[WIP] Trailer for Me & My Shadow

[odamite]

Hello all!

For the next 0.3 release it would be nice to have a trailer. I think that a trailer will attract a lot more people to test this game. So I decided a give it a try. It isn't ready yet and it needs much more planning and polishing. But here it is:


youtu.be/x2L0TC-UFlI

You might want to know how did it managed to create something like this. And best of all it's made under Linux and open source software

In game footage was taken with ffmpeg with x11grab. I wasn't quite happy with the result because it isn't as smooth as it should be. But it's ok.

As we all know video editors for Linux are not so good. I found out that Blender could be used to create 2D animations and motion design because of video tutorials by GNOME3 Design team. It turned out to be quite good software for the job.

Any feedback and ideas are welcome!

[odamite]

The above video clip isn't the final trailer. It's just a test of different possibilities.

So I need help to design the trailer. You can sharre your ideas here or on our IRC channel (#meandmyshadow on irc.freenode.net). There is also a script on our wiki but unfortunately only members can edit it.

[MCMic]

Great work
You might wanna use slightly longer shots.
And the first sentence "this is you" is quite weird to me. Maybe "here you are" would be better? (Or maybe rewrite the whole dialog to something more funny like "Have you ever wonder what it would be like to jump on your shadow?" or "Have you ever felt like being followed?")

[EDIT] Oh, and the title of the game should go to the end of the video instead of the beginning.

[odamite]

Hello MCMic.

Great work

Thank you

You might wanna use slightly longer shots.

Ok, I will try to do so. I'm currently working on the intro according to Edward_Lii's suggestion on wiki. It's going to be quite long shot.

But shots can't be very long. We don't want to show people how to solve these levels. The trailer should show only short sections of different gameplay elements. But I can make them a little longer if you want.

And the first sentence "this is you" is quite weird to me. Maybe "here you are" would be better?

Yeah, I'm not a native English speaker so I can be wrong. I think "here you are" isn't suitable because it's used when someone gives somebody something. Today watched some indie game trailers and came across with Osmos. I find it funny because it also uses the same sentence "this is you..." but it isn't referring to a human. (Is our player a human being?)

(Or maybe rewrite the whole dialog to something more funny like "Have you ever wonder what it would be like to jump on your shadow?" or "Have you ever felt like being followed?")

This would be quite funny but I'm afraid that those sentences are too long. I think it's better to have short and simple titles. Of course I can be wrong.

Oh, and the title of the game should go to the end of the video instead of the beginning.

Yeah, I was thinking to add this. But there will be also title in the beginning. The first title will introduce the game. The last title will remind the viewer and there will be also text "Download now for free: meandmyshadow.sf.net". I think that this is the best way to do it.

[MCMic]

Yeah, I'm not a native English speaker.

Me neither :-/
We better find someone who is to take advice about these things.

About the title I would prefer having it only at the end because the titel kind of sell the concept out. So saying "this is you and this is your shadow" is kind of captain obvious once the title has been shown.

[odamite]

OK, here is a raw version of first scene. I've changed the plan a little bit so it's more logical way.

youtu.be/iShwGYuA4SM

What do you think?

I'm using in-game recording feature which you might not know. It can be activated by uncommenting line 35 in Main.cpp. While in game press F10 to start and later to stop. This will create bunch of BMPs in ~/.meandmyshadow.

EDIT: The level I used isn't a masterpiece so I think somebody could create better one. Anyone?

[ctdabomb]

I like it though the level you are running on seems a bit flat.

[Edward_Lii]

Hello odamite,

OK, here is a raw version of first scene. I've changed the plan a little bit so it's more logical way.
...
What do you think?

I like it, but there are some small points that could be improved:

- The jumping sound is missing. (Because of the frame recording, they have to be edited in later.)
- Not sure about the second text (somehow it suggest a storyline with an unknown shadow, or that's just me )
- Perhaps we should leave out the hud in the top-right corner.
- The level, but you already mentioned it.

Anyway I think it will become a great trailer.

[odamite]

Hey everyone,

I like it though the level you are running on seems a bit flat.

I know. I did it very fast and it's just some random blocks. On other hand I think that the level should be quite flat. The motion of the player should be fluent and continuing so the map should be simple. You're free to make a better one. I'm sure you got more experience with level making than me.

- Not sure about the second text (somehow it suggest a storyline with an unknown shadow, or that's just me )

Is that bad?
Anyway it can be changed easily. I thought that there will be some explanation after this. So it's just kind of introduction to the shadow. In next scenes there's going to be about controlling the shadow and co-operating with him. So I think that the titles could be rethink when we have almost finished trailer.

- Perhaps we should leave out the hud in the top-right corner.

You're right. I'll do it when the map is redesigned.

[MCMic]

I think it's a good intro.
The trailer should go one showing the different features of the game like "Jump on you shadow", "Solves puzzles", "Try to beat the best time", and so on…

[odamite]

Hello all,

The trailer is slowly coming together. I just wanted to give you a little update.

Our dear friend ctdabomb promised to make a level for the trailer. He will post it here on the forums when it's ready. I appreciate the contribution very much.

I also worked on the last scene/image which will give information about how to get the game shown in the trailer:

I wanted to add all platform where our game is currently working on and packaged for. Basically maemo is only a Linux distribution but the difference is that it's for a smart phone. It's nice to be there because more platforms will give a better impression of the game and I love maemo (I'm a Nokia N900 owner ).

Feedback is always welcome.

[Edward_Lii]

Hello odamite,

I also worked on the last scene/image which will give information about how to get the game shown in the trailer:
...
I wanted to add all platform where our game is currently working on and packaged for. Basically maemo is only a Linux distribution but the difference is that it's for a smart phone. It's nice to be there because more platforms will give a better impression of the game and I love maemo (I'm a Nokia N900 owner ).

Wow, it looks really good.

One thing though, shouldn't the OS names start with a capital?

Anyway, the trailer is going to look awesome!

[odamite]

Hello Edward_Lii

One thing though, shouldn't the OS names start with a capital?

Thanks for feedback. Maybe it's clearer if the names start with a capital.

Talking of the names: should that Mac OS X entry called Mac or OS X. The whole thing is too long so either one must be selected. I think more people will know it as Mac but Apple has decided to call the operating system only OS X. I know this isn't so big deal but I was just wondering.

[Edward_Lii]

Hello odamite,

Talking of the names: should that Mac OS X entry called Mac or OS X. The whole thing is too long so either one must be selected. I think more people will know it as Mac but Apple has decided to call the operating system only OS X. I know this isn't so big deal but I was just wondering.

I always call it "Mac OS X" but that's probably too long.
Only "Mac" should be fine, although that name is more commonly used as abbreviation for Macintosh.

But just "OS X" is even worse, so let's stick with Mac.

[ctdabomb]

i gt to it now. I didn't do much, but here it is

[odamite]

Hello

I forgot that Me & My Shadow is available for FreeBSD so it's added now. Also I hope that there will be package for Mac OS X. Wasn't Knitter working on it?

@ctdabomb
It's better than the original but I would have hoped that it had been modificated a little bit more. I'm going to make some small changes to it but it's going to be in the trailer. Thanks.

[ctdabomb]

@ctdabomb
It's better than the original but I would have hoped that it had been modificated a little bit more. I'm going to make some small changes to it but it's going to be in the trailer. Thanks.

Sorry, I have been quite busy and will be for a bit, So I didn't have much time to make it better.

[odamite]

Hello ctdabomb.

Sorry, I have been quite busy and will be for a bit, So I didn't have much time to make it better.

I understand what you mean. I know I'm going to busy soon so I'm sorry that I can't focus on the trailer and the game so much.

[ctdabomb]

Maybe at the end you should have a list of credits listing the developers and what they do?

[odamite]

Hello ctdabomb,

Maybe at the end you should have a list of credits listing the developers and what they do?

It quite nice idea but I'm not sure is it necessary. The trailer is advertising the game and viewer are not probably interested in people behind all it. If we were a game studio it would be important to have a logo there. But since this is an open source project and there are many people behind it. The list will change all the time (lets hope so) when more and more people are contributing. Also I would like to keep the trailer as short as it can be.

But I got a good point there. As far as I know we don't have a list of contributors of this project. Usually there is a AUTHORS file in the project directory. Maybe we could start managing this kind of list in out wiki and include it every release.

[MCMic]

I agree with odamite, it's not particularly interesting nor needed to have the list of contributors.

[odamite]

Hello all,

I've been quite busy lately so I haven't gotten so much time for the trailer. Sorry for that

However I have made some progress and I wanted to show this to you guys:

youtu.be/65ocUqc2dGA

I think that this is going to be the form of the final trailer. I think it's logical, simple and interesting.

It isn't ready quite yet because some scenes and texts are missing. I'm think about adding the following:

• "Try to beat your best time and earn medals."
  Not sure about this because in my opinion it isn't so important feature. Usually every game has some scoring system so it could be useless to show.
• "Download more custom levels..."
  Show the addon manager. But I think that it's not so great to show available addons because there're so few of them. On other and I think that it should be showed because creating custom content and sharing it is the basis of a player community. It will attract more people for sure (hopefully?).
• "...and create your own."
  Just some timelapse video of creating a level and then testing it in real time. If some one is interested in recording a timelapse of the process of creating some big level I would appreciate it and include it in trailer right away. But if not I'm going to record myself creating some super simple level.

So any thoughts?

[Edward_Lii]

Hello odamite,

However I have made some progress and I wanted to show this to you guys:

Wow, it's becoming a really nice trailer!

Here's my list of nitpicks:

• The shadow mimics your movement... (IMHO follows suggest that it happens directly)
• It's better if some texts are a bit shorter:
  
  - ... helps you solve puzzles.
  - But watch out for dangers!
• There's a typo in the text "Play thought over 40 levels." This should be fixed, or perhaps change it to something like "With over 40 levels." or "More than 40 levels."?

It isn't ready quite yet because some scenes and texts are missing. I'm think about adding the following:

• "Try to beat your best time and earn medals."
  Not sure about this because in my opinion it isn't so important feature. Usually every game has some scoring system so it could be useless to show.
• "Download more custom levels..."
  Show the addon manager. But I think that it's not so great to show available addons because there're so few of them. On other and I think that it should be showed because creating custom content and sharing it is the basis of a player community. It will attract more people for sure (hopefully?).
• "...and create your own."
  Just some timelapse video of creating a level and then testing it in real time. If some one is interested in recording a timelapse of the process of creating some big level I would appreciate it and include it in trailer right away. But if not I'm going to record myself creating some super simple level.

I agree that the first two don't really fit in the style of the trailer so far.
But perhaps some features can be summed up in a different way?

A small timelaps of level making is IMHO a great idea.

Anyway, great work!

[Tedium]

Hello odamite,

You've done a great job ! I like the style and the pace of the trailer. I actually watched it three times, because there was so much to see .
This will definitely make people more interested in Me and My Shadow.

About those unmentioned features; I agree with Edward_Lii.

[MCMic]

I love the video!
Showing feature like addons or medals is a bad idea because video of GUI and menus would break the video "flow".
Showing the creation of a new level might be a good idea, but maybe this could be done in an other video?

Anyway, great work!