Machinima.

[Danny Ocean]

Or, was wikipedia puts it;

Machinima is a collection of associated production techniques whereby computer-generated imagery (CGI) is rendered using real-time, interactive 3-D engines instead of professional 3D animation software. Engines from first-person shooter and role-playing simulation video games are typically used. Consequently, the rendering can be done in real-time using PCs (either using the computer of the creator or the viewer), rather than with complex 3D engines using huge render farms. Usually, machinima productions are produced using the tools (demo recording, camera angle, level editor, script editor, etc.) and resources (backgrounds, levels, characters, skins, etc.) available in a game.

I'd like to gauge interest in this subject. Good or bad, games or 3-D animation (I'm looking at you, Anarchemetis). Videos set to music, or gripping plots. Anything really. What do you think of it as a medium. Should it be used professionally, or kept to bedroom authors?

 

[Spartan Bannana]

I would love to see an RvB movie, and I think there's a lot they could do with it

 

[mark_n_b]

Professional application is challenging because any company that could use it would be further ahead to use 3D animation proper.

Look at the TF2 meet the... videos. Those are not technically machinima.

There is potential here to use it in professional applications. User defined camera angles could be incredible (It seems it would be refined to an online audience, likely consisting of gamers, so that would be a niche market of a niche market requiring some work to become viable) Using machinima for game culture parody and satire is a potential application as well. See red vs. blue.

But past that, I think it might have to be reserved for the hobbiest. Machinma artists it seems are largely doing it for fun, to develop skills in cinematics, or (usually) both.

 

[Danny Ocean]

I'd also like to gauge interest in this area. It might lead to some Escapist related events .

 

[ace_of_something]

there is a crap ton of them on youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Wy7gRGgeA&feature=user
I like jonathan coulton a lot and the videos are kind of funny.

for those who don't know -and i'm sure most of you do- jonathan coulton is the artist behind the ending song in portal.

This area is indeed an interesting newer form of animation.

 

[Locobato]

Most of the machinima I have seen is really funny. It has inspired me to try and make my own, however I lack the time. It's a really great outlet for those creative and intelligent enough to do it. But I agree the professional applications would seem limited when you consider they can use true animation.