Thursday, October 30, 2008

FREEMAN'S MIND - EPISODE 5

Youtube

640x480 WMV (47MB)


Well I've been extremely busy, but I would have felt bad not getting SOMETHING out for Halloween. This isn't really Halloween themed, but this section takes place in one of the creepier parts of Half-Life. I'll be the first to admit this one has a few shortcomings. It's not really anything new for the FM series, but I'm still having some problems pacing everything because I'll record the footage ahead of time before I know everything I'm going to say. So there are some sections where Freeman is a little rapid-fire with his commentary. This can be kind of neat in the sense that it makes him appear more manic, but I still want to avoid it. I spend less time trying to perfect FM than I would with CP as it's just commentary on top of game footage. Also I apologize but this episode has a little bit of volume clipping. I tried my best to clean it up, but I may have to look into getting a better mic as mine's pretty cheap.

My main goal with the series is to keep moving forward with it so I can get more episodes out as I have a lot of ground to cover. Unfortunately production will still be stalled for a little bit longer, but I'll make an annnouncement as soon as I'm done with Noesis, then I'll really move into full gear on this stuff. The current release rate of Freeman's Mind is NOT representative of how long it takes to make an episode, I've just been too busy to make more. So it may take a little while, but the pace WILL improve.  

In other news I'm getting closer to finishing the design of the website, but the coder helping me has gotten pneumonia and has been too sick to work on it lately, so lets hope he doesn't die on me. 

64 comments:

No0b-0-rAmA said...

Lol, that was really funny. Didn't hear any audio problems =/

do you use a video capture card or a recording software?

No0b-0-rAmA said...

Do you use a software or a capture card for recording?

Otto said...

Haha, I have yet to watch it because I'm slightly busy, but fantastic work on this one! I'm sure everybody will be happy to see a new one. :P


Also, really looking forward to the new website. It looks real cool.

Ross Scott said...

noob o rama: I output directly from the game engine itself. It's a great feature and means I don't have to record in realtime.

UsodStallion said...

that was GREAT ross. Thank you for making that! Once you're done with the neosis stuff... I can't imagine what will occur. The beast will be unleashed! Take care- and remember: where there's a gun, there's fun!

Anonymous said...

Follow the Dead body road! Dude you should use that again its an grovy line.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I don't think I'll be dieing
anytime soon.

But I will get to work on the website, though.

Anonymous said...

Lol very nice, thanks Ross :D

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen it yet but if you do find any dissatisfaction in your work, I don't mind waiting longer for it. Thank you for all the hard work you've been doing!

Anonymous said...

Got really excited when I saw this in my subscriptions.
Great episode.
I see you haven't got the High def pack. why is that?
And last time you replied to my comment you said you want to keep him alive? So I asume it's going to take a long ass time to get these episodes out.
I can wait though :)

Anonymous said...

FOLLOW THE DEAD BODY ROAD!, I almost blew my tea across the room when I heard that, Genius I tell ya! Keep it up, I want more...
Superb work.

Anonymous said...

hey ross,

I think that, unless it is too much trouble for you, you should have a sub-section of your new website that gives people a link t wath Freeman's Mind on YouTube or to download it/stream it. It just seems hard to think that people can appreciate your work if it is no-where to be found.

Just a tip

Anonymous said...

Woo! Another FM episode! Thanks Ross!
I hope you get done with Noesis soon. It sounds like it is a monsterous amount of work. At least you're getting paid for it though, right?

Also, I hope mysterious coder man gets well soon! Send him my well wishes if you talk to him again.

Anonymous said...

Amazing episode as always!

SnappyCrunch said...

Freeman's Mind is one of the best things on the 'net. Keep up the good work!

Otto said...

Finally just watched it, and man! I was sure laughing and found this to be one of the funniest ones yet. It's probably getting better and better as the game gives you more deaths and weapons to comment on, so it's looking great. :)

Anonymous said...

Ross Thanks

Everyday after work I've visit your webside for new updates and for weekend you done this. THX

Ross Scott said...

dead body road people: You should know I cut out the line "We're off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of blood!" for time.

anonymous dude: it will take a long time, but the pace will pick up too

anonymous dude: FM will have its own obvious section on the new website. That's part of the whole reason I'll have a new one, because I'll be making other things in addition to CP.

Anonymous said...

Haha. Sir, you do a great job. :D

Loved the "organs" part. OH OH! And the part at the end with the gun. :D

Wild Goose Chase Productions said...

YEAH DOG!!! Cant wait for episode 6...number 5 was great!

Anonymous said...

I love this stuff! Glad you've made a new episode! =)

Anonymous said...

You did a great job on the video. I didn't notice any issues, Freeman only switched topics quickly from time to time, but it didn't bother me, it was all really good.
So long as you keep setting goals as you talk so much about doing, I'm sure all your videos will turn out great.

Anonymous said...

Another awesome episode :)

I think my favourite part was his little jump @ 2:55 when he got the door open.

NO THE OTHER HAND YOU IDIOT!

Anonymous said...

Best... Series... EVER!

Why'd you cut out the "We're off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of blood!" I couldn't breathe a while after that song.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely brilliant, its like peep show (an english show). I wonder gordon freemans opinion of alyx, that should be funny.

Absolutley awesome thanks

papparch@googlemail.com

Anonymous said...

Great Work! I love it, and I can't wait for more FM and CP! Sorry to hear about the coder for the new website having pneumonia.

Anonymous said...

very good but you missed some funny parts like the guy in front of the strob light tv was a zombie you could have walked in to help him saw he was a zombie and ran of making a joke about how tv makes people mindless zombies and the guy shooting the zombies could have followed you then died . but over all its a QREAT series and thats the only thing i wont to bring up

Muhammad Haggag said...

Excellent work, man. Keep it up, and good luck with real life too :)

Anonymous said...

YAGE (Yet another great episode). I don't think the 'rushed' sense hurts the humour too much. I'm less certain about the increasing self-reference (eg, the computer squishing the headcrab, and Freeman's comment on this) - I like it quite a lot, it's exactly my kind of thing - but I can see it taking over the series, which would be a shame.

Anonymous said...

I could have just posted this on youtube...but I thought I'd make the extra effort, plus there is more chance you'll actully READ this ;) Just want to say thank you for making my day with the latest episode and also, just quick note, I don't know how you plan on going with this, but PLEASE don't be temped to do anything too 'out there' you know, adding stuff and fucking with what really happened because I and I'm sure other people too, think that fact that it is the the fact that it follows the actual game, making us think back to when we first played it is what gives the series it's strength.

Thanks again

James said...

FINALLY... I've been waiting for this, much more than Civil Protection (although I still like Civil Protection, don't get me wrong). This series is my favorite!

Otto said...

Ah, so would you think something like Freeman speaking, as an excuse for people replying to him, would be too 'out there' as well or is that just a feature that wouldn't matter as it doesn't change any story?

Anonymous said...

Best episode yet.

"My enemy is the enemy of my other enemy."

great.

Ross Scott said...

anonymous guy: Yeah I think the "other hand" part was my favorite out of this episode.

dirdle: well I'm trying to approach it so it doesn't feel too contrived. Any normal person would have had thoughts after seeing the computer wipe out the headcrab I thought.

anonymous dude: Well you're right, I'll read your comment here, but not necessarily on youtube. I'm glad so many people can watch it, but on the other hand some of the comments can get really stupid sometimes, so I only look at it sparingly.

As for your concern, I can only do so much with the game anyway. Most of my changes will be with trying to increase immersion slightly (like Gordon holstering his crowbar to climb up a ladder). As a spoiler, the biggest change you'll notice is I plan for Gordon do deal out a more realistic amount of damage from his guns. That always bugged me about HL1 anyway. No soldier is going to take a shotgun blast at point blank range and keep firing, kevlar or not. So it might appear "super easy", but lets say I'll be operating on a Counter-strike damage system rather than a Half-Life one.

Anonymous said...

Are you going to try to make Freeman's Mind extended to Half-Life 2? I know that is an extremely long term goal seeing as how it is a long ass game.
(Can't wait till Gordon see's the Gman up ahead for the first time!)

Anonymous said...

Hey don't beat yourself up!
It's perfect!
Also, wish all the best for the Coder.

Anonymous said...

commenting on your plan for gordon to do more damage with his guns, i really dont mind that but i would like to see the larger eneamys like the gurganta (or however its spelled) still take huge amounts of damage.

but so far its great and i love the series i hope to see more soon.

Otto said...

'Gargantua' by the way, but if he does continue each episode exactly where he left off and follow the complete storyline, I think there will definitely be problem on the way.

I guess if he can grip an audience by the first episode he made while standing still on a Tram, then that's pretty good work, and it'll do for other riding or walking sequences to get people's attention by the numerous topics he has in his head.

InsaneElit3 said...

LOL! nice episode. I am trying to make my own machinima called "Civil Protection Recruits" and it's no way associated with Civil Protection. It's just about newly(is that a word???) rectuited CP officers and a weird civilian. There is more info on my blog. Am I breaking a rule for advertising a blog on a blog? oh well. It will probably be on Youtube and Machinima.com around Thanksgiving or Christmas when I have alot of time to make an episode. Anyways, YOURE MACHINIMAS ARE AWESOME! Freemand's Mind and Civil Protection are hilarious

Anonymous said...

Excuse me Ross, But can i ask for a Favour?

i Am doing a performance based on your Freeman's Mind Episodes, and if you can, May you please send me the scripts for episodes 1 - 5 so that it can be possible for me to do this, I would be very gracious if you can do this.

My Email is welshj@student.jpc.qld.edu.au

Unknown said...

I love those series! It's been a year since I last collapsed on the floor, back when I was an alcoholic...

I meant I was laughing out loud, and its really fresh comical perspective on half life. I wish you could go a little faster man, especially if you wanna cover hl2 as well.

Have you looked at the speedruns? Half life in Half hour? It can make a nice SPECIAL speed run episode.

Keep up the excellent work!

Ross Scott said...

anonymous: maybe, it's still kind of up in the air for me

dante: yeah I may leave the big guys untouched as far health goees

jordan: I don't have them, somebody would have to transcribe it. I only have scattered notes for FM, it's much less structured than CP.

svilen: this sure as hell won't be a speed run, but yeah, I will have to pick up the pace on releasing them.

Anonymous said...

any update on the cp halloween episode?

Anonymous said...

lols, nice. u know

Anonymous said...

Ok Ross Thanks Anyway, I try and tell you how it went.

Davie said...

Aaah, Freeman's Mind is great. This episode was awesome as ever. Nice work. I'm looking forward to the next episode of Civil Protection too...

Anonymous said...

Hey Ross, are you still interested in another download mirror?

I can improve upon Machinima.com's quaility as well combine the current 5 episodes into one file.

I just wanted to ask you before I went ahead with it.

SmiggzYh said...

truly spectacular!!! i have to say, its splitingly side funny!!! love it, cant wait for more!

Anonymous said...

How did you get Gordon to holster his crowbar?

Unknown said...

ok, strobe light and twiching body...walk away now.

:D love this series man!

Ross Scott said...

anonymous: Sorry, there hasn't been any progress since I've been busy with Noesis, but I'm getting quite close to finishing that.

Kaijudomage: Definitely. I probably won't implement it until the new site is up, which should hopefully be soon. Feel free to email me about any details on setting up a mirror. Also do you mean zip all the episodes together? That's fine if you want to distribute it that way.

anonymous: Ha ha, you're the first person to notice. I'm actually switching to the egon gun in-game, except I retextured it so it's completely invisible. I thought it was a little more realistic for him to holster it climbing ladders and stuff.

Anonymous said...

could you put another post up when you finished Noesis?

Anonymous said...

Very awesome man...So when you ever finish HL...will you continue on to HL2? Just wondering. Keep up the good work.

Otto said...

Wow, re-texturing the Gluon-Gun? I thought it was just a simple drawviewmodel command, so that explains the holstering animations. Good thinking, that's genius.

I also noticed the hidden HUD information, and I think that'd be a good idea because it would otherwise be too difficult to maintain it throughout the entire series. What difficulty is it played on?

Anonymous said...

"other hand you idiot" :-B i almost fall off the chair

Anonymous said...

i liked it
Im haven trouble with the download, youtude works though

Moonlup said...

Just found these and wow! Definitely making it onto my bookmarks.

Thanks for all your hard work!

owen said...

I thought this series was over! glad to see your still at it. You can slow the pacing by humming songs. yeah pneumonia sucks I think it all that rap music

xiko said...

this is so genious. Just found it out, watched them all and I am now waiting for the next ones. AMAZING job

Anonymous said...

This is a really funny series. I hope you get the next one out soon.Also send my hope to the coder.

Anonymous said...

good episode now i look forward to more but i know your busy

Anonymous said...

Mate, keep up with the Freemans Mind episodes, they are by far the best in my eyes.

Anonymous said...

Great stuff Ross!!! keep it up

Anonymous said...

Doyou intend to tell the entire half life 1 story line with this? That'd be an incredible undertaking, but there must dozens of hours of footage in there, particulary if you don't skip anything.
Apologes if this has been asked and answered before, but it's 11pm and I'm too lazy to browse through comments.
Keep up the good work!