ACCURSED FARMS 2015 ANNOUNCEMENTS VIDEO

[Ross Scott]

All questions answered (sort of)! In addition to my first Youtube video appearance, this is an update for just about everything I have planned for 2015 and beyond. I was hoping to have this video out about 2 weeks ago, but all the little things ended up taking me a lot longer than I planned. While I tried to add some humor, this video is largely informative more than anything else. I cover so much in this video, I ended up providing bookmark links so you can jump straight to different topics (they're in the Youtube description). Anyway, I'm making no promises, but I hope to have multiple videos out for next month. I'd say more, but really this video covers just about everything (for now).

 

ADHD version: See what Ross looks like! Ross is making more videos.

 

LINK TO COMMENTS

[andx0r]

I'm having a total disconnect between your voice and your new appearance.

 

I love it!

[IanStarGem]

JESUS! i clicked on accursed farms and saw you and it scared the shit out of me! XD

watching it now.

[PapaFrita]

Awesome! The information, that is

On the tech stuff I don't have a clue, but I can tell you that your recordings sound extremely well, I would stick to that microphone if the alternative is way too expensive (and I'm guessing it is)

For the models and textures you need for the movie, you could ask the fanbase for that. I'm now working full time for -probably- the rest of my life so I won't be able to help with that, but I think if you need a haystack some of the fanbase would be happy to help out, and it's probably better if you can choose the characteristics of the props you use

Ok! Thank you for the info! I'll be expecting Game dungeon! I really like the series in its current state, so I'm not sure why you say it needs improvement: I really like what I see

Cheers!

[ISGC]

Woah, wait

it's pronounced Accursed Farms and not Accurs-ed Farms?

I've been living a lie

[Ap2000]

@Dota; You could just have some kind of donation button going on for this, no?

 

Just out of curiosity, in your mind, where is Freeman right now?

Do you think the G-Man actually snagged him?

[Song]

Wow, I had to move the video to background because hearing your voice not in first person is just.. weird.

Anyway, I'd like also to see more Freemans Mind, but I like your other works too, especially Game Dungeon, so I suppose I'll get by. Besides, your voice is godly whatever you do with it. Never lose it!

Good luck with the movie!

[LVTony]

You look like Jesus Freeman now. Hmm... Je Suis Freeman?

 

As for Microphones, this is the best for voice/broadcasting: http://heilsound.com/pro/microphones/pr-40

 

Tony

[Qwerty3781122]

Ross, you look like Skallagrim (that guy who talks in his videos about cold weapons), except you seem less built and have long hair.

[dangerdad]

As for Microphones, this is the best for voice/broadcasting: http://heilsound.com/pro/microphones/pr-40

 

Seconded. That's what the twit.tv guys use, and they're pretty directional, so not only is the quality very good, you miss background noise, etc.

[IanStarGem]

A good microphone is the audio-technica at2020. it's what I have and unless you have people yelling in the background, a really loud computer, and the volume turned all the way up it's not going to pick up any background noise.

[Stuff]

Well, you were the savior of humanity in a game, now you look like the savior of humanity... a coincidence? I don't think so.

[SmilingWorlock]

1.: Long hair ftw.

 

2.: I like the way LoadingReadyRun (comedy and gaming videos) have taken with their patreon (http://www.patreon.com/loadingreadyrun): Don't offer levels. It's like you said yourself: Just let people give you money if they want to, and put everything up for free.

[BigTime]

Thanks for the update Ross.

 

Can't wait for the movie! A few suggestions:

 

First, please create a twitter account, or use one you have (if you have it). It's an easy way to gain some visibility and an even better way to make some connections with other like-minded folks. Yeah yeah...twitter....but just think about how easy it'll be to keep your Adonis-like visage in the hearts and minds of your fans. Lets face it...that chest hair DEMANDS attention, it is like a beacon of awesomeness so why not share it with the world? Also, it'll be FAR easier for us, the fans, to advocate on your behalf and to hopefully get you in touch with people who can provide the assets/help/whatever you'd need.

 

Speaking of assets, i strongly encourage you to reach out to Polatarium, who is working on Shroud of the Avatar (Ultima!!!). The reason I suggest this is they do a fair amount of crowd-sourcing of assets they use in game. Perhaps they can get you in touch with some of that crowd who'd be likely to approve your use of said asset. Also, Richard Garriot/Starr Long are notorious for not only funding of smaller projects but truly believe in both an open dev philosophy and creative works done by those not in the 'industry'. In addition, they have done a fantastic job of crowd-funding, should you ever wish to take a step in that direction. They do a fair amount of interaction on social media so...you know....do that stuff? maybe?

 

Also, I might suggest trying to reach out to other folks in machinima, but also those who do game reviews and content-reviews online. I'm not thinking you do this to try to get them to plug your stuff, but rather to use for networking purposes as they DO have contacts at various studios who could perhaps lend you some assets/time/experience/grooming skills. And who knows, maybe you make some new fans etc.

 

I realize that the schmoozing aspect of this movie project is probably not high on your list. I mean, there's only so much conversation about bugs in your beans you can have right? Well... have you considered bringing on individuals who may be willing to do this for you? I know i'd volunteer time and energy to help try to bring people to you. or bring you to them?

 

The bottom line is that i'm sure, I, like many of us, want to see you succeed. Not just because we want a little ROI on those donations (ok who am I kidding, I didn't give you any money), but because we all want to be a part of what you do in any way we can.

 

Think about this for a moment if you will. Over the last...however many years you've been doing this, people have found hours and hours of entertainment in a space (machinima) that we know nothing about. We just like to have fun and watch some videos? I know zip about IV17, RGB or any of the stuff you mentioned towards the end of that video. But I do know that your fans likely have some crazy skills in other areas, and that would be happy to help you, for free, on their own time, because...well because our mundane lives can get boring. I know....who wants to ask for help? That shit can be tedious and probably will cause you some stress having to deal with people. People suck, i know.

 

Just know that if you'd call, we'd pick up the phone, and maybe only hang up on you one time out of five.

[LSD]

Woah, wait

it's pronounced Accursed Farms and not Accurs-ed Farms?

I've been living a lie

Woah, wait. How are you pronouncing it. They both look...the same.

 

I always said it "Accur-said Farms". I think Americans say "A-cursed". Haven't watched it yet, but in another video he said it the second way, and part of me died. So that's nice.

 

Anyway: Ross looks the same as he did in that theme park meet-up.

But holy shit, a 36 minute video. Time to make a sandwich.

[Mikail]

Looking forward to the movie. As for other video ideas, maybe a grand tour of Poland (or at least your current hometown). Otherwise, why not do a game dungeon on you absolute favorite game?

[Schwarzwald]

By all means Ross just go for it. This is your product and work after all. I would hate to see you make a series like Freeman's Mind just because the fans demanded it and it didn't have the desired outcome you desired. You're not JK Rowling after all (ok Harry Potter wasn't THAT bad towards the end).

 

But take all the time you need. Pull a Michelangelo or JRRR Tolkien if you need to, though I hope you don't. Everything great you've done thus far has been through your own doing, not the whims of some rabid fans or profit margins.

 

Best of luck. I'm gonna go head out to the gym a bit and grab a breakfast burrito on the way back. Now I'm trying to imagine what long haired Gordon Freeman would look like.

[Zaraki]

Ross,you should join a metal band.

Also,good luck on the Movie!

[Anarki]

There are a few suggestions I can help out with in terms of both your film and multimedia.

 

motion tracking animation:

One type of motion tracker software that I came across:

ipisoft http://ipisoft.com/ were it can track markerless animation movements but there is some pros and cons

Pros:

Markerless animation (to make the software track movement start in a T postion and it will start tracking)

Multi camera support designed for covering different angles

Can export to all major 3D model editors (3D MAX, Blender, Maya, DAZ, Poser, etc.) even source SDK/SFM

Cons:

Only work with selected cameras Kinect, Kinect 2, PS Eye(recommended for software) (can use other usb cameras but needs to capture at least 60fps for smooth tracking also more HDD intensive)

No finger tracking

The full version does cost a lot

 

 

Multimedia tech:

Codec:

h/x.265 is (kinda) already out and most likely will the standard by the time your film will be out in 2017+

handbrake and VLC can read/write as of now and will reduce the file size to 80-50% of a h.264 equivalent resolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Efficiency_Video_Coding#Coding_efficiency

 

Audio:

Your audio on that mic does sound good

but if you ever plan for a hands free mic I would recommend a blue yeti (not yeti pro), http://www.bluemic.com/yeti/

It has a built-in basic compressor, gain control, multiple pattern orientation and has a zero latency headphone jack so you can hear what it's hearing

I'm kinda bias on this mic since I own one but you can shout at it and it wont blow out as I have tested out several times in audacity and vegas pro 12.

cost around $100

 

Video colour problem:

From what I understand this is probably a chroma subsampling problem as rgb is 4:4:4 (no subsampling) while AVC h.264 default profile is 4:2:0 so there is some noise/colour diminish when youtube converts it to their format https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171

 

Patreon:

As stated before, by SmilingWorlock, even my patreon (sorry for the plug) https://www.patreon.com/Anarki has a single reward, just make one for $1 so that patrons can have full access to the news feed.

[Koockaburra101]

I'm very happy that The Game Dungeon is continuing, though I'm slightly apprehensive about your wish to make it "more concise", as you say. While it will obviously be different for each game, I'm very fond of them running a bit on the longer side (such things are in somewhat short supply when it comes to game-related videos) and I'd be sad to see too much of it taken away. I admire your ambition to make it more than a conventional "review" and I love how the series occasionally becomes more of a video-essay which uses a game as reference point, rather than simply being about a particular game.

 

I can't speak for anyone but myself, obviously, but I highly enjoy the somewhat "digressive" parts of the series. I love when you talk about copy-protection and "legal grab-ass" in the Test Drive video, for example; or how you get into midi-music and post-apocalyptic musings in the video for Strife. I also enjoy the almost "archeological" bent of the series, how you explore and think about the games' environments and worlds in interesting ways, and also the more technical aspects of digging into the game files and exploring the weirdness which comes of trying to run older software. I think you should take every excuse the game gives you to talk about things which you find interesting, even if it's not strictly related to the game in question.

 

Being "fun to watch" (as you say) doesn't have to mean making the videos "more funny" (although that's not a bad thing) and you shouldn't dismiss your "preachyness" (as you call it). There are many "funny" videos about games, but not as many which discuss them in the way you do, and I hate to see those aspects disappear. You will obviously make the videos in whichever way you want (and I'll watch them either way) but since you asked for feedback I thought it wouldn't do any harm to tell you what I like about the videos. Thanks for doing what you do!