-WORK-GROUPS-

General Forums Blender and CG Discussions
1

Hi

I (activly) entered the old blender-forum a few weeks before it got layed on ice. I am very relieved that elysiun is filling the gap. Timothy and the others do a great job.

The forum is a comfortable and alive way to get answers. But there is one thing that I miss.
It seems to me that most of us develop their blender skills on their own. I wouldn´t call myself a total rookie anymore, but there are still many blind spots.

So I want to ask all of you if you are interested in building some work-groups. I would find it very interesting to focus on specific subjects with a limited amount of people for each group.

If done properly, this would result in some fine tutorials and deep knowledge in how to use blender efficiently.

For a start, here are some of the subjects which make my fingertips tickle:

workflow:
scenes, screens, layers, windows etc.

modelling:
what kind of modelling technique for a given purpose.
how to plan and structure it.

Armatures:
it is still a challenge for me to create the illusion of muscles and bones. So I´d like to explore the possibilities of Bones, controlled by empties which are vertex-parented to a mesh, which is controlled by relativ vertex-keys.

Collision detection:
I think, python is required here. I dream of placing some empties on the surface of a hand and for example a ball, so you can hold it without always having the fear of phasing through.

Maybe some modelling related stuff like design and “structural statics”. It is not necessary to calculate the forces of the golden gate bridge, but I find it useful to develop some knowledge there. When I see how the inside of a bone is structured to compensate the forces, it is apparent that the basics there are helpful to create a believable and beautiful design.

everything concerning animation

And so on…

The main purpose of writing this, is that working with blender is still some sort of trying out (for me) which costs unnecessary time. A certain amount of this will always remain, but I want to get rid of it as far as possible. I want to get professional. I am sure many of you feel the same.

Your feedback is welcome.

Good speed

HAUNT_HOUSE

2

I would like to see a python group as well… :smiley:

I might try and form a couple for my Blender package project, I think I might call it the Blender Integration Effort. If we could have a few workgroups working on specfic things, such as raytracing, or animation. Then just maybe have a template for tutorials or something to record as you go.

3

Good project,

let me know if I can help

Stefano

4

great that someone is making thing like this, but since
I don’t know where NaN and Blender is heading
I myself are a bit in a so-called waiting-state-mode
to see what happens, and figuring out what I want
and what to learn , choosing other options maybe 8)

/ztonzy

5

Thanks Stefano, I´ll rely on that

acasto: agreed, but I think one group wouldn´t be enough, or the group would have to do one topic after another.

ztonzy: I understand you, but I am satisfied with blender. Throw lightflow in and the quality is good enough for making some money and definitely have some fun. I just think everyone who works often with blender, will benefit from those projects.

The way I see it, if ten people work one hour for themselves, they get one hour. If they work together they get at least 5 or 6 hours.

As Gandalf said “And that is an encouraging thought”

HH

6

i’m really interested in the modelling part.tell me if i can do anything.i think i have a good hand in creature modelling.

7

Thank you, kos

Modelling (and boning it afterwards) is important for me, too. I´d like to use blender as a tool for telling stories. So your help is appreciated. But before we make any plans, I´d like to wait lets say til sunday the 12th. By then, there should be an overview, how many people have joined. I think, two or four people for one topic would be ideal. I hope, there will be some more following you and Stefano. Would be great.

HH

8

haunt_house, if you need a place to meet or a forum let me know

9

yep, your server is shouting at you because he is so bored all day long. Bored servers can get really annoying. Even a bored C64 can be HELL :smiley:

Thanks

HH

10

I’d be really interested. I can say I know myself in the description or ‘stereotype’ blenderer that haunt_house put out.

I’m really interested in all of the groups, I have some knowledge in everything exept character animation, python, radiosity, modelling etc. :smiley:

I need help from others!!!
I live in Australia but speak Norwegian, that might be helpful for norwegian young-users with a hard time understanding all the english around!???

11

So we are five people at the moment

quite good for a start.

Maybe some others join in when the first results appear

regards

HH

12

Make that 6 people.

Well you can have fun with LightFlow, but I wouldn’t try to make money with it (read the license agreement - there is no commercial option).

However, I’m writing an export for Blender to VirtuaLight which is just as good and getting better. (It is free for personal use and $50 US for commercial use).

13

Thanks for joining and sorry for mixing it up. I meant virtualight.

But the quality of Blender alone is not that bad. And as far as I am concerned, my work doesn´t need a lot of effects. I want to animate. So as a matter of fact, I haven´t even open one of the other programs yet. Maybe because I don´t want to spend years of rendering time on my old PC. The only thing that I really miss is fur. Dinosaur and Monsters inc. FUR.
So I stick to reptiles and genderless aliens :smiley:

or guitars (coming soon)

haunt_house

14

That’s one thing we need to come up with, is more animation techniques, and fur. That’s something I hope to achieve with the BIE. What we need to develop is technique, when it comes to tools, we have enormous resources. Look at the variety of skills in this forum alone. Surely if we organize it right, and get the right people together, we can compensate for anything that lacks.

15

could get big :smiley:

16

I know what you mean. It’s getting exciting, I love watching the video on how they made Shrek. Whenever they would find a feature they needed that they didn’t have, they would get together and come up with a system to do it. Whether it was a new technique or a new program.

Heres what I think I’m going to use for the Blender Integration Effort’s logo:
http://iptic.com/assets/images/bielogo-slogan1.jpg

Let me know what you think.

17

sounds great! i myself would be happy to help out n the modelling group, and the bones group sounds really intriguing.

18

logo:

the puzzle is quite a nice idea, but normally logos have to work on paper, too. Most of the best logos are quite simple, contain few colours and took hell of a long time to develop. The logo is a very serious task and (from a company’s point of view) it is in most cases impossible to change it after introduction to the public. My teacher always stresses that point. He is fond of the Bauhaus- rules of design.

I am not a creative guy when it comes to shapes. This lack is painful sometimes…
If I have time left after finishing the teaser, I’ll reread the other thread and do some brain storming.

I think my teacher would say:“Try to reduce it”. Often a logo improves that way. And be sure not to use copyrighted material.

I don´t know if it is a good logo, but I like it as an image.

thatbrickwall:

Appreciated. But keep in mind, that those topics are only suggestions at the moment. But it seems to get reasonable dimensions. So my idea probably isn´t the stupidest one on earth…

Darn! And I wanted sooo badly to get the title.

Well, maybe next time :smiley:

It´s a pity that I cannot do PHP yet, but this will be subject to change…

HH

19

Well, actually it’s more of an online symbol. The actual logo for my organization (maybe someday a company again!) is the name (Iptic Systems) with a blue ribbon like ring behind it. With BIE logo, I wanted something complex to represent the complexity of the project, plus the advanced state of the system of current CG technology. My goal for the logos ‘feeling’ was something sortof simple, yet meaningful, but complex and a little dark (sort’ve like the x-files intro), so it would give the idea that there is really more than the basic image suggests.

Don’t know if that makes sense or not… :smiley:

20

okay

lets start a bit of teamwork.

those are the braves who answered my call (in order of appearance):
acasto
S68
kos
LaWMan
Guinness
thatbrickwall
and me…

So now some questions arise. How do we present our work and where? Where do we talk and develop? Do we talk just between us seven or open to the community? This goes before selecting a topic.

Since I just had my second week of deer-camp er… HTML, I cannot provide a php-forum on my own. So it would be elysiun (if kib is generous) or iptic. Personally I´d like to take at least the first steps with limited access to maintain an overview.

Any comments, suggestions, ideas, just fire away.

haunt_house