Saturday, December 23, 2023

TF2: Pill Doctor [Casual @ Uncletopia]

TF2: Pill Doctor [Casual @ Uncletopia]


 

Additional video info

Game: Team Fortress 2
Video topic/frag type(s): Demoman various grenade launcher pipes
Special themes: Dr. Mario (1990, NES)
Class(es) featured: Demoman
Demo date range: 2022/01/02– 2023/11/23
Project start: 2023/11/23
Project end/upload date: 2023/12/22
Server: Uncletopia (AU)
Music used: "Fever" and "Fever Clear" composed by Hirokazu Tanaka

Overview ⭕

Demoman frag video, direct pills/pipes. Had idea about using Dr. Mario music since he throws/uses pills too.

Music choice 🎵

Music name/author

"Fever" and "Fever Clear" composed by Hirokazu Tanaka, from NES game Dr. Mario (1990).

Dr. Mario (Nintendo NES) on Cirrus Retro

Usage in video

Parallel between Demoman shooting pills/pipebombs to kill enemies and Dr. Mario throwing pills (medicine) to kill viruses (enemies). I wasn't too familiar with Dr. Mario gameplay, so I made sure to play the game to better understand it for the video. Similar to Tetris but consistent block size with conditional blocks, arcade puzzle.

Notable Parts/Edits ✂️

0:04 - Upward slow-motion tight pill shot on fleeing scout

On closer inspection, the pill was very close to being repelled by the wooden beams, adding to the value of the clip. Did a slow-motion sequence from first-person to the pill's perspective so you can see it better.


0:12 - Upward landing surpise pill, scout ragdolls into bush

The cut is not best for following the motion of the pill but I wanted to show the scout ragdolling into the bush, which I found out when figuring out what camera angle to put in the corner (now first-person in corner). It reminded me of stealth game HITMAN 2 where you can hide bodies in bushes. Recorded reference and audio from the game and recreated the point scoring effect.

 

0:18 - Suijin 180 roof pill magnifying glass cam

Kill happened off screen, so added extra camera angle. Wanted magnifying glass that shows you the viruses like Dr. Mario game, but in TF2 style (instead of original pixel-art style too jarring/distracting for this part of video).

 

Left: Video, Right: Dr. Mario (NES, 1990)

Also, for this clip, used image render method instead of screen capture since it kept lagging. I usually use that slower capture method for slow-motion sequences (like the one at 0:04) to have a more consistent and smooth capture. In the air at high speed, all other players/game objects, rotating firstperson view fast can be factors to make a demo lag in screen capture.  Since the 3D player model's animation plays too fast with image render method, I use SFM to re-create this, so the video is more consistent. Last time I did this I made a pixel art version of the model.

Left: SFM render replacement, Right: screen capture


0:21 - Fake pill advertisement SFM poster of RED SOLFUREN®

A bit of pause in the music, felt like adding some b-roll cutaway thing. Why not a medical ad/poster to add to the doctor/medical theme. Poster style inspired by a still from a Panadol (real life painkiller) ad (no affiliation).

Reskinned a enhanced demoman SFM workshop model to look like doctor instead of the default unemployed skin (one of the model variants in the model pack). Used Medic cosmetics (Otolaryngologist's Mirror + Surgeon's Stethoscope). Some referencing to Emesis Blue and respawn machine lore.

Added Louis from Left 4 Dead since he is popular pill guy in Valve game universe (was going to be Coach from L4D2 but good thing I fact-checked).
"He's got the cure" slogan from Dr. Mario 1990 commercial. Subtle House M.D. reference on shirt since on medical topic, sickness sherlock.

 

SFM + Paint.NET + HitFilm

0:49 - Harvest predictipill

Updated the HUD with TFC inspired win panel, the avatars sometimes don't appear properly for older demos so I add them manually. Followed up on Louis from pill ad poster with 2 frame flash alternate render with demoman's pill instead of pain pills, what better place since player named Louis – complete with matching avatar – was in clip.



Credits screen 🙏

Following up on body of video using "Fever" music like a Dr. Mario game in progress, then used "Fever Clear" and styled credits like the level clear.

 

Source material: Dr. Mario (NES, 1990)
stage clear (medium speed)

Edited the original pixel art from a few reference screenshots, trying to respect the color palette (from screen capture) and how background sprites/objects are aligned to an 8px grid, from the text to the pill bottle label appearing. Pixel art scaled to 5x, and any moving position animation is snapped to a 5px interval: the virus movement and thrown pill at end.


Going further and making TF2 pill bottle shape
instead of original


8px grid
 

The demoman pill-shaped magnifying glass was looking empty, so I made some TF2-themed viruses of possible frag videos I may do in future, and with that idea, might as well make a "Pill Doctor" virus to die like the original game: where you kill the final virus (in this case, ending the video) and get the stage clear screen + clear music. Magnifying glass still too empty, so added rotating TF2 logo.

Based on the original viruses (24px grid)

Title 📝

Shorter draft list, "Pill Doctor" made most sense/sounded better over second choice "Dr. Demo".

  • ▶️ Pill Doctor ◀️
  • The Pill Doctor
  • Dr. Demo
  • Dr. Demoman
  • Dr. Demario
  • Dr. (Dem)Ari(oman)
  • Dr. Ariman

Thumbnail 🖼️

Wanted a pose like Dr. Mario as seen in the NES game. Foreshortened top angle inspired by Josuke's pointing up pose from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Great Days opening. Background is purple checkboard as seen in Dr. Mario (medium speed difficulty).

When lighting, lots of trial and error, trying to keep in mind that light bounces and the pill emits light. Checking Expiration Date (official TF2 short film) to see examples of acceptable lighting.

 

Pose inspiration to take video higher

Demo/clip info 📽️

Class is Demoman

0:02 2023-11-23 @ pl_upward – "Tight flee pill"
0:09 2022-01-13 @ pl_upward – "Bushpill (LnL)"
0:15 2022-01-18 @ koth_suijin – "180 roof pill (LnL)"
0:23 2022-01-22 @ koth_suijin – "Unpredictipill roof scout"
0:32 2022-02-09 @ koth_king – "3 for 3 LnL"
0:38 2022-09-10 @ pl_pier – "Distant Dual Patient Consultation (LnL)"
0:44 2023-07-22 @ koth_harvest – "Predictipill Spy"
0:54 2023-01-02 @ cp_dustbowl – "Overhealed Soldier – rocket vs pill"
1:00 2023-06-19 @ koth_highpass – "Spy glimpse 180 self-collateral"
1:08 2023-10-17_1 @ koth_king – "Helping a Hybridknight out of spawn"
1:12 2023-10-17_2 @ koth_king – "Hybridknight steals pill"

Pinned comments 📌

Extended credits 

Sounds 🔊

SFM models 🧊

Not listed above? Try these links:

Reference 🪞

Misc 🍔

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