Stop Motion Animation

blog 4.2

blog 4.3

I liked the concept and story line of our game. Even though it had similar characteristics, our idea was different from any of the RTS games on the market today. It used plant/ animal hybrids, which I think would probably be the most interesting aspect of the game. I think our presentation went decently. I think the mechanics of the game could have been explained better. I think our presentation of the mechanics was too vague. If we made them more specific it would be easier to understand. I also think the objectives were not explained enough. If we had more visual elements, I think the class would have had a better picture of our game. I think the goals were well explained. In RTS games the goals are very simple; you start off with a set amount of resources, you build a base/army, and then you invade your opponents to obtain more resources. The more resources your faction has, the more powerful they will be. I think the most difficult aspect to describe were the objectives of the game. Our game was very detailed and the objectives just were not explained as well as they should have been. There were some aspects to the game, like the characters, that made sense to us but did not make sense to the class. But despite that, I think our presentation went fairly well.

blog 4.1

http://artistmdia.blogspot.com/2011/07/mdia-203-project-3-animation.html?showComment=1311314756300#c7265824071223900161

http://mediarox203.blogspot.com/2011/07/stop-motion-good-vs-evil.html?showComment=1311317210490#c1231931104098743719

http://sh269608.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-stop-motion.html?showComment=1311322434419#c2558340892596150885

blog 3.3

blog 3.2

blog 3.1

          I was first drawn to this image by the eerie feeling it provoked. I love horror movies and creepy things so this image was perfect.  I framed the image with slightly blurred edges and I brightened, making it more blown out. Both images are ambiguous. They are both of a tree and a wall, but you are still unsure of what is going on in your surroundings. I framed the image this way so it would be a little more ambiguous than the original. The brighter white color increases the visual intensity of the image. The original image has a darker tone, making it less intense. They are both of a tree and a wall, but you are still unsure of what is going on in your surroundings. There is both contrast and affinity in the images. There is contrast between the light and dark colors. The affinity occurs with the lines in the image. The tree and the wall are both vertical, linear lines. Although the tree and the wall create vertical lines, the horizon line creates a horizontal line, creating contrast between the lines.  The original image has more depth cues.  The reframed image is blown out and makes the small tree on the horizon barely visible. The fog is also more visible in the original image. The fog creates texture and adds more dimensions to the image. The dark colors are more foreboding in the original. I changed the color in the image slightly; it has a blue tinge. The colors blend better in the original.  I think the artist framed up this shot this way to give the picture more depth. The artists wanted the audience to question the picture. The ambiguous nature of the shot keeps it mysterious and people are allowed to develop their own conclusions about the image. 

blog 2.2

blog 2.4

blog 2.3: comments

http://gamebrewer-brewer.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post-23.html?showComment=1310175957973#c7449624278921147506

http://kevin-mdiablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/23-audio-reflection.html?showComment=1310176478270#c8395461240610034776

http://vividmedia203.blogspot.com/2011/07/media203-song.html?showComment=1310177210264#c8277102853425601760

MDIA 203 song

blog 2.1: videos

I chose to compare a cover, done by Seether, of Heart-Shaped Box; originally performed by Nirvana. This is one of my favorite songs performed by two of my favorite bands. The first difference I noticed was the timbre. The lyrics sung by Seether are softer and smoother than those sung by Nirvana.  Their singer also articulates the lyrics more than in the Nirvana version. Nirvana’s tone tends to be slightly harsher than Seether’s, however Nirvana’s vocalist has a broader vocal range. At the very end of the Nirvana version, Nirvana’s pitch is slightly higher, but for the most part, they are very similar. The organizations of both versions are similar. However, the Nirvana version is more chaotic. The vocals cover a much broader range creating a stressful feeling in the song. The Seether version has a longer intro than the other version. The intro builds up to the beginning of the song slowly and the guitar sounds mellow. Nirvana’s guitar has a more “metallic” sound at the beginning and there seems to be more bass. The intro is straightforward and more pronounced. The guitar solo played by Seether is more dramatic than the Nirvana solo. The solo begins at a medium volume and then gradually grows, building tension. The solo progresses to the climax of the song, followed by the release, which is established with a slight diminuendo. The Nirvana version also has an intense guitar solo, but the timbre of the guitar is different. They might have used a different type of guitar. The overall tonality of the Nirvana version is brighter and raspier. The Nirvana version of Heart-Shaped Box had less improved sections than the one performed by Seether. Seether adds a few guitar swells throughout the arrangement. Seether emphasizes the “hey wait” section of the song a little differently than Nirvana. Nirvana emphasizes the lyrics more making them more dramatic. Seether’s lyrics keep the mellow mood for most of the song. Seether adds an intense scream to the lyrics, making the song suit the bands personality. I like the guitar lines in both of the copies of the song, but in my opinion, Nirvana’s guitar layer suites the song slightly better than Seether’s. The “metallic” sound of the strings helps implement the emotions the band is hoping the audience is getting from the music. Like I said before, Seether’s sound is much more mellow. The guitar sound is darker and the pitch is lower. The lower pitch automatically makes the song sound laid back. This creates darker emotions while listening to the song. I love the different timbre of both versions of Heart-Shaped Box. I think the different timbre Seether uses pairs well with the vocals. It is much calmer than the original song.  Nirvana builds up more tension using a different type of timbre. The higher pitch makes the song sound more intense. They also use more dynamic contrast than Seether, helping create a contrast in emotions. The more emotions there are in a piece, the more engaged the listener will be. 

blog 1.3

links to my comments:

http://mdiastudentou.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape.html#comments

http://mdia203blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-project_27.html#comments

http://kirbykilwalski.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-vid.html#comments