Announcing: Base Pack Contest

[tkd27]

Hey all - recently there was a discussion on the forums (over here: http://www.moviestorm.co.uk/forums/index.p...c=7091&hl=) about whether or not you can make a decent movie without having to pay any money, essentially using only the Base asset pack that you get for free. Some say yes, some say no.

I got to talking with Moviestorm's co-founder, Matt Kelland, about my idea for a base pack contest, and he's graciously offered to put Moviestorm's money where our mouths are

Moviestorm is going to put up 30,000 MS Points to go to three contest winners of a Base Pack Contest (and you don't even have to be a subscriber to win or use the points). I'll choose one winner, Moviestorm will choose another, and the last winner will be chosen by a community poll. It is possible that a really good movie will score its director all 30,000 points, or that three directors will walk away with 10,000 points each. Either way, that's a lot of content! As Moviestorm said in the Christmas Contest announcement, 10,000 points is enough for at least 5 packs, but more if you buy smaller packs. So imagine what you can pick up if you walk away with all 30,000 points

So - what can you NOT do?

-You cannot use ANY Moviestorm content packs, other than the Base pack that comes free.
-You cannot use ANY Photostorm content packs.
-You cannot use ANY 3rd party mods.
-You cannot use 3rd party special effects software (like After Effects) or plugins for your editor, like Sony Vegas, Premiere, Pinnacle, etc...

But you can...

-You CAN use a 3rd party editor for cutting Moviestorm footage together.
-You CAN use basic transitions and titling from you editor (the rule of thumb here is that it shouldn't be anything that the free editor on your system - Windows Movie Maker or iMovie - can't do).
-You CAN import video, music, pictures, sound effects, etc. into Moviestorm as long as it doesn't involve modding (for example, you can play video on the TV on your set or import your own picture to paintings on the walls, but you can't replace an asset's texture files. It has to be done in engine).

So - how do you make sure you're not using an asset from an addon content pack? Disabling content packs is simple. Here's what you do:

1) Open Moviestorm.
2) Click on Settings (after you click start on the first splash screen, it's one of three options, along with New Movie and Load Movie).
3) The Addons tab should be selected (if not, select it). On the bottom you'll see a checkbox that says "select/deselect all." Click that. This disables ALL content packs except Base and Core (Core is the pack containing core assets, like puppets skeletons, breathing animations and walls). Base and Core cannot be deselected. For this contest, they should be the ONLY asset packs selected.
4) Restart Moviestorm.

(when you're done with your movie for this contest you can repeat this process and re-enable all your content packs, no problem )

Your movie can be any genre, any theme, any length. When you upload the movie to Moviestorm, be sure to include "basecontest" as a tag. This is how we will identify movies in the contest. If your movie doesn't have this tag, it will not compete.

The contest will run from now until January 11, 2010, which gives you just over a month If anyone needs any further clarification on the rules, please ask here and I'll answer

A good movie is all in the script, the acting and the direction - not just sets and costumes I'm betting that you CAN make a great movie using only the Base asset pack. Please prove me right!

[AngriBuddhist]

This is a fantastic idea! Thanks for taking the inititive on this.

[act3scene24]

Agreed.

I'll definitely try to join in on the fun.

[Poulet Noir]

Typical, you spend months and months waiting for a competition to come along, then two come along at once

Still, the difference in deadlines is enough make it work!

PN

[kkffoo]

I was just logging on to suggest this!

Clarification, imported videos etc..are they to be made in moviestorm base pack also, or can they be anything?

[tkd27]

I was just logging on to suggest this!

Clarification, imported videos etc..are they to be made in moviestorm base pack also, or can they be anything?

They can be anything, as long as they're imported in engine using the "play video" or "change picture" commands. And of course assuming you have the rights to the footage

*EDIT* Okay, re-reading this I think I see what you mean. This should NOT be considered a loophole to bring in Moviestorm footage not including more than the base pack assets If the footage you bring in includes Moviestorm footage it needs to be base pack assets only.

[tkd27]

Typical, you spend months and months waiting for a competition to come along, then two come along at once

Still, the difference in deadlines is enough make it work!

PN

Yup, spacing out the deadlines was important. Because the Christmas comp ends on Christmas Eve, even if you wait until that time to start this comp, you'll still have over two weeks to get it done

[Moviestorm]

Matt, many thanks for offering to run this. This is a really exciting competition and a great idea. We're absolutely fascinated to see what comes out of it.

As you said, it forces people to think about the script, the acting, the direction, the camerawork, the editing, and so on, not just rely on props, sets and costumes to carry them through. This is a real challenge, and a true test of film-making skill.

Film on!

[steelblade]

Count me in on this one. I already got some ideas.

[primaveranz]

Can you use any version of MS?

[tkd27]

Can you use any version of MS?

Not sure why you would... I guess it should really be in made in version 1.2. If you made it in 1.1.7 or something recent because you haven't upgraded yet I wouldn't know the difference

But definitely not in an older version where the "base" pack content early access content that isn't available anymore (like Euro Heads, for example, which were retired when the morphable heads were introduced).

[primaveranz]

Not sure why you would... I guess it should really be in made in version 1.2. If you made it in 1.1.7 or something recent because you haven't upgraded yet I wouldn't know the difference

But definitely not in an older version where the "base" pack content early access content that isn't available anymore (like Euro Heads, for example, which were retired when the morphable heads were introduced).

I'm still using 1.1.6.2 on my main PC because I am halfway through some things and I don't want to take the risk of them not working in 1.2. Also it takes a helluva long time to install 1.2 out here due to crappy internet...
I have access to 1.2 on a Mac but whereas it worked fine on 1.7 now the graphics card doesn't behave and (apparently - because it is a Mac) I can't just upgrade the driver without upgrading the whole Mac O/S. Maybe a Maccie can enlighten me.
Otherwise I'm probably out of the running...

[tkd27]

I'm still using 1.1.6.2 on my main PC because I am halfway through some things and I don't want to take the risk of them not working in 1.2. Also it takes a helluva long time to install 1.2 out here due to crappy internet...
I have access to 1.2 on a Mac but whereas it worked fine on 1.7 now the graphics card doesn't behave and (apparently - because it is a Mac) I can't just upgrade the driver without upgrading the whole Mac O/S. Maybe a Maccie can enlighten me.
Otherwise I'm probably out of the running...

I don't think it'll make a difference, really. The only way it would matter is if you're using a really old version of Moviestorm where the Base Pack actually contained different content than it does today. 1.1.6.2 shouldn't matter at all, so please join the comp

[primaveranz]

1.1.6.2 shouldn't matter at all, so please join the comp

Hurrah! Ok I will enter it into the "Best Movie using 1.1.6.2 coming from an Island Nation beginning with "V" .....err..... that isn't in the Caribbean" category.

[supermep]

I think I have something good for this contest

[Melopee]

Another question about what music and additional sounds are allowed?

And the second question, is there a limitation about the duration of the movie?

[Poulet Noir]

Another question about what music and additional sounds are allowed?

And the second question, is there a limitation about the duration of the movie?

It says in tkd's original post that any length of movie is allowed, not sure about the music though!

I myself am planning an epic story of Love, Loss, Confusion and Revenge, of Trust, Betrayal, Passion and Madness, of Surrender, Atonement, Forgiveness and Sacrifice. Of course what I plan and what I end up making are invariably two totally different beasties...

PN

[supermep]

He also states that you can feel free to import music as well.

[joshohelp]

how do i know which version I have

[tkd27]

Another question about what music and additional sounds are allowed?

And the second question, is there a limitation about the duration of the movie?

Limit on the length of the movie, no. Whether it's 5 minutes or 5 hours, it's all good If you think you have a two-trilogy epic using only the Moviestorm base pack, go for it

For the music, I guess even though this is a bit arbitrary, the only limit I'm putting on it is that you can't use the Moviestorm music packs, because they technically do fall in the category of a Moviestorm addon. Other than that, if you are legally able to use it, go ahead

how do i know which version I have

When you get to the main splash screen (the one that lets you choose to start a new movie) you'll see you version number in the bottom right hand corner.