Rejoining the fun with LarryB and everyone in the quest for the perfect Extra CD (Volume II).

Similar information may be elsewhere but I don't see it here in the Extras II CD development area.
If any of this is at odds with what Larry and the team have put together thus far it will be removed or delayed for a later volume in the Extra CD series.

I estimate we have enough content (uncollected) for at least 5 CDs. Thats a conservative number. A:M Users are prolific! Where are all those resources.... we'll find out! Most can be found via a search on the A.R.M., here in the forum or though a popular search engine.

Here is a basic structure of the interface menu (as it stands and how I see it):
Projects & Models
Actors (Note: This section might be trimmed down and best examples of each type put on display?)
Anime
Caricature
Cartoon
Realistic
Sci-Fi-Actors
Miscellaneous

Animals (The best examples of each whether seen before or not?)
Aquatic
Mammals
Birds
Misc-Animals

Cityscapes (This is a much requested theme but few have been collected thus far. It can include any and all setups that contribute to using cityscapes in your animation)

Vehicles (Perhaps highlight the 'realistic' vehicles this time around as the last spotlighted 'cartoony'? We have some might as well show 'em.)
Land
Water
Air
Space

Props (We could put some untextured TWO props here and encourage people to use available materials available? Probably not... but a thought)

Materials & Textures (We can put on display all those materials that didn't show correctly (no preview image) in Volume I?)


Contest Projects (There are a lot out there. Those involved in the Mini-Movie contest are welcome!)

Tutorials & Exercises
The Art of A:M (If included this would be a simple overview with links to get A:M Users quickly up to speed)
Animation Bootcamp (Overview and Exercises)

Everything Anime (Since it didn't make the menu in Volume I we can share it again)

Colin's Cooper Tutorial. (This links into Exercise 11.5 of TAoA:M to and covers completely modeling Cooper)

Tinkering Gnomes Workshop. This is a spotlight on John Lemke's (JohnL3D) project files demonstrating special effects in A:M. I imagine a minimum of 10 being on the CD but we could probably fill 2 CDs will just his project files alone. Locating the best of the best and those that demonstrate A:M's current features is optimal of course. Thanks to John for these!

Plugins (This would be a compilation and explaination of plugins both separate and included with A:M. A dedication to the hard work of plugin and utility programmers if you will. Stefen's examples from his website could be made available 'off line' via CD this way)
Stefen Gross
Marcel Bricman
Emilio
...and more!

Links (Need prime links to what is important to Hash Inc and the A:M Community... like the TWO wiki!)
Hash Inc.
Hash Forums
The A.R.M.

Note: I have not listed specific content (stagecoaches, planets, etc etc) We haven't forgotten!
We'll itemize here if necessary.

------------------------------------------
Thats my take on content at the moment.
There isn't a 'theme' yet per se but one is surely developing.

Note to Vern: No need to panic concerning vaporware. Relax!

Thanks to JohnL3D for the reminder of v13 to v12 file format capatibility issues.
I've switched almost exclusively to v13 these days and had temporarily forgotten!
(hey... it snuck up on me! I wasn't planning to move all the way over yet)

We may implement a version identifier (icon?) in the interface to help guide people to files they can use.
That way there'll be something for everyone with a special emphasis on newer v13 features.
The focus on v13 resources will be to demonstrate v13's new features and capabities so those'll be the ones of greatest interest (I think). Some resources remain compatible (i.e. standard materials)

Now if I can just remember not to save v12 files to v13 by accident...

Anyone want to create some really basic version icons?
You'll be immortalized on the Volume II Extra CD.
No animation... just simple version tags.

I have some simple future type skyscrapers and one really big one that is a copy of a well known concept called 'sky city'.

I'd be happy to donate them.

...and I'd be happy to give you a really big hug...er... that would really be apprecated!
Thanks!

I'm hoping we can get the rest of the solar system collected to go with your earth too.
I think that will be very useful for a lot of people (students in particular and friends of sci fi everywhere).
Generic planets and outerspace themes would be nice to collect as well.

Ive just completed 3 Models (Cottage, Tower, Castle) in simple fashion for donation. How do I get them uploaded?

If you are making them for 'Tin Woodman of Oz' you'll want to visit the TWO section of the forum and get connected to SVN.

TWO models aren't being released (generally) yet. They are only being shared with others working on TWO. From my understanding (incorrect though it may be) once the movie is released the models will be released publicly.

If you mean to say you've modeled these and would like to donate them to Volume II then you are free to post them here or email them to someon on the Extra CD project team.

Rodney, I have most if not all of the planets, just no moons other than earth. I'll make sure I bring all of that to the Hash Bash, so we can mull over what can and can't be used.

p.s. - I'll give you a hug right back if you're not careful.

We are such a friendly forum... are we not?

I can only imagine the school students that will be all too happy to use the collection of planets.


Which leads me to suddenly and spontaneously interject.... "Stagecoach!!!"
Kamikaze donated his stagecoach. Does anyone else have any Western themed models or projects?

I know we have at least one or two horses without cowboys.

Is froggy boxing and my tutorial still gonna be on the cd? I hope so

Where can I get this stage coach? Maybe it would be a good prop for my game. I will give the modeler a free copy of the game if I use it.

Since froggy boxing is a free game I might as well donate the herbie boxer model and my friend jin kazama built the ring and I textured it. I'm sure he won't mind if it's donated, he's totally cool.

Doh! I had COMPLETELY forgotten.

Did you already pass those over to someone or are you still refining the tutorial?

This automatically and dramatically increases the value and fun factor of the CD.
/me grins from here to Tallahassee.

Thanks Dennis!

I'll make a zip of everything.

Where do I send it?

Was my conestoga wagon sent with the stagecoach? (I also have a horse I tweaked from the cartoon horse on the AM CD) if not I'll send it that a way (and which way is that by the way? , I've forgotten), and my CSS Hunley Sub. A somewhat historical theme of models.

Mike

Thanks Mike.
I think I have the wagon but send it again just in case.
You are welcome to send them to me at:

rodney . baker @ gmail . com (no spaces)

Where email fails I'll get you attached to the FTP.
Paul Daley has graciously donated his server space once again. Thanks Paul!

Can you get me the ftp so I can upload my stuff? Do you want the frog and boxing ring models? It's ok if you don't.

Are you kiddin' me! GIMME!

Check your email... tonight.

I'm going to donate the "Miss CastAway" models. I think they should be grouped in one directory (Zandoria Studios?). There is the Swinosaur, Noah's Ark, Mr. Dodo, UFO, Owl,...also some actions for them.

But doesn't Island Productions own the rights to them?

Cool!




Hmmm... I'll guess the models aren't owned by Island Productions here. Mr. Dodo is already available but has some restrictions on usage... as I recall.

Will?

Mr. Dodo is a copyrighted character. But Bryan (username: Filmfun) has been on the forum several times looking for animators to do something with him. I have made the model available before... So usage of that character should be limited.

The other models were just made as part of my work--which was in delivering the final effects shots. So the actual models remain mine, since I didn't expressly sign over the rights to them. So I feel free to make them available for other users to study or learn from.

Thanks will. Those resources will be awesome to have in circulation.
Backed up perpetually I might add. No fear of ever losing them as long as someone has the CD.

In a word; 'Thanks!'

Now that we've got an Ark... I guess we'll have to push harder to collect more animals.
You didn't happen to model all those girls in bikinis in the movie did you? <kidding!>

(Note: The Volume II CD has changed and will now be released as the 2006 Extra DVD. What does that mean... lots more space for really cool content. Join in the fun!)


Concentrating on 'Space' for a moment...

If you have worked on space related projects in the past and I haven't sent you an email we want to hear from you.

Here are some of the resources I'd like to have on the CD but I'm sure there are many others:

- Characters (Humans (in spacesuits?), Aliens - 2001 rig or Squetch Rig preferred*
- Space suits
- Space Craft
- Aircraft
- Stars and planets
- Robots
- Landscapes
- Rockets
- Rocks (moon rocks etc.)
- Space related material and Effects
(Whatever I missed)

Please note: We are not soliciting 'NEW' models. (Although it'll be hard to turn any down)
Rather we'd like to collect resources already in existance that may have vanished from the public eye.
Ones that would be of interest to the A:M Community to learn from and explore.

See this as an opportunity to promote yourself, your talent and your work while sharing resources with the others in the community. If you'd like to create new content for future CDs... by all means get busy! If it just happens to fit into a slot perfectly on the Volume II CD... we'll make the adjustment.

Volume I was incredible... The Extra DVD is heading the same way.
Help us make it even better.

Thanks!
Rodney


*Resources should be accessible to new users to the maximum extent possible.
Alternate rigs and setups are welcome but we'll need to identify potential incompatibilities.

Just a reminder, Rodney: anything you want from my models page is up for grabs. Most of it is in V12. (The link is in my signature.)

Also, as regards space models, I'll upload my Apollo-era astronaut if I can find him. Maybe I'll even rig him for Squetch if I can (he's in TSM1 now). Also, bug Vern to donate his excellent Apollo command-service module and moon lander.

Thanks Zach. I have your page bookmarked but I had lost the post where you had said that before.
Thanks for the reminder.



I have a confession to make. While I was typing the word spacesuit you immediately came to mind.
Your animation must have made a pretty lasting impression on me.



Excellent idea! Will do.

I don't know if it fits what you're going after, but any tutorial I have made or will make (I'm in the middle of one now) are fair game, Rodney.

David,
Thanks!

CD Space is a major factor here. The smaller (in size!) the better in this case.
We are definitely collecting tutorials but I'm afraid most won't get onto Volume II.

I've tested turning some of your tutorials into HTML and/or flash tutorials (without sound) and that really brings the file size down. The time that it takes to edit a tutorial like that into a professional looking presentation says that's gonna take some time.

Maybe we'll submit a Volume II and III at the same time?
I'm already thinking about 5 CDs ahead.

Tutorials were the top requested item from last year... so we'll do everything we can to move some toward A:M Users.

There will be some strategic tutorials on the CD.

Hello David,

Maybe here you find a way to lower filesize if needed, among it's content is avi2swf and a .swf can easily be "html'd", hope this will help...

Niels.

Having troubles sending attachments to you Rodney, any alternate places to send files to?

Mike

Mike (and all contributors),
We have two options here I think.
Both Hash Inc and Paul Daley have granted some server space.
Now I just need to get connected myself and get busy.

I'll start contacting everyone as soon as I get settled in.

Thanks for the link, Niels! I'll do some experimenting.

Thanks Rodney,

Hangin in there.....smile

Mike

Posting this to confirm the following contributors:

Will Sutton (Project files used in film production)
Jim Talbot (Decaling Tutorials plus models from previous A:M CDs)
David Rogers (Tutorials etc)
Frendon Brasier (Architecture Models)
Jody Krivohlavek (Not sure I'm suppose to reveal all yet... but planets from our solar system are included)
ZachBG (models from his podcasts/projects)
Rodger Reynolds (Mechanical Modeling Tutorials)
John Lemke (Special Effects projects)
Mike Cossey (Stagecoach and more)
David Simmonds (Tutorials)
Dennis Borusso (Froggy Game/Tutorial... ribbit!)

...and many more! (No slight intended to anyone I haven't listed)

There will be many more contributions that are carried forward from past A:M CDs.
Expect to see more great content on display. You'll recognize the names:

Ken Heslip
Mark Scodacek
Mark Strobehn
Vernon Zehr
Colin Freeman
Javier Poot
Rich Jackson
Raf Anzovin
Billy Eggington
Stian Ervik Wahlvag
Steffen Gross
Arthur Waselek
Phil Leavens
Emilio Le Roux
...and the list goes on.

Join in the fun!

Just to keep everyone in the loop here...

I burned the first DVD tonight to start to lock down content for the Extra DVD.
It weighs in at:

Total Files Listed:
5481 Files with 4,890,193,344 bytes
845 Directories

I figure both the files and the directories will be cut in half to get rid of excess and hidden files never meant to get onto the DVD. Once there the number of files will again rise until we have ourselves an Extra DVD.

I'd say I'm about 5% done.

Long way to go but we are gonna get there.

Thanks again to all the contributors!

Oh a lotta stuff and a lotta work Rodney ,Im realy looking forward to this ,It will be like having the masters at your side

4 Gigs?! Where'd you get all that content? Did Martin have another few cds hidden away?

How did I get on the list? I haven't contributed anything to this extras DVD. I don't even have access to any of the content to help out.

Mark,
Some of the models you rigged from the last A:M CD as well as the Extra CD Vol I will be on the Extra DVD.
So you are credited.

Now if you get bored... there is a ton o' models that will be on the DVD unrigged.
As it is it'll give new users some models with which to practice rigging.

As I said, I don't have access to help with any rigging.

Rod,

I can help out on the QA pass like I did last time.

-MWS-

Mark,
Sorry, I'm slow... I didn't know you were available and willing.

I'll get everything put up on the FTP and you can pick out your favorites.
I don't want to abuse you like we did last time but to have you rigging... life should always be so good.




Mark,
It's great to have you on board again!


Its the attack of the Marks all over again.

Now if we can just entice Paul and Ken...

I just finished rerigging one of two models from the AM cd for Hash Inc. I got one more to do, (installing 2001 rig in models that had a custom rig, Wookie and Sir Nigel) so they work with the actions on the cd. It's been awhile since I installed that rig.

So, how many models need rigging, which rig, and what's the deadline?


Oh, and I said from the beginning that I would rig a few models, but the TWO movie was my first priority.

Ah, thanks for refreshing my memory.
Paul and I must have exchanged some email about giving you guys a break.
After all you did on the Extra CD we thought you needed it.

I don't have a count on figures from past Hash CDs.
There are quite a few of them. Some we ruled out as needing to berebuilt from the ground up as I recall.
So there is that element of the project. Those models it may be better to just put on the DVD as is for inspirational and archival purposes.

My plan for tonight (should my wife allow it) would be to organize all those models.
I personally haven't seen them in a very long time. I've just been moving their folders here and there.

The files I personally would like to see updated would be the super-type-heroes that Alian Desroachers (earlier set) and Jim Talbot (latter set) put together. But that is just me...

So... I'll send you the FTP info and get some files ready to evaluate.

Its great to hear those models on this years A:M CD will be rigged by you.
That gives me another reason to upgrade.

Rodney

Just found this forum...

If you want, and you don't already have, I can send you the source to all of my plugins so that other programmers out there can see how easy it is to create import/export plugins within AM. I can get it to you in whatever format you want, and include both v12 and v13 examples for each...

Just let me know...

Arthur Walasek

You are a very generous man, Arthur!

Alright!
A programmers corner (files and folders at least) is something that was missing from the DVD.
It would be great to have the code to your plugins available on the DVD.

Thanks Arthur!

Just let me know where to send it, upload it, or whatever... I will try and clean it up a bit too...

Arthur

Make sure you comment your code for those newbie programmers.

I can't stress this enough. I once had to work with completely uncommented code at a job... nearly drove me to drink!

So... plug-in coders... COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT!

Thanks...

I will try and put some comments in my code to help people understand what is going on. For the most part it should be pretty straight forward... And, it isn't assembly language...

A request to contributors here.

If I told you that I'd email you access to the Extra DVD FTP area please remind me.
I haven't really given anyone access to the FTP yet!

If there are certain files I'm suppose to get to you I'd like to know that too. I know I owe Mark some Actors for rigging for instance.

Its a new month and I had hoped to have a new DVD burnt to settle the content a little more.
Gotta get back on this! Lots of great content awaits.

I've been trying to find that fine line between bugging everyone to death about 'gimme gimme gimme' and getting the job done. I do appreciate everyones effort.

For those that don't feel you can contribute projects, models etc. you may be interested in some of the other things heading for the DVD. I'm resurrecting A:M Digest to provide an alternate way of looking at resources.
It won't replace the outstanding menu that Vernon Zehr designed and the Libraries will all be there too. The A:M Digest 'magazine' part of the DVD will just provide another way to look through the information/resources on the DVD. If this type of thing (comics, publishing, etc.) interests you I'd like to hear from you.

Thanks!
Rodney

Rodney, just setup a 'models to rig' folder on the ftp and place them in there. Once I'm done I'll move them to a 'rigged models' folder.

Rodney, I don't know if you noticed, but I gave my JD character to mark for the Rigging WOrkshop. If he gets it finished in time, you might want to see if he's good with giving his part of the work to the extra DVD. For my part (modeling), I'm fine with giving the model to you for the DVD.