Civil Protection wants YOU!

[Ross Scott]

Well I've done some researching and for the time being I think my best option for producing episodes faster is simply to get as many people involved in CP as I can. Thus, I want to advertise different positions I'm looking for help with here. This is an ongoing offer, however your odds of getting in on the action increase the sooner you apply. I hope to recruit more people than I need, with the idea being that if someone bails from the episode or goes MIA on us, then someone else can step in to fill his or her place. Some people I need for as soon as episode 5, other people I'll need for episodes farther down the line. So, I may want your help, but it could be a little while before I'll be able to work you in. Finally, this is unpaid volunteer work. I don't make any money from this, so the only thing I can offer you in return is your name in big blocky letters in the credits. So, here are the positions I'm looking for; positions marked with an asterix I especially would like help with and I consider crucial to episodes coming out faster and me not getting burned out doing this:


*Animators (in Faceposer) - I'm looking for all kinds here. I need a lot of help with simple stuff like bobbing the heads of CP characters to match the audio, but I'd also love to have people essentially be in charge of animating the different scenes. You could have a decent amount of freedom here, in being able to decide what gestures get used where, using body language to help emphasize dialogue or scenes, etc. I'm still learning about it, but I hope be able to get you metrocop models with a LOT more gestures available than what you've seen in previous episodes. Also while not every episode will need it, this includes people who know how to do lipsyncing and are willing to manually go over the lines to make sure they look natural and don't blindly rely on the computer to generate the phonemes.

Animators (In Hammer) - Some scenes simply need to be done via scripted sequences or throught map entities and AI. This will focus on how to have characters interact via Hammer. A lot of this will deal with NPC's moving around. So if an NPC is pacing back and forth or jumping over a gap, I'll need your help to help make that happen. While this does focus on Hammer, you'll need a basic understanding of Faceposer in terms of using scene triggers or working out the timing with different animations. Also this can deal with complex tricks that need to be invented in order to make some scenes happen (like Dave jumping into the water from Ep. 4). You'll probably have a lot of freedom here in how scenes get accomplished, but this could also be one of the most challenging positions as I've found that a lot of creative methods need to be thought up in production.

Animators (other) - This is by no means a required position, but if you have experience in XSI or some other 3D application that you think can get imported into the Source engine, then I'd love to be able to have more animations than what comes with the game. The downside is that I have almost no experience here, so you'll be kind of on your own for this.

Mappers (design) - Update: No further mappers needed at this time, I've already has some amazing responses here.

Mappers (effects) - This probably overlaps with other positions, but I want people who are good at the dynamic end of mapping. So if I need an explosion, I want someone who can can have chunks of concrete come out of a wall, have smoke rise up, see flames, etc.

Modellers - I doubt there will be a whole lot of work I need in this area, but I'll probably have need of some custom props for some episodes. However if you want to work on something ambitious, particularly creatures, I can be sure to work something in. Like the 3D app animators however, you will be on your own for this, I have almost no experience working in 3D modelling software.

Sound design - Update: No further sound people needed at this time

Source gurus - If you know tons of things about the Source engine, odds are I have questions for you as to how to accomplish a given scene or effect or just weird stuff I'm trying to make happen with the engine.

Texture artists - I probably won't have a whole lot of work in this area, but the need will definitely arise for having custom textures.

Video effects editing - Update:no further editors needed at this time

Voice actors - Before you get your hopes up, I've already had a ton of offers to be a voice actor. What I'm looking for right now are people who can come close to faking the voices of Half-Life 2 characters; specifically the G-man, Dr. Breen, and possibly Eli. I'm afraid Barney and Kleiner have been filled at this point.


Those are the positions I'm looking for help with in the series now. This should basically be treated like you're developing a game mod, except the difference is we'll actually be able to finish what we're doing and the scale won't be as large. If you're interested in helping out, please email me at [email protected]. I will be requiring that you can show me some sample of previous work related to the position. Do NOT send me attachments, I have limited space on my email account, use megaupload or some other external link instead. Remember that I'm just some dude making comedy episodes, you're not applying for a real job. While I want to keep the quality level as high as previous episodes, I'm not going to be ruthless about this. I'm only going to hold people to standards as high as what I've already met in existing episodes. To everyone else who's reading this, now you know why it takes me so long to make these episodes.

[Guest]

I wish i had the skill to help you. Hopefully this will work out fine for you. Maybe takes some time to get the "Logistics" running ...

[Guest]

Good luck I hope to see more episodes that have the same great quality. I never knew how much work it takes in making CP. Do your best.

[Guest]

Right, where to start...

I'm a fairly good mapper. I know my way around the editor, can build decent architecture given a good idea, and can script effects quite well.

I know a lot about Source, though not so much about things that would be useful for machinima other than how to use Source Recorder and the Demo Smoother.

I'm pretty good with video editing. I use Sony Vegas myself. If you have any questions about it, I'll *try* to help you (I'm pretty good, not an expert).

That's about all the help I can offer you, without going into the "I know how, but I'm shit at it" stuff.

[Guest]

Hi, Ross.
It's me. The Korean guy who
asked you for sending script.
Thank you very much!
Because you sent me a script
I was able to make Korean subtitle
successfully.

About the news, I really hope
I have some skills, but I am a
clumsy one. So, I will just say
'Good Luck' to you.

p.s. I have one question. Can
people in foreign country help you?
I think there will be some good
skilled people among who I know.
So, I will let them know this news.

Again, thank you and good luck with
your CP05!

[Guest]

Sure, people in a different country can help out, as long as I can communicate with them (I only know English). I especially need Faceposer animators, it would be great to get more help with that.

[Guest]

need help with original music, might be able to help you there

[Guest]

I'm still on the fence about using original music, go ahead and email me about that if you don't mind

[Guest]

You should use models skins and maps from garrysmod.org. Many things are there. I sure it probably will work with SDK. From Xenomorph4444(youtube)

[Guest]

Hi Ross I ask you if you can subtitle in english civil protection episodes....please because i'm an italian guy and sometimes i can't understand dialogues

[Guest]

desertlizards: thanks, I hadn't seen this before, but this could be especially useful for models.

anonymous Italian dude: I don't have much free time and a good subtitle job takes a few hours for an episode. There are some for 1-3 here though:

http://www.radford.edu/~rscott31/

They're the files listed at the end in .sub. Episode 1 and 2 should be completely accuracte, Ep. 3 I put up because someone else did it so I could be lazy. Nobody's done anything for 4, however I can email you the script if you want.

[Guest]

Episode 4 Was The Shit >: D!, Keep 'Em Coming!

And I'm Subbing Episode 5! Yeash!

(Subbing In Danish Too For Those Who Want?!)

[Guest]

Garrysmod.org is full of stuff but there aren't really models for normal stuff, like TV's or anything. I suggest Facepunch if you haven't already tried it. Besides you can make a request there by asking someone to model you stuff or whatever you want, someone might just do it.

And for animations, if you hadn't bought Episode 1 yet, go get it, it has lots of new animations I think you could use. Episode 2 is gonna have a few too I think, at least some combat animations. Both also have new sounds and models too. So I suggest getting both, might come in handy.

[Guest]

i ran across this HL2 machinima online

http://www.litfusefilms.com/movies/waroftheservers/#viewfilm

it's a 1 hour film check it out on your free time

[Guest]

Yeah, I've seen that. The scale of it is very impressive, but most of the humor was lost on me. I think I probably have to play gmod in order to appreciate it more. But then my sense of humor can get pretty weird too as I hope to show in time.

[Guest]

Hey man, still host a link/image on my blog for ya. If you ever need to me write up anything (many months ago it was just an idea that you stated) then I am here. I can submit tons of stuff, take what you want for free and change whatever you need to fit any situation. does it have to pg? pg-13? or R? I would like more of an R situation. or you can be like - I do not need any written material. Whatever you decide.

[Guest]

Useful information.

The programs that should work with Source, export and import, are Softimage XSI, 3DS Max, and Maya.


Blender 3D a free open source program also has two plugins that can allow you to import and export Source file format.

Also I have heard that there is a plugin for source engine which will allow to import 3ds max objects with lights textures ,and I think even bones ,to the Source. So if this plugin works 3ds max could be a good tool.

Also, Softimage XSI website offers a free, non trial, version of an old XSI 4, which still can be used to work with characters and can import and export files.

So Blender 3D and Softimage XSI 4 ,free version they offer, could be a good free tools for those who do not have a 3D program but want to try to get involved,

http://www.blender.org/
http://www.softimage.com/products/modtool/


I think Gary's mode could be the easiest to learn and more fun. It is only 10$, but it used to be free so there are many free older versions that could be obtained.

Hope this is useful and will help more people get involved.

I enjoy the civil protection series a lot and hope that there are many more episodes to come.

(I can not wait till it comes out on a big screen, "Civil Protection" the movie)

Alex

[Guest]

this may help. Those are some plugins that may help with Source as well as connection to other 3D programs


http://halflife2.levels4you.com/downloads.l4y?cat=180

[Guest]

demon23: Well thanks for the offer man, but I decided I want to get more episode ideas I already have done first before I start looking for writing help. As for the PG-13/ R thing, I'm still undecided about that. My original intention was to mix it up so that some episodes were PG, some were R, etc. Since then I kind of enjoy the larger audience I have, so I may keep the language at a PG-13 level. However, I plan to pull no punches whatsoever for violence; it'll get as grisly as I deem necessary (though most episodes won't call for that).

Alex: I've already looked into some of these options and while I think some of them could definitely increase my options, I think they'll only add to the time required, even after learning the software. As for Gmod, I'm not sure it will save much time as I've kind of spoiled myself with the animation quality I already have present, I don't want to go downhill from there.

[Guest]

i would love to help but i dont have half life or half life 2 and most of the positions i cannot understand what they mean