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Beamdog should crowd-source the movies

Blakes7Blakes7 Member Posts: 83
edited December 2012 in Archive (General Discussion)
Beamdog should crowd-sourced the movies for the community to produce; (especially given their small budget) whoever does the best movie gets some prize money ~ probably cheaper than the new movies they've had produced.

They could give the crowd some indication of the style and let them go to it.

Comments

  • CheesebellyCheesebelly Member Posts: 1,727
    I myself like the artwork done for the "cinematics" (they aren't real cinematics, and I am fine with it). Compare it to a full budget game like The Witcher 2 - BGEE's versions are better in my opinion.
  • Blakes7Blakes7 Member Posts: 83
    Yeah I don't mind the new cinematics but if things can be done better and for cheaper why not?
  • TressetTresset Member, Moderator Posts: 8,268
    @Cheesebelly I wouldn't mind the cinematics if they would hurry up and fix the stuttering audio bug. Seriously, two patches and still an issue for me. I try to skip them all in hopes of watching them untainted once it finally gets fixed. Haven't even tried the black pits yet because of that bug.
    *sigh* I'm sure they are working on it though...
  • HertzHertz Member Posts: 109
    If they were to crowd-source anything, it should be the conversion to 3D 30 fps. That's hundreds of animations for hundreds of creatures.

    I just don't get the vitriol for the intro movie. The original is dated as hell. In fact, all the original cutscenes are ... poor.

    Fixing the intro movie will not sell the game, nor will its current state break it.
  • Ulfgar_TorunnUlfgar_Torunn Member Posts: 169
    I couldn't agree more @Blakes7 ! The Baldur's Gate franchise has an enormous following individuals as diversely talented as they are numerous; surely there are people skilled in 3D animations among them. From the community we can expect the kind of quality assurance that the game deserves.

    Overhaul has done a decent job with the game, but their coffers are empty and they clearly lack 3D animators among their ranks. I can understand that their budget is limited and a team of animators is out of the question, but the community is surely willing to help.

    Before we can require Overhaul to ask for the community's, we must make the first move. Baldur's Gate fans, unite! Take up arms cartoonists, 3D animators, and enthusiasts alike! Create threads in the "fan creations" section and see what they say!
  • Blakes7Blakes7 Member Posts: 83
    edited December 2012
    @Hertz yeah I agree that would be a better use of resources; but I'd still like movies like bg1 deserves. Ideally both should happen.
  • modestvoltamodestvolta Member Posts: 108
    Despite everything that I'm about to say, I think this would be awesome. That being said...

    I don't know everyone else's experience with video, so I feel like I should make a quick defense of Overhaul and point out that video work is hard. And time consuming. And expensive. The videos we have now (whether they're well-received or despised) took a lot of work.

    If Overhaul were to crowd-source the videos, we'd be lucky to get a product as good as what we have now. Not because there aren't talented video people in the BG community, but because videos just take so long. I mean, there's source art that has to be created, video effects to create, scripting, coffee runs, pounding your head against a wall because your computer crashed right before you saved...

    With crowd-sourcing, there'd be no guarantee that the work would get done in time for release, and then the BG community would really be pissed. (We've all seen awesome mods/conversions/whatever that game communities have started work on that just fade away because of the work involved.)

    Anyways, my guess for why the videos are the way they are is because Overhaul just didn't have the budget to pay for anything else. But now that BG appears to be a success, maybe there will be room to make BG2 videos more robust.

    That negativity aside: this would be awesome if it gets pulled off and I would love for someone to prove me wrong!
  • ZarakinthishZarakinthish Member Posts: 214
    I have one big concern about to doing something like this, and that is maintaining a consistent style. As much bile as I've heard over the new movies, at least they all maintain a consistent artistic style.
  • iKrivetkoiKrivetko Member Posts: 934
    I'd rather see this done for the sprites.
  • MikkelMikkel Member Posts: 86
    iKrivetko said:

    I'd rather see this done for the sprites.

    True, though that's a bit like responding to a post suggesting crowdsourced windshield wipers should rather be doing a full-sized sports car :)

  • Blakes7Blakes7 Member Posts: 83
    @Mikkel

    true...but I'd still want the sports car
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