More animation stuff:

So here is my original rough sketch for my favourite robot arm design which I have now decided to make and rig in 3D studio max:

I have re-followed Andy's tutorial where I needed to to produce the arm and rig it all very similarly to my first example. However, a lot of my design uses longer and thinner parts (arm/fingers) at different angles, due to my test version having trouble reaching past the first 2 rows on my chess board.

This is a render from the middle of the modelling and rigging process.

Due to this new design, I had to put in more precision when rotating for the the finger attributes, considering how it would effectively hold a pawn or other pieces.

Here is a quick render showing how I have managed this:

Latest on Chess Player Project.

This week I followed Andy's tutorial for picking things up with our rigged test robot arm. It took quite a long time to follow and to get to work but I seem to have it worked quite well.. for now :) The tutorial featured a ball appearing, a hand reacting, picking it up, throwing it, catching it, then "shaking its head" (rotating the palm).

Here is the original video I made from following the tutorial:




I have also done a quick experiment (well it took a couple of hours and then rendering, but.. you know..) of using my chess props with the same type of animation. This video includes a jumping arm, picking up a pawn and moving it on the board, and another "shake of the head" motion.

Network Diagram

So I have finally started to attempt to write a draft of my essay, so I will have (hopefully!) finished a version a week or so before the deadline. This will encourage me to improve upon it before submission, instead of rushing at the last minute.

This afternoon, whilst waiting for animation work to render out, I completed a simple network diagram in Photoshop. I hope this is sufficient for the assignment... It basically shows what networks I have currently, as well as a few of the companies I have contacted that have responded in one way or another.

Networking Progress.. Aha!

I have had responses from a few companies now, detailed answers from 5 Lamps Media (Derby), Albino Igil (Derbyshire) and Hot Knife Digital Media/Simon Wallett (Nottingham).

I also have had an offer to visit the game developer RARE's new Birmingham studio in a couple of weeks for a look around and chat! Wow. I have no idea where it is and whatever, but am waiting for a reply to my request to go on a Wednesday... We shall see. Never thought I'd get offered to look at what I would consider a medium/large company! (They made my fave game ever Donkey Kong Country on SNES, aha!) They are now an Microsoft/xbox developer, so I don't know much about them (I have a ps3!)< but I am aware they work on Kinect software, and am really interested to see how they work, if they let me go. :)

Banjo Kazooie!

Kinect Sports Season 2