Living Mechanics

Contests Member Contests
1

GOAL: Create the mechanical representation of a living entity.

RULES:

1 You can render in an external renderer, but Blender must be involved in the modelling process.

1.1 You can use third party generator processus if you want to, but they should not be the center of your entry.

1.2 Post Processing is allowed, but whatever is done must be specified with the entry.

2 Your creation must be animatable ( already rigged with armatures). This is something you should do anyway, since it makes posing your creation so much easier.

3 You can submit an animation, but entries will be judged on a single still image.

4 Entries must be in a JPEG format, in a resolution not more than 800 x 600 ( like animations, you can submit larger pictures, but judgement will not be based upon them). The size of the JPEG file should not be more than 300 K (that’s to make sure people don’t turn in uncompressed JPEG).

5 Since the mechanical creature is the goal of this contest, it should be the focus of your entry. You shouldn’t waste too much time with the environement.

6 You can reuse objects, but the main part of your entry should be new, as in not finished at the time of the launch of this contest.

7 You can submit more than one entry.

DEADLINE:

The contest will start accepting entries August 1st and the last entry must be sumited before midnight September 30th. (we won’t be too picky on the deadline, but try not to submit at the last minute)

TEAMWORK:

Team work is allowed, as long as there is not more than 3 people participating on a single entry.

VOTING:

Entries will be judged by the public in three categories with a voting system where people award points to entries. The score of each entries in these categories is the average of all the points score they were given by all the voters.

The three voting categories are:

- Overall: Judged on creature, scene, special effects, …
- Creature Conception: Judged on creature only, obviosuly
- Originality: Judged on the overall scene

Also, three special technical awards will be given by a jury (to be determined latter (not me :wink: )):

- Technical Modelling/Texturing Award: For outstanding modelling or texturing job
- Technical Accuracy Award: most likely to actually be able to walk/work/function
- Technical Armature Award: for unique/astounding/unbelievable model/rig

PRIZES:

err… eternal fame perhaps?

That’s about it for now. We’ll try to setup a web page or something like this. If anyone has webmaster talents or could lend some webspace, just contact theeth.

2

Ok, at a 300k Max I can host 20 entries :slight_smile:

If I may object:

31 August too early, make it 30 sept.

640x4800 Waaayyy too small! Minimum 800x600, but 1024x768 would be great :slight_smile:

Stefano

3

I agree with S68 - 800x600. I don’t wanna spend the time putting in the details if they aren’t going to show! Also, what about multiple entries?

4

Ok, I changed it to 800 x 600. Remember, that is just for the “official” picture. if you have tiny details that would benefit from a higher resolution, you can do it as a “on the side” material, like an animation.

As for the deadline, I thought everyone was ok with the 1 month limit, but if more people say that 1 month is not enough, I’ve got nothing against stretching it.

Martin

5

I’ll vote for stretching it too- just because more time=better images. So I’m okay with 1 month + as a timelimit

6

Great idea :slight_smile:

I think I’ll try to squeeze some time out of my life to put on this. I’ll have to relearn armatures though. Hmm… maybe Ingie has a tute or two :slight_smile:

Thanks theeth

  1. pofo

(Now where did I put that mech leg I was working on awhile ago?)

7

Hey theeth etc., check this out… someone built a real mech “scorpion”.

http://www.plustech.fi/Walking1.html

I want one.

8

woo! great contest. I need a lot of practice in mechanical modelling, so this will be the perfect oppertunity =D

can’t wait to see how this turns out 8)

9

ON THE TOPIC OF VOTES

Poll (a la Week End Challenge) or Points (a la F1 Challenge, Halloween Challenge, …)?

Multiple categories (Originality, Believability, …) or Overall only?

you get to choose.

Martin

10

I like extra differentiation. Since its a longish challenge, i think it deserves point ratings. sometimes pre made categories can be restrictive- on the other hand, they can provide valuable feedback (i.e. if one gets a uniformly lower score in texturing it gives an indication of what to work on next). Perhaps allowing for one ‘subjective’ or ‘other’ point category in addition to the fixed ones, where the voters get to pick a rating but also provide an explanation of why outside of the other categories.
just an idea.
Bassam

11

One thought.
How closely does it have to resemble a creature that actually exists?
Is it ok with something that looks as if there could possibly be a live counterpart (example: 14 hump camel with six legs)?

  1. pofo
12

yeah, why not. As long as it’s not a plain blocky robot, but it looks rather like an artisitc representation of a living creature. The creature that the robot is based on doesn’t have to actually exist (ex: a robot sphynx).

Martin

13

A category proposition:

  • Overall (Judged on creature only)
  • Best Concept (Judged on creature only)
  • Technical Accuracy (most likely to actually be able to walk/work/function)

How many entries do you think there will be? If there’s 12-18, these categories should suffice. If it were more like 30-40, we might want to add a few more like:

  • Technical Award (for unique/astounding/unbelievable model/rig)
  • Artistic (not necessarily best creature, but coolest overall scene)

Looking back, maybe these are too complex. I don’t know.

But I do think we should require an OpenGL render of the rig (waivable if an anim is submitted) to prove animatability.

14

- Overall (Judged on creature only) that will surely be one of them
- Best Concept (Judged on creature only) sounds like “Best Originality” formulated in a different way. Will surely be there too.
- Technical Accuracy (most likely to actually be able to walk/work/function) I think this one could be like a bonus. Entries that looks technically possible could be awarded an extra point.

How many entries do you think there will be?
Honestly, I don’t know. Probably 15-20-ish

  • Technical Award (for unique/astounding/unbelievable model/rig)
  • Artistic (not necessarily best creature, but coolest overall scene)

I like the Technical Award idea, but the Artistic category is IMHO integrated in Originality (Best Concept).

But I do think we should require an OpenGL render of the rig (waivable if an anim is submitted) to prove animatability.

That could be used for the Technical Award and Technical Accuracy categories, so, most definitly. Of course, that could still be optionnal, but then, that entry would loose the chance to stand out in these category.

Of course, these are just my oppinions. It is our contest, afterall, so feel free to discuss it.

Martin

15

I update the rules to allow teamwork.

Martin

16

So if we don’t use armatures, are we completely disqualified? Or just not likely to win anything besides best concept?

17

A side goal of the contest is to perfect your armature skills, so if you don’t use them, you kinda miss the mark. I think it could be a good oportunity to learn them if you don’t already. Plus, armatures for mech (robots) are a lot easier to do than for organics.

It would be a bit unfair for the others that took the time to rig it and make it animatable if some were allowed to scip that part.

Like I said, a contest is firt of all an occasion to learn new techniques and to perfect your skills, so don’t be affraid to experiment and share ideas.

Martin

18

<cough>SPIDER SLAYER!</cough> :smiley:

ok, so mythical creature are allowed, that’s cool. but are you saying no mechwarriors allowed? :-?

dang. i just started playing mechwarrior 3 and got obsessed with trying to make a battlemech in blender again. oh well. but anyway, i’ll have to vote to streeeeetch the contest (hehe) because 1 month isn’t much time for someone with my ‘skills’. and also i need to get a new mouse, my current one is constantly messing up on me. it’s a serial mouse from over 10 years ago and it freaks me out when i look at it… :o

BTW: this may make me seem lazy (which would actually be a pretty accurate depiction), but i was wondering if anyone out there knows a good (and basic) tutorial for armatures? i mean really basic, i haven’t even really learned ika’s when they were used

19

I extended it already.

DEADLINE:

The contest will start accepting entries August 1st and the last entry must be sumited before midnight September 30th. (we won’t be too picky on the deadline, but try not to submit at the last minute)

but are you saying no mechwarriors allowed?

only if you can find a living counterpart for a mechwarrior (it’s kinda like a big chicken with rockets… well, no)

That’s a good comprehensive tut on Armatures, but there are a lot more than one around. http://mmaigrot.free.fr/didac-blender/ikas/ikas-eng/ik-intro.html

Martin

20

Should creatures from standard mythology be allowed, i.e. Mechanical Manticore, Mech Dragon a la The Hunt? I think so, but I just wanted to be clear before I invested the time…