Idea:

1. Build a Rube Goldberg Type Machine USING MAYA
2. Learn how to use MAYA, and more importantly understand what are the key aspects of modeling, key-framing, interpolation, constraints, dynamics, etc. with an eye on how to develop some specific module on your own later.
3. DEADLINE: Assignment DUE: Sep 15, 2004 [Extended by 1 day] (Before CLASS, ie 4:29 pm EST).

Motivation:

• Philosophy

"The Rube Goldberg machines you build are different from the machines people are used to seeing. A good Rube Goldberg machine incorporates the everyday machines people are used to seeing and connects them in ways that may seem idiotic or ingenious. It is your mission to construct a machine that uses at least XX  individual steps to complete an assigned task, which varies from year to year.

"Your machine may take some time to put together. Many machines undergo months of strategy and planning; other are put together in a few days."

XX = 20 in original text, but I am OK with much less then 10.

• See the following web pages.
  • http://www.rube-goldberg.com/html/gallery.htm
  • http://www.anl.gov/Careers/Education/rube/
  • http://www.ebaumsworld.com/honda-ad.html
  • http://multimedia.honda-eu.com/accord/
     

Details:

1. Design a simple set of balls, catapults, slides, disks, etc (be creative) that are actuated by a simple step (could even be dominoes type of things). 
2. At least one element (more OK) should be actuated by dynamics. (Be warned controlling an animation with a lot of dynamically simulated elements will be hard to control)
3. More complex the "machine" the better, but more important is that it work.
4. ADVICE: Start small and do simple ones and then grow it.  Keep it simple at first ...
5. LENGTH: The whole animation should be a MINIMUM of 15 seconds MAXIMUM of 30 seconds (longer means lower grade!, please check with me if you are going over).
6. RESOLUTION: 640x480, 30 frames/second.
   1.     Do this resolution ONLY for the final render as this maybe over 9Gigabytes, and slow to render.
7. STORAGE: All of you have diskspace on /net/hc461/cs{4496|7496}/<USERNAME>
8. SUBMISSION:
   1. A movie file (rendered) in MPG/AVI/QuickTIME. (We'll go over how to compress and make movies from MAYA OUTPUT files in class).
      Put the final video in /net/dvfx/CA/2004/Submit/PS1/USERNAME/file.EXT (before the DEADLINE) (see Late Policy)
   2. A hand drawn (or you can use your favorite graphics programs), 2D diagram explaining what your animation is supposed to be .. A CONCEPT Diagram!
      Hand in a PRINTOUT in class and put an electronic version on your SWIKI. See examples from previous classes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
9. SHOW in CLASS: We would like to show these videos in class, so be prepared to present your video and explain your ideas/intentions.
10. ADVICE: Be creative, but be reasonable