TransFormers Adventures on Planet Arus

Discussion in 'Transformers Funnies' started by Keith Prime, Feb 10, 2011.

  1. UltimateOptimus

    UltimateOptimus Long-time Hungarian Truck

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    I see the TF VS TF action is cookin' up hot, as usual, Keith. And for that pondering Rei makes... I make my pondering too: what good IS a Children without their EVA unit? The Multiversal Agency shoulda wisened up and gave her the EVA-00... or for a change, I recommend the EVA-13 First Type.
     
  2. Ezilla82

    Ezilla82 Total Randomness Personified

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    Well Keith take as such time as you need because I know that we can wait, its not really like we need to see the next episode right now. Just take your time and when your ready than awe us with your magic. LOL (Okay that last sentence sounded so corny, but it was truthful.)
     
  3. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Well, if you think the previous update had action, wait until I get this next one up. I've got it 1/2 'shopped, but I've got layers of effects for a complicated fight to work on, so the rest may take longer than usual.

    As to Rei, I haven't watched Neon Genesis Evangelion, so I can't properly do her character, so I'm not going that way. She's merely the Rookie Temporal Agent you see... I do have a few mechs I can put her in if I feel that would best fit the story, but I'm not that far yet (planning is a bit of a mix of on the spot vs. ideas that hit me I want to use). I'm working on tying up all my loose plot threads & getting everyone to Planet Arus... While mixing in new, but not explained :ev: , plot threads for when they are on Arus.

    Also, Rei is the only EVA anything I own. So, if I do give her a Mech, it won't be an EVA... Unless I luck into a free one before I get to that point...

    One more thing,
    don't assume she's completely unarmed
    .


    & woohoo, over 11,000 views!
     
  4. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Again, sorry for the delay, but I'll explain a bit of what I'm doing, so you'll understand why...

    But first, a few hours ago, I just finished 'shopping Panels 666 & 667. They are fitting scenes of devastation (totally unplanned, as I didn't realize this update would pass 660 until after I had settled on what I was going to do).

    Part of what's taking so long is 'shopping the devastation. In addition to making my Cybertron landscapes, I'm working on foreground & background elements on top of them. I think I have the scale from one layer to another fairly close (as far as the toys are concerned). But there's also details on those elements, & even some interaction between foreground, background &/ or middle.

    When it's all done, you'll see why it took so long. & will probably be impressed I even tackled such an ambitious feat. But what's going on deserves these details. Hopefully, I can get the last few panels done in the next few days.


    2nd, I'm possibly going to get yet another figure for my comic (when I promised myself I wouldn't do such things :( ). I passed some Generations figures new to my area a few days ago, & didn't grab any... but not grabbing a certain one has been bugging me all weekend. :confused:  It bugging me is bugging me more. :mad  What's worse, before now, I had zero interest in owning this character/ figure. :banghead:  If I do get him (I only saw 2, so he may be gone), I'm still not sure if I'll add him to this update. Depends on if I have a panel at the end I can work him into; but what I'm working on now may run to the end of the Update (& unlike Dirge, there's no place in this scene for him).
     
  5. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Update 28: Bad News

    Well, I finally finished!

    Again, sorry this is so late. Why should be obvious almost immediately, but it's really the 2nd 1/2 that took so long. Also, today's notes go into some of the thinking behind this update, including why bits took so long & why I chose to do it as I did. There're also a few surprises in this update.

    Update28: Bad News

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    Note 1: I know "Rumble" is really a Pretender. I've had this Pretender since I was a kid. I found him broke (his foot, though it stays in place just fine, so it doesn't hinder him any) & w/o his Pretender Shell or accessories outside in a gutter one day. It took me a long time before I knew he was a Pretender. Took me even longer before I found out who he was (muchless what his altmode was supposed to be): Submarauder. I always treated him as a flying vehicle, so you'll probably see that at times (hey, Rumble finally has a useful Altmode or 2, he's going to use them). He looks more like a space ship than a submarine anyway (I swing his legs out like wings). If I ever find a RtS Rumble, he'll get an upgrade. I do intend to try to make an effect for his Piledrivers (may try to cut the RtS ones out of an image... or I may just try to create them), assuming I don't have a better figure by then. As soon as I decided to use Soundwave for the comic, I always planned to use Submarauder as Rumble if I didn't have one by time I could include him. ^_^

    Note 2: Yes, one of my Grimlocks is easily capable of simultaneously taking out 3 ATV Vehicon Drones, in mere moments. How do you think he destoyed most of Strika's troops? If you want totals on the kills, if enough people ask, I'll decide on specific numbers (both are in the hundreds) & have Rattrap & Grimlock have a Legolas/ Gimli-type kill count scene when they regroup. This will take engineering a way for Rattrap to learn just how many Drones & Sweeps were after them.

    Note 3: Interesting note. The first panel in this Update that Grimlock was in turned out to be Panel666. Him destroying stuff seems fitting. :ev:  It was not planned as such. I usually don't know what Panel I'm on until I save the first 'shopped panel, which means that the majority of how the Update will play out is already set (nearly always scene order; sometimes, but not always, how long each scene ends up being -- this was one of those "not necessarily" instances). In this case, Rattrap's kills as Report 01 & Grimlock's kills as Report 02, which was decided that way specifically because of the technical difficulties working w/ Foreground & Background Vehicon wreckage posed. I do hope you all like it. I don't plan on having such huge kill counts in a single update again; doesn't mean it won't happen, but I'm not planning it.

    Also, I had another scene planned, & shot, but I added the 2 panels of just slagged Drones (before what Panel was approaching dawned on me), which I think help show how that fight was going.

    Note 4: Since I first showed Grimlock surrounded -- & drastically outnumbered (by WAY more than were shown) -- by Strika & her Drones, I've been trying to figure out how to show that fight, or some of it. I know it had to be Epic, as it's Grimlock. It was a bit much for me (& the main reason for both the delay in the update & the delay in getting to Grimlock), but I wanted to show that this Grimlock isn't stupid G1 Grimlock (that'd be Animated). Classics Grimlock is meant to be Marvel Grimlock: the Genius Strategist. That's really all I know about him, not having read any of those comics, so I hope that came across, somehow... That was why I gave him the line about being "disappointed" in Strika's lack of Strategy.

    Anyway, I chose to do it as a video report by Laserbeak, as I wouldn't have to show everything. Once I decided on that as how I was going to show it, I decided I could do the same for Rattrap's explosives (which after the previous update I was trying to work out too... Glad I thought to use Laserbeak, rather than do a flashback :D ). Sorry for not showing that explosion (to be fair, some of it was visible in the previous update), but I had to do all the different damage to the various Drones practically on an individual level (some I did duplicate, usually for the debris in the background; also, I did have the foresight to make a Vehicon GIMP file, so I didn't have to repeatedly clip them out... Probably should've made a debris file, though), but I wanted as much distinction between the Foreground ones as I could get. Since there was so many effects, I had to cut something, so I went w/ an EMP to save on effects time. Also, the type of damage I 'shopped evolved as I went. :D 

    Note 5: I also ran w/ the recording for a couple other reasons. That slot in Shockwave & Soundwave's View Screens was planned from the get go to accomodate Laserbeak's "Disc mode", which I had decided was going to be his "wing" the moment I decided I needed a Soundwave (as it isn't TransFormers w/o Soundwave, Laserbeak, Rumble, etc.). I also thought that doing it all as a report to Shockwave would set it appart some. I'm fairly sure this is the first update that is entirely from the Decepticon PoV.

    It also ties back to Laserbeak following Rattrap's group from Maccadam's.

    Note 6: Lastly, I did end up getting another figure I normally have no interest in, likely solely for use in the Comic. :banghead:  Not grabbing it when I first saw it on shelves bugged me for an as yet unknown reason. He is neither seen nor mentioned in this update, btw. He probably will not be a part of either Experiment that got named. :p ​
     
  6. Autobot1000

    Autobot1000 Daddybot

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    :popcorn 
     
  7. Ezilla82

    Ezilla82 Total Randomness Personified

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    Well I think you sir did a great witht the backgrounds. I have to say that I love the fight scenes that Grimlock alot of asses and also that Rumble looks pimpin. LOL So all and all pretty impressive.
     
  8. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Potential Bad News. :(  My computer got some virus (no idea how, as I'm quite careful w/ what sites I go to -- I'm currently on a friend's), & I don't have the means to fix it on my own. :mad  Hopefully, I can get it fixed today & it be a non-issue, but if I can't, it may delay the next update a lot. ~,~'
     
  9. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Good news, I got my computer back today! The friend who worked on it doesn't know why it went down. :confused:  Which would be why my considerable computer knowledge couldn't work it out... Didn't help my Keyboard went down (which was the main reason I had to have someone else work on it, as I usually can do the repairs myself).

    Slight bad news, he gave me an upgrade, & I forgot to tell him to save my Fonts. So, I have to redownload the Custom Fonts in my comic. Good news, though, I had the foresight, mostly due to my head injury causing memory problems, to make a file w/ the names of all the Fonts I'm using for who, so I can at least search for them by name this time. ^_^

    Also had to redownload GIMP, but that only took a few secs.

    I WAS sure to tell him to save my pics, which include my comic & the files used for it. ^_^

    Not sure how long getting everything I need back up & running will take, so I don't know when the next update will be uploaded yet. I'll try to get one up before Christmas, but no promises. I'd like to have Chapter 2/ the Prologue (since noone's on Arus just yet) done by New Years, but that's probably just as ambitious as my previous Update.
     
  10. Autobot1000

    Autobot1000 Daddybot

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    no worries mate. life throws these things at us every now and then.

    something similar happened to me a few years ago, by luck i backed up most of my stuff before it happened. Now i backup more often and more than once, JUST to be on the safe side
     
  11. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Gah! I finally get around to looking into what all fonts I still have vs. what all I'm missing, & I find I only have one, that's ONE of the fonts I've been using for my Decepticons! >.< Most of them weren't even customs; they came w/ Vista... (haven't even started w/ any other factions V.V) Some I'm having to substitute... But they're close...

    I started w/ the 'Cons because I'm planning another Omake (this one for the Battle Nexus) & needed to make sure I had their fonts. & this one won't even require any time travel. ^_^ As soon as I have it posted, I'll put a link here (or post it twice) & it can count as the next update. ^_~

    I already knew I'd need to find the Autobot's Font, as it was a custom.

    In other news... Awesome FoC trailer! & I really like that song! ^o^
     
  12. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    I... still... ah... function!

    Sorry for being off so long again. Head injury kept me off the last month... again... T_T

    Not a total waste, though. But I have had to scrap the last Update I shot. v.v Last week?, I worked out that when I was going to pull Grimlock out of my universe (for the Battle Nexus Tourny) wouldn't work (would require Vector Prime to time travel to retrieve him before he time travels & dimention hops to the TFWC-Con a few months ago), so I have to rethink how I'll show that, & it can't happen before Chapter 3. Luckily, I can reuse most of the shots for other updates...

    Why I'm saying it isn't a total loss, is that one day, when my head was feeling better, but not well enough to read threads, I, on a whim, looked up on Google how to do animated .gifs via GIMP & learned that the process is almost identical to how I do single panel transformations, just w/ a few more clicks of the mouse & a different file extention. I intend to work up a tutorial eventually, 'cause it really isn't that hard. So, my transformations may be animated from now on. I'll mark when a panel has animation, so you all know when to linger on a panel to see it properly.

    Also, sorry for not completing Chapter 2 yet. I had planned to be INTO Chapter 3 by now, but so far none of my plans regarding time have panned out in regards to TAoPA.

    Oh, & I might actually have a bit of a social life again (started hanging out w/ a friend I hadn't seen for years again -- hung out a couple days ago, will again in 2 weeks, more days are expected), so I don't have a clue how that could affect things.
     
  13. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Well, I think my head is finally feeling up to making a new update (still unstable, as it made me miss the votes for Best Serious & Humorous Characters), so I plan to make an attempt to shoot Update 29 this morning.

    Also, I finally thought & executed a fast way to restore my lost Fonts that I should've thought of last month: copy the Fonts from another computer running an earlier version of Windows! I'm sure I have a few I'll still have to search for, but I restored 78 or so, which should include the bulk of what was lost.

    & yesterday I thought up what scenes to do, so I also have a direction. As usual w/ Chapter 2's backgrounds, I can't give when the next update will be ready.

    *edit* It's offical, I've started the next update. ^_^ I'm about 20% done (ie. first 1/2 of the first scene). Expect new characters & new effects. ^_~ I have all of the first scene shot; & I put together a prop for use in Chapter 3.

    *edit 2* I finally have all of my Charaters' Fonts again! ^_^ After doing the transfer from another version of Windows, for some reason the AR Fonts were still missing, but easy enough to get from one of the Free Fonts sites. Still working on the update. Almost done w/ the first scene.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2012
  14. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    First scene of Update 29, which also comprises the first half, is complete. ^_^ Now, do I want to post a 1/2 update or post it all together as planned? (There's a scene wipe, so this segment stands by itself. Well, technically, like all of updates in Chapter 2, it builds on earlier updates, but you get what I mean.)

    Decisions, decisions...

    I'll leave it to you...
     
  15. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Update 29: On the Scrap Heap

    Changed my mind, since I'm busy Friday & my sleep is more messed up than usual, I'll go on & post the scene I have ready. Enjoy:

    Update 29: On the Scrap Heap

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    Note 1: Yes, I'm animating Transformations now. The process is nearly identical (give or take the background) to how I was already doing them in one panel, so the expansion once I learned how to do .gifs was natural.

    Note 2: I will be sure to mark ALL of my animated panels (in case they don't load right & need refreshing OR there's a delay at the beginning), to make sure you all know to linger on the panel for a bit, to make sure you see the beginning of the animation.

    Note 3: This is my 3rd animation so far (the 2nd will appear in the Battle Nexus), the first was a test. This particular shot was a bit tricky, shooting a transformation from overhead. Let me know how it came out, please.

    Note 4: Yes, I have Thundercracker & Wreck-Gar ^_^ (more to come, too). I said I had new figures that I'd be slowly working in. ^_~ They were gotten at different times. Wreck-Gar was gotten from one of the Chicago members who helped me out in a collaborative effort a few months back; unfortunatley, my head injury doesn't allow me to remember who gave me what. :(  Anyway, thanks guys. :thumb  Thundercracker, like Dirge, was bought solely for the comic, as passing him up bugged me, & it bugging me bugged me more. :banghead:  Anyway, I now have 3 Seekers, & that should be all I get... Well, for Classics... I have no plans on getting more than Starscream (as far as Seekers go) for Prime, & have how I'll work in the Prime characters worked out already.

    Note 5: Yes, the comments on Dirge's habbit of dying all the time influenced this scene & some of the dialog.

    Note 6: Bogus points for anyone who can identify the source of the 2nd quote Wreck-Gar says. Also, who noticed Wreck-Gar lying there the whole time? :ev:  Also, lastly, Wreck-Gar's introduction was originally part of the original scene I started working on for the Battle Nexus, before I realized Vector Prime would be crossing his own Time Line a few times to manage to get everyone to the TFWCon. I think this works better. ^-^
     
  16. Autobot1000

    Autobot1000 Daddybot

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    the animation was very well done.
     
  17. Ezilla82

    Ezilla82 Total Randomness Personified

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    ^ I seconded that notion that animation was pretty cool. Man, Thundercracker should've just let Dirge be offline because Thundercracker got stuff to do. And finally a cool way for Wreck-Gar to blend in that setting..well because, he is made from junk and well you see my point.
     
  18. Autobus Prime

    Autobus Prime Transit Former

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    :popcorn 

    Junkions,they just don't stay down. :) 

    Neat idea, to include the animated GIF.
     
  19. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Glad you all like the animation.

    Well, TC was ordered to search for Dirge. It's not like he was doing it to be nice. & yes, I rather thought Wreck-Gar just lying in a scrap heap was a rather fitting introduction.

    Well, actually, Wreck-Gar was just spending some down time in a place he can feel at home in. It just happens Dirge crashed into that particular pile. Wreck-Gar wasn't too concerned he had some offline company. :lol 

    & as soon as I saw how GIMP did .gifs, I realized it's EXACTLY how I was doing still transformations, except I need to include the background on every layer. Since that is such a simple difference & easy to add in w/ GIMP's Duplicate Layer & Merge Down features, it was a no brainer to switch to .gifs. It'll make those panels easier to work out everything in... Might try to use them for some fire fights, too. Though, that'll be a bit trickier.

    It so happens that it is also identical (this time w/o a background) to how GIMP's Sparks Brush works, only w/ a different file extention, so I'll be editing it into a proper Spark brush, rather than cheating like Pol. I intend to do this as a tutorial, so I'm not sure when I'll be up to doing that.
     
  20. Keith Prime

    Keith Prime Advanced Engineer

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    Got some new figures, but it'll still be a while before they join the cast (need a specific one for some jokes I have planned, & more would make the intro work better):
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    I took this ahead of a shoot for Update 30 (which all the pics have been taken for). As usual, no clue on how long it'll take to 'shop everything. This is an extended version of what I had intended to post as the 2nd half of Update 29, but my head started acting up again.

    Also, at last check, it seems Nominations for Best Crossover are stalling, so why not nominate some stuff from the TFWC-Con? I know I'm not the only one who worked w/ others for proper crossovers.

    If you need to know who I colaborated w/ on stuff, ask here (not sure if they'll tolerate questions in the Nominations Thread) & I'll try to find out. I know I coordinated stuff w/ Ectoneon & I think I used Galvanitro's Megatron. I'm a bit fuzzy on if I did any other non-Comic Panel related Crossovers w/ anyone else.

    Links to all of my panels in the TFWC-Con are in my first post, along w/ the links to all my updates & my Radicons Thread for Op's trailer.

    Vector Prime's First Crossover is a temporal paradox as it happened in 2010 (just shy of a year before I even thought of the title of my comic), so I don't think it qualifies for this year.