Machinima Gets MachiniMag, G4-Ed, ILLer Still

ILL Clinton writes "A few notable events in the world of real-time moviemaking within 3D game environments, otherwise known as Machinima-- The Hamburg, Germany digital film festival, bitfilm, has added Machinima as a submission category. Also a new online magazine, MachiniMag recently launched. G4TV is airing, Ours Again by Nathan Moller. Plus, the ILL Clan has announced that their new Machinima series will launch this month, you can see a funny outtake clip from the production involving killer elevator doors. (as my name suggests, I work with the ILL Clan.)"

Re:G4TV?

[adler187]

G4TV [g4tv.com] is (from there site) "The only TV network dedicated to video games and the millions that play them."

As a dabbling screenwriter

[linzeal]

I've used the virtual voices option that comes in Final Draft [amazon.com] but wish there was something like a machinima plug in that would make litle prop "paper doll" actors too replete with generic scenery. Is there any open source screenwriting software out there, and don't say latex or I'll bite you.

Re:As a dabbling screenwriter

[ILL Clinton]

Machinimation software by FountainHead Entertainment [fountainheadent.com]might be a good way to do storyboards. You can use existing Quake 3 maps and it's really easy to find good ones online. There's a free version [fileplanet.com]that comes with assets from the now defunct "Game Over" 3D cartoon.

We use our own Quake 2 mod to do a lot of the storyboards for our episodes, it's a good fast way to see exactly what a camera would see. We also just draw pictures too.

...

Latex!

Re:As a dabbling screenwriter

[linzeal]

ARGGHH, growl, errrrrrrroooooOOOOOO!!!

Thanks. :)

Larry and Lenny

[RotJ]

I remember watching Apartment Huntin way back when (Quake 1 was big).

Realtor: Speaking of which, remember. This guy's a little strange. He doesn't like lumberjacks. Whatever you do, don't let on the fact that you're lumberjacks.
Lenny: We're carrying axes though.
Larry: Well, we got them at Taco Bell. They give them away free with every new taco.
Lenny: Mmm, tacos.

Too bad they only offer it as a Quicktime now. The best way to watch any machinima is through a demo file with the custom models, sounds, and maps using the actual game if it's possible. You might be able to get it through machinima.com [machinima.com] if you get under their bandwidth limit. The most famous machinima out there right now would be Red vs. Blue [redvsblue.com]. It's nice that the concept it getting a higher profile.

Re:Larry and Lenny

[ILL Clinton]

You can see Apartment Huntin' in it's original form [csoft.net] by playing this .dem file in original Quake. You're right, the link to the demo file was deleted when we redesigned the movies page.

AH was made back in 1999, by the way. : )
Funny story: L & L are lumberjacks because we used the original Quake Marine, and he only had a gun or an axe. So we went with the axes.

ILL Clinton
Voice of Lenny Lumberjack

Most excited about HL2

[junkgrep]

I'm most excited about HL2 at this point for seeing some really good machima. The game is probably the first with the capability for player/actors to control their facial expressions, script in complex gestures and body language, interact with objects realistically, and so on. The devs seem to have made the game with machima in mind, with programable camera pans and all sorts of in engine editing goodies. Can't wait.

Machinema that writes itself!

[shiz]

Check out interactive story telling [tees.ac.uk] [wheelie.tees.ac.uk] for machinema that plays itself out according to goals and rules instead of a strict plot - its at an early stage but [shameless plug] having just done my dissertation on parts of it I reckon its an up and coming area!