Evaluative Blog Week 12: The Final Hurdle

This will probably be one of the shortest blogs since Week 1.
Last Week i finally completed my animation with a week to spare, although this feat is impressive it isn't anything i would brag about (mainly because i've only been able to do so much out of stress-working and because my other module was taking its time to get going). It also leaves me with nothing really to say for this final blog, so i'm going to simply evaluate the Scenes of the Animation.
But first, and without further ado, i present to you my complete Animation!
Hope you guys enjoy it, try not to focus on the insecurities i  point out in the blog.

Scene 1 within the Engine Room was assumed to be tough on approach, though the use of tutorials and Reaction Manager done correctly made it incredibly simple. Although the Scene itself hold a lot of features (Camera Shake, Lens Effect, Explosions), i would still - if i were to do this again - have changed the texture of the model; in fact, most of my models could'vre used more precise models for realism, when i look at animation done by other Students, it amazes me how detailed they are - which is quite provoking - however, as we are not particularly marked on the quality of the texture, it doesn't bother me as much.
 Scene 2 with the Star Destroyer was approached with great confidence, as i knew what i needed to do my only criticism is probably the Geosphere, i feel like i should've changed the image i chose to bmp to preserve it's quality, had i done this, i might have got a better starry sky. Another thing i might have tweaked (other than the Star Destroyer's texture) was probably the visibility of the blue Omni lights at the back of the engine jets. During the animation, even when the engines are supposed to go off (as the Lens Effect fades out), the blue Omni lights can still be seen. From the fifth Scene i later found out an easy way to make Omni lights fade out, however i didn't know this at the time. If i were to do it again, i would've put a fade on the Omni lights on the same pattern as the fade on the Lens Effects.

Scene 3 was probably one of the Easiest Scenes to watch and animate, it was quite simply a small tilt forwards. Although i could've had a lot less issues with the Pivot point, there isn't much that i would change here alone (as i would've changed the skydome and Star Destroyer textures beforehand). If i had the whole 'junk planet Raxus Prime' atmosphere, i probably would've added some clouds using Particle Effects and possibly the Blizzard particle effect to act as flying sediment and junk, i probably would've added some larger floating foreign objects also to get the feel of the planet. In addition, i probably would've added more primitives onto the Terrain rather than just modifying its faces. With regards to the Camera, i might have courted the idea of a small zoom-in or zoom-out to emphasise the drama and anticipate the titlt, but i also have to take into account the quality of the full animation as well as the Scene itself.
 Scene 4 was the same animation taken in a different Camera Angle with a slight horizontal tilt added on. Although the texture could've helped here, i'd also would've liked for the Destroyer to have been more detailed on what primitives were built upon it. If i had a longer time for the animation to take place in, i might have added more camera angles such as an inferior dutch angled view (so looking up at an angle) and a more close-up side angle than Scene 3.

Scene 5 gave me a lot of trouble with the renderer's inability to stay in the same range as the camera view. Overall, once it was fixed, the Scene was probably the most efficient and emphasising on the crash (due to the flickering of the red Omni). If i were to repeat this, i probably would've had the computer lights Flickering as well, possibly some objects sliding around the floor and some static human objects that are clinging or fallen on the walls (i could do this using a Ragdoll, however this would mean that MassFX would have to work properly). I might have also added more Omni lights and had a more Sudden flicker, as the light looks more like a light you find in the Ocean rather than a light alerting about an imminent Crash. My final change in the scene would be the use of Windows instead of a gap, that way i could have reflections and i could make the Omni exclude the Terrain Light flashing red also.

Scene 6 was probably my favorite Scene to watch, who doesn't like to watch a Tie Fighter Crash?
The scene was highly rearding of my efforts and animation techniques, including the use of a Dutch Angle. However, this is a place where i wished the Star Destroyer was more detailed, and the Tie Fighter had window reflection on its pod. In addition, if i were to do this again, i might have added more visual effects such as Smoke from the missing Tie Fighter arm and possibly a large spark from the collision that caused the arm to disappear. With regards to cameras, it does irk me sometimes that i avoided the exaggerative Camera 'dodge' i previously planned, but at the same time i realised that there wasn't enought time for it in the frame boundary.

Scene 7 was without a doubt the most difficult. However, my tedious efforts in using Set Keys have been rewarded with a realistic reaction to a crash. Had MassFX worked for me, i might have left it to actual realism and added some more foreign primitives and debris to be knocked out the way from the resulting collision with the Star Destroyer (this and the explosions would've worked much better on a Raxus Prime atmosphere). Texture and details aside, i am probably pleased the most with this Scene due to the struggles i underwent during it, though i do regret making the first PArray explosion a rectangle rather than a Sphere. If i was to redo the PArrays and the genreral Crash (which i am not asking to do; that keyframing took forever!), i might have considered Scaling the Star Destroyer together to exaggerated the force of the crash (so it crushes together a bit).
 Scene 8 was as Simple as Scene 2, given my prior knowledge. Although it is a cyclic ending and fitting for a Crash following actions of zoom, anticipation and explosion, i do have my issues with the actual Fire Effects. Although the actual Fireball and explosion of the Fire Effect is fine, my issue with it lies with the Smoke that follows. Usually in explosions, the Fire of an explosion lasts a long time and sometimes sticks with the eventual ruin, in the animation, the explosion is quashed very quickly by the Smoke, leaving the fireball little time to display. Despite trying to change this many of times i could never reduce the time the smoke started to overtake the fireball, if i were to do this again, i might have looked more into it for both Scene 8 and Scene 1 - i might also had considered using a Fume plugin i've heard about. I courted the idea of a camera shake to exaggerate the explosion, however i avoided it due to it being too much repetition and because it'd probably never be seen due to the Film Dissolve at the end of the Animation.

Luke, I am your Father Christmas!
http://cdn1.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Star-Wars-Twilight.jpg

As a whole the Animation was good, although textures and models could be improved i am perfectly content with how well it went. Of course there is always room for improvement in these kinds of things, room that could be down to just research or experience, but sometimes you have to work to your own strengths then waste time trying to work on your weaknesses (bad line i know, but the point is it's better doing what you can do well than trying to do something you're not - that's a much better one actually...). For example, for me modelling wasn't my strongest suit, but i've amended it with my animation Skill. If i were to complete the animation once more, i'd had considered the use of sound like i had in the storyboard, however i had little knowledge on the matter and needed to avert my attentions to my other module (which was due in the same day as this). To evaluate the animation i would say it is a great first effort, but from an objective point of view you can see that there could've been more room for detail and realism.

And that concludes the review of the Animation, and therefore the Blog itself! I must admit i've had a lot more fun that i thought i would in the module, and it has amazed me to see where my nrear 200 pageviews (although i know some of them were me - but definitely not over 100, 10-15 give or take) came from. I'd like to thank all the people from the United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Sweden, Germany, France, China and the Netherlands for reading my blog.

So that completes it, longer blog than i expected really but only took about an hour :D
I'd like to wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!


do dodo do dodododoo dodododo dodooooooooooo do!
(http://www.superbwallpapers.com/cartoons/thats-all-folks-7172/)