Technical Requirements
This section talks about the main areas we will go into, and will eventually become a minimum specification for the various computers we will use and advise people to bring. Please don't look if you get confused by this kind of thing!
1st draft of a tech diagram for the workshop. Also available as a [http://sis.bris.ac.uk/~cmadf/images/dm_tech.dia Dia diagram] or [http://sis.bris.ac.uk/~cmadf/images/dm_tech.svg svg file]: ImageLink(http://sis.bris.ac.uk/~cmadf/images/dm_tech.png)
Blue Screen
Bluescreening allows actors to perform in front of a simple evenly (non skin) coloured background, but one which must be lit evenly also so as to eliminate shadows and bright spots. Once bluescreen video has been captured, it has to be processed to remove the background colour, and imported or streamed into the game engine(we had chosen Unreal Engine due to Mat Dalgliesh's expertise with this, now considering Crystal Space).
There are three possible ways to do this:
- Direct to video mixer
– Simon Johnson has suggested this option – a modern video mixer should be able to do this in real time. This is now the preferred option: using video chroma key with vision mixer will be enough for this - there's a big screen in Waterside 1 and a projector for output in 2.
- Aftereffects
– Mat Dalgliesh has a copy, has done before, straightforward to do. Needs large spec machine. Oliver offered a mac mini cube running XP available at Watershed.
- Max/MSP + Jitter
– Possible, but not tried. Very processor heavy, and software configuration/scripting would take some preparation. Low resolution is probably best. Pure Data could be a free software way to do this but probably slower, harder to configure.
We are looking into the option of employing a TV director for the bluescreen exercises.
Another option, perhaps worth exploring, is use of infrared instead of bluescreen. This requires an infrared filter, which may be expensive. More is explained [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_photography on wikipedia] and at http://www.atsf.co.uk/ilight/tech/ilightec.html – but a basic explanation is that the results are comparable to heat sensitive imaging rather than being video quality, but possibly interesting and useful visual results. Update: We will not pursue this - interesting but a very different result and process.
Distributed game environment
Because of the wish to use free/open source software rather than proprietary - in the interests of showing what is possible for local artists - we are seriously considering using Crystal Space ( http://www.crystalspace3d.org/ ) rather than [http://www.unrealtechnology.com/html/technology/ue%32x.shtml Unreal] as previously planned. Please give feedback if you know of other game engines.
One site with lists/comparisons: http://www.devmaster.net/engines
Running a game environment with 10-20 workshop participants requires a game engine server, and many clients, possibly also with the editor installed and with open sound control.. Watershed has offered the use of a mini cube running XP as noted above. Software requirements for server: For bluescreen: Aftereffects Unreal engine server, editor. Blender, Pure data? OSC. Software Requirements for client computers: unreal engine server, editor web browsers for blog software
Wii remote work
At present the idea is to use a wii remote for dubbing a voice to a character sequence, or perhaps a character's lips can be mapped to the sound - so that they move to the dubbing sound directly. Character gestures can also be mapped to this. This will need a Bluetooth dongle, Max/MSP, glovepie or mac wiimote software, as well as 1 or 2 wii remotes.
For windows and max, Max/MSP is best: http://www.cycling74.com/story/2007/6/25/14393/2389
Or Glovepie runs on Linux: http://carl.kenner.googlepages.com/glovepie
Other equipment: Data Projector or screens able to show computer output. Video cameras (drama to provide)
Screen Capture
This will be necessary in order to allow us to record what we produce on screen.
Linux possibilities:
- recordmydesktop - a simple desktop audio and video grabbing application with a small amount of useful features such as following the mouse, recording only selected areas etc. Records as ogg theora video, which can then be converted using mencoder to flash video or avi as needed.
[http://cvs.cinelerra.org/ Cinelerra] - video editing and compositing software, very high end and fully featured.
[http://lives.sourceforge.net/ LIVES] - realtime VJ capable video editor, much more lightweight than Cinelerra.
Windows:
- Camtasia - academic/teaching oriented video production tool. Very simple to use, advanced features, educational license/discounts.
[http://camstudio.org/ Cam Studio] - Open source alternative to camtasia, not as fully featured or advanced in development.
[http://www.virtualdub.org/ Virtualdub] - Open source image capture/processing tool