*DeviFoxx Randomly pops out and announces stuff for no particular reason*

[DeviFoxx]

Sorry that I haven't posted in QCDN for quite some time now.

Perhaps some of you are still surprised that I still play, period.

However, I thought that I've been long overdue for a post on QCDN's forums.

I have basically been trolling around a bit in the shadows. Truth be told, I've been struggling a bit with my college homework (Oh... How I despise college-level algebra and calculus).

What prompted me to post on QCDN today was me bumping into both Jimera and Sabia, long time friends of mine in game.

--A few things I'll announce.

Even though it's a tad late now, my 21st birthday has recently passed (July 28th 1985). So I can drink like the big boys now!

A previous conversation with Turkloom reminded me of what I planned to do precisely. More on that shortly.

Firstly, I'd like to address the fact that I know my FFXI .DAT Collection (or rather, the link to it) is kind of "screwed up" at the moment. I'm going to fix it, and do a bunch of other stuff as soon as I get my college work squared away. (People on FFXIonline.com talk about me fixing it alot, and I get my E-mail Inbox cluttered with stuff about it.)

I also need to fix my website (www.devimension.com) and update it big-time since I haven't "touched" it in almost two years or more. I plan to make it much better by incorporating Macromedia Flash into it.

I'll probably change my forum signature soon too, because I believe I've already gotten my point across with it--which was to get people to stop fussing and complaining about the "questionable" content of my FFXI .DAT Collection. Again--it had nothing to do with what my personal "preferences" are, so you might as well erase that from your mind. I put "those" files in there because I am a Completist. In the sense that if I start collecting something, I need to "complete the set".

Ummm... what else...

Oh yeah. About what me and Turkloom talked about. I had met him and a relatively decent number other Quetzalcoatl people at the FFXI Fan Festival--By the way, thank you everyone for voting me QCDN Member of the Month for March 2006; I won't let you down and you'll see better things from me in the near future.--Anyway, to get right to it. Our discussion was regarding the FFXI Video Contest... And I was looking at the three finalists' videos.

Hmmm... I don't really mean to disrespect the artists, but... I feel I could've done better than what they did. Far better. (Kind of arrogant for me to say something like that, I'll admit. But it's the truth!)

So... In keeping with that, I've decided.

At the next FFXI Event (which they said they were most likely going to hold... but have yet to announce it) I'm going to compete!

I plan to enter a minimum of atleast three videos. And I plan to use relatively high production values too. I was going over ideas for the videos with Antor in AIM. So far things are looking promising. I can't tell you what's in store just yet though. I plan to surprise you all!

Jimera's waiting for another one of my "wacky tricks" he says. Hahahaha, I sound like a Saturday Morning Cartoon character!

Oh yeah. Finally--My.... Magnum Opus ... if you will.

I plan to create a Psuedo-Anime Series based on FFXI--More specifically of the Dramas that unfold here on Quetzalcoatl. Similar to how Red Vs. Blue is a Comedy Fan-Fiction of Halo, I'm going to be doing the same thing with FFXI and creating a series of "episodes". Of course, however, I want everyone to enjoy the series--Even people who don't play FFXI. So I'm probably going to have to write the story in such a way that the viewer can relate to the situations, as well as people who play on the other FFXI servers. I mean, let's face it. It's not like I could make the entire video series about Watchyourstep's adventures with BoL, Prophecy "looting" OuterHeaven's LS Bank, or the old days with giant Flame-Wars against Colbwa, Seppeku, and Roofie. Because then the series would be just one gigantic running "Inside-Joke" that only one minority of people (Everyone on Quetz) would understand.

Why am I doing this? Simple. I just want to see how far I can go with this. I want to test my own skill, and at the same time, I want to give back to the community by providing you with a form of entertainment.

I'm writing the Script of the series and hoping to put it into production within a few weeks to a month, depending on how fast I get caught up with my college work.

Just giving you guys an update as to why you haven't seen me a whole awful lot.

And...

By the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dJ_rBUhJHk

This video disturbs me... Is this how Japanese people potty-train their children? Singing about pushing out "oshikko" (Pee-pee) and "unchi" (Dookie) ... /sigh

*Goes back to doing his Calculus homework.*

 

[Reishu]

I'd like to see what you make

 

[hellstorm]

drool** always like red vs blue be intrested see what you come up with

 

[Isomiau]

</bow>

 

[CmdrFly]

Mmmmhmmmmm.

 

[Legomyeggo]

I want to be in Episode 3!

 

[Alyada]

Hey Devi, good to hear from you again. I always enjoyed our random meetings in the middle of nowhere.

If you need some help working out the kinks in your script (dialog, form, style) let me know. I'm going to college for that sort of stuff, so I'd love to help in whatever I can (besides, since I quit I have a LOT of free time on my hands).

Best of luck on your project regardless. I know it'll be awesome. Hell, maybe it'll inspire me as well.

 

[Davio]

Gogo Devi!

 

[DeviFoxx]

Aye. Aye.

As far as techniques go, I'm most likely going to need to think "Outside The Box", especially with FFXI.

Case in point:

I've already tried exploring this idea once before with my old "Advanced Cartography" (Building Maps / Zones / Entire Areas / Cities) in FFXI on www.FFXIonline.com ...

Mainly because I wanted to film this series as it took place in a far-flung corner of Vana'diel.

I abandoned that idea after comming to the conclusion that it would be too "problematic" due to the things I'd have to do to achieve something like that. I'd need to build the map "skeletons", draw the textures of buildings and walls from scratch... Program Weather / Time-Of-Day Functions... And finally, create a "Private Server" or atleast an "Offline" instance of FFXI to get it going.

Also, there's the problem with Camera Angles...

The FFXI Camera--to me--is somewhat "Static" in the sense that I find it to be extremely "Limiting".

How can I get the "Cinematic" camera angles that I need for my series?

I kind of found a solution to that by being creative with FFXI.

I would need people besides myself to pull it off, though.

Example: Two people as part of the "Filming Crew" and Two "Actors", for a total of four people.

Crew #1 : The Cameraman
Crew #2 : What I'll call the "Camera Pivot".
Actor #1 : The first actor acting out the script.
Actor #2 : The second actor.

"Crew #1" records the scene being held between "Actors #1 & #2" in... Aht Urghan Whitegate, for the sake of argument.

"Crew #1" is recording (with "FRAPS" let's say) in first-person mode.

"Crew #2" Invisibles themselves to stay out of the camera's line-of-sight.

"Crew #1" hits Tab Key and then "Locks On" the camera to "Crew #2" and hits "Scroll Lock" key to make the Overhead Arrow and the dialogue boxes dissapear. Now "Crew #1" can move around using "Crew #2" (who is invisible) as a "Pivot" point for the Camera Angles. Making sure to get Actors #1 & #2 within frame of view.

There's your "Cinematic Camera Angles".

I'm probably going to end up needing "Body-Actors" as well as "Voice-Actors" anyway when I finally put this into production.

This is going to be a large-scale project. I've put plenty of thought into this. I hope it comes out OK.

 

[Grem]

Low Camera - Taru.

Medium Camera - Galka.

High Camera - Galka on a chocobo?

 

[exodusamphi]

for the record, Large Elvaan is taller than Large Galka... =P (im elvaan) Devi your idea sounds great, ive watched Red vs Blue for a while, if you need any help (even though you dont know me) ill be around on here and in game.

 

[neophytal]

sup devii

 

[Mai Ikari]

Sounds like your best bet would be using a ninja (or anyone with Tonko: Ni), since it's the longest duration invis available. Don't wanna have invis wear mid-filming and have to scrap the last 5 seconds while the pivot recasts, makes the weather twitch all ugly-like.

Oh yea, and a handy thing... Have your cameraman uses Wardrobe or another race-changer. Game camera is determined by the race it thinks you are, kinda like when you use the costumes from <insert event here>. That way he can change the camera height prettymuch at will. Need an ultra-low shot? Use the tall pivot, and the cameraman swaps to Tarutaru.

 

[Khajit]

or have the cameraman use the taru mochi

 

[Mai Ikari]

Yea, but there's no Mochi to turn your taru cameraman into a Large Elvaan.

 

[DeviFoxx]

I used to have "Wardrobe" and "Race Canger" a long time ago.

However I've long-since lost them. Anyone feel like helping me out in that department?

 

[Mai Ikari]

Windower forums? >_>;;

http://www.windower.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5696&highlight=wardrobe