Fun in Insanity....

[Lin Evans]

My New Production - Titled BOHICA The Big Crunch! (for those unfamiliar with military parlance that translates "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again). Sub Title: Lin's Loosing It. You've heard of the Big Bang? Well, this is the Big Crunch - the return of the killer stars after the appearance of the "flaming comet" - The end of the Moon as we know it - LOL. I've posted some of this before so didn't bother to upload the exe's unless someone just wants to see them, let me know. Just a combination with some additional changes and a quite different sound track.

For those interested in a really nice selection of free royalty free music, I strongly suggest paying attention to the ending for credits. The creative commons license only asks that you credit the author as done in this fun production.

See it here:

http://www.lin-evans...unch/crunch.htm

Lin

[d67]

Hi Lin

I didn't see your other versions.

I find it funny but too long.

You have choosen a static sun point of view.

I think that it would be much prettier if you choose an other point of view (or vary the point of view) so that we can see the night/day variations on the earth and the moon in other situations than in the full moon view which gives it a sad flat perception (the earth instead, keeps a good 3D feeling).

What program do you use for the astronomical scene?

Patrick

[Lin Evans]

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for watching! Excellent suggestions! The project was all assembled with PicturesToExe - just an experiment in the use of masks, video, parent/child relationships, etc.

I use various programs to create the components. Particleillusion SE was used to create the vortex, flaming meteor, explosions, debris after explosions. Celestia was used to create the Earth in rotation capture. The moon in the first half was my own photo and a NASA photo from space of the moon was used in the second half. Unfortunately, there are some things which though easily accomplished with PTE if the components were available, are difficult to obtain such as the moon in rotation to keep the same side facing the Earth as should be the case. The starfield simulation was done in Photoshop using NASA photos and various Photoshop techniques.

Since the scene only represents a few days (minimal rotations of Earth) It wouldn't seem normal to incorporate moon phases, though since it's all "fantasy" I suppose I could do that. It would be much more difficult to represent night and day on Earth - perhaps in a future version I might try. It could be done by PNG overlays and opacity keyframes but would be a monumental undertaking I think.

In all, it's simply an experiment. I may eventually do the entire solar system including real solar storms and all nine or so planets. I have done the solar system before, but not since video was available to PTE. In the past I had to use nearly 700 separate PNG transparencies to get Earth rotation. Now it's much easier and quicker with video and the video card loading is much relieved. It's still a very big problem to simulate rotation of other planets. It "could" be done with Maya or Blender, etc., then made into small videos and incorporated in PTE using masking techniques, but I'm not proficient with these 3D software programs so it could be a huge project.

Best regards,

Lin

[d67]

Thank you for your detailed explanations.

Concerning the earth and the night/day cycle, in Celestia it is easy to obtain it by using the "Synchron Orbit" feature in the Navigation Menu ("Y" keyboard shortcut).

You can even adjust prealably exactly where you will fix the center on earth with the right mouse button.

More, it is possible to add the night lights on earth (Menu Rendition (?) Options).

If the moving stars in the sky is an issue with the "Synchron Orbit", there must be a possibility to play with occulting PNG overlays in PTE.

... but perhaps I see the things a litlle bit too simply or I didn't understand exacly what you have done.

Patrick

[Lin Evans]

Hi Patrick,

Yes, I actually had the night lights activated for the capture and adjusted the position and size of the Earth via mouse control, but if you "sync the orbit" you don't get the Earth rotation which I wanted. Instead, you get the day/night with the "atmosphere" and clouds in rotation but with the Earth synchronized to a fixed position viz the observer. If there is a way to have day/night lighting "and" the Earth rotation I have yet to understand how to achieve it.

The moving stars in Celestia are not a problem because I limit the capture to just the small area surrounding the Earth itself, then use a circular mask to isolate only the Earth in its rotation with my own starfield background displayed around the globe itself.

What would be ideal would be to capture still images of each continent with the lighting, then overlay the lights as a PNG and turn them on and off via opacity keyframes. That way both the rotation "and" night lighting would be available. Perhaps if I turn off the atmosphere and clouds and leave the nightlights, I might capture stills of various positions of the Earth's rotation, make PNG transparencies and overlay these. There would be a bit of work because one would want the atmosphere to not be occluded by the PNG overlays so they would need to have transparency where the image is black between lights. Of course that presents yet another problem because without the black for contrast, the lighting of cities across continents would not be nearly as dramatic. Not an easy thing to accomplish if you want to keep the rotation of the Earth.

Best regards,

Lin

[d67]

What would be ideal would be to capture still images of each continent with the lighting, then overlay the lights as a PNG and turn them on and off via opacity keyframes. That way both the rotation "and" night lighting would be available. Perhaps if I turn off the atmosphere and clouds and leave the nightlights, I might capture stills of various positions of the Earth's rotation, make PNG transparencies and overlay these. There would be a bit of work because one would want the atmosphere to not be occluded by the PNG overlays so they would need to have transparency where the image is black between lights. Of course that presents yet another problem because without the black for contrast, the lighting of cities across continents would not be nearly as dramatic. Not an easy thing to accomplish if you want to keep the rotation of the Earth.

And this?

http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Earth

Many things are adjustable

[Lin Evans]

Cool link Patrick, thanks!

Best regards,

Lin

[Ken Cox]

1High diddle, diddle,2The cat and the fiddle,3The cow jump'd over the moon;4The little dog laugh'd5To see such craft,6And the dish ran away with the spoon.

you are missing the cow :rolleyes:

i waited in anticipation -- winked and captain crunch hit the fan

good job

[Lin Evans]

Hey, that's an idea - a space cow! My little dogs would laugh.... Now I just need an affectionate dish and spoon ... Hmmmm.

Thanks Ken!

Lin

1High diddle, diddle,2The cat and the fiddle,3The cow jump'd over the moon;4The little dog laugh'd5To see such craft,6And the dish ran away with the spoon.

you are missing the cow :rolleyes:

i waited in anticipation -- winked and captain crunch hit the fan

good job

[dadou]

Interesting exercise , Lin !

You show ones posibilities of PTE ; but a little long for me ...

A space cow is a good idea , but what to do with the milk ? A siren living on a liquid planet would appreciate a periodical visit ...

daniel

[Lin Evans]

Hi Daniel,

You've given me an idea for a new show!! LOL

Best regards,

Lin

[dadou]

Ideas , I have , but I have not your knowledge with animations !

I live in a area of great and famous cow !!! Salers and charolais ...

Best regards .

daniel