MagicFractal's Puppeteering History & Manuals

[MagicFractal]

That last point is important, the usefulness of magnets on almost ANY topological surface shapes.

It's good to have the finest tools, but you can do a lot with less. A couple of bandaids can hold magnets to your fingertips, if control gloves aren't affordable. Suites of graphic programs costing thousands can make some miraculous images, but the free program Gimp, and old versions of Paint Shop give you enough ability to preview ideas. Oftentimes a pencil and paper (and a draftsman's eraser) are enough, plus you can work out the arithmetic to make everything fit before you get ahead of yourself with tools and materials. Careful planning is real engineering.​

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An expensive tool that I love and know no substitute for is a "graphic tablet". Mine is an ancient Wacom.​

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For this example virtual puppet the whites around Felix's eyes are thin plastic. It can be flat, though curved would be better. The pupils of the eyes are buttons with magnets embedded. The same buttons can be used on the unseen opposite side, inside the head, but the magnet polarity must be flipped. Putting two of the same together, you'll find, will PUSH and not pull to hold the eye in place. With no magnetic glove or fingertip magnets, the buttons inside can be slid around, causing the eyes outside to move wonderfully. It would help if the inside buttons had rings or indentations for easier movement by single fingers. Thumb and pinky can be used to control eyes that move far apart.​

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Animating puppet eyes with fingertips is a fun and flexible method, more entertaining than most other eye actuation anywhere near the cost.​

Lesula404@MagicFractal.com​

 

[MagicFractal]

Programming with Sprites and a Virtual Theater​

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Around 1983 at LFL Computer Division I was given the fun task of doing the "scrolling tile" backgrounds (similar to HTML backgrounds about a dozen years later) for the Labyrinth game (based on the Lucas/Henson movie with David Bowie). Back then our 3-D playfields were simple wire-frame (Koronis Rift, Eidolon, Rescue on Fractalis). Today results are much more detailed and realistic as these movies demonstrate.​

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At ZERO cost you can download Free DarkBasic Pro from The Game Creators. I do not work for them. I appreciate its ability to program in 3-D at no cost. Isn't this similar to puppetry! You can learn to design sets and creatures. You can write scripts to direct action, and define ways the scene and characters will respond to your mouse or joystick interactions. Game creation tools can be used to teach things, to make creatures with behaviors, magic worlds that can be explored, and the art of Interactive Fiction (the new medium of stories that allow the viewer to make decisions). Programs with game abilities don't have to be puzzles nor involve guns. They can have beauty and subtlety.​

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If you've ever used the BASIC language, you should expand this video to full screen (button at lower right) and watch how the math (cosine) controls the chair position.​

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Here's an artistically developed scene made with this language. The company sells special tools for some of the more elaborate effects, and artwork, music and sound effects, etc. which aren't free but worth it I think. Three minutes worth your time.​

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Doing it well takes some skill gained from experience. Programming can be great fun, and designing creatures is a lot like designing puppets. This demo video is less than a minute. At the end more demos are offered that you might enjoy.​

MOTION BLUR​

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[MagicFractal]

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[MagicFractal]

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[MagicFractal]

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Happy Halloween 2012​

 

[MagicFractal]

Stained Glass adds a lot for many houses, especially haunted ones. Nearly every copy shop can easily make TRANSPARENCIES

 

[Yorick]

Hi! I wanted to let you know your "Theaters, Stages, and Venues" thread is fascinating! You never cease to share amazing info! The only reason I don't say it on board is it would just disrupt your great "online manuals"! That's what they seem like, manuals that are to help us be creative, that is! Happy Halloween!