Warhammer 40k Adeptus Mechanicus / Imperial Cogitator Interface Animation

[Corbeau]

Some of may have seen my last 40k arty stuff, in the form of my Imperial triage documents (here: http://www.warseer.com/forums/showth...pers-(Artwork))

I'm currently working on a 40k animation project, entirely for my own enjoyment. This piece started out as an attempt to do an exposition of some of my fluff in a 1980 Hitch-hiker's Guide style animation. I did that, and may share that later, but this is what started out as the "front end" of it, but is now going to be recycled in an animated short story revolving around the Adeptus Mechanicus I've wanted to do for some time. There will be a lot of Delia Derbyshire inspired music in the soundtrack.

What is below is very much WIP, and is only a very short snippet (and currently has no SFX). I know others may envisage it all working differently, but this was a comprimise in many ways. Hoepfully most of you will like it anyway...

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgbngUR3f6k

[Corbeau]

Apologies, meant to post this in "Stories and Art" :/

[Grimbad]

Maybe a bit too smooth? The feel of the graphics is right, but the motion feels too... well-made.
I imagine an Imperial cogitator terminal being in a constant state of annoying, jerky slowness. Like if you played that same animation but with a fluctuating frame rate. Maybe have the loading cog fill in only full quarters at a time.

[Corbeau]

Thanks for the feedback Once it's a bit longer, I'll start adding some screen fuzziness and distortions. The cog became a "loading" symbol half way through the whole thing lol, it was going to rotate for that as I've done in previous stuff, but thought sod it this time lol. It was designed to look like an oscillscope which is why it's perhaps a little smooth, but I like your ideas - I think if I make it look like there's a loose monitor cable effectively, with the screen ghosting and the screen image rolling occasionally, that should hopefully give the similar effect whilst looking quite nifty, I hope :/

[Sgt John Keel]

Maybe a bit too smooth? The feel of the graphics is right, but the motion feels too... well-made.
I imagine an Imperial cogitator terminal being in a constant state of annoying, jerky slowness. Like if you played that same animation but with a fluctuating frame rate. Maybe have the loading cog fill in only full quarters at a time.

I think if I make it look like there's a loose monitor cable effectively, with the screen ghosting and the screen image rolling occasionally, that should hopefully give the similar effect whilst looking quite nifty, I hope :/

It is interesting how the visual storytelling demands something completely different of what would ‘actually’ be; in in this case the need to show something the observer can recognise as ‘backwards’.

The Adeptus Mechanicus is technologically stagnant, and in some cases even regressive – but this is regression from the year 23000 Golden Era of Technology, not to 1960's Russia. Even if they weren't using digital displays and digital signalling/transmission technology, which should suffer from somewhat different artifacts, I imagine it would be hard to uphold a Galactic empire without high-quality analog components. They've lost the why, not the how (except in some cases obviously).

And a loose cable is really a human error. (I imagine the AdMech would be particularly intolerant of those.)

Don't take this as criticism though, it's just something to mull over.

[MyNameDidntFit]

With the 'quality' issue, I think it really depends on what you're going for. You can go with the stereotypical, easily recognised "Imperial tech is backwards, unreliable rubbish" version, or you can go with what Keel up above me there spoke of--the well-run side of the AdMech.

Personally, I think it depends on your setting, the backstory of where the cogitator is and other such factors that only you can know at this moment.

[Corbeau]

Thanks for the comments, that was exactly the initial reason I didn't make the quality especially fuzzy, just basic - as I mentioned the oscilliscope was the basis for some of the imagery and that is pretty antiquated now. Laregly it comes down to a compromise between being able to show the information to the viewer and having an "accurate" portrayal - much as you said Keel. If I added any fuzziness then it would be just prior to transitioning to the first proper scene, and not throughout or constantly.

When I mentioned the loose cable, I didn't literally mean there was a loose cable, just that I would replicate similar effects that you would get from such - the actual root cause could be something else entirely, but the odd bit of ghosting could look quite good without necessarily implying the technology is rubbish - but neither super slick I never held the opinion that technology was entirely regressive, as you say it has to be at least vaguely functional - the same premise I applied to the triage stuff I did.

[Grimbad]

It is interesting how the visual storytelling demands something completely different of what would ‘actually’ be; in in this case the need to show something the observer can recognise as ‘backwards’.

The Adeptus Mechanicus is technologically stagnant, and in some cases even regressive – but this is regression from the year 23000 Golden Era of Technology, not to 1960's Russia. Even if they weren't using digital displays and digital signalling/transmission technology, which should suffer from somewhat different artifacts, I imagine it would be hard to uphold a Galactic empire without high-quality analog components. They've lost the why, not the how (except in some cases obviously).

Of course, this brings up the question of how much of the 40k we see is an allegory that instead of showing what the Imperium is 'really' like, just shows us how we should consider it, along the lines of how High Gothic isn't meant to be Latin but to just feel that old. You could likewise guess that the Imperium doesn't really use gothic architecture, but that we're shown that because it's a powerful evocation of the sort of culture the Imperium represents. There's some vague words in the Rogue Trader rulebook to the effect that we aren't shown the Imperium's advanced technology because that wouldn't add anything, and also be counterproductive in trying to evoke a decaying empire.

It's all fun to think about. I tend towards making things look clunky, barbaric and backwards, but I can understand the opposite view.

[Chem-Dog]

I like it.
The smoothness isn't an issue for me, it's obviously a well maintained terminal. Although giving it a slightly more smudged blurry look could suggest some fundamental flaw with the technology?
Two really minor things though... really niggly.

The screen is a little sparse for how I imagine an AM screen to look, if we're talking about a data engine used by members of the machine cult it should be teeming with impenetrable reams of digits and characters spooling in sections of the screen (think: The Matrix) so it's almost too busy for a non-initiated user to take in. The servitor log-ins at the bottom are a great example (perhaps a similar stream of error messages could be inserted somewhere). Perhaps also it should use more archaic/religious language, so instead of simply proclaiming "Connected" it could say something like "Communion Established" possibly with some devotional motto added in for flavour.

The other thing is the eye on the Icon, I don't know if it's intentional, but it does draw one's attention. The rest of the screen is a cold washed out green where the eye is a fairly vibrant "warm" green, perhaps it's to bright and shiny.

[Corbeau]

That certainly is something worth thinking about....

I generally go for "somewhere between the two" in most things like this, clunky but functional

[MajorWesJanson]

I'd look at the computers in Alien/Aliens for inspiration. slightly grainy, bit more distinct letters appearing one by one. Slightly slower and bit more jerky. The imagery is fine, just the animation is a bit too smooth and fast right now IMO. These people use incense for regular upkeep after all.

[Yodhrin]

That certainly is something worth thinking about....

I generally go for "somewhere between the two" in most things like this, clunky but functional

I have to agree, depicting Imperial tech is about finding a balance between the elements necessary to show it as highly advanced compared to our own, and the elements necessary to evoke the proper tone of the setting. Personally, I like it, although I do agree with the sentiment that it could do with being "busied up" a little. I trust you've seen the intro cinematic for THQ's Space Marine? It's a good example of the type of artifacts you could use. I like the servitor connection spiel with proper greek lettering as well, perhaps you could expand that into a small sub-window that's continually listing the various connections/disconnects from servitors, techpriests etc?

[Corbeau]

Thanks for the comments, I hadn't seen the intro I'd deliberately avoided doing so. I will add a little more static and fuzz and the windows will be added as you suggested, but I'm going to avoid emulating THQ's vision in place of my own. I'm curently doing some of the sound editing for the fuller animation, including some attempts to cover techna linguis This aniamtion was essentially a doodle to try out a few elements - having started with the skull I ended up giving myself a restricted timeline so the servitor stuff isn't done as well as I'd like but that's something I'm going to expand in the newer version Thanks again to you all for your suggestions, much appreciated