News: Cutscenes and Server move

gevatter Lars

Vice Admiral
Wing Commander Saga will feature pre-rendered cut scenes.
The outro has allready been finished and the basis for the intro for the Prologue campaign is finished, and is getting some final cosmetic touches such as lighting, animated maps, and so forth.
The picture below features a scene from the intro as a wing of Hellcat's escorts a small shuttle convoy. The image is a test render, and does not yet feature all of the visual effects that will be included in the final.
20-05-01.jpg


Also, to insure fast and problem-free access to our upcoming release, we have moved to a new server. You will be able to access our website through our new domain www.wcsaga.com .
 
gevatter Lars said:
Also, to insure fast and problem-free access to our upcoming release, we have moved to a new server. You will be able to access our website through our new domain www.wcsaga.com .

That right there struck me as the most promising thing in the entire post. You guys are really gearing up towards release, huh? Don't lose momentum now! Good luck.
 
Don't lose momentum now! Good luck.
Thats more easly said then done...just when I started working on the last parts of the CGI I got a call and two hours later a job with 9-12 hours working each day and just 3-4 hours of traveling to my workingplace.
That takes a lot of my time and I am trying everything to get things done...but sometimes I am just to tierd. Still I managed to be barely in my set scedule and hope to keep that up till the release.

Still its a good feeling to see that we could restore some of the faith you people got.
 
No need to restore faith the mods gonna be great when ever it does come out. I hope your getting paid plenty at your new job for all trouble its causing.
 
Well its not realy a job in the strict sense more a practical course if that is the right word for it. I work without getting paid just for the chance to get a payed job after my practial time or at least some insight and contacts in this business. More likely is that I just make some contacts and then go the path of a freelancer.
At the moment its all very complicated over here in germany.
Maybe I even have to go to school again to get a "state-proven" diploma...some companys are still beliving that this means something.
 
Some people of the above post their comments with a bit of a cinch; a push-over I dare say. Let alone that you actually pointed out about getting little rest - and I sympathize there.

If your work tends to bother or interrupt with the Saga project, why not you draw up a time schedule at least. OR continue with the project on the weekends and carry out some different work on the other days?
 
The render looks great, Lars. :D

Can't wait to see the final cinematics! Are you using the in-game Saga models as per the cgi/live-action trailer from last year or are they higher resolution models made specifically for the cut-scenes? Either way, it looks very promising.

Cheers,


BrynS
 
For the above test render I used ingame models and applied bump/specular/glow maps to them. Engine glow is a falloff texture, btw
 
@Don
Making a timeschedule is hard if you work on demand. Like today I got their, worked for about one or two hours, then got back home just to go back later and work into the night...still open when I come home and I am just waiting for the call to return.
Sometimes you even have to work during the weekend.
Thats why I work when their is even a little time to do something.
Still I made myself a general schedule in what week I want to finish what so I still got an overview of what to do and when it has to be done.
This week will most likely be hard...today alone we had 5 EB teams out their (nearly halfe of the personel we have) what means tones of betas needs to be captured, cut, texted and so on this week.

@BrynS
The render is made by Tolwyn..I think he just used the lightsetup I made for the scene.

Still the CGI will be made the same way as the trailer...except for the actors since we don't have an own greenscreen, no actors, no costumes and I no longer time to do all the work that comes with it.
Still with the proper mapping..as Tolwyn said...and some postpro the cutscenes should look nice.
Ed will later add the sound fx and music to the graphics, as he did for the trailer.

Ok enough talking...back to work with me ^_^
 
Mostly he dosn't like it because I use more complex lights that generate a better shadow in my opinion but bump up the rendertime if you are not using mentalray.
 
Hmm, I would assume that you use a pretty generic light setup that mimics the classic film studio approach. two softer fill lights and one strong kick light that is always opposite the camera. Typically that sort of light setup doesn't normally affect the rendering in any significant matter. But, I'm certainly no expert.
 
Its not the number or position of lights its the type of light and how shadows are calculated.
The very basic max light is a shadowmaped light that is rendered quite fast by the normal scanline renderengine. Thats what Tolwyn mostly uses.

I prefere raytraced shadows or area shadows in combination with the mentalray renderer. Longer rendertimes but I prefere the shadows since they are more acurate.

Tolwyn mostly tries to use the scanline renderer with my raytraced lights what resaults in endless rendertimes because they aren't made for each other.
 
Maj.Striker said:
Why? You don't like his setup?

How should I put this... I built this scene quite some time ago and, frankly, I saw no reason to replace my light setup. Additionally, mental ray does not work all too well with the final flare plugin I am using.
 
Not to well? It dosn't work with it in any way. I mostly have to do two seperate scenes...one with the flares and one without it to be able to use mentalray.
 
Only for lensflares? Not I prefere acurate lightning over these overused lensflares ^_^
 
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