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Mata Nui The Online Game: Collector's Edition


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Mata Nui: The Online Game Collectors Edition

Development Thread and Discussion

 

 

- What is MNOLG: CE? -

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Mata Nui The Online Game: Collector’s Edition is a fan-produced remastered edition of the original Mata Nui Online Game created as one of the main projects for SolisMagna.com. It is intended to be a tribute to the game treasured by many BIONICLE fans and the outstanding work of Templar Studios.

MNOLG: CE is based off the original game files of the Mata Nui Online Game, but with many changed aspects. A large majority of the image assets used for scenes and characters is inconsistent early in the game due to its episodic nature, (i.e. the beach in the very first scene). In MNOLG: CE, we replace these low quality images with remastered, high quality SVG images that will look perfect on any screen size. The beach is one image among a plethora of lower quality images throughout the original game, such as the sky in many scenes and a select few Matoran. Other aspects of the game are being improved as well, and will be revealed in the coming months.

Other aspects of the game are being improved as well, and will be revealed in the coming months. Additional features that may be included in the game include a video featuring the development of the original MNOLG, possible extra minigames inspired by unfinished concepts, and more.
 

 

- What does the MNOLG: CE Bundle include? -

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The MNOLG: CE bundle is set to include a 3D printed and dyed MNOLG-style Pakari and Takua's backpack, along with a CD and CD case with printed MNOLG: CE graphics. Both 3D printed items will attach to a Tohunga figure normally.The disc will NOT contain the game itself; It will be available to download for free on SolisMagna.com, and can be burned to the included disc. Although the game will be free to play, the full MNOLG: CE bundle will be available to enhance the experience greatly.
 


- Current project staff -

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Our staff right now is quite minimal, and as such, we are currently seeking assistance in a couple of fields. Our staff at this time consists of the following people:
 
Vrahno: Creator of the BIONICLE short film “Struggle in the Drifts”. Currently our modeller for creating the custom parts for 3D printing.
XONAR: Founder of SolisMagna.com, project manager, & graphic designer. Currently our only flash developer.
Vahkiti: Project founder / manager & art director. My current main focus is simply overseeing the entire project, however I also create the promotional images and assist in those used in game.
 
We are currently looking for flash developers, vector graphic artists, sound engineers, and general Photoshop / Illustrator experts. If you possess any of these skills, feel free to PM either myself or XONAR to apply for a staff position. (Be sure to include some type of example of your past works!)

 
 

- When will MNOLG: CE be released? -

aqkejum.png

 

There is not yet a concrete release date for the project. We are looking to finalize MNOLG: CE before January 2015, so it could be any date between now and the holidays. In the meantime, feel free to add the banner from my own signature to yours. We could use all the support and publicity we can get! 

Much more will be added to this topic in the coming months, so stay tuned, and thanks for looking! Feel free to ask questions and discuss below.

[url=http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/13638-mata-nui-the-online-game-collectors-edition/][img=http://i.imgur.com/Nipdcix.jpg][/url]
Edited by Vahkiti: Time Guardian
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Looks like a great project, but I do have to wonder how legal it is. I guess if the 3D stuff is your own work and the game is free, you may not have a problem, but it's hard to say.

 

I was working on my own 3D printed Chronicler's Pack a while ago, but never got around to finishing it. I like your version better anyways. I may have to even buy the bundle, although I will definitely try the game when it is released. That sand at least looks so much better.

 

I do have some skills in Photoshop and Illustrator, but I lack time. If you absolutely need me, let me know!

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Looks like a great project, but I do have to wonder how legal it is. I guess if the 3D stuff is your own work and the game is free, you may not have a problem, but it's hard to say...

 

We had a long debate about this in the past. Templar seems to have no issue with the project, (we've discussed it in detail with Peter Mack himself) but we're not certain about Lego. Some changes may have to be made to the box/disk, but somehow we'll get it out there.

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Looks like a great project, but I do have to wonder how legal it is. I guess if the 3D stuff is your own work and the game is free, you may not have a problem, but it's hard to say.

There was a fairly intense discussion of the project's legality in this topic. XONAR cleared it up pretty well in the 41st post there.

 

Vahkiti, you might want to add that the MNOLG:CE will be a release from SolisMagna.com, particularly because it is intended to be our main product for the foreseeable future.

Edited by Artakha's Nephew
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Looks like a great project, but I do have to wonder how legal it is. I guess if the 3D stuff is your own work and the game is free, you may not have a problem, but it's hard to say.

...Vahkiti, you might want to add that the MNOLG:CE will be a release from SolisMagna.com, particularly because it is intended to be our main product for the foreseeable future.

I shall do that when I get home. To be fair though, XONAR did write most of this himself. Chrome crashed before I could post my version of the topic this morning, so we collaborated on this one. :P

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Looks like a great project, but I do have to wonder how legal it is. I guess if the 3D stuff is your own work and the game is free, you may not have a problem, but it's hard to say.

...Vahkiti, you might want to add that the MNOLG:CE will be a release from SolisMagna.com, particularly because it is intended to be our main product for the foreseeable future.

 

I shall do that when I get home. To be fair though, XONAR did write most of this himself. Chrome crashed before I could post my version of the topic this morning, so we collaborated on this one. :P

 

That would be great. Even though it's mainly been a collaboration between you, XONAR, and Vrahno, it's being publicized on SM.com as a core part of the project, and it's in the best interest of the site to be linked to as often as the opportunities present themselves.

Edited by Artakha's Nephew

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Please check out Project AFTERMAN on Tumblr and Facebook; I'm proud to have worked as their PR Manager and as a writer.

 

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That would be great. Even though it's mainly been a collaboration between you, XONAR, and Vrahno, it's being publicized on SM.com as a core part of the project, and it's in the best interest of the site to be linked to as often as the opportunities present themselves.

 

 

You know, it's funny. I just took a look at the post in question, and noticed XONAR pretty well copied and pasted that post as the description of the project here. Oh well. Copied or not, it's still descriptive enough I guess. Haha!

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That would be great. Even though it's mainly been a collaboration between you, XONAR, and Vrahno, it's being publicized on SM.com as a core part of the project, and it's in the best interest of the site to be linked to as often as the opportunities present themselves.

 

You know, it's funny. I just took a look at the post in question, and noticed XONAR pretty well copied and pasted that post as the description of the project here. Oh well. Copied or not, it's still descriptive enough I guess. Haha!

 

Are you referring to your first post in this topic?

Find (digital) me under the name Azani on YouTube, Eurobricks, Discord, the BioMedia Project and the TTV Message Boards.

 

Please check out Project AFTERMAN on Tumblr and Facebook; I'm proud to have worked as their PR Manager and as a writer.

 

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That would be great. Even though it's mainly been a collaboration between you, XONAR, and Vrahno, it's being publicized on SM.com as a core part of the project, and it's in the best interest of the site to be linked to as often as the opportunities present themselves.

 

You know, it's funny. I just took a look at the post in question, and noticed XONAR pretty well copied and pasted that post as the description of the project here. Oh well. Copied or not, it's still descriptive enough I guess. Haha!

 

Are you referring to your first post in this topic?

 

 

Yeah, with the exception of the legal bit at the end, it's basically the same as his post in PrismWind's thread. As I said, we collaborated on this topic, I just figured he wrote all that from scratch.  :P

Edited by Vahkiti: Time Guardian

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That would be great. Even though it's mainly been a collaboration between you, XONAR, and Vrahno, it's being publicized on SM.com as a core part of the project, and it's in the best interest of the site to be linked to as often as the opportunities present themselves.

 

You know, it's funny. I just took a look at the post in question, and noticed XONAR pretty well copied and pasted that post as the description of the project here. Oh well. Copied or not, it's still descriptive enough I guess. Haha!

 

Are you referring to your first post in this topic?

 

 

Yeah, with the exception of the legal bit at the end, it's basically the same as his post in PrismWind's thread. As I said, we collaborated on this topic, I just figured he wrote all that from scratch.  :P

 

Oh really. Funny how that works.

 

I wanted to post this image, originally provided by XONAR in PrismWind's topic, here. For the benefit of those who did not read his post in the topic, it's a picture of a prototype of the 3D printed Pakari on a 2001 McToran. The final version will come in light blue, a similar if not identical color to Takua's mask in the game.

 

10348766_10203582827917003_9010032209841

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Find (digital) me under the name Azani on YouTube, Eurobricks, Discord, the BioMedia Project and the TTV Message Boards.

 

Please check out Project AFTERMAN on Tumblr and Facebook; I'm proud to have worked as their PR Manager and as a writer.

 

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Oh really. Funny how that works.

 

I wanted to post this image, originally provided by XONAR in PrismWind's topic, again in this topic.

 

IMAGE REMOVED TO SAVE SPACE

 

 

I actually have a slightly clearer photo I took today. I was going to post it right away, but I figured the 3D renders would suffice until the backpack prototype was completed. Oh well. Here it is anyways:

 

2014-07-12_11.35.37.jpg

 

As you can see, I still need to buy the proper dyes to colourize the mask. This will likely take place either whenever I move and then can afford to order them, or if anybody can provide the necessary funding before then. Either way, it'll likely be sometime in August before this is 100% completed.

 

The progress on the backpack is not as far along, but it's getting there. This screenshot was taken before the straps were added, but little has changed to the pack itself since then. Right now, it's more or less just a mockup. It will be hollowed out and streamlined a bit before printing a prototype. It will also come in three pieces: The pack itself and the two straps attaching like the Battle Droid minifigure arms.

 

backpack01-2.png

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Wow, what kind of printer are you using? That Pakari is beautiful!

 

For the moment, Shapeways. It's rather expensive at close to $17 a mask not including the cost of dyes, but we're exploring other options. XONAR has a store near his location that will do it, possibly for cheaper. We still need to look into that.

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Wow, what kind of printer are you using? That Pakari is beautiful!

 

For the moment, Shapeways. It's rather expensive at close to $17 a mask not including the cost of dyes, but we're exploring other options. XONAR has a store near his location that will do it, possibly for cheaper. We still need to look into that.

 

Actually, since you have the physical prototype (or is it the final product), is casting copies via a mold a possible alternative you're exploring?

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This looks fantastic! How much will the bundle cost, and will you be shipping internationally? I live in the UK.

 

I can't wait to see this come to fruition.

 

Have you thought about crowdfunding via Kickstarter? If you can publicise it well, then you'd get funded very quickly I'm sure. This is something a lot of BIONICLE fans will want to see come alive!

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Wow, what kind of printer are you using? That Pakari is beautiful!

 

For the moment, Shapeways. It's rather expensive at close to $17 a mask not including the cost of dyes, but we're exploring other options. XONAR has a store near his location that will do it, possibly for cheaper. We still need to look into that.

 

Actually, since you have the physical prototype (or is it the final product), is casting copies via a mold a possible alternative you're exploring?

 

Considering you'd have to clean up every single piece that comes out of the mold, I don't think it would be very efficient. 

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Wow, what kind of printer are you using? That Pakari is beautiful!

 

For the moment, Shapeways. It's rather expensive at close to $17 a mask not including the cost of dyes, but we're exploring other options. XONAR has a store near his location that will do it, possibly for cheaper. We still need to look into that.

 

Actually, since you have the physical prototype (or is it the final product), is casting copies via a mold a possible alternative you're exploring?

 

 

It is still in the prototype phase. The mask itself is a bit thin, and I'm still debating whether or not it should still be a bit bigger, (the first prototype didn't even match up with the eyes. XD)

 

Anyways, considering that Shapeways prints in a very porous, rough plastic that is really nothing like the clean, smooth masks we're all used to, injection moulding is an option we might consider if we had the means of doing so. Given that we'd have a choice of colours, (I think) it would probably save us some money even if it was slightly more expensive.

 

This looks fantastic! How much will the bundle cost, and will you be shipping internationally? I live in the UK.

 

I can't wait to see this come to fruition.

 

Have you thought about crowdfunding via Kickstarter? If you can publicise it well, then you'd get funded very quickly I'm sure. This is something a lot of BIONICLE fans will want to see come alive!

 

The bundle we imagine will be somewhere between $30 and $40. We won't know for sure until the backpack is done and I can get the printing price off Shapeways. It is a bit pricey, I know, but the Pakari alone minus the cost of dyes is a whopping $17. In any case, as long as the cost of shipping is covered by the buyer as well, I see no reason not to ship worldwide.

 

We hadn't really thought of Kickstarter, but come to think of it, I'm not sure we'd really have anything to lose by giving it a shot. I'll talk to XONAR about it next time he's online.

 

On a side note, didn't you work on BionicleNextGen at one point? I haven't seen you around in ages. :P

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Since we're planning to dye the masks to light blue after they've been printed in milky-white plastic, could you explain what kind of dyes you'll need, as well as how the process will work?

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Since we're planning to dye the masks to light blue after they've been printed in milky-white plastic, could you explain how that process will work?

I http://xonar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_02032014_141609.png

 

I'm surprised XONAR is keeping all these screenshots from MY computer.. I would appreciate it if you would stop leaking those out. I will put them up myself in due time if they are necessary.

 

Anyways, I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't seem overly complicated. Put the mask in the dye, leave it for a few minutes, take it out. I've heard that's how it works anyways, but I won't be able to test until after I move at the end of the month and my finances sort themselves out. All prototyping and testing has so far come out of either my, or XONAR's pockets alone.

 

Alternatively it could be painted like this. It was my first experiment with 3D printing. (The same mask I'm wearing in my avatar, but after being painted) However on a small scale, it might not look as nice and could be easily damaged.

 

1378397_10202021709730024_1390218218_n.j

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I'm surprised XONAR is keeping all these screenshots from MY computer.. I would appreciate it if you would stop leaking those out. I will put them up myself in due time if they are necessary.

 

Anyways, I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't seem overly complicated. Put the mask in the dye, leave it for a few minutes, take it out. I've heard that's how it works anyways, but I won't be able to test until after I move at the end of the month and my finances sort themselves out. All prototyping and testing has so far come out of either my, or XONAR's pockets alone.

Sorry about that picture- at the moment, the second one is still publicly visible in this topic on SM.com, and has been for months. Because of that, I assumed that it would be fine to post it here. I've removed the link in my original post.

 

What kind of dyes are these? Are they relatively expensive, then?

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...What kind of dyes are these? Are they relatively expensive, then?

 

Each small bottle is approximately $4, but I'll need to buy at least two colours and mix them to get the one desired. In addition, if mass production begins with this technique, I'll need to upgrade to the 5lb jug which bumps up the price of each colour to $77. So I'm HOPING that when we get that far, demand will match the price needed for supplies.  

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I think a Kickstarter would be worth a try. Financial backing like that could be a real asset. A reward tier at $30-40 (or however the predicted cost ends up being) could actually be the bundle itself, which might be a good incentive to get people to back you from the beginning. You could then put one a bit higher, at $50-60, which could be the bundle plus another [cool but relatively inexpensive thing]; that way, people are essentially buying the game [plus the thing] but pumping additional funds into the project. There's all the usual stuff like name in the credits, some sort of exclusive (and basic) download content. Maybe one reward tier could include the soundtrack which (if you're doing an updated soundtrack) you could also sell separately after the game's release to help pay for it?

 

You could also think about reward tiers involving some kind of forum badge here or on SolisMagna, or something forum-based like that (not necessarily a badge, it just came to mind as I got one for the FXHome forums after pledging to the Kickstarter for a piece of VFX software). They also offered mouse pads, t-shirts and postcards, but those would probably end up being too much effort and expense when all you're trying to produce is a game!

 

I don't know if this is any use, but it might be worth a read.

 

I've never run a Kickstarter campaign myself, so this is all conjecture from ones that I have seen, and the one project I have backed, but I think if you know what you're doing it's actually quite straightforward. You might want to talk to someone who's run a successful campaign. An acquiantance of mine got full backing (and then some) for his brickfilm Melting Point, and you can talk to him from the links here. I hope all this helps!

 

On a side note, didn't you work on BionicleNextGen at one point? I haven't seen you around in ages. :P

 

I did indeed, though I had to take a massive hiatus from that (which I ended up leaving) and BZP because of school and later college coming first. Now that both are well and truly over, I'm enjoying being able to spend my free time more...freely. That said, university starts at the end of September.

 

That Vahi is a beaut, by the way. I wish I had a 3D printer now.

 

Thinking about it, if Kickstarter becomes a viable option, you could have a limited quantity reward tier of [a lot of money] where the reward is the bundle and stuff from the others, but also a Vahi. You'd then need to make three or four new Vahis (obviously you'd never send out your own!) but it might work as a reward - a life-size, wearable Vahi.

 

Also, silly silly silly question, but will this work on Mac? I'll have access to a PC anyway by January (I think) but for now, my household is entirely Mac-based.

 

Another silly question that may have already been answered, but will you be updating the music?

 

Sorry if I seem over-eager but this is an awesome project!

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Magnetic Mania, is now live! Check it out!

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I think a Kickstarter would be worth a try. Financial backing like that could be a real asset. A reward tier at $30-40 (or however the predicted cost ends up being) could actually be the bundle itself, which might be a good incentive to get people to back you from the beginning. You could then put one a bit higher, at $50-60, which could be the bundle plus another [cool but relatively inexpensive thing]; that way, people are essentially buying the game [plus the thing] but pumping additional funds into the project. There's all the usual stuff like name in the credits, some sort of exclusive (and basic) download content. Maybe one reward tier could include the soundtrack which (if you're doing an updated soundtrack) you could also sell separately after the game's release to help pay for it?

 

You could also think about reward tiers involving some kind of forum badge here or on SolisMagna, or something forum-based like that (not necessarily a badge, it just came to mind as I got one for the FXHome forums after pledging to the Kickstarter for a piece of VFX software). They also offered mouse pads, t-shirts and postcards, but those would probably end up being too much effort and expense when all you're trying to produce is a game!

 

I don't know if this is any use, but it might be worth a read.

 

I've never run a Kickstarter campaign myself, so this is all conjecture from ones that I have seen, and the one project I have backed, but I think if you know what you're doing it's actually quite straightforward. You might want to talk to someone who's run a successful campaign. An acquiantance of mine got full backing (and then some) for his brickfilm Melting Point, and you can talk to him from the links here. I hope all this helps!

 

On a side note, didn't you work on BionicleNextGen at one point? I haven't seen you around in ages. :P

 

I did indeed, though I had to take a massive hiatus from that (which I ended up leaving) and BZP because of school and later college coming first. Now that both are well and truly over, I'm enjoying being able to spend my free time more...freely. That said, university starts at the end of September.

 

That Vahi is a beaut, by the way. I wish I had a 3D printer now.

 

Thinking about it, if Kickstarter becomes a viable option, you could have a limited quantity reward tier of [a lot of money] where the reward is the bundle and stuff from the others, but also a Vahi. You'd then need to make three or four new Vahis (obviously you'd never send out your own!) but it might work as a reward - a life-size, wearable Vahi.

 

Also, silly silly silly question, but will this work on Mac? I'll have access to a PC anyway by January (I think) but for now, my household is entirely Mac-based.

 

Another silly question that may have already been answered, but will you be updating the music?

 

Sorry if I seem over-eager but this is an awesome project!

 

Well XONAR seems on board with the whole Kickstarter thing, so I think we will definitely give it a shot! Thanks for all the info. I'll look over the page you sent and try to get in contact with your friend for some tips.

 

Were you on the 3D team or the 2D team? I never did anything in the way of animation, but I was set to be a voice actor at the time. The Vahi was actually modeled by somebody you might know, 00dude00. Back before I got in contact with Vrahno for this project, I originally shot him an email asking if he'd like to join us, but I never heard back. Doing so likely would have driven up the cost however since he charged me for the Vahi. Vrahno surprisingly is doing this for free. I'll definitely at LEAST send him a copy of the bundle anyways when it's all done.

 

We would LIKE to update the music. We've been in contact with Templar about a soundtrack release, (through them and BioMediaProject, likely not us. :P) and possibly acquiring the original samples for this as well. While they are interested in the soundtrack, and were actually planning a release of their own this summer, last I heard they ran into a snag. Namely the fact that over time, many of the original files were lost, and there's no way to get them back other than reproducing them from scratch, hence our need for sound people if we wanted to update the audio. It's an unfortunate bump in the road, but certainly not one that will ruin the project. 

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I think a Kickstarter would be worth a try. Financial backing like that could be a real asset. A reward tier at $30-40 (or however the predicted cost ends up being) could actually be the bundle itself, which might be a good incentive to get people to back you from the beginning. You could then put one a bit higher, at $50-60, which could be the bundle plus another [cool but relatively inexpensive thing]; that way, people are essentially buying the game [plus the thing] but pumping additional funds into the project. There's all the usual stuff like name in the credits, some sort of exclusive (and basic) download content. Maybe one reward tier could include the soundtrack which (if you're doing an updated soundtrack) you could also sell separately after the game's release to help pay for it?

 

You could also think about reward tiers involving some kind of forum badge here or on SolisMagna, or something forum-based like that (not necessarily a badge, it just came to mind as I got one for the FXHome forums after pledging to the Kickstarter for a piece of VFX software). They also offered mouse pads, t-shirts and postcards, but those would probably end up being too much effort and expense when all you're trying to produce is a game!

 

I don't know if this is any use, but it might be worth a read.

 

I've never run a Kickstarter campaign myself, so this is all conjecture from ones that I have seen, and the one project I have backed, but I think if you know what you're doing it's actually quite straightforward. You might want to talk to someone who's run a successful campaign. An acquiantance of mine got full backing (and then some) for his brickfilm Melting Point, and you can talk to him from the links here. I hope all this helps!

 

On a side note, didn't you work on BionicleNextGen at one point? I haven't seen you around in ages. :P

 

I did indeed, though I had to take a massive hiatus from that (which I ended up leaving) and BZP because of school and later college coming first. Now that both are well and truly over, I'm enjoying being able to spend my free time more...freely. That said, university starts at the end of September.

 

That Vahi is a beaut, by the way. I wish I had a 3D printer now.

 

Thinking about it, if Kickstarter becomes a viable option, you could have a limited quantity reward tier of [a lot of money] where the reward is the bundle and stuff from the others, but also a Vahi. You'd then need to make three or four new Vahis (obviously you'd never send out your own!) but it might work as a reward - a life-size, wearable Vahi.

 

Also, silly silly silly question, but will this work on Mac? I'll have access to a PC anyway by January (I think) but for now, my household is entirely Mac-based.

 

Another silly question that may have already been answered, but will you be updating the music?

 

Sorry if I seem over-eager but this is an awesome project!

 

Well XONAR seems on board with the whole Kickstarter thing, so I think we will definitely give it a shot! Thanks for all the info. I'll look over the page you sent and try to get in contact with your friend for some tips.

 

Were you on the 3D team or the 2D team? I never did anything in the way of animation, but I was set to be a voice actor at the time. The Vahi was actually modeled by somebody you might know, 00dude00. Back before I got in contact with Vrahno for this project, I originally shot him an email asking if he'd like to join us, but I never heard back. Doing so likely would have driven up the cost however since he charged me for the Vahi. Vrahno surprisingly is doing this for free. I'll definitely at LEAST send him a copy of the bundle anyways when it's all done.

 

We would LIKE to update the music. We've been in contact with Templar about a soundtrack release, (through them and BioMediaProject, likely not us. :P) and possibly acquiring the original samples for this as well. While they are interested in the soundtrack, and were actually planning a release of their own this summer, last I heard they ran into a snag. Namely the fact that over time, many of the original files were lost, and there's no way to get them back other than reproducing them from scratch, hence our need for sound people if we wanted to update the audio. It's an unfortunate bump in the road, but certainly not one that will ruin the project. 

 

 

I was there during the 3D area, though I have not modelling or animation experience beyond a really basic understanding of Blender's interface. I was one of the co-directors, along with Lewa Krom, though I relegated myself to scriptwriting since schoolwork was a priority, and I didn't have time to run the project anymore.

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All I can say is that I'm really, really looking forward to this.

 

About the music - I know you've talked to Peter Mack, and he was the one who explained how a lot of the original files were missing - but have you contacted the composer, Justin Luchter, directly? He may know something Mack didn't, or has since made some sort of progress recovering the files. Just a thought.

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All I can say is that I'm really, really looking forward to this.

 

About the music - I know you've talked to Peter Mack, and he was the one who explained how a lot of the original files were missing - but have you contacted the composer, Justin Luchter, directly? He may know something Mack didn't, or has since made some sort of progress recovering the files. Just a thought.

 

I haven't, no. I'm not sure how I would get a hold of him directly since I've never found his contact info. I haven't been in contact with any of them for a few months now honestly. They have a tendency to vanish of the face of the earth for extended periods of time. :P

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Injection molding is expensive up front, but after the tooling is initially purchased, it would definitely be a cheaper method to produce the masks. If we sold enough copies of the bundle, it could make sense, and the masks would end up being higher quality.

 

Aren't injection molds multiple thousands of dollars...?

Anyways, considering that Shapeways prints in a very porous, rough plastic that is really nothing like the clean, smooth masks we're all used to, injection moulding is an option we might consider if we had the means of doing so. Given that we'd have a choice of colours, (I think) it would probably save us some money even if it was slightly more expensive.

 

There is a way to smoothen the surface of rough 3D printed parts, you might want to have a look at this:

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Injection molding is expensive up front, but after the tooling is initially purchased, it would definitely be a cheaper method to produce the masks. If we sold enough copies of the bundle, it could make sense, and the masks would end up being higher quality.

 

Aren't injection molds multiple thousands of dollars...?

 

If we needed machines and molds that churned out thousands of parts per day, yes, but for what we need, we could get a comsumer injection molding machine and CNC-machined molds for a reasonable cost. (Apparently you can even convert a drill press into an injection molding machine)

Edited by XONAR
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Aren't injection molds multiple thousands of dollars...?

If we needed machines and molds that churned out thousands of parts per day, yes, but for what we need, we could get a comsumer injection molding machine and CNC-machined molds for a reasonable cost. (Apparently you can even convert a drill press into an injection molding machine)

 

That sounds rather interesting, I didn't know there were any consumer grade injection molding machines. Would you use molten plastic like Lego, or something like liquid resin?

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Thank you for finding that! We'll definitely try and get a hold of him there. 

 

I contacted Peter Mack a few days ago, so hopefully we'll get a response soon from him as well.

 

 

Indeed. Also, on an unrelated note, thanks for indirectly leading me to this. That will make a nice addition to BioMediaProject's 2.1 Music archive!

 

 

Anyways, considering that Shapeways prints in a very porous, rough plastic that is really nothing like the clean, smooth masks we're all used to, injection moulding is an option we might consider if we had the means of doing so. Given that we'd have a choice of colours, (I think) it would probably save us some money even if it was slightly more expensive.

 

There is a way to smoothen the surface of rough 3D printed parts, you might want to have a look at this:

 

 

Well Shapeways offers smoothed plastic as well, but in that process, it also dulls some of the sharper details. Either way the mask is going to be somewhat lower in quality than what normal Lego parts would be should we stick with them.

Edited by Vahkiti: Time Guardian
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Since we're planning to dye the masks to light blue after they've been printed in milky-white plastic, could you explain how that process will work?

I http://xonar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_02032014_141609.png

I'm surprised XONAR is keeping all these screenshots from MY computer.. I would appreciate it if you would stop leaking those out. I will put them up myself in due time if they are necessary.

 

Anyways, I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't seem overly complicated. Put the mask in the dye, leave it for a few minutes, take it out. I've heard that's how it works anyways, but I won't be able to test until after I move at the end of the month and my finances sort themselves out. All prototyping and testing has so far come out of either my, or XONAR's pockets alone.

 

Alternatively it could be painted like this. It was my first experiment with 3D printing. (The same mask I'm wearing in my avatar, but after being painted) However on a small scale, it might not look as nice and could be easily damaged.

 

1378397_10202021709730024_1390218218_n.j

Can I buy that or a copy?
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Since we're planning to dye the masks to light blue after they've been printed in milky-white plastic, could you explain how that process will work?

I http://xonar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_02032014_141609.png

I'm surprised XONAR is keeping all these screenshots from MY computer.. I would appreciate it if you would stop leaking those out. I will put them up myself in due time if they are necessary.

 

Anyways, I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't seem overly complicated. Put the mask in the dye, leave it for a few minutes, take it out. I've heard that's how it works anyways, but I won't be able to test until after I move at the end of the month and my finances sort themselves out. All prototyping and testing has so far come out of either my, or XONAR's pockets alone.

 

Alternatively it could be painted like this. It was my first experiment with 3D printing. (The same mask I'm wearing in my avatar, but after being painted) However on a small scale, it might not look as nice and could be easily damaged.

 

1378397_10202021709730024_1390218218_n.j

Can I buy that or a copy?

 

 

Unfortunately not. :P

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Since we're planning to dye the masks to light blue after they've been printed in milky-white plastic, could you explain how that process will work?

I http://xonar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_02032014_141609.png

I'm surprised XONAR is keeping all these screenshots from MY computer.. I would appreciate it if you would stop leaking those out. I will put them up myself in due time if they are necessary.

 

Anyways, I haven't tested it yet, but it doesn't seem overly complicated. Put the mask in the dye, leave it for a few minutes, take it out. I've heard that's how it works anyways, but I won't be able to test until after I move at the end of the month and my finances sort themselves out. All prototyping and testing has so far come out of either my, or XONAR's pockets alone.

 

Alternatively it could be painted like this. It was my first experiment with 3D printing. (The same mask I'm wearing in my avatar, but after being painted) However on a small scale, it might not look as nice and could be easily damaged.

 

1378397_10202021709730024_1390218218_n.j

Can I buy that or a copy?

Unfortunately not. :P

Thanks anyway :/
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The 3D prototypes look great, but will the backpack fit over the McToran body (without interfering with it or the head)? The render looks like it wouldn't fit with the head (which I had forgotten was so snug against the body until seeing the pics of the Matoran with the prototype mask).

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Formerly Lyichir: Rachira of Influence

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The 3D prototypes look great, but will the backpack fit over the McToran body (without interfering with it or the head)? The render looks like it wouldn't fit with the head (which I had forgotten was so snug against the body until seeing the pics of the Matoran with the prototype mask).

Thanks for bringing this up! For some reason not one of us even noticed this fundamental flaw with the design. I'll bring it to Vrahno's attention immediately. XD

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We have updates!

 

First and foremost, we are ready to begin our own crowdfunding campaign to help raise money to produce injection molding parts, and thus, significantly lower the total cost of the bundle! Not only will this make the Pakari and backpack much higher quality, but it eliminates the need for 3D printing and dyeing, which is incredibly expensive to do, per mask. We can make the total cost of the bundle far more affordable because of this. Our current funding goal is $2000, which will cover the cost of the injection molding machine and the molds. See they first post to donate and see the donation reward tiers!

 

After Lyichir pointed out that we have a fundamental design flaw in the backpack, (thanks again :P) we immediately notified Vrahno, and he says that he will have it done ASAP, so you can expect a semi-finalized backpack very soon.

 

On a semi-related note, I should also add that Vahkiti will be attending ConBravo in Hamilton Ontario this weekend! If you see a guy carrying a lifesized Vahi or wearing one of our Pakari prototypes as a pendant, feel free to say hi and he'll answer any questions you may have regarding the project.

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