Sunday, September 24, 2023

TF2: "Reforestation [Casual @ Uncletopia]"

Reforestation [Casual @ Uncletopia]

Additional video info

Demo date range: 2021-12-05 – 2022-04-08
Project start: 2023/09/05
Project end/upload date: 2023/09/24
Server: Uncletopia (AU)
Music used: "To Sunshine Forest" (slight edit by me, see below) and "Forest Prayer Sanctuary" by Shogo Sakai, from the Mother 3 soundtrack

⚠️ May include slight spoilers to starting areas of Mother 3.

Overview ⭕

Backend

After last video, worked on some the HUD and prepared my demo record scripts I use with P-REC for upload on Gamebanana:

Then after that, did some tests to test the lag of direct screen capture vs in-game render of demos.

The advantages of direct screen capture outweigh the render since I currently have decent PC specs, had worse before which was when in-game render was necessary for demos. Even with in-game render there may be some situations where the lag/stutter is baked in the demo itself – for example: the intro camera movement to first-person in the video had lag, even with in-game render (should be less affected by hardware-related lag), so I edited some frames out of the render/output/image sequence to make it smoother.

Unsure if this is too technical when I talk about the demo recording but can't explain it every time, I started a steam guide about demo recording, most likely take long time when things come to me, especially more focused to get videos out as one person, need to secure this profession. Feel free to skip ahead if you don't have interest about demo recording process, but hopefully useful to those who want to adapt my processes for their own use. Don't want to keep this some sort of "trade secret".

See also my BuyMeACoffee posts (this blogpost should be more convenient as overview):


Pyro video

Been while since last pyro-specific video. There was a little taste of pyro in "ConFlicKtest" but pyro wasn't fully the focus.

Since my demo-recording scare, I felt more inclined to make a video of one of my favorite/"main" classes – pyro (other is huntsman sniper). Nowadays harder to say more definitively what a favorite is since you can change playstyles, pre-empt enemy movement to decide how to play into your strengths – many ways to approach/solve an interaction on the battlefield – which I hope I can show you more in video.

Why the reluctance? Still some lingering disappointment from old inspiration I've long renounced. Always the concern in the back of head ending up like a cruel person or worse, irresponsible/unaccountable/apathetic. Time goes on, bigger fish to fry, better destinies bring to fruition. Can only hope to grow what whatever adversity finds me. So here is me. "Bing Soy". Not anyone else, I will make my own accomplishments and mistakes.


Camera angles

Most of the killing blows are shown in third-person. Less emphasis on my perspective, interesting how things look outside of first-person. Shifting some emphasis on the other players/server who help make this possible.


Proof-watching

Toward the end, I rewatched the video many times, especially the uploaded version on YouTube. In retrospect, I could've saved some time by watching more before upload but in the end, I caught some mistakes and fixed them.

Some mistakes include:

  • forgetting to list previous concurrent donators
  • black bar effect ending too early
  • damage indicator in hud stuck, rerecord
  • out-of-place ragdoll in demo record messing with shot continuity, rerecord
  • intro had lag in camera movement, rerecord still had lag, so edited some frames out
  • double audio, forgetting to mute music track, used extra composites shots to help with post-processing including audio mixing consistently to -6 dB
  • rendering glitch, displaced layer unintended move for a frame, likely happened from changing audio devices/bluetooth in middle of rendering

Some other "mistakes", but more considered better editing decisions such as ducking the music in the badwater scout clip, so viewer can hear the scout approach – a key element of the frag.

Mini-animation of scout in Krita,
accentuates the sound-relevant clip

On Nintendo not releasing official Mother 3 english translation + console exclusivity

Even if nintendo decided to remake or make official translation port of Mother 3 for their most recent console (Nintendo switch), they seem insist on console exclusivity no matter what, and they aren't the only ones - Sony's Playstations, Microsoft's Xboxes.

I don't like console exclusives, especially when PCs have become much more available and viable for more people – games meant to be sold to many people but prorprietary and not widely avaiable in the age of decent and affordable PC hardware?

Why would I want to inconvenience myself with another piece of hardware just to play a console exclusive to configure when my PC is perfectly competent to run games like TF2? I feel less inclined to support a company who cares more about keeping things exclusive in this current time/century rather than make their games widely available on PC. Supporting a business makes you complicit with their activities, like buying delicious meat from the grocery store or supporting my channel – I know things far from simple, but the money comes from people.

I'm not an expert and much to learn in life but I will list some concerns anyway. What of e-waste from the result of upgrading a game console? Are gaming consoles planned obselescence? Same could be said about PCs but they have many more uses than gaming. Giving up on the PC market place? Is it to do with public image/reputation of delivering a consistent experience connected to the brand of Nintendo? Is the price of the console + games + "membership" + exclusivity worth it?

I'm not well versed on Nintendo's stance on emulation (seems to be aggressive/non-supportive), but I will continue and appreciate the hell out of these old games people worked very hard on. I do know they hate when people preserving their music on YouTube. "They" in this case is probably executives with shallow vision for the future of videogame preservation. So far, Nintendo hasn't messed with me. I hear how scary they are with their legal matters – right or wrong. I will continue to be respectful and transformative of the videogame music I use without being a market replacement for the source media I use, crediting the authors.

I don't feel I articulated this clearly enough but I want you to think about business practices, appropriate use of copyright law and possible implications for the future. Become smarter, as the future is always at stake.

I have no idea how many of Nintendo's employees (artists, composers, developers) agree with this. I imagine they are at the "mercy" of the executives that make the business and legal decisions.

Big thank you to emulator developers for unlocking/preserving these retro games (they are part of history and mine). If I release software/games/mods, I never want to be as anti-preservation/unreasonably aggressive as big corporations such as Nintendo, I could be delusionably idealist, but what's the alternative? Remember, you can be grateful for and criticize a company at the same time. Or even use a platform like YouTube but be supportive of reformation of unfair policies on platform. Things not always at odds.

See also:


Music choice 🎵

Music name/author

"To Sunshine Forest" (slight edit by me, see below) and "Forest Prayer Sanctuary" by Shogo Sakai from the soundtrack of Mother 3.

Usage in video

Since clips didn't fit a more intense action track such at the battle music, used a non-battle track to suit less intense, slower-paced video.

One of the early tracks used in Mother 3, helps reflect beginnings of channel, beginnings of playing on Uncletopia.

Been many years since I played Mother 3, little refresher playing the starting areas for reference and to get in Mother mindset. Lasting impression, good game. Power of love and adversity.


Hypno-pendulum/hyponosis/heartbeat/metronome/edit (slow-motion part)

When I had a main foundation of clips, I had some gaps to fill when I had to cut out some clips that didn't work well enough for the video - clips that weren't as methodical/too basic/slow with too little payoff/more on the mindless side like point blank airblast or a basic detjumpaxting kill that didn't look challenging enough. The borneo twofer clip initially was going to be an outtake but I decided on including it, with camera + slowdown effect to do the clip more justice.

Mother 3 has a musical combat system, my videos like to flow with the music used. Wanted to use a hypnosis effect which reveals the "heartbeat" of the music that helps you land consecutive hits. Speaking of, I considered it in the snakewater consective reflect clip, but it seemed too distracting; was strong enough to stand on own. The hypnosis effect I used is themed around Duster's hyponosis method using his hypno-pendulum. The PSI counterpart is Hyponosis α or Ω, used by Kumatora.

Being a non-battle track, there is no heartbeat track. so I edited the track slightly by using a Mother 3 soundfont, found the hypno-pendulum/hyponosis/heartbeat/metronome sample and, also doing slight time-shift to make the slow-motion part more smoothly go in and out of the normal tempo.


FL Studio

The soundfont patches + notes are:

  • Patch 113, "Type 0 @0x11a194"
    • E4 (cymbal crash)
  • Patch 128, "Type 128 @0x11a248"
    • C5, D5, E5, F5 (like a 1, 2 ,3 ,4 countdown) then G5 only – with whatever beat you want
The specific version of Mother 3 soundfont I used.

When recording the camera movement and main first person footage, I forgot to turn it back on for the first person part as the player model shakes frantically fast when I used in-game render method to more smoothly capture the camera movement. I figured I might as further flesh out the effect and made a pixel-art version of the 3D player model in bottom left corner so there is the little guy in the corner throughout the clip, moving to music, reflect musical combat of Mother 3. Even further, made pyro look like Duster in that effect, using the in-game effect subtly as to not get in the way too much.

Trace from reference + pixel art knowledge
 

Duster-pyro

References (to external media) 🔗

Kept it strictly on the music/game used this time.


Source material

Animation: B-roll Leder bell 🏃‍♂️

There was a break in the music where it loops, might as well do a little reference to Mother 3 to go with that breathing room after the more "intense" snakewater consecutive reflect clip.

Did a model hack using a suited scout and a sniper head to make Leder (also stretched the limbs a lot), edited some textures to make him, sniper "Flint" and engineer "Thomas" more alike to their original counterparts.

Scene set/themed on junction north of Tazmily village, a path leads to Sunshine Forest.

As usual, did some mocap to give more personal touch and helps get me more experienced with animation. Depending on how close the camera shot is to the mocap, refinement is more needed, seen in the credits segment which looked much more sloppy when unrefined.

Model hacking to create "Leder"
 

 

Credits segment 🙏 / Animation 🏃‍♂️

Back at it with another SFM credits sequence. Building upon the Leder animation, did an imitation of the forest santuary, found a church model from resident evil on the steam workshop, tried to make it look closer to the original counterpart in Mother 3. Even though I fiddle a lot, didn't want to spend too much time for the credits sequence to hack models together to make the scene more accurate. Decisions have to be made for your project.

Set/themed on Forest Prayer Sanctuary, near entrance of Sunshine Forest.

Source material

Made the dark dragon centerpiece from rathalos from Monster Hunter. Excluded Jonel, he's "outside" – scene variant where you attempt to walk past sanctuary.


Inserted the pyro at end to tie together back to the TF2 video. In this part of Mother 3 you pay your respects to the dark dragon, classic light and dark/good and evil decisions theme, I appreciate that theme – for example, you may see some of it in my "costumes" across my channels. In that sequence, the player inputs their name, bit of a 4th wall break – in this case, I am the player, ready to embark on this "adventure".

 

Birth
Had a large donation from person named binker, I was taken aback, wanted to do something special maybe drawing, so I asked, they request their comrade doggo avatar to draw. I make in Mother 3 artstyle, into dog-tank chimera.


 

 

 


Wanted to show the original console, used SFM again with a Gameboy Advance model to show the origin more.

More SFM, using screen replacement effect (tracking)

One point I grow more competent at animating something longer/complex, so I feel more inclined to upload again to my main animation channel to help branch out into non-TF2.

Title 📝

  • pyro of the general forest
  • The Forester
  • Pyro of de forest
  • Pyro of a general forest
  • general pyro of the forest
  • general forest pyro
  • general pyro in a general forest
  • GPiaGF
  • Reforestation ✅
  • Pyro of de Forest (deforest implies sharp implements such as ax, this isn't ax heavy video, but at least 2 ax)
  • DeReForest Pyro
  • DeReFoReSt PyRo
  • Deforest Deflector
  • Deforest Deflector Does Dice Chop (D4C for future pyro video)
  • Willem DeFoerest
  • General Forest Pyro
  • In General Forest
  • General Pyro in a General Forest

Settled in "Reforestation", bit of reprise from previous general pyro video "deforestation α", acknowledge past. Reclaiming, rebuilding something, something new, my own path but not completely on my own – help from Uncletopia, providing an acceptable casual TF2 experience that Valve's casual servers cannot, people I may meet on the way. Uncle Dane had vision of more balanced servers, I appreciate. Will you curse the darkness or light a flame if you have been let down?


Thumbnail 🖼️

Using SFM. Built upon the music used and the title "Reforestation". I used cp_snakewater_final1 for the scene, nice forest and was a map featured in one of the frags. In retrospect, may of considered cp_sunshine more since I had the SFM B-roll segment of Leder ringing the bell there, but it wasn't in one of the frags. Something to do with trying to have video thumbnail represent the video better while having some soft of flair/looks good, without being too flashy.

Chose this point of the map since in forest, with nature instead of the buildings and had a telephone pole, resembling a crucifix, like going to metaphorical church to find better path in spite of hardships and callback to Mother game's faith/religious themes. Put a spotlight to accentuate the telephone pole.

Tired pyro resting pose, but he may still have fight left in him to reclaim; rebuild; own destiny. Weapons used on the ground.

Added some flowers in the background to reference the Tazmily gerberas as seen in the B-roll Leder part too.


Timestamps + Demo/clip info 📽️

0:00 BEGIN
0:05 2021-12-05 @pl_barnblitz, "Fearful corner flare"
0:24 2021-12-09 @cp_powerhouse, "Surprise consecutive rocket reflects"
0:34 2022-01-31 #1 @pl_badwater, "Air-reflected and airblast-cratered soldier"
0:48 2022-02-04 @pl_pier, "Medic defense against aggressive divebombing soldier"
1:07 2022-02-06 @cp_snakewater_final1, "Consecutive reflect soldier-med combo cleanup"
1:33 ding
1:37 2022-03-13 @pl_thundermountain, "Scout on cart detected – axting deployed"
1:54 2022-03-31 @plr_pipeline, "Doorway disorientation"
2:17 2022-04-01 @pl_borneo, "2-for-1 knockback into reflected rocket special"
2:42 2022-04-08 @pl_badwater, "Loud building murderer receives precise retribution"
2:53 2022-03-31 #2 @plr_pipeline, "Everybody laughs"
3:21 CREDITS 💒

 

Pinned comments


Extended credits 

VFX ✨

 

Images 🔊

 

at

Thursday, August 10, 2023

"Penhasco Polícia [Casual @ Uncletopia]" [Video @ Team Fortress YTChannel]

Penhasco Polícia

Additional video info

Demo date range: 2021/11/14 – 2022-03-11
Project start: 2023/07/15
Project end/upload date: 2023/08/10
Server: Uncletopia (AU)
Music used: "Grandpa and the Delightful Tadpoles"/"Melody Bay" by Yoko Shimomura (modified by me)

Overview ⭕

Another cliff video but more experimentation. Moving closer to the less familiar, want more variety for channel. Intentional cliff sacrifice strategy advised to use sparingly/last resort, people may catch on, as with any strategy.

There was a nice grouping of cliff-related frags in my cliff frag demo folder. This is a more true chronological video compared to previous videos with general chronological sequence but shuffled to control the video's facing. Included some fails, more contrast, more realistic to the gameplay since you mostly don't see my fails. Maybe could make a epic fail video in future, there are fails and there are more rare "epic" fails. 

 

Timeline view early in project, gets messier

Screenshot after completed: video

Screenshot after completed: music tracks

Many doubts were had throughout project, more so beyond half-way point when working on it. Maybe more about keeping this up long term consistently. Maybe just tired working on the same 1 project for a while that hasn't been uploaded yet. Maybe having possible impact on others/world, being exposed to more interactions. Worried about real possibility of somehow not being able to keep it up or get burnt out, but same time recognize (even if I have my own challenges) that it's a big privilege to be able to do this compared to hard physical labor in a disrespectful work-environment with very long hours, want to keep doing this, not only being able to do what good at, more about survival/place and purpose.


Roadblock – demo dialemma

I panicked a little over recent TF2 update that broke demo playback (2023-07-25). Made video about this with more info. You can now install that particular version of TF2 via betas section in the game properties. Thanks to spider and others for helping. In retrospect worried more than I need to but at time thought worse since didn't know how to solve.

Mario RPG remake

Around the middle of project found out about trailer of Nintendo remaking the game, modern version for Nintendo Switch. Also found out Nintendo doesn't provide official way to play original Mario RPG (SNES) for Switch. Why not make an original sequel/rework combat system and make the original game available officially, and better yet, cross platform availability including PC? Things like this help me worry less about modern console things and more about PC stuff. The whole thing stinks, not entirely sure why. GabeN on piracy and service.


Music choice 🎵

Music name/author

"Grandpa and the Delightful Tadpoles"/"Melody Bay" by Yoko Shimomura (playback modified by me, ft. melody from Daft Punk's "Around The World")

 

Usage in video

Thinking of music I could use from a retro game. This music came to mind, cricket-like noise of the apito seemed fitting for koth_brazil (Brazilian samba music). Many, many years ago, played Mario RPG, using ZSNES emulator, also found out how to toggle sound channels when trying out random buttons. Many memorable tracks, including this one with that apito that sounds like crickets.

Like last video, Lawn Defender, trying more musical manipulation, altering how the music is played.

Used audacity again, this time recording emulator. Beforehand played the game the music belongs to: "Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars", to refresh memory on game and to get up to the in-game location the music plays. Helps to deliver more intention if you know the context of the music.

Audio channel toggle

 

Used different emulator, snes9x. ZSNES's audio output wasn't clean – was slight static. snes9x had no such problem with the audio, at least for me. Both have toggleable sound channel controls, snes9x ones less convenient. In-game I enter Tadpole Pond and record each individual channel.

You could use the website "Cirrus Retro" for highly accurate emulations of sound for many retro games, with the option of toggling sound channels to hear individual instruments, but I wanted to experience the game again, trusting the emulator more for most accurate sound capture from the game.

You may view the following tracks on Cirrus Retro and toggle the 8 channels to get a feel of how I used the sound for the video:

Recorded each of the 8 tracks for 3 minutes each (double since I had to change emulator) to reduce amount of layers needed for video project when splicing and cutting stuff.


Syncing the recorded channels up in FL Studio

Even with this musical addition to the video, wanted to do extra bit more. Wasn't as confident when composing with the existing music instead of more from scratch like I did in thrust α (deadmau5's Cat Thruster in Mother 3-style) and cliff eastwood (Gorillaz' Clint Eastwood in Kirby Superstar-style). May not be as good as I want it, but decent and step toward doing more transformative stuff better. Was very fiddly to try and make it not sound too abrupt/unlike. Used Mario RPG soundfont with my DAW, Fruity Loops Studio to use the same instruments (extracted) as used in the game of Mario RPG. "Around The World" reference to add more to the SFM map transition scene.

Adding "Around The World" musical reference

See also:

References (to external media) 🔗

As usual, usually put "secrets"/"easter eggs" in the animation parts and in some edits. Maybe better for you to find first, then list them here. Maybe more important/noteworthy ones here.

0:54: Did a drawing of Toadofsky wearing cosmetics of a scout I encountered in the video named "Tchaikovsky". If you didn't know, Toadofsky's (from Mario RPG) name is based on Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Toadofsky is a toad (race in Mario universe) that is a composer. Since I noticed that coincidence that I was using music relevant to the character "Toadofsky" I felt compelled to reference this with an edit/drawing. Didn't want the edit to be too intrusive to the gameplay, so little graphic that pops up where the names are at bottom of screen.


When writing this post, found out I drew the wrong gun
Fortunately a minor mistake, but usually want to be accurate

 

Map transition animation 🏃‍♂️

In the grouping of cliff-related frags I have for the video, there is a suijin clip among them. Even though a brazil video, wanted to respect that particular grouping of clips, left it in but wanted some sort of transition to make it less jarring to include. Was thinking something more simple – something like the loading screens from HITMAN 3's freelancer mode, turned into more location-focus/geography, tying clips/animation together with the sticky-jumping demo with smooth viewmodel transition for the transition. Something like "What if demoman sticky-jumped to the next map?" "What if I could show that action?" No mocap here, but there is some in credits.


 
Using Ghost-It! to help me line up viewmodels


Credits segment 🙏 / Animation 🏃‍♂️

Even though may seem require more effort than worth wanted to do animated outro again using SFM. Makes outro more lively, more unique/personal, another way to improve with SFM/animating by using more regularly.

Might as well set it in koth_brazil, cliff themed. Have some characters do some action (featuring some mocap I did, used as base), adding to credits.


Was considering on-screen text but might as well go all the way with the text being baked in the scene. Seeing if I could still do that screen replacement effect with the TV credits part. Used a shortcut using static texture for the TV when 4 corners of screen not in frame simultaneously, not worth that extra time for something like this, further delaying project.

Chroma keys, masking, tracking, using a quad warp
effect to warp 2D credits screen to the 4 tracked points

See also: "How to track tricky objects | HitFilm Express" – FXhome,YouTube

Title 📝

  • Cliff of Brazil
  • [wanted to make title in native language of Brazil: Portuguese]
  • Penhasco do Brasil = brazilian cliff, masculine
  • Falésia do Brasil = cliff of Brazil, feminine
  • policial = police, neutral
  • polícia = feminine
  • Policial Penhasco = cliff cop [alliteration]
  • Polícia de Penhasco = Cliff Police
  • Penhasco Polícia (shorter, more direct, roll off tongue)

I don't speak Portuguese, used online translation pages.

*EDIT 2023-11-11: Title now Polícia da Penhasco. Brazilian grammar help from commenter @kazooie.


Thumbnail 🖼️

Considered using the outro costumes for SFM thumbnail pose, used the default skin as appear in game instead with donut and badge to help sell/reference the police "theme". Like last 3 videos, made little reference to source material by drawing tadpole from Mario RPG in the corner.

Demo/clip info 📽️

0:04 2021-11-14 @ koth_brazil as Sniper, "Unexpected weave into cliff shot"
0:19 2021-12-02 @ koth_brazil as Sniper,  "SMG attraction into I'm already cliff"
0:31 2021-12-05 #1 @ koth_brazil as Sniper, "Walked"
0:42 2021-12-05 #2 @ koth_brazil as Sniper, "Cliff angle "
0:47 2021-12-07 @koth_brazil as Sniper, "Breathe, stall with medication, turnaround"
1:03 2021-12-29 @ koth_suijin as Demoman, "Slippery scout search, ambushed in deadly cliff confrontation, last second pill pacification"
1:35 2022-02-01 @ koth_brazil as Sniper, "Out-cliffed by unexpected cliff-dodge"
1:45 2022-03-11 #1 @ koth_brazil as Demoman, "Air-ledge sticky-snipe"
2:03 2022-03-11 #2 @ koth_brazil as Sniper, "SMG dance into bow coup de grâce" 

Pinned comments


Extended credits 

Sounds 🔊

SFM models 🧊

May list more the main workshop models used instead of as many as possible in future + probably link to my favorited workshop items/collection if you want to find more models I use.

See also

at

Monday, July 10, 2023

100,000+ subscribers on Bing Soy Team Fortress, future plans, monetization

This is big number, sure is good but more importantly, having persistent audience and possibility of being sustainably paid to do something good at, meaning I can do it more and worry less about other things. Not much to say, thanks, will keep making videos. Did mini-thanks in outro of Lawn Defender.

More concerned about making stuff than celebrate too much, want to make sure of this.

Still full steam ahead for TF2 videos at least for "while" – not sure how long, but doing full commit long period to TF2 channel before adding another of my main channels to "main" in addition to my TF2 channel. Feeling obligated especially to newly growing audience, all these people came here to see what I can do, and I want to

Hope I can keep the steam up. This is it/could be it. Yes, lots not saying, maybe not much known about me before this TF2 phase. If relevant, will probably bring something up if it affects my video production. Maybe alienating to be less personal in speech, but more personal in work. I am not really relatable personality YouTuber that talks in the camera with the face, despite this, people have gravitated here in such scale. Yes, elmaxo helped (in a strange way), but the people stayed.

Future plans

Looking at my animation channel, hard to say when if ever, since getting in TF2 video maker mindset. I should be uploading across my various channels and/or improving other skills (art, music, etc.), at least between TF2 uploads. Help break monotony and add more possibility to serve decent/high-quality videos about various games/subjects.

Can't have TF2 taking too much of my life, even though it has become much more prevalent lately. My YouTube "empire" of many channels – which channels will grow, will I have improved my various skills, challenging myself, keeping it all together, that is for future/now.

Copyright stuff

Copyright sometimes (lot of sometimes) worry, I don't know full extent of those laws but learn as I go. Generally try to be transformative and respectful, but sometimes that may not be enough. If I'm not sure, I upload test video with music I want to use, then see if there's problems. Grey areas.

Music made public to listen to freely but usage gets complicated:

  • fair use? definition still muddy to me. Educational? Parody which must be wacky or make fun of the original work? Transformative?
  • many people use copyrighted music without permission all the time and get no trouble: YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, etc. Various enforcement. Trouble seems more where money involved, people who do YouTube professionally. Lots you can see, but first hand experience may understand more.
  • if recording/streaming a game is perfectly fine, why not celebrate and transform elements from the game to make something new like what I do (not something like ripping assets and redistributing/selling, claiming as own), this seems to work ok for many, even simply using videogame music as background music for commentary or for a stream

Also what of YouTubers/streamers watching/"reacting" whole videos or copyrighted film, with little to no pausing making surface level observations instead of anything more transformative/genuine commentary? All these politics (affairs of the cities) of video sharing and ethics becoming more relevant – what affects you, are you contributing to a good environment. Not completely sure about this "reacting" thing for content creators, better to supplement/transform an original work into something new so they both build on each other instead of disincentivize looking at original by showing original in entirety. Like Nintendo remaking Mario RPG (instead of making sequel/making original officially available for modern systems) – why?

Speaking of Nintendo, is good to find pages that give you more clue about their copyright stuff like this one from Nintendo. They don't seem to like people preserving their own soundtracks – people who in their own time get high quality rips of music from beloved retro-games and upload them in an organized matter because Nintendo won't do it themselves, not even for profit, as some sort of public service. I seem to be safe from this since I don't upload soundtracks by themselves, still that power still intimidating (their likely intention), using that power although in their right, was it really right to use on the preservers?

Accepted new YouTube monetization policy in July, was unsure when watching YouTuber Louis Rossmann's video covering it, seems system could be abused easily, but to what extent and could it be abused easily before? Was worried about if running ads could cause more harm than good.
Accepted, seeing what happens, ultimately, my donation page (BuyMeACoffee) is currently my most reliable source in income for my work. I see YouTube ad revenue more as a bonus and way to give back for the bandwidth I use on the site. Maybe for more "viral" YouTubers who can mass produce videos ad money is reliable, not for me. I also tried to be more ethical with the ads with these settings. Ad money is a 60/40 split. See also: dodgy Google ad stuff. See also: uBlock Origin (use wisely, especially useful for sites that contain information but thrust disrespectful, obstructive/intrusive ads in your face). Whether ads should exist/cease to exist maybe another time, but seems to be large funder of things across the net. Nuance everywhere, limited lifespan, can only specialize so much/understand so much about certain things to certain degrees.

at

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

"Lawn Defender" – Team Fortress 2 Gaming Video

Lawn Defender


Additional video info

Demo date range: 2022/03/02 – 2022/12/03
Demo curation range: 2023/??/?? – 2023/??/??
Removing this, not significant enough, may merge by changing "project editing range" to "project range"
Demo rendering range: 2023/??/?? – 2023/??/??
This too, more redundant since now using screen recording instead of slow in-game render
Project start: 2023/05/08
Project editing range: 2023/05/08 – 2023/06/25
Removing this too, more efficient
Video upload date: 2023/06/27
Server: Uncletopia (AU)
Music used: Plants vs. Zombies Soundtrack by Laura Shigihara: "Watery Graves", "Crazy Dave", "Zen Garden", and "Graze the Roof" (in-game versions)

Overview ⭕

Been some time since last market gardening compilation. I have improved some since then, yes more can improve. I knew yet another market garden video could be too stale from possible over-saturation of MGs, so the challenge leans more into execution of video. What can I do? Decent editing, musical consideration, animation. Even though fun video, still competitive in process, what will make my video worth watching, worth me watching?

Plants vs Zombies themed since shovel named market gardener (gardens are big thing in PvZ), PvZ cosmetics already in TF2 (existing connection), zombie cosmetics in TF2. Reminded me of that gardening game. 

Shout-out/thanks to jumper/teacher Soru, came across them in those jump maps about late 2022, helpful. Also unintentionally helped me realize my jumping binds messed with my crouch key which messed my jumps up. Now focus on mechanical skill more, only so much blaming on game you can do as game usually more consistent than you.

I changed the capture method in this video. The driving force for this change is due to the little HUD man on the screen. I was improving the HL1-style HUD, made the killfeed more readable, more name-showing support, breaking a little of the accuracy of the HUD for the sake of the video, added the on-screen names. Now even closer to in-game, less disconnect, more humanize.

Imagine this little man shaking uncontrollably

The third person preview guy was moving too fast when using in-game image sequence render – wasn't too keen on finding out how to mod the animation to be slower to compensate for the fast speed, too many delays. It was to the point of distraction, but I wanted to keep the guy in, it's team information/represents how the third-person view of the character looks, shows current team and especially useful if I upload spy gaming as you see the current disguise. And it took some tweaking to figure out to make it look the way I wanted it, didn't want to waste that/give up too easily.

Previously the footage was recorded in-game with a frame-by-frame jpg image render. This image sequence would have to be imported in my video editor software (HitFilm) and I'd have to make a composite shot to combine the image sequence with the wav audio file to make an equivalent of what a mp4 does (video + audio in one). This is slow, but it's highly lossless for quality – tga image render not worth for large filesize and would have to be converted to png – extra steps, less efficient for negligible payoff.
Now using mp4. There are some drawbacks such as:

  • Lag affecting recording, need to close other processes, TF2 running at max/high graphics settings, re-recording needed if recorded laggy footage
  • Quality loss, especially fast movement
  • Slight color inaccuracy (slightly more than jpg export, can be slightly color corrected but ultimately neglible)

But the speed/efficiency is good:

  • No need to wait several minutes to wait for a recording to render out from in-game method
  • Video + audio included in one file: mp4
  • Filesize ≈ 6 smaller than jpg image sequence render, less worry about filling storage

Maybe this little man helped things work out better, adapting my production to be more efficient.

Whenever I make enough for PC upgrade the lag should be less of a concern and I can go heavier with OBS settings for less quality loss    . Sometimes the demo capture itself may have player models "lag"/jitter, not sure if that can be fixed practically.

The video is (loosely) structured like a PvZ level, from the more "intense" moments mirroring flag waves with the adaptive soundtrack, to the ending sequence + credits.

Drawing

Reluctant at first to add some drawings, but felt like it would add to the bhops, could be slightly confusing since there are pogo jumps in TF2 (long horizontal chain jumps with rocket launcher) but the pogo in this case more equivalent to small jumps/hops like pogo zombie. Had to slow down and think of process, used SFM to make reference pose, constructions lines, then tried to make the soldier look similar to the pogo zombie which it's based on. When incorporating the graphic in the footage, made the guy bounce on my target's name – using and interlinking things.

Construction lines, the bones


Setting up clipping masks to easier coloring
Construction lines, the bones

Camera angles

The extra effort to show more with camera movement/alternate angles, tried to be more conservative with additional camera angles since can be to jarring hard to focus, saw few comments bit confused.

This kind of camerawork reminds me of something


Animation (?) 🏃‍♂️

I wanted to see what more I can add to the video. Like previous video, I wanted to incorporate more animation with SFM and I do need to animate more to be able to have longevity for my animation channel. This time, I wanted to add a little slideshow cutscene (like this). It was going to be more simple so it could be done but seems like I wanted more and here we are.

Manually posing the characters was too hard/hard to see the vision, so I did mocap (w/ iPiSoft + 2 Kinect cameras). Since I was at this point, might as well act out scenarios – motion. Since it was too hard to keep everything in my head, I storyboard so it's easier to see what action to do with little downtime in the motion capture recording, more space/time efficient to have recording with minimal gaps. If I get consistent and better at this and many people express interest in tutorial, maybe in future.

 

Storyboards
 

Due to the out-of-place-edness of this "bit", it may be a little surprise, due to the main video being a frag video, and that was ok. The animation should be decent enough and has coherence.

There was a funny ragdoll that happened in one of the clips and it was a good time to have the animation cut in with a little dream-like blur/fade-to-black transition.

I did have some reluctance to animate, so I did these mini-tests/animations to help build confidence ability + experience to move forward instead waver over inexperience too much, slowing even more. Here are those videos:

Not sure peoples' stance on mocap assisted animation (my setup is nowhere near that professional), I'm more concerned about how it turns out and whether I finish animation. Good time saver when used effectively, cleanup and additional animation to fully sell it. Helps greatly being one person.

Pool levels: 3-X

Music choice 🎵

Music name/author

Music: Plants vs. Zombies Soundtrack by Laura Shigihara: "Watery Graves", "Crazy Dave", "Zen Garden", and "Graze the Roof" (in-game versions)

Bandcamp link

More of Laura Shigihara's music @ https://www.laurashigihara.com/music


Usage in video

I wanted to incorporate the flags in the video — in PvZ, whenever a flag wave approaches, the music adapts to play a variant with more/alternate instrumentation to accentuate the flag wave, which spawns a bunch of zombies at the same time as opposed to a trickle of zombies before a flag wave. Also bit of challenge to make music work/persist, since music more chill, less punchy action in your face. This is good, contrast. As usual, syncing moments to music, musical consideration harmony.

I initially thought of using the album release versions of the soundtrack, but it was too stiff/set-in-stone. I directly captured the music while in play, made sure to complete the game at least once to get more in the PvZ mood. I gravitated toward "Watery Graves", since it felt right, despite no water-focused frags in video.

Music captured from in-game, stitching together multiple takes to my liking.

In ending clip used "Graze the Roof" more fitting theme-wise since on/around roof.

When doing this, accidentally discovered when click and dragging PvZ's window, the music keeps playing with the game frozen, so I wait until desired moment before big wave comes for music variant, much more consistent way to get the specific music to play at that moment.

Familiarity with the source media you're trying to emulate/reference/pay homage to is helpful, makes it more authentic.

I tried to buy album at bandcamp as to support artist more –  I am using their music after all w/o permission, but the website didn't let me, tried many times.

 

References (to external media – not necessarily PvZ) 🔗

There may be other references/edits you can find on your own, will list mainly main ones.

1:08 – KnowZero (YouTuber/TF2 Gamer) – Cube avatar edit

It's brief but it's there, his cube avatar appears next to him for a few frames, like a stand from JJBA. You may have noticed last appearance of his cube avatar in ConFlicKtest. There is another edit in the next clip at 1:12 where the cube comes out of the HUD where his name is.

2:54 – Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (PS1 ver.) – Cart edgebug

Kind of cool occurence, had edgebug on cart, technically didn't land, horizontal speed preserved and still able to market garden crit. Reminded me of "trick" in THPS4 (PS1) where you briefly grind on a rail and it the game says "kissed the rail" or "clipped/bonked/kissed/tapped it" in later games. The other trick name "bop shove l" based on skateboard move "pop shove it". Graphics themed accordingly to this THPS version.

3:08 – Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul – The funny ragdoll hit the stairs

This funny ragdoll reminded me of notable slip-and-falls from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul (spoiler-ish warnings). I sampled the "slippin'" sound effects and used them for that clip.

3:22 – Steins;Gate – PvZ animation

Far right of frame. Reference to Rintaro calling Kurisu "Za zombie".

3:36 – Predator (1987) – PvZ animation

Reference to the legendary man-shake in Predator when old friends Dutch and Dillon reunite.

"Dillon! You son of a bitch!"

3:57 + 4:09 – Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Part 8: Steel Ball Run – PvZ animation

Gyro peashooter. Then BLU soldier with dark determination, could be mistaken for sans undertale (spoilers).


4:00 – Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Part 5: Vento Aureo – PvZ animation

Diavolo will never reach the truth. Stay away from dangerous and illegal narcotics.


5:41 – JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R – Heavy surpise

Recreated reactionary cut-in from the game. I don't own this game, especially because of the DLC, incomplete game, they can't drive more sales and make existing players happy from new added characters, they must drain existing users too. The same could be said about Dead by Daylight licensed DLC, but they exist in first place due to the original IP owners having agreement wanting money from sales in first place. At least original DbD characters can be bought with in-game earnable iridescent shards. Politics, two steps forward, one step back, grey areas, etc. Is this our fault for paying for this? Maybe in a few years/decades they'll have a more reasonable sale that compensates for all the DLC, or maybe the game will be long dead by then, replaced by a sequel with more DLC to pay for on release and later on. Not sure if worded it easy to understand, sometimes games have predatory pricing, but normalized enough too many people don't know how to care enough to vote with wallets.

5:54 – The Sopranos x PvZ – Sniper MG

The PvZ wallnut made to look like Paulie Gualtieri, a.k.a. "Paulie Walnuts",  that comes out of player "franky meatballs" name in the HUD. The name structure seemed familiar, checked profile, and one of the previous names was "Paulie Walnuts".

6:12 – Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean (Anime) – PvZ victory sequence

Very brief Joestar birthmark star flying left (possible spoilers) out of shovel.

6:29 – The hoarding rat – Credits (and animation)

When thinking of some little "easter eggs"/details to put in the animation, thought of that rat that stole a holy mackerel, debuting one of my mini SFM animations, "Heavy dumbbell curl session".

The rat also appears in the animation earlier.

Credits screen 🙏

Might as well use the SFM session. Followed up on the notepad drawing, now colored. I like the changing/themed credits thing, makes less bland. More personal touch with written instead of typed.

Some loose "legal"-ish statements that say I use the music in non-damaging way and I don't own and that the original owners had no affiliation – to eliminate those things somehow being problems. There are grey areas but at the same time I want things to exist instead of not, we see what happens.

I may use piece of music in future that is more mainstream and copyright claimed (YouTube content ID), but maybe it will be kept up at the cost of me making no ad money off it, which isn't completely fair – not even a percentage because that theoretical video wouldn't exist without me too. Not completely sure about asking for permission everytime unless explicitly somehow private music. Just because I may put more effort to credit things, doesn't mean I'm automatically legally approved to use the music/other stuff. I try to use retro soundtracks/public/popular things; things already made available publicly and highly shared.

Good ideas:

  • Test upload desired music tracks to YouTube before editing whole video, see if copyright claim content ID hit
  • Check for game/company music/"content" policies, example – EA's policy: (sidenote, i didn't search hard enough for this page before but i should be good though especially with explicit non-affiliation and credits, not all companies share same policies)
  • See how cool the company/composers are, are they cool with people transforming their stuff creatively? Or are they very strict?
  • Make it clear that you don't own the music/not affiliated with the original creators, unless you somehow are (sponsored, you being the composer, having permission, etc.)
  • Monetizing your video may increase risk factor (if any) of copyright problems, money and problems, bread and butter
  • Be respectful, polite – being unnecessarily unpleasant may make things worse
  • Post some links, point people in direction of original owners, especially music credits at least. Game owners especially big ones like Nintendo, EA, Activision aren't charities, they are businesses, businesses like money and will ruthlessly use their lawyers if needed.

Do these extra efforts especially if wanting more professional video maker. I am not lawyer. I am not legal advice. I like the spirit of the law. Main attitude is be respectful with the media you are using, real people made it with intention, not randomly generated things.

 

Title 📝

A title that hints at PvZ theme. Had few ideas. Initially wanted syntax like "Plants vs Zombies":

  • Spades vs Merc-ies (merc = mercenary)
  • Mercs vs Shovels
  • Heads vs Shovels
  • Spades vs Skulls
  • Skulls vs Shovels
    and finally,
  • Lawn Defender

I didn't really feel the names but thought more simple yet effective name and "Lawn Defender" clicked when the idea came. TF2 and PvZ both have big defending/attacking elements, lawn is the battleground in which you defend your house in PvZ.

Pose inspired by defensive knight statue pose
Thumbnail 🖼️

PvZ themed, drew shovel from game, made handle blue to fit in with BLU soldier, might as well have soldier BLU since animation part. Made the grenades into cherry bomb, extra reference. Potato mine suits demoman more.

Simple tiled lawn background, not sure if maybe add a taco or pot somewhere, so need to make thumbnail first so it exists.
 

Possible errors ❌

At 5:40, forgot to do the pogo soldier effect that bounces on the player name at bottom of hud when I do the bunnyhop gardens. Boing sound wasn't as loud, however absence of this distracts less from the heavy face edit.


Demo/clip info 📽️

0:00 2022-05-06 [pl_goldrush] "Sneaky garden"
0:28 2022-03-02 [pl_badwater] "Triple overload garden"
0:39 2022-03-11 [cp_foundry] "Garden air-delivery"
0:48 2022-03-25_1  [cp_yukon_final] "Clean garden"
0:55 2022-03-28 [cp_badlands] "Glimpse garden"    • deforestation α [...  
1:09 2022-03-25_2 [cp_egypt_final] "Taunt vision informs next garden plot" ft. @KnowZero
1:24 2022-03-27_1 [cp_foundry-sol] "Anti-vax garden"
1:32 2022-03-27_2 [cp_foundry-sol] "Vax Med + Heavy chain garden"
1:44 2022-03-30_2 [pl_swiftwater_final1] "Catch-up garden"
1:56 2022-03-30_1 [cp_badlands] "Sandvich savior enables a sly garden at bridge"
2:36 2022-09-30 [plr_hightower] "A very insistent bhop garden"
2:49 2022-11-05 [plr_hightower] "Rad cart edgebug garden"
2:59 2022-08-16 [cp_sunshine] "Softening jump garden"
3:18 cutscene/fever dream sequence
4:15 2022-09-25 [cp_sunshine] "Grateful walljump garden"
4:22 2022-11-13 [koth_highpass] "Window shopping for a bhop garden deal"
4:30 2022-12-02_1 [plr_bananabay] "Quad pogo garden delivery across the railway bridge"
4:42 2022-12-18 [cp_altitude] "Crouchless jump bhop garden finish, softened by friendly gatling pea"
4:56 2022-12-24 [koth_cascade] "Spy duel garden"
5:10 2022-12-02_2 [cp_standin_final] "Jumping scout garden"
5:17 2022-12-02_4 [cp_standin_final] "Downward dig garden"
5:28 2022-12-02_3 [cp_standin_final] "Sneaky slithering bhop garden"
5:36 2022-12-02_6 [cp_standin_final] "Surprise bhop Heavy garden, banana launch denied"
5:44 2022-12-02_5 [cp_standin_final] "Redirected bhop garden"
5:57 2022-12-03 [cp_standin_final] "180° garden + soil compacting stomp, double special"
6:22 CREDITS scene
6:48 2022-03-31 [pl_barnblitz] "Brave demopan garden"

Pinned comments

Extended credits 

Sounds 🔊

 

SFM models 🧊

See also

Some streamers 📺 that played PvZ (speedrun), get into zombie mood 🧟‍‍♂️:

Even this blogpost becomes a project in itself. Maybe I'll try to write it while project in process if it doesn't affect thinking too much. Takes time to go back in time in your head and in the files to remember and attempt to translate those things into the written/typed language. Not sure if I have to condense more in future, don't want to spend more time blogging than making videos.

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