hoping to talk to the dev team before i really get into the prop work.

Sounds awesome.

Agreed. Ftw.

Hmm, sounds interesting. Keep us posted.

Looks great, however the bubbles on the right look a bit wider than the ones on the left.

Apart from that it's a pure-sweetness.

Keep up the good work!

The bubbles are actually instances of one that isn't in the scene but the wide angle i used distorted them a bit.
I'm sure all of you have seen the concept art i am working from but just in case here it is:


Here is a little update;

I am having to take a break for another project that is due Tuesday. After that i will work on the armor/ gun for a little while so i can send some pictures.
If anyone can talk to the the dev team it would be great to know if the guns are going to change much in NS2.

without having to talk to them I can say that they are planning to change the look of guns

good to see that the project is getting better and better!

looks like a cool idea, can't wait for more updates.

They're definitely changing the guns.
http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/news/2007...eed_bigger_guns

You know, looking at those guns I don't think a single one of them had a side mounted clip like the lmg. I hadn't noticed that the first time.

Cool, thanks for the link.

Are you going to include awesome dialogue?

My shrink says I need an outlet for my aggression.

very nice, looks pretty good. i liked the bubbles of the the concept, but those in the updated one look more like the bubbles of the official ns2 concept.

continue!

This looks pretty sick. I'm loving the possibility of a cartoony type short, but also well interested in seeing actual actors playing NS Marines

Yes there will be a script with dialog. I'm going to do a demo once the armor is done so the dev team can decide if they want to work with me on what they want in the script.

sweet dude! sounds awesome!

nice

I went to talk to David Petry (he made the armor for star ship troopers) to get some ideas of how to make the best armor I can. He gave me a lot of great ideas that I’m excited try out.
I am building test armor with tape and cardboard so I have templates for all the pieces.
I just finished the test for the helmet:

I have a lot of little things I want to change for the final templates but you can get the idea from the image.

I think for the gun since i don’t have a specific gun concept to work with i will probably do something similar to this:

It’s just a painted Nerf gun. This will save me a lot of time anyway.

I haven’t worked much on the main set but here is a little update:


Set “to do” List:

Fix grates on on the side of the walkway
Finish Ceiling
Front stairs
Growing in infestation
Lerks

I may also make another set or two depending on what the script calls for.

wow this is getting better by the minute

That is the funniest thing I've seen since kindergarten. You should make everything out of cardboard and use an high resolution, hi-fps camera with bright lighting. 5 points for 2d cardboard cutout weapons.

^ I can't tell if that's praise or insult.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes, so good work and keep it up.

Well that is because its neither. I agree with this project which is why I'm not shooting it down.

I just think it'd be awesome if people ran around in Styrofoam armor with 2d cardboard weapons, that would be hilarious.

lol, maybe. but for -this- project?

I had some time so i started playing with how I am going to do the infestation so render times aren't too long.
Here is a little test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skMZdXiicK0
I made an animated displacement map and texture for this one. I have played with a few others but this one has the best look/ render time ratio so far.

*cheer* cant wait to see it completed. it's gunna be like starship troopers =]

In a mall. In broad daylight. With complex choreography of at least half a dozen people.

With actors running up to random pedestrians and issuing taunts.

that looks good

how's this going dude?

Well I am on my break and am visiting relatives and such so I haven't had much time to work on this. I will be going back to work on it tomorrow. The helmet is almost done and I have started on the rest of the armor so i will upload something when I get back. I have modeled the Lerk to a low poly version and will be detailing soon.

sweet!

Well here is what the armor looked like earlier today.
It is getting close to completion now but it looks like chaos at the moment. I'm making sure to make it one size fits most with adjustable straps so it will work for whatever actor gets the part. I'm going to keep working on it tonight so I may upload again if it is ready to wear.

this is amazing work

That looks awesome what your doing there, can't wait to see the final result

here is a little update: The armor is very close, most of it is wearable and very adjustable.

wow nice can't wait to see this thing in action!

Nicely done
Don't rush things, even though I want to see it.

nice, but uh, black colour scheme rather than green? and the TSA 'coat of arms' is gold there, rather than the traditional silver.
it's not really -that- important; since there's no reason they wouldn't have different coloured armour for marines. *shrug*

edit: colour scheme for the second team for MvM?

The armor I made is actually green, the low light situation and taking the picture with a cell phone makes it hard to tell.
I think your right about the silver "coat of arms" but I have been working off of this image and its nice to have the stand out. I don't think it will if it is silver.

Oh, I never noticed that.

-

I notice 'shoulder pads', but do you have the neck guard? Forearm guards(?)? Glove/gauntlets? Boots?

Its all there except the boots and neck guard. The neck guard i will work on soon and the boots i will get when we have an actor.\

Here is the low poly obj I made a little bit ago.

I usually detail in the modeler so it will be fun to detail in zbrush. I will probably up-load my progress later tonight.

Little update.

Wow. Great work.

Looks (sickeningly) too much like a newborn baby though.. needs the skin

What an ugly baby(I kidd, I kidd). I totally agree though, great work.