the march of the gelatinous cubes: extreme video madness participation thread

melodywhr

we'd like to have a mad march of the gelatinous cubes on PE or possibly some other zone if necessary, record it and put some music to it.

if this sounds like something you'd want to participate in, reply to this thread and list when you're mostly available and your time zone. if we did it around the same time frame that sominator used to do the neverwinter adventure hour or if maybe a friiday or weekend evening is better... these are the kind of things we want to know.

let's get this party started! who's with me?

kolatmaster

I'm down! Though I won't be available until the evening of 4/7, as a work convention is going on today until then...

If you can wait, that would be spectacular.

harnel

I know I am. This has the potential to be awesome. And hilarious.

I'm at GMT -7. As someone unemployed, I'm ready anytime you need me to be.

dardove

Just tell me when.

thebriman

Sounds amazing! I won't give time/date suggestions, as my schedule lately is too all-over-the-place to predict. But I'll check this thread regularly and if I can be on at the time I'll definitely be there.

bioshrike

I'm down, depending on the time. I'm on the US East Coast.

frarii

Totally down for it too, but i think that only "lime" cubes is a bad bussiness decission, should come in different colors! moar money for PWE moar fun!

melodywhr

how about a tentative time of 12pm CST this saturday? what time is that for you? is the day all wrong? time slot?

i'm working on an electronic mix of the PE theme so depending on how that turns out, that may be what we march to. but it'll all be in post production anyway... so. yeah!

angrysprite

I'll be posting a basic "blocking" map to help us coordinate in-world. This will allow us to work more efficiently and all the actors will know what we will be needing ahead of time. This way, communication in-game (which is slow and more difficult) will be minimal as everyone will have a preconceived idea of what we'll be looking for.

If you're interested in participating, please keep a sharp eye on this thread.

how about a tentative time of 12pm CST this saturday?

This works for me - we just need conformation from others who can be there. Note: actual recording in-game will last maybe 3 to 5 minutes at most. THEN the really hard work begins! LOL

angrysprite

Okay, I've made up a blocking path ("blocking" is just an industry term to describe where people are supposed to be at any given time).

I figure at least 8 Cubes. Each path is numbered 1 through 8. The actors will each have a single assigned path (1 through 8) that they must follow. if we have more than 8 actors, then some paths can/should have multiple actors. We will decide which actors follow which path on shoot-day.

The idea is to have Cubes following these paths simultaneously which will give the most efficient recording we can get, and save everyone as much frustration and time as possible.

We will need to do 3 or 4 recordings:
I will not be one of the cubes as I will need to stay put to ensure a little frame-rate (FPS) loss as possible. We record three time for this reason: I will stand at north of market (near Rhix) for round 1, then near Knox for round 2, then just below Invoke circle for round 3. This ensures I will have good vantage point for razzing when editing in demo record mode, but also give us at least three "takes" to work from.

We will need each actor to volunteer for a path to take. Please take the same path on all three takes. Start Position will be all cube lined-up side-by-side at the foot of Neverember statue in the main square (see map). The blocking paths are simple. Simply follow one number along its route to see that path. (I'm thinking the opening to be a Tombstone march (think O.K. Corral or Right Stuff)).

Here is the thumbnail image:



Here is the full-resolution image (needed to see the paths clearly):
http://f.cl.ly/items/1E1e2A0Z3W2c3C2r2702/March_of_Cubes_Blocking.jpg

So if you want to participate, you might want to pick a path and even practice running.

We'll probably create a temporary custom chat channel to communicate, and we'll probably come up with a couple short chat "codes" to communicate when to "go" when to "stop" when to return to start positions and what not.

I'm looking forward to this. OH, and there will be end-credits in the video with everyone's @Handle name who participates. also note: though we can do the "recording" in a half-hour in-game, once that part is done it will take a long time before the video is actually finished as there will be a lot of rendering and editing work involved.

msrebel1972

Count me in! But, what is the pink path in the Middle of PE? I can't tell in either resolution

angrysprite

msrebel1972 wrote: »

Count me in! But, what is the pink path in the Middle of PE? I can't tell in either resolution

Where you see the number stacked-up (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) is the foot of Neverember's statue (inside the well area, facing north, toward the Hall of Justice), where everyone is "standing" when the word "go" is given. When the word comes, everyone runs north to those two small staircases that lead out of the well area up to the main deck. Those pink arrow simply show the path to those two small staircases. Half (1-4) will then go to the left stair, the other half go to the right stair.

harnel

Hmm... Path 7 seems easy enough. I'd be willing to take that one.

Are there any particular character classes or races you'd prefer us to be? Given one can see us inside the cubes.

angrysprite

Race and class are up to you, though if I do any "close-up" shots of any cubes where the character within is recognizable I'll probably go with someone who clearly appears to be a Wizard class (no matter the race) - just because it will look better in video terms (think: one second: fast recognition of class = Wizard "makes sense" = easily and quickly recognizable.)

But beyond that, come as you wish!

dandare

Seems like the Moonstone Mask will be only place in PE which is Gelatin-free (did Liset Cheldar prove to be slime-allergic ? )

Anyway: nice event ^^. I say pass only due to recent AD deficiency which proved me unable to buy a cube ^^; (so strawberry-cat flavor is out it seems :P )

Best regards! ~Angry Neko Elf

radtatat

Count me in! I'll take Path 4 please. Easiest to remember as I have a real poor sense of direction. Will be on my main account though, not this forum account.

Thanks for doing this.

angrysprite

I've created a custom Chat Channel we can use at shoot time: "cubechaos" (lowercase, no spaces, no quotes).

OH! And FYI I am @Skytzyc in-game. I'm not sure which character I'll be in, probably my GWF dressed like a Pirate (because easy to spot with THAT costume) - Rugorim@skytzyc

melodywhr

angrysprite wrote: »

Okay, I've made up a blocking path ("blocking" is just an industry term to describe where people are supposed to be at any given time).

I figure at least 8 Cubes. Each path is numbered 1 through 8. The actors will each have a single assigned path (1 through 8) that they must follow. if we have more than 8 actors, then some paths can/should have multiple actors. We will decide which actors follow which path on shoot-day.

The idea is to have Cubes following these paths simultaneously which will give the most efficient recording we can get, and save everyone as much frustration and time as possible.

We will need to do 3 or 4 recordings:
I will not be one of the cubes as I will need to stay put to ensure a little frame-rate (FPS) loss as possible. We record three time for this reason: I will stand at north of market (near Rhix) for round 1, then near Knox for round 2, then just below Invoke circle for round 3. This ensures I will have good vantage point for razzing when editing in demo record mode, but also give us at least three "takes" to work from.

We will need each actor to volunteer for a path to take. Please take the same path on all three takes. Start Position will be all cube lined-up side-by-side at the foot of Neverember statue in the main square (see map). The blocking paths are simple. Simply follow one number along its route to see that path. (I'm thinking the opening to be a Tombstone march (think O.K. Corral or Right Stuff)).

Here is the thumbnail image:



Here is the full-resolution image (needed to see the paths clearly):
http://f.cl.ly/items/1E1e2A0Z3W2c3C2r2702/March_of_Cubes_Blocking.jpg

So if you want to participate, you might want to pick a path and even practice running.

We'll probably create a temporary custom chat channel to communicate, and we'll probably come up with a couple short chat "codes" to communicate when to "go" when to "stop" when to return to start positions and what not.

I'm looking forward to this. OH, and there will be end-credits in the video with everyone's @Handle name who participates. also note: though we can do the "recording" in a half-hour in-game, once that part is done it will take a long time before the video is actually finished as there will be a lot of rendering and editing work involved.

hahah that is CRAZY and i love it. hahaha... what we'll probably do is a call for cubes in zone chat tomorrow before the designated time to make sure we have enough. the more, the merrier. [i hope we don't break the server... O_o]

i'll add the custom chat and we'll blast that on saturday in-zone as well.

akromatik

Oh man! This looks amazing! Unfortunately, I won't be available this coming weekend...is there any chance we might be able to do this sometime next week?

angrysprite

akromatik wrote: »

Oh man! This looks amazing! Unfortunately, I won't be available this coming weekend...is there any chance we might be able to do this sometime next week?

I don't wee why we can't give it another go next week also - to allow others who can't make this week. This is simply our (Neverwinter players) way of saying "Thanks you Crytic for an awesome game and all the goodies, bugs and glitches aside".

The actual recording portion (actors running their courses in-game while I record) is the easy quick part. Once I have the recording it will take a few weeks to actually finish the video. I will definitely PM you directly when it's ready and provide a direct download link so that Cryptic can put it up on their YouTube channel (if desired/authorized/all-that).

Since rendering the shots from the recording will take a week or two, there's no reason we couldn't do it again next week (to another time in that time frame) to add even more shots - because as a pro video editor I can tell you: the more material I have, the better the end result will be!

FOR EVERYONE ELSE:

I will be posting a comment in this thread this morning before today's "event" to explain exactly how to find us (changing instances), where to go (the foot of Neverember statue) and who to look for (A picture on my avatar). Reminder, if you war to participate: look at the blocking map above as you'll be asked to follow one of the numbered routed through PE.

angrysprite

TODAY AT 10 A.M. Pacific Time we will record the MARCH OF THE CUBES in Protector's Enclave.
Local Time Converter: what time is that for you?

Here is how to participate:

Be sure to go in-game at least 15 minutes before we start so we can get things coordinated for a smooth event! Have your CUBE mount ready to go.

Once you are in-game:

STEP 1: JOIN CUSTOM CHAT CHANNEL.

Press ALT on your keyboard to enter Mouse Mode. Click the "PLUS" symbol (+) on your CHAT BOX. The Chat Options window will appear. Click the tab at the top called CUSTOM CHANNELS. In the "Join/Create" text box, type in (Cube Chaos for clarity, all lower-case, no spaces):

cubechaos

The custom channel should appear in the list, join that channel so we can more easily communicate. It is highlighted in blue in this example (right-click the image and choose to view it in a new tab to see the high-resolution version):




STEP 2: CHANGE INSTANCE.

When you log into the game, your will be placed at your last location. If not already there, you need to come to PROTECTOR'S ENCLAVE. However, the game will automatically place you into an instance number based on the number of players in that instance. You may need to change instance in order to find the other actors and "film crew".

Important: we do not know which instance we'll be using because we will want an instance with as few players as possible for lag reasons. You must do STEP 1 first, then monitor the CubeChaos channel to know which instance to change to - we will continuously announce this (and you can simply ask and we'll answer).

How to change instances:

First, be sure you're in Protector's Enclave. Then click the BLUE DIAMOND at the top-right of your mini-map. A window listing the instances will appear. You may have to scroll down. The first column is the INSTANCE NUMBER. We will broadcast in chat which instance number we are located in. Select this instance number then click the TRANSFER button. The example below shows several instances (and the one instance we are in currently) - in the example we would likely start out in instance #18




STEP 3: START POSITIONS.

Once you are in the correct instance of Protector's Enclave, you'll need to know where to go. We will start at the foot of Neverember Statue. You've likely seen this hundreds of times from the back or not really paid much attention to it. The statue faces the Hall of Justice and is located outside the north side of the Market, near the town crier.

There is a water pool in front of the statue inside a sunken garden area. This is where we will start at (example picture here):



You will know you are in the right place if you see me there (I will be there waiting for actors to appear) - my in-game name is:

RUGORIM@SKYTZYC - so just look for the Pirate Orc:




STEP 4: KNOW THE PROCESS.

Scroll up in this thread and look closely at the BLOCKING MAP. At the foot of the statue are the numbers 12345678 - this is how we want all cubes to line-up - facing the exit stairs (to the north).

PLEASE Know your position, and please follow the path indicated in the blocking map. This isn;t a hard-fast rule, but if everyone follows their path it will give us the best views of the city as with *** shots to the video. Also: when coming DOWN any staircase: please jump so you appear to LEAP from the top of the stairs. Jump often, but not constantly.

When everyone is lined-up and ready to go, I (the recorder) will move near the market out of the way. On the chat channel, I will say:

READY
SET
GO

You will have 90-seconds to complete your path - follow your path then return to your same starting position. Recording will stop after 90-seconds.

THEN I will move to a position just below the Invoking Alter (a small fountain there) and we will run the paths again for take 2 - please follow the same paths as you did before, feel free to jump around.

THEN I will move into the Hall near Neverember for take 3 - as before, simply repeat your run through the path.

For each "take" please wait for the "ready, set, go" as recording must be started and stopped for each take. This is the plan anyway, nothing is set in stone and obviously there is flexibility. We will be using whatever we can, but here's a tip: if you want to ensure your cube is in the video: follow your path, leap off stairs, zig-zag as you go, try to be creative as you wreak havoc on the city.

This is an "invasion" of Cubes to the city, so be creative as you zoom along and let's have fun!

radtatat

I played in that pool when i first got my cube! Sliding on that surface pretending to be a tasty jello cube on a plate... (yeah..I need a life...)

My main toon will be there! BTW, how many cubes have signed up so far?

Edit: Someone might want to create a notice in General Discussion so more people know about it and can take part...

angrysprite

We will do this in INSTANCE #11

I am in game now at the pool area of Neverember Statue.

angrysprite

Successful recording! Thank you Irix, Eldarth and Dresden! Not as many as we'd hoped for, but more than enough through editing technique - this will be awesome. AND as a very good omen, when we finished I went to invoke and Rugorim hit his level 60 on that one! LOL

It can all only be good!

I will keep this thread updated with progress and post a video sample or two as it comes together.

Thank you again, and thank you @Melodywhr for putting this together!

harnel

Aww no. I screwed up the time and came late -_-

I guess I can come next week, but I hate missing things I said I'd be there for.

angrysprite

No worries at all. What we got today can be used for the "close-up" shots. It will help if we can get new CM Akromatic to rally players for the crowd scenes I'd like to get! We can schedule that one for next week.

(Way to break-in the new GM, huh? LOL)

melodywhr

angrysprite wrote: »

Successful recording! Thank you Irix, Eldarth and Dresden! Not as many as we'd hoped for, but more than enough through editing technique - this will be awesome. AND as a very good omen, when we finished I went to invoke and Rugorim hit his level 60 on that one! LOL

It can all only be good!

I will keep this thread updated with progress and post a video sample or two as it comes together.

Thank you again, and thank you @Melodywhr for putting this together!

ay thank you for taking off with it. and thanks to everyone that showed!

i'll get with akromatik next week and we can schedule another run.

may the cube be with you!

radtatat

Thank you all! It was fun! Hopefully I can join in again next week.

eldarth

angrysprite wrote: »

No worries at all. What we got today can be used for the "close-up" shots.

Just make sure to get my "good side."
...you know-- the green one with the bag and bubbles. :cool:

angrysprite

I'm definitely on it!

Having a little issue with Demo Record capturing my camera paths, but the recording itself came out great. Worse-case scenario: I go old-scool screen capture rather than TIFF Image Sequence. (Too bad that app isn't officially supported or I'd ask Cryptic Devs what's up with this) LOL

I have official word from our Musician that the BGM bed is coming along nicely. I've had awesome opportunity to sneak a work in progress and it sounds awesome! I can only hope the visuals live up to the audio!

I'll keep everyone updated via this thread. We may twist new GM's arm (that being AKROMATIK) to rally a crowd scene in-game for a finale shot!

angrysprite

Video is completed. It's just a matter of getting the music squared away. We'll likely post a whole new thread when we finally share it!

I'm really liking this one. It's given me the 'Demo_Record Movie-Making" bug all over again. I'll have to produce a lot more. Keep an eye out for the link here and new thread when it's officially ready. Currently working with our music composer on the score!