TOSS_BOSSES on 01/24/2015

Thanks again for all your comments! :) @kanamishra 'The shadows can be distracting at times, but it looks good nonetheless.' Yeah, I wanted to make the shadows better and smooth them out a bit, but unfortunately the render times per frame were 4x as much (Almost 30-40 minutes... :O ) // @MichaelHayes290 'I like the direction you went with the sunny beach-like setting and lighting. It helps separate your video from others which are set in darker, more plain areas.' I decided to have a sunny beach/desert setting really early on in the design process (even before the actual game was designed) mainly because I wanted a more relaxed atmosphere compared to my previous animations and other animations, seeing as the dimly lit surroundings and the high contrast levels in some other animations can make the animation feel too tense // 'I know particles are difficult to model/render, but the game logo and robot breaking the glass were both handled very well.' Thanks! The main problem I had with the robot breaking the glass (and the helicopter that followed...) was trying to include it into the animation but making sure that it didn't distract from the game itself, so I'm really pleased that you thought it was handled well :) // 'My only complaints would be the physics, which seemed slightly off...' Yeah, there are a couple of parts of the physics simulation which I would like to adjust, but in the end unfortunately there had to be a compromise between the amount of time spent getting the physics right and the amount of time left for rendering... To be honest, there were a few parts that could've been a lot worse (i.e. whilst developing the animation there were points where the robots managed to cut through and deform an entire plastic bowl, and they managed to throw a bowl roughly 100m up in the air... :) ) // '...and the huge ring structure, which would be difficult for volunteers to set up if this was an official game' If this was manufactured, the individual rings would be divided into smaller manageable segments which could easily be screwed onto the support structure. The structure would also be divided into individual support beams rather than being delivered as a solid 12 foot square structure. It could also be simplified further by having some form of thread or strong clipping mechanism built into the frame which would allow the majority of the structure to be put together by hand. I know that the structure does look big, but if it was an official game and had to be manufactured, it shouldn't cause much of a problem to reduce it to basic components (a number of small ring segments, 4 vertical support bars, 4 radial support bars) which would be easy for volunteers to handle and put together. I did have this concern about whether it could easily be put together early on in the design process and I came up with some ideas about how this could be dealt with (as above), but I thought that it was unnecessary detail for an animation that should just introduce the game, explain basic rules and show example gameplay. Hope this answers your questions! :) // Thanks again!!! :) If anyone else has any questions, feel free to ask!

   kanamishra on 01/21/2015

The animations are really nice and professional! (I've been waiting pretty much all year to see them lol) The shadows can be distracting at times, but it looks good nonetheless.

   e-LEMON-ators_5119z on 01/18/2015

Hiya, as usual your animations are great. Hope people see how much work you have put in to this !!!

   TOSS_BOSSES on 01/17/2015

Thanks for all the comments! Really appreciate them :) @robbin847 Thanks for the feedback! "What would the spheres in the bowls be made of?" The spheres would probably be made out of hollow shells of rubber similar to tennis balls, but a bit more flexible, so if and when they leave the field, they're not as likely to do damage as a solid lump of plastic would. The bowls would probably be made from HDPE as has been used by VEX previously for scoring objects so they shouldn't break too easily. // "I'm assuming strategies aimed at throwing objects outside would be illegal" These strategies would be illegal in Drift so it fits in with most other VEX Robotics games where only intentional removal of objects from the field is not allowed // "I also like how you have to be able to control the spheres..." The idea behind the spheres in the bowls was from an early concept design involving carrying water where the robots would score more points from being slow, accurate and precise in moving around the field in contrast to most VEX Robotics games where speed and power is favoured over accuracy. Seeing as water and electronics generally don't mix, the closest simulation of the liquid/fluid properties from water is from using loads of small solid objects, which ended up being the spheres in the bowls :) Glad to hear you enjoyed the animation, thanks again for the feedback!

   robbin847 on 01/14/2015

I LOVE THIS ANIMATION!!!!! Also this game is very interesting. I like the way gamplay works as it is very competitive and busy without total isolation. This game would be very cool to play. what would the spheres in the bowls be made of? and because all game objects removed are no longer in play then im assuming strategies aimed at throwing objects outside would be illegal. I also like hwo you have to be able to control the spheres to put them in bowls if they fall out and lift the bowls and put them on the rings and move them. This game is very cool. It might be a bit hard to do but it is an amazing game and animation.

   OskrAcuario on 01/14/2015

Very Good! (Y)

   VoltRobotics5194B on 01/14/2015

Amazing...