SW other genres crossover sabers

[Rhyen Skytracker]

All you have to do with this preset in After Effects is Create a new layer, insert the preset, select color, pick start point then pick end point. The preset is fully editable too. You can modify all the glow (inner and outer), motion blur, perspective and many more. I don't really consider it cheating since it is only a preset and I make a lot of presets myself. If you use after effects I would highly recommend those tutorials. I even have most of his products too. The Action Essentials product has lots of sounds, smoke vids and explosion vids to use.

[ARKM]

Rhyen, I understand where you are coming from and I know all about Andrew's plugins/presets. However you can get much better results and configurability by doing it yourself the manual way. If you had been on the forum I linked to for several years like I have, you would know this.

People that want the best looking lightsabers, whether on a still image or in video choose to apply those effects without presets or plugins. On the flip side, I'm sure there are many that use Andrew's plugins/presets and are quite content with the results. It's a matter of personal preference.

I'm not saying I would never use a plugin or preset for an effect or even for lightsabers. However currently, I am unsatisfied with the results of every lightsaber plugin/preset out there. As far as Andrews other non-lightsaber/blaster bolt stuff, had I a need for them, I'd probably use them. I spent many years working on the lightsaber effect (mainly in Photoshop)... but no other effects. As such, his other plugins could come in quite handy for me.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I will definitely check out that site you link to. My main issue is I don't have as much time to spend on it anymore and with videocopilot.net it has short tutorials that you can use to learn the specific effect you are looking for at the time. Like the zoom Earth one helped me out on a project I was working on, but instead of zooming out I needed to zoom in. The tutorial showed me enough that I could figure out how to reverse it. Besides, cheaters always win. (except when they get caught) hehe

Edit: I am looking at that site you linked to and I LOVE IT!!! Thanks for the link.

[Sloda Foade]

Here is the penultimate animation of War Machine. I just have to put some text stenciling on it and that will be it. Those pics will be posted in a few hours when I finish them. I will replace this animation then as well.
(link removed, updated in my next post)

[Sloda Foade]

Ok folks, this is the final render of War Machine. I won't be adding anything more to the design in the render, but there will be other things done on the actual saber once I can afford to buy the MHS parts. Things like pseudo flush screws (burred into the surfaces with dremmel cylinder grinder) and some other surface details too fiddly to add to the render.
I have updated the animation also, see below.
http://s1029.photobucket.com/albums/...WM-rotate3.mp4

And the pics






If anyone can think of any improvements, please let me know.

[Rafalema]

This saber is sweeet and you are an excellent modeler!

[ARKM]

That saber looks really nice Sloda.

[Sunrider]

That is a great design indeed. May the force be with you in it's construction.

[Sloda Foade]

I have updated the War Machine pics and video above again to include the blade retention screw(s) and the activation switch as noted by some of the members on the shoutbox.
Only one of the 4 blade screws will be long enough to hold the blade, the rest are there to balance the look. The switch is a small pcb mounted round with a LED in the centre.

[Rafalema]

Sweeet!

Please make a longer vid with more spins and maybe little bit zooming in and out.

Oh, and use this song!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlBMl6f3hU