Progress report

Gilbert's War is very much still in progress. As a family we've had some very tough situations to deal with/decisions to make over the last few months but I'm now back on track and working hard to get Gilbert's War's scheduling where I want it to be.

Ragdolls and battlefields

I'm currently working with something called ragdoll physics. This is a process that turns a 3d character model into - quite literally - a rag doll with loose joints that is affected by it's environment. In video games, typically when a 3d character is incapacitated (shot or otherwise killed) it's animation skeleton is 'switched off' and ragdoll physics take over. The character falls to the ground.

The aim is to be able to quickly place fallen soldiers and horses on the battlefield and have them look natural, not posed.

I'll be placing character models as casualties (soldiers and horses) just above the battlefield and turning on the simulation, which will allow them to tumble to the ground and settle. I'll probably go in and pose a few afterward - do a little tweaking if they've landed awkwardly.

This whole process is unnerving and difficult to deal with. I don't know whether I'll put up any pics of this in action, maybe I'll just show the regular soldier and horse models.

Mannimation is launched

After a lot of work behind the scenes, our new website (and new studio) mannimation.co.uk launched last night.

Gilbert's War is now in the care of Mannimation Studio and will progress as a flagship title. It's great to finally have a studio name and a business footing to develop ideas like Gilbert's War.

There'll be lots of other content on the site too, news on CGI developments, tutorials covering Blender, Flash and other areas of animation and of course updates on our ongoing projects.

We're back

After a long hiatus, Gilbert's War is back on track. Setting up the freelance animation company has taken a lot of time and energy over the last months as has teaching in animation at the Isle of Man College.

Interest in the Great War is ramping up as we progress through 2014 and the Manx Museum is about to unveil a fantastic looking new display featuring those men, women and children from the island who experienced those years of conflict.

Hopefully you can follow the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151833181317093&set=pcb.10151833189542093&type=1&theater

Unfortunately I wasn't able to contribute the massive amount of info I have on Gilbert since he wasn't Manx. I'm hoping to get in touch with organisations in Leeds to see if similar events/exhibitions are planned so I can tell Gilbert's story in the city of his (and my) birth.

More soon.

Gary.