"This is Oolite" Youtube video

[phkb]

I've been wanting to create an updated video for YouTube, and this week I finally got around to it!

https://youtu.be/btj1fjv2WTg

At the moment the video is unlisted, as I wanted to get feedback about any of the individual shots, and perhaps improve the final released version.

The music is a free track from here (https://www.freepik.com/audio/tune/cosmic-resonance), which has a gentler vibe to my last video, but I think the synth-wave kind of sound fits the type of game Oolite is.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

[cbr]

Beautiful showcase! 'friendly' music choice.

[another_commander]

Wow. Loved it.

People watching this might think it is about a peaceful and relaxing game. Good. Let them think that...

[phkb]

Let them think that...

I did think about having one of the segments be a battle between a bunch of Thargoids and police ships in an asteroid field, with the point of view just sailing through the middle. But I didn't think it fitted the music.

[another_commander]

No no, that's fine. I like the idea of discovering more of what's coming after finding the game from this video.

[Cholmondely]

Very nice.



... you will be swamped by requests for a list of the OXPs!

[phkb]

Maybe I could turn it into a “Spot the OXP” Bingo!

[Cholmondely]

If you felt like it, some months down the line, perhaps a second with the music from your v.1.86 video and more action?

Combat, HUDs, atmospheric turbulence, more stations (TCA/RSS/Superhub) et cetera?



Embarrassingly, I'd never fully realised that Submersible's  BPlanets textures include city night-lights. We've many more city night-lights textures than I'd thought.

[Redspear]

Firstly, good job, you've chosen many of the elements well and for the most part it's nicely framed and the length is probably about right but... I'm a nit-picker so make what you will of the following.

Rotations usually work best when they stay shy of 180 degrees - the first on the cobra is maybe a tad too long (only by a second or so), the one on the fdl is much too long IMHO.

It looks like a docking simulator - not really your fault as that's a big part of what the game is (launch, travel, encounter, dock).
I think i get why you showed the rotation lock on the dodec station but you don't need to show all of it - could cut at start and/or especially towards the end where there is little pay off (there's no doors opening etc.) and the planets rings are no longer visible.

'Where will your journey take you?' To a station apparently. Again, not your fault but how about a different ending...

Keep the synthwave, fade out early as the player has a withspace jump malfunction. Let the game's sounds fade in in and show just the first few beats (use injectors to close if needs be) of the resulting thargoid ambush in interstellar space? You could fade out the combat sounds almost as soon as they begin and even fade to black.

So... 'Travel where you will' (show local map briefly?) 'but theres no guarantee that you'll get there (witchjump malfunction and thargoids then fade out) 'Trade. Mine. Evolve. Survive.'

Just my opinion.

[phkb]

Point taken on the rotations. I’ll try to split up the Cobra one, maybe have a different angle cross the nose so you get a shot of the station behind.

With the FdL, I was also trying to match the change of dynamics in the music. I might try adding some camera drone shots, with the goal being the reveal of the pulsar at the end of the shot.

With the dodo dock, I kind of liked the mesmerising effect of the rotation, but maybe switching to the docking camera drone for the last bit would break it up a bit.

As for the final message, as you say, docking at a station forms a large part of the game loop. That was part of the purpose of the video, to showcase some of the variety you will see on your journey. You leave a station, see planets and stars, and then arrive at a station. This is where your journey takes you. And the final scene of the Cobra zooming out until it becomes indistinguishable from the starry background was kind of intentional and I thought rather symbolic. Switching at the end to be dramatic (with drive malfunction and Thargoid interception) changes the tone of the video substantially, without any sort of prior signalling, and which the music doesn’t lend itself to. I think I’m going to put my director’s hat on and say I prefer my ending, but I’ll record a scene and try it out - who knows, maybe I’ll like it!

Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to analyse the content deeply.

[Redspear]

Point taken on the rotations. I’ll try to split up the Cobra one, maybe have a different angle cross the nose so you get a shot of the station behind.

With the FdL, I was also trying to match the change of dynamics in the music. I might try adding some camera drone shots, with the goal being the reveal of the pulsar at the end of the shot.

Try the dodec where you've got the fdl. That's the quietest section and might suit docking; the two are about the same length. I know there's that little musical pay off around 1:30 but that could just as easily be used to set up the tone shift for the docking approach.

Switching at the end to be dramatic (with drive malfunction and Thargoid interception) changes the tone of the video substantially, without any sort of prior signally, and which the music doesn’t lend itself to.

Which is why I suggested that it could fade out. Tone shift as a feature rather than a bug.

You've mentioned twice now trying to match things to the music. Nothing wrong with that... unless it prevents you from including something important. Thargoids aren't that important I don't think but maybe combat, even if only hinted at, is.

I think I’m going to put my director’s hat on and say I prefer my ending, but I’ll record a scene and try it out - who knows, maybe I’ll like it!

Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to analyse the content deeply.

No problem.

One last (for now at least) consideration: what's it for?

Is it a trailer?
Is it an art project?
Is it both? Something else?

If it's a trailer then why not hint at what's to come? By which I mean gameplay,
With good editing there's no need to give out spoilers.

Anyway, I don't have to make the thing so whatever you make, you at least should enjoy it