Part 3 of 8 is now online–sort of. Let me explain, after the jump.
What you’re viewing in this clip is an assembly of visual effects footage in various states of completion. The opener to Act II with the Enterprise sailing through the debris field is complete but for a planned re-rendering of the planet killer–I tweaked the model’s textures after I released test footage last month, and now it doesn’t match the appearance of the Doomsday Machine in the following scene. Speaking of which… the next sequence where the planet killer cuts loose on the Enterprise is semi-complete; there are about 20,000 more asteroids and the glowy blue dust cloud that still need to be added, and I may re-render the planet killer itself to give a better angle on the antiproton beam effect (right now, it’s kind of hard to see all four of the beams that lance together into one unified antiproton beam).
The rest of the visual effects from that point forward are actually old shots from my March 2008 attempt to complete this episode. I haven’t shown this footage to hardly anyone until today, so I hope it’s of interest for–if nothing else–comparison purposes with the visual effects that will eventually replace them in 2010.
I’ll be online sporadically until after the new year, but I welcome your comments in the meantime–I promise I’ll try to respond as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Blessed Kwanza, Festive Festivus and Happy New Year, everyone!
#1 by Patrick Lynch at December 26th, 2009
| Quote
While it may not be perfected yet, I found the footage of the Enterprise and the Constellation to be of exquisite beauty. When the Constellation fires up her impulse engines, please don’t forget my suggestion that her initial movements be unsteady with the bow dipping down and the stern up with a bit of rocking motion to match everyone flailing around inside until Kirk and Scotty get more stable control of the ship.
#2 by Metryq at December 29th, 2009
| Quote
I don’t think “rocking” would be visible on that scale. A dip, certainly. What might look better, as well as enhance the size of the ship, would be loose debris breaking off and trailing from the blasted sections. A properly functioning starship would have to include some kind of inertial damping field even with impulse engines. Assuming that is gone, or only partially working, Kirk and company would get tossed about, and a hail of loose debris would trail behind as many thousands of metric tons of mass groaned into motion. (Not a continuous trail, just an initial rain of small bits and girders.)
Is the ship’s artificial gravity and the inertial damping system one in the same, or separate systems? If separate, does the artificial gravity end at the deck plates and the outer hull of the ship, or does it extend outward in a uniform bubble? If a bubble, some debris might “fall” in a strange fashion before crossing the boundary into open space. Given the choice, I’d do a Roddenberry and give the audience what it expects — debris trailing openly from the wrecked areas.
#3 by Scott Gammans at December 29th, 2009
| Quote
@Patrick: Dude, that’s still one whole act away!! Let’s try to get through Act II first… LOL! But thanks–I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind.
@Metryq: I love the idea of shit falling off the Constellation as she groans to life!