The Dark Tide: A NWN Machinima.

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               I already posted this in another category on this forum and was suggested to repost it here.  So here I am!


The Dark Tide:

I am pleased to announce that after many months of creation, planning,  and production, the Dark Tide--A NWN Machinima--has been released.

The Dark Tide:  Prologue - Released Sept. 4


A little info about the Dark Tide:
Dimi and his forces of the Dark Tide have found themselves in a bit of trouble as a result of their latest "score."  The High Lady of Goldenstep set a bounty on the heads of the Dark Tide, as well as a reward for the return of her property, putting Dimi and his newest team on the run. Watch our four misfit adventurers as they work their way into being the most elite team of a highly feared and deady guild of assassin's and spies... The Dark Tide.

The Prologue will lay the foundation for the series.  Its part is to set up the story and introduce the characters.  It is recommended to read the character bios on the Dark Tide website ( www.DarkTide.co ) to better understand the characters and their personalities/histories.

One of  the most important parts of the series will be to promote the Neverwinter Nights Community and it's amazing source of user-created  custom content.  The Dark Tide recognizes the Neverwinter Nights Vault, and all those who are a part of that community, as a key aspect for  the creation of the Dark Tide.  Without the community, the series would  not be possible.  We place a special thanks for the community.

Feel free to stop by the website to watch the episodes or to find out more about the series and join us on the forums for more in depth information about us as a cast.


Credits:
Written By:
Travis Richards

Cast:
Alred - Timothy Buddell
Dimi Nished - Christopher Escalante
Ensign - Rochelle Kuhl
Herald - Tawmis Logue (special guest from Neverending Nights)
Snafe - Travis Richards
Assassin - Chris Gabennesch
Captain of the Guard - Robert Pedersen

Art/Cartography:
Chris Gabennesch

Music:
Travis Richards
Christopher Escalante
               
               

               

                     Modifié par The Dark Tide, 07 septembre 2011 - 01:09 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Tawmis]

               I'd recommend checking this out (and not just because I do the amazing voice of the ultra cool pirate!) - no, I'd check it out because Travis has used plenty of custom content and tilesets that show how beautiful Neverwinter Nights still is - and at the same time, does it by telling an entertaining story that has only just begun!

I'd ask that folks repost a link to www.darktide.co (not .com) on Twitter, Facebook, and other social medias, to help us get the word out! We'd greatly - GREATLY - appreciate it!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               Any promotion is greatly welcomed!  We are off to a very good start and I have already started filming the first episode!  The Episodes will be released on a bi-weekly basis.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par The Dark Tide, 07 septembre 2011 - 04:32 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               I'm afraid to say that's a good piece of movie I just watched, Snafe! Funny too, considering NWN seems to be the worst editor when it comes to cinematics.
Be careful with all of these many camera angles though, choose one or two, even extreme, but stick to those only would be my advice. Otherwise, just confusing. And some "real" sound in the back could help. 
I shall try that module as soon as possible, short for asap. What? Oh, okay, there is no module to play. Fine, keep us posted. 

Snafe ma bredwin!

(No idea what it means, only 'sounds appropriate.)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 07 septembre 2011 - 06:15 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               Thanks!  There will be much more to come!  The first episode is in production and will be released on the 17th or 18th.  

I understand where you are coming from with the Camera angles, and it is an issue I'm still learning.  My main attempt right now is to prevent it from looking like I just took the video game camera angles (I don't want it to look like just a bunch of people's in-game point of views).
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WebShaman]

               Ok, some feedback from a CC obsessed individual (see my Adventuring Party for details) :

You are missing some of the best, and most critical CC available for your Machina IMHO - colored eyes, lips, and eyebrows!  That alone would bring some very welcome "life" into your characters.

Second, why are they standing there with drawn weapons?  I would depict them in the prologue without their weapons, with some of the nice VFX weapons, sheaths, etc...on their backs, etc.

With the unbelievable amount of quality CC available for clothing (re: armor, clothing, robes, etc), why didn't you choose better (and higher quality) choices?  See my Adventuring Party thread for examples.

A minor critique - "you also get any and all experience that you earn" is an OoC sort of reward...and would never really be used in an ingame dialog.

Other than that, it looked promising.  I like the use of CC in the environment, and I see that you have used CC for weapons, etc.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               (I get a little long-winded in this post... sorry)

I appreciate your comments.  I have put much thought into nearly everything you have discussed.  Over the past four or five months, I have been developing the series into what is unfolding now.  The modules I use are content-specific since a lot of content is not compatible with the other.  I had to pick and choose what I could use and what I couldn't use.  There will be a significant amount of custom content further in the series, especially starting next episode when they get out of an individual room.

Here were some of my conclusions when deciding on what content to use:

When it comes to community content clothing, I haven't found much that I like better than what NWN already came with... especially for women... I don't want things to appear like they were made by men (I don't want any inappropriate clothing).   Also, I have a lot of other things going on later on where the clothing isn't compatible... I won't spoil it, though '>  Lets just say one of my clothing sacrifices is what Herald (the pirate) is wearing.  It conflicts a few episodes down the line, but I like the trench coat so much that I found a loop-hole.

As for the drawn weapons... the only one that really doesn't have a reason to have his weapon out would be Herald, who has an easily sheathe-able weapon.  I thought about that exact thing and I couldn't find a suitable way around it.  If their weapons are sheathed, where do they go?  In their magical pouch on their back?  I understand what you mean by this, but I couldn't find an alternative.  Especially for Snafe... He's a rogue with a greatsword, looking beyond the obvious, wouldn't the huge sheathe on his back prohibit movement?  Ensign (the elf ranger) has a bow nearly her full size... then there's Alred (the wizard) who's weapon is basically a walking stick.  The other two men that you see dressed in the uniforms are Dimi's personal Guards, so their weapons are going to be drawn since they are on guard. You don't see Dimi (the narrator/Leader of ht Dark Tide) in this episode, he's sitting at the desk.

When it comes to facial features, Herald is really the only one who will have any of his face visible and he's a bald human, so no eye brows and boring eyes anyways, haha.  Ensign (the elf ranger) has blue-green eyes already, and the other two will never have visible faces.  My biggest reason to hide the faces is because of my biggest problem with NWN1--there is no lip-syncing.  I made an exception with Herald who has a beard and a hat.  This was my way around not having any sort of lip-sync.  And as for livening up the characters in general, I got rid of the square hands and used the hand override that has fingers.

As for Dimi's Line about the experience gained, It was intentional.  The series is going to be half comedic, and half story driven.  Just listen to the entire last portion of dialogue where they talk about Fortitude saves and Bad Rolls... I'm shooting for some D&D humor as well, as mild as it may be.

I will definitely take a look at your Adventuring Party thread, what is the link to that?  I would love to get more custom content.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_WebShaman]

               The colored lips, eyes, and brows ALSO apply to your NPCs...

My Adventuring party thread is here - http://social.biowar...9/index/7821090

As for conflicts...well, then that will require some 2da editing, of course!

Don't get me wrong - it is your baby, so do it as you see fit.  I was just pointing out what to me is the obvious here.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               Yeah, and I appreciate the info.  I spent several days trying to figure these little things out.

Are there any good override files that could liven up an NPC?  They need to be CEP Compatible, since that is the heftiest portion of the custom content I have used.

Also, I'm looking for a good Pirate village tileset... any suggestions?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               About asking in the "module" or "toolset" forums?
Where the true NWN wizards are hiding from us, the regular crowd.
After all, you belong to them, from now on. 
Also, check my "Add-ons" list in my signature, if you can read my frenchglish. 
Good luck! 
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 09 septembre 2011 - 07:10 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               Indeed, I did ask over there on the same Dark Tide thread.  I looked through that list and got some good ideas, thanks!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_The Dark Tide]

               Subtitles will be added to the Youtube version by the end of the evening.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tawmis]

               

jmlzemaggo wrote...
I'm afraid to say that's a good piece of movie I just watched, Snafe! Funny too, considering NWN seems to be the worst editor when it comes to cinematics.

Be careful with all of these many camera angles though, choose one or two, even extreme, but stick to those only would be my advice. Otherwise, just confusing. And some "real" sound in the back could help. 

I shall try that module as soon as possible, short for asap. What? Oh, okay, there is no module to play. Fine, keep us posted. 

Snafe ma bredwin!

(No idea what it means, only 'sounds appropriate.)

I think the thing with doing several camera shots (rather than single shots) - I learned, from doing Neverending Nights - is that, with no lip movement/lip synch with the characters speaking - it can become VERY easy to confuse who is actually speaking. So it's become easier, to change the shot so that it shows (if not focuses on/centers on) the character in question, who is currently speaking that piece of dialogue.

In the beginning of NeN, we used to use a lot of stagment/single shots - but then, with no lip movement - I began to realize it looked strange. So, I believe that's one reason for the multiple shots. It's to focus on the character speaking, so it's clear. (Especially in the beginning, so that it becomes identifiable as to whose voice belongs to which characters).

WebShaman wrote...
You
are missing some of the best, and most critical CC available for your
Machina IMHO - colored eyes, lips, and eyebrows!  That alone would bring
some very welcome "life" into your characters.

I think that kind of stuff is awesome - but sometimes, in terms of filming - unless you have a shot that focuses directly on the character's face - these nice touches are easily missed. Because NWN1 doesn't have refined graphics like NWN2, or Dragon Age, facial features are very flat (rather than well rounded) in NWN1.

WebShaman wrote...

Second, why are
they standing there with drawn weapons?  I would depict them in the
prologue without their weapons, with some of the nice VFX weapons,
sheaths, etc...on their backs, etc.

Once again, speaking for myself and experience from doing NeN (which I began in 2004!), it seems much easier to have the weapons drawn all the time, since when actually drawing their weapon - they're not actually acurately pulling them out of a sheath or anything. The only time, I kept the weapons away was when the characters were in like a bar/inn/tavern type setting. Of course with them, standing before their master in Dark Tide, it seems logical to me that they'd have their weapons drawn to show them off.

The Dark Tide wrote...
Lets just say one of my clothing
sacrifices is what Herald (the pirate) is wearing.  It conflicts a few
episodes down the line, but I like the trench coat so much that I found a
loop-hole.

And let's face it, Herald is the star of the show. Such sacrifices MUST be made for such an amazing character...

The Dark Tide wrote...
As for Dimi's Line about the experience gained, It was intentional.  The
series is going to be half comedic, and half story driven.  Just listen
to the entire last portion of dialogue where they talk about Fortitude
saves and Bad Rolls... I'm shooting for some D&D humor as well, as
mild as it may be.

Aye, breaking the Fourth Wall is fun to do from time to time.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Tawmis, 18 septembre 2011 - 07:47 .