Does anyone know anything about making the cinematics for the game? I played a Storyline mod which had cinematics but the author doesn't seem to come on here anymore.

I was wondering how to do the opening crawl with the yellow text receding into the distance. Is it done in a 3D program or 2D. Or a combination.

Also, those planet transition movies. Like where the Ebon Hawk flies to Manaan or Dantooine or whatever. How do you make the planets and get the size differential right between them and the Hawk?

Does anyone have any idea how to do these?

Does anyone know anything about making the cinematics for the game? I played a Storyline mod which had cinematics but the author doesn't seem to come on here anymore.

I was wondering how to do the opening crawl with the yellow text receding into the distance. Is it done in a 3D program or 2D. Or a combination.

Also, those planet transition movies. Like where the Ebon Hawk flies to Manaan or Dantooine or whatever. How do you make the planets and get the size differential right between them and the Hawk?

Does anyone have any idea how to do these?

The in engine cinematics were done with a little scripting. I think there is a tutorial for that.

The planet transition movies were done in CGI. By far they are insanely hard to do and you will need separate programs to do them. The only easy way to do them would be to take a college course in CGI since thats practically the only way you can find out.

Anyway the opening crawl was done in CGI as well but some people have managed to get past it somehow.

Ironically, I am on a course but they don't teach us anything. I learn more about game design from people in here than on the course. The mod I'm doing is for my final year project so I'm trying to throw in as many game design elements as possible to up the marks. I have a model of the Hawk done in Maya. Shouldn't be too hard to create a starfield, but the planets have me stumped. I'm thinking it would be impractical to make really massive planets. It must be a visual trick of some kind. I expect there's a tutorial online somewhere.

Ironically, I am on a course but they don't teach us anything. I learn more about game design from people in here than on the course. The mod I'm doing is for my final year project so I'm trying to throw in as many game design elements as possible to up the marks. I have a model of the Hawk done in Maya. Shouldn't be too hard to create a starfield, but the planets have me stumped. I'm thinking it would be impractical to make really massive planets. It must be a visual trick of some kind. I expect there's a tutorial online somewhere.

You might do the planets in Photoshop or another paint programe.

Then use these on a simple plain large plane in your maya scene, put some good distance between the plane and the Hawk and let it fly !

You might want to check out these sites and tutorials, first one has a collection about creating lots of space stuff, nebula's , comets, planets, star fields... though their all for photoshop, but they might give you an idea on how to approach it :
Clicky (http://www.solarvoyager.com/tutorials.asp)

Clicky2 (http://ucd.deviantart.com/art/Land-Planet-Tutorial-4586548)

And this is a link what I've tried with 3D-Max, its far from the quality like from Bioware, but then again it already took me awhile to render each shot!

Clicky3 (http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o34/slazzir/3D/?action=view&current=Film_0002.flv)

Hey man that's awesome! If I can manage anything approaching your Iron Talon clip I'll be sorted. Thanks for the links, I'll definitely try that.

BTW, how did you manage the glow coming out of the engines? Was that done in Max or was it done after?

BTW, how did you manage the glow coming out of the engines? Was that done in Max or was it done after?

That was done in Max, it has sort mini AfterFX, to add all kinds of glow.

It wasn't that hard to do, I think I might have even a link about that to :p

Though I'd think if you google somewhat for Maya you'll find something familiar.

Ok, cool. I'll see what I can do.

Quanon, forgot to ask, how did you do the opening crawl effect? That was one of the main things I needed to know. Also, how did you do those camera transitions. Look very Starwarsy. :)

Another way you could try it is to use a space simulation game - I'll probably get flamed for saying this here but Bridge Commander is perfect. If you go to the Bridge Commander part of filefront and download some of the movies people have made, you'll see that they're nearly a better quality than episode of the original series and even TNG.

--Stream

Quanon, forgot to ask, how did you do the opening crawl effect? That was one of the main things I needed to know. Also, how did you do those camera transitions. Look very Starwarsy. :)

That was done with the Windows Movie Maker *dodges rotten tomatoes*

I just pasted in my differant rendered parts, added the opening text , which has the Star Wars kind.

Its actually all standard stuff.

I'm sure there are far more better programs out there to shape up small movies.

That was done with the Windows Movie Maker *dodges rotten tomatoes*

Continues to throw rotten tomatoes.

I was using iMovie for a while before my Mac died. I can't actually think of a good freeware movie editing program.

Another way you could try it is to use a space simulation game - I'll probably get flamed for saying this here but Bridge Commander is perfect. If you go to the Bridge Commander part of filefront and download some of the movies people have made, you'll see that they're nearly a better quality than episode of the original series and even TNG.

Hey, I'll try anything as long as it does the job, I don't mind where it comes from. The problem is I don't have much time for learning new skills right now so the simpler the better. To use Bridge Commander I'd probably have to start searching for tutorials, and I have a model already made so it would be easier just to animate it. Once I finish this silly project I'll definitely look into more involved methods though as I'm beginning to see all the possibilities.


That was done with the Windows Movie Maker *dodges rotten tomatoes*

I just pasted in my differant rendered parts, added the opening text , which has the Star Wars kind.

I risked the tomatoes and tried Movie Maker, and it's worked out nicely with the text. I just need a way to get the starfield in the background. I got myself a copy of After Effects but it's not very intuitive and I don't have time to figure it out.
I was thinking of perhaps pasting some text on a transparent polygon plane in Maya and then moving it past the camera. With a starfield in the bg of course. The only thing is I can't think how to make it fade out in the distance. Maybe the lighting will do that naturally or something. I dunno. I think Bioware should just tell us how they do this stuff. lol

Hopefully you'll post a link once you've come up with something final, Super Nashwan!

This is a fairly insane idea *chucks rotten tomato* hee hee, anyway have you considered using the space battle modules for your cinematic? Or making a simple area with only a skybox that has stars and etc and using the planet's galaxy map model for the planet itself (gonna need some resizing but it should work). And also making a Hawk npc (I managed to do that) and have that npc move to the planet via waypoint (The way some other npcs move from one place to another)

Hope it sparks some better ideas XP
~DX

I was thinking of perhaps pasting some text on a transparent polygon plane in Maya and then moving it past the camera. With a starfield in the bg of course. The only thing is I can't think how to make it fade out in the distance. Maybe the lighting will do that naturally or something. I dunno. I think Bioware should just tell us how they do this stuff. lol

For the Space scene I just putted in a JPEG image of space in the Enviroment Background.

I have no idea what its called in Maya, but in Max if you just render an object the default background is black.

In the Render Settings under Enviroment you can change this black to anything you want.

That is where I putted my starfield with the Planet.

Plus the starfield stays forever at an infinite distance, you can send your ship very far and deep the starts won't change.

A con ofcourse is, no matter how you turn the camera you'll keep seeing the same starfield.

But I found it worked good enough for an approach shot.

But if you want to go real crazy and do a 3D planet I've got this Tutorial.
Its still for Max but it might give you a good idea how to do it :)

http://www.3dm3.com/tutorials/planet/index.php)

Hopefully you'll post a link once you've come up with something final, Super Nashwan!
I will if I can get it looking a bit less rubbish than it is now. lol

have you considered using the space battle modules for your cinematic?

I wouldn't know where to start. I'm still pretty much a beginner at this.

And also making a Hawk npc (I managed to do that) and have that npc move to the planet via waypoint

That sounds like a really good way to do it actually, but I don't have much experience with waypoints yet. The most I've been able to do is get the player to spawn at the starting location from one module to another.

In the Render Settings under Enviroment you can change this black to anything you want.

That is where I putted my starfield with the Planet.

Actually I'm not sure if Maya can do that, it would make more sense than a textured plane if it can. Thanks for the tutorial, it'll definitely come in handy with figuring this thing out.
But with regards to the starfield, I meant how to go about putting it behind the yellow text. I'm trying to get a seamless transition between the opening text to space cinematic like the opening of the game (and movies). I think the only way is to do the text in Maya itself.

Actually I'm not sure if Maya can do that, it would make more sense than a textured plane if it can. Thanks for the tutorial, it'll definitely come in handy with figuring this thing out.
But with regards to the starfield, I meant how to go about putting it behind the yellow text. I'm trying to get a seamless transition between the opening text to space cinematic like the opening of the game (and movies). I think the only way is to do the text in Maya itself.

Ow... missed your point there...
I'm not sure but maybe google might have some info on how the text was done.
Perhaps with some technical info.

Like at how many degrees the text is set, what FONT it uses, how fast it shrinks.

Dunno, never did something like that myself. :)