For the tl;dr version, scroll down
Machinima is an art of creating films based using only a game (or a few) and then re-dubbing it and editing so that the end result looks more like a movie than like a game video. The thing is, most of the machinimas done in the Nex/Xon community are frag or trick movies, and that's quite narrow range. Of course, Xonotic would have to implement some proper features (real physics engine, possibly model skeletal animation*) and people willing to be body actors and voice actors, project manager, a director and an editor. Usually the last three are in one person. However, I can see a huge potential in Xonotic to make good machinimas.
1: The technology is good
Xonotic is based on a great engine of Darkplaces, which fortunately didn't drop the support for letterboxing, and has a built-in recorder, which means: The cameraman doesn't have to have anything but the game running. Usually the cameraman should have the most powerful computer in the whole crew, since the quality must be good (I'm talking (possibly) HD with stuff like HDR on). Xonotic should allow for that, also giving on-the-fly OGV compression at cost of few FPS, but - they would be lost anyway, since most machinimas are recorded for YouTube, which takes 25~30 FPS videos for best quality.
2: Tools for making original locations are free
Most of FPS-based machinimas use custom maps on which the movie is recorded. It may be something as easy as putting stuff on an existing map, or as hard as building a new map from scratch - and never intending for it to be playable, but rather watchable. Additionally, with the improved vehicle system, locations such as under the water or in space are easy. It doesn't take long to convert a .blend of the Death Star to a ridable vehicle, and then shoot it in a way that cancels out the scaling differences. Or just make it big. A good toolchain of Blender, Gimp, NetRadiant and few converters will empower one to create locations and props easily. Plus, there are experienced mappers and modellers who are specialized in many different stages of creating maps and models, a quality machinima just needs organization.
3: Potential for further technology improvements
This is where * leads.
Many things can be added to Xonotic. For instance, CSQC skeletal animation. This could mean anything from proper aiming, weapon-holding and firing animations and, you know, better character animation (such as being freaking able to see where the characters are looking), to details, such as finger posing and facial expressions. If this gets implemented, a programmer on the team can do stuff that would make the animation much more believable and smooth it out.
Another thing that might be useful is a physics engine, however simple. Even as simple as the one currently used in Nexball, if could be adapted to stuff like phys_model. There are many uses of that, no doubt.
4: Conclusion
So while you people argue about the balance and stuff, you might consider a different, artistic approach to Xonotic. Machinimas are an intersting way of promoting the game, too. A good game designer should consider all the ways the game could be used, and creating machinimas is one of them. Plus, this could mean partnership with Machinima.com or YouTube, which equals money.
Consider this.
Well, that's a pretty nice wall of text, isn't it? In short:
1. Technology is good enough to make interesting stuff already.
2. Means of creating content for the machinimas are free and relatively easy
3. The engines can be built upon to create even better environments and tools for moviemaking
4. It's reasonable for game designers to consider the use of Xonotic for machinimas. Also, this could mean promotion and profit.
Ideas could range from something devising from the gameplay (such as a battlefront diary or movie, or a Wile E. Coyote vs Roadrunner rendition) to something completely detached from the game (a completely self-contained story, sometimes touching the gameplay, like a story about a Nexball team). Just think about it. Possibilities are endless!
Machinima is an art of creating films based using only a game (or a few) and then re-dubbing it and editing so that the end result looks more like a movie than like a game video. The thing is, most of the machinimas done in the Nex/Xon community are frag or trick movies, and that's quite narrow range. Of course, Xonotic would have to implement some proper features (real physics engine, possibly model skeletal animation*) and people willing to be body actors and voice actors, project manager, a director and an editor. Usually the last three are in one person. However, I can see a huge potential in Xonotic to make good machinimas.
1: The technology is good
Xonotic is based on a great engine of Darkplaces, which fortunately didn't drop the support for letterboxing, and has a built-in recorder, which means: The cameraman doesn't have to have anything but the game running. Usually the cameraman should have the most powerful computer in the whole crew, since the quality must be good (I'm talking (possibly) HD with stuff like HDR on). Xonotic should allow for that, also giving on-the-fly OGV compression at cost of few FPS, but - they would be lost anyway, since most machinimas are recorded for YouTube, which takes 25~30 FPS videos for best quality.
2: Tools for making original locations are free
Most of FPS-based machinimas use custom maps on which the movie is recorded. It may be something as easy as putting stuff on an existing map, or as hard as building a new map from scratch - and never intending for it to be playable, but rather watchable. Additionally, with the improved vehicle system, locations such as under the water or in space are easy. It doesn't take long to convert a .blend of the Death Star to a ridable vehicle, and then shoot it in a way that cancels out the scaling differences. Or just make it big. A good toolchain of Blender, Gimp, NetRadiant and few converters will empower one to create locations and props easily. Plus, there are experienced mappers and modellers who are specialized in many different stages of creating maps and models, a quality machinima just needs organization.
3: Potential for further technology improvements
This is where * leads.
Many things can be added to Xonotic. For instance, CSQC skeletal animation. This could mean anything from proper aiming, weapon-holding and firing animations and, you know, better character animation (such as being freaking able to see where the characters are looking), to details, such as finger posing and facial expressions. If this gets implemented, a programmer on the team can do stuff that would make the animation much more believable and smooth it out.
Another thing that might be useful is a physics engine, however simple. Even as simple as the one currently used in Nexball, if could be adapted to stuff like phys_model. There are many uses of that, no doubt.
4: Conclusion
So while you people argue about the balance and stuff, you might consider a different, artistic approach to Xonotic. Machinimas are an intersting way of promoting the game, too. A good game designer should consider all the ways the game could be used, and creating machinimas is one of them. Plus, this could mean partnership with Machinima.com or YouTube, which equals money.
Consider this.
Well, that's a pretty nice wall of text, isn't it? In short:
1. Technology is good enough to make interesting stuff already.
2. Means of creating content for the machinimas are free and relatively easy
3. The engines can be built upon to create even better environments and tools for moviemaking
4. It's reasonable for game designers to consider the use of Xonotic for machinimas. Also, this could mean promotion and profit.
Ideas could range from something devising from the gameplay (such as a battlefront diary or movie, or a Wile E. Coyote vs Roadrunner rendition) to something completely detached from the game (a completely self-contained story, sometimes touching the gameplay, like a story about a Nexball team). Just think about it. Possibilities are endless!
![[Image: 273.png]](http://stats.xonotic.org/static/badges/273.png)
), but remember it has limitations...or in other words you get what you pay for. Currently I am using the adobe cs5 production premium suite, which is an incredibly significant upgrade to sony vegas movie studio, so look towards my third frag video being the best out of all of my vidoes.
![[Image: dearsignature.jpg]](http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/2613/dearsignature.jpg)
