I have started to do some research on music for my video in order to model it in a similar way. I found this great open source music website, where you are able to purchase tunes for a couple of dollars and are able to use on the internet.

After a couple of hours searching for something i likes and would go along with my model, i found this track that is 60s long (just enough for the video) called 01 Xcyril - Alter Ego - La mort de Chloé

http://pro.jamendo.com/royalty-free-music-library?protracking=jmtrack1#pn=1&tag=&theme=&speed=&sound=&search=track-110635&playlist=&duration=&profavorites=&proshare=&voicegender=&country=&order=&lang=&inst1=

After having some trouble in cry engine trying to animate my model made of three individual groups, I decided to head back to sketchup and re work on my model. I grouped all three segments in sketchup this time instead of having them in a group within cry engine. The image below shows my re worked model (as a complete group this time) that i have created a flow graph that will both rotate the object and move it. I am now attempting to figure out how to repeat the movement animation flow graph so it will travel back to its original position.

Creating a sporn point in crys Flow-Graph mode.

Also defaulting the in game features to remove the text in the top right of the screen and removing the weapon when the letter "z" is pressed .

Animating a single group to flat up at the rate to 2 meters per second.

More editing to create not only the group to float up, but also for them to start spinning around on its axis.

I have had a look at previous students work and have found Ischtar Howard's work from last semester inspiring. Here is her final video.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiQG6NjrRdU&feature=player_embedded

Her work shows the object splitting apart and traveling across the screen forming interesting patterns and shapes. I wish to use a similar technique to portray my model floating like lillypads across the water.

Final Images

The start of this assignment turned out rather difficult, not only to learn how to operate Cry-Engine, but also to design a model that had potential. I found that I had to work and re work my models until I found something I liked and saw potential in it for the next segment of this assignment - animation. I had inspiration from industrial instillation such as turbines and propellers that I worked into my model through a series of developments. I rather like my final three images, as they both imply movement between the objects but also rotation due to the objects shape.

Created a white Light. Following the tutorial on the blog, I found the settings that were recommended to be slightly under powered, instead I increased the diffuse multiplier from 20 to 500. i Found this value to have a bigger impact on the model. This image's config spec was set at very high, as you can see, the model is slightly grainy and not smooth. 

Changed the color of the light to a deep blue/ purple colour. this made the model stand out in the low light. I also reduced the config spec settings to high, the model is much more smooth.

Once again, heading back to the beginning to re think my model, I have done a few sketches of ideas to start working with.

Re Modeled my shape. Made it more interesting and usable 

Each piece is in its own group, this means when it comes to animation i can move and rotate each part individually 

Quick sketch as to how I could make animate the model for the second part of this assignment. Thinking ahead is key to development, as if something isn't going to work, it is easier to develop at the beginning. 

Screen Shot 1 - Model 1

Screen Shot 2 - Model 1

Screen Shot 3 - Model 1

Screen Shot 1 - Model 2

Screen Shot 2 - Model 2

Screen Shot 3 - Model 2

Making adjustments to the model

Edited my model once again, Changes the colors from bright orange (which glowed strangely once imported into cryengine) into a more monotone gray and charcoal.

Importing the new model into cry engine. This was inspired by wind farms and how they rotate in the wind to generate electricity. However in this case, i have appropriated the turbines into spinning in the water with the tide or waves. I have some ideas for the animation, where the disks will not just rotate, but will travel up and down the shaft at different rates.

Today I experienced my model not importing properly into Cry-Engine, after some fiddling, i realized i had made an error in sketch up which made it unable to be seen in Cry.

Once I fixed the issue, the model was able to be seen easily.

Playing around with copying the model and moving its components around.

I then started to play with the terrain modelling. Using the built in tools in cry engine, I made  a mountains,  island like terrain.

I then used the texture settings to generate some built in land like models.

Re-placing my model within the terrain to put it in context.

Imported my model into Cry-engine following the tutorials on the blog. some of the information in these tutorials were hard to follow, so using trial and error techniques I found out how to move around and explore the map.

I learnt how to change the lighting - the time of the day

Using the terrain settings I was able to play with adding terrain into my map, by changing the radius and height sliders I could make the terrain interesting and almost lifelike. 

Some more development of the original shape, creating a more curved and flowing pattern

Thinking about animation, i wish to create an effect such as this Yin/Yang .gif image. The two shapes perfectly link in with one another to make a flowing, seamless meshing system. With my triangular shaped pattern, maybe i could make a cog like system where each shape rotates around each other.

By playing around with the negative space created by my simple  shape developed from my original Sketchup model, i have now made a new shape that can be repeated. 

The simple shape made from the negative space may be repeated to form a new texture, with a similar yet different negative space as the previous shape.

To add depth to my model, I increased the width of the single structure of my Figure Ground pattern. By also including a negative space block (blue) when imported into cryengine, this piece may move through the lattice.

The shape above repeated into a large lattice.

The single grouped piece toned in the inside and repeated but flipped underneath. This layering system could create an interesting effect once imported into cryengine.

The two pieces as above, however they are now joined as one shape.

This group tesalated into a new pattern. This pattern is far more interesting then the previous lattice.