MRRGMDDN: May 2012

I was inspired by wave lengths and the limitations of a 2D plane in relation to creating 3 dimensional structures, and the structure of a continual curve being pushed and pulled at both ends to eventually create a solid form, taking a straight line and creating a structure using curves and tension was my goal.

These are some developmental images of my code. Once the code was completed I experimented with the visual elements of the code.

This is the final code in an image. I wanted the simplicity of the curve to be described more clearly with smaller ellipses.

This is the image created when running the random generator in my pyp file. The randomness is controlled by a randomly generated integer that controls the size of the coil and where the start and end points are located. Over time the coil will shrink but with this comes the structural elements of a seemingly three dimensional string. I took 2d filtering source code and combined it with attributes from my previous exercises, utilizing math.sin,cos,tan to create the curvature.

Story / Character / Environment Description

Hector is a robot living in an industrial waste land, a city in which time has forgotten. Rust and scrap metal litter the streets and old computer terminals flicker in the night with small amounts of electricity still pulsing through their wires. Hector is the last of his kind, a small autonomous robot, built to send and receive data and hold on to it until it is needed. His hands, when held straight, are used as usb plugins. His body, dented and rusted everywhere, paint is chipped and flaking. He enjoys roaming the streets of this derelict place, picking up energy from old usb ports.

But all is not well, for a long time now a powerful technology has been sending Seekers out to raid his home in search of redundant robot technology. They captured them and take them off to decomposition chambers to be recycled into new products and computer equipment. But Hector won’t give up. He will run from these evil scouts and survive anyway he can. He is not the fastest or the bravest robot out there, but when danger is presented he does whatever he can to escape.

Time has affected Hector. His body is dented and beaten, his century old paint job has been chipped away and rust from relentless storms has weakened his joints and limbs, he prefers to power down and hid in his cube until things ease. Loneliness is Hectors weakness. He cannot be content with hiding in the depths of the industrial network and instead spends his time rolling around the streets in search of energy and surviving robots.

But this new technology will not slow down. With every night and day comes the fear he will turn a corner and have to face the Seeker again, and once it utters the words “target acquired” Hector will know his time is up.

Script

Fade in shot of robot slumped in dark alley. Light start blinking red. Off and on. It finally stays on an camera zooms out slowly from scene.

System boot sounds and arms pop out from enclosed section. Head rises slowly out of hidden section. Eyes blink and jaw flexes. Rolls out of shot slowly.

Side shot of Hector passing streets – left, right, round corner, down street, face close up.

Rumbling sound echoes. Hector perks up and freezes in place eyes search and eye brows frown, looking up.

(Seekers view) red screen p.o.v – “searching for redundant tech”

Hector peers around corner, sees seeker light approaching fast. Hides round corner frozen and shaking – terrified

Seeker scans over Hector “target acquired”

Hector’s face drops quickly before he bursts off screaming, flailing his arms and he speeds off.

Chase occurs as Seeker tries to get close to Hector. Back and forth through city streets

Robot screaming trails off as Hector sees that Seeker is no longer behind him. He peers around a nearby corner and sees the all clear. He turns around abruptly as if to roll in the other direction. Instead, he is face to face with the Seekers giant red eye.

Hector’s jaw drops and his entire body begins to shake. He turns quickly as if to run but ends up smashing into the closest wall, dislodging his arm. He continues to dart around the corner and the Seeker stays motionless watching as Hectors free arm pats the ground from around the corner as he tries to reclaim his arm. Once Hector’s arm has been pulled from the corner the Seeker begins to turn around the corner, only to realize that Hector has been bolting full speed down the street.

The chase continues towards a seemingly dead end. But Hector notices a small gap in the buildings. As he approaches he tucks his arms and lowers his head into their respective compartments and continues fill speed ahead. After making it through alive he sighs with happiness and checks his body parts to make sure he hasn’t lost anything.

Meanwhile the Seeker has had to pull up harshly to avoid crashing into the wall and the shot fades out.

Fade in and Hector is back to his normal routine, he notices a nearby usb terminal and approaches it. Trying to fit his usb hand into the input he has to try a few times to put it in the right way. But out of nowhere a bright red aura surrounds Hector. He is being sucked up by the Seekers beam and before long Hector disappears within the depths of the Seekers body. Fade out.

Fade in and the Seeker opens his body locker. Hector falls out and into the decomposition machine. Sounds of bent metal, dents and damage can be heard as Hector’s body is reshaped. The camera pans down the machine to end up at the end of it. Suddenly a shiny Ipad lands in the middle of the conveyer belt below. As the screen turns on Hectors eyes can be seen sad and he lets out a final sigh before admitting defeat and sliding out of the scene.

Storyboards