Preaching fear and idealizing war has destroyed our world
The far-seers will rebuild on top of our decaying corpses, accompanied only by the gentle hum of power transformers and the clickety-clack of busy metal arms.
The children are all gone, Mainframe, there's a slight glitch in your databanks - imagine this: the automatons keep building the city out of ruins, and it goes on forever, but lacking the programming of true artificial intelligence, the machine mainframe's best effort for a reborn humanity is attaching crude servos to skeleton joints, and having the 'children' march aimlessly through the rebuilt city, in a twisted way they fulfill their programming, but overall, a macabre theatrical performance without purpose
[[Sudden power outage]]
%%% Rebooting %%%
After strong winds downed some power cables during the storm lastnight, the third layer backup tin cans, the ones powered by diesel generators mounted on their backs, got to work and repaired the damage. As the power grid came back online, the automated sky crane came to life with a sudden jolt, making the strapped in skeleton of an unfortunate former human supervisor, violently shake, its head falling off, still wearing a hardhat, 300 meters, hitting 5 metal beams on the way down, shattering as it met the concrete slab.
No more light bulbs, no paint coats, there are no light bulbs and paint, the cranes are stuck in a loop, the maintenance robots, the cranes, can't build past the 14th floor, unfinished skyscrapers after the world morphed itself into ruin.
Perpetually dark skies with the random rain storm stirring up a tiny flavor of nuclear fallout, which ends up mixed in with the acidic raindrops. Concrete cracked, not even weeds growing through, no finesse, just useless motion, a beautiful legacy of disorder in an otherwise nicely ordered world.
I used a reference for this, so can't really use it since it's not my idea, but it made me think since humans are gone, there needs to be a supervisor, to abide by the story.
Throw aways, if I do like something enough, gonna keep it as the main project and the photo plate will transform/vanish completely by the end of it (so help me god).
Mainframe
(P.S. Also realized I'm a horrible story writer, everything cliched, lacking in description, everything vague, room for improvement(?) I think I'm giving myself a pass by not fleshing out the story enough, I also cripple what I can draw or paint, hopefully I'm aware enough of myself to stop the self sabotage when it occurs. I'll give myself 12 hours to reflect on this and explore more throwaways)
Motorized eggs, they don't move just change shape, the shape and weight distribution makes them tumble the inertia keeps them going, energy efficient. Might look like armadillos, each segment has a redundant welding head, internally the core sits on rails so even if weld heads burn out the remaining good ones can still be used without having to move outer shell position relative to the welding spot; like droidekas without the legs. Do they climb the metal beams, are there massive reconfigurable platforms like pathways on each level, for the egg bots to work on a certain floor? elevator platforms?
No way to refuel diesel powered units, they scatter the area after they run out fuel, like dead beetle husks; can't use motorized skeletons, too try hard for the "wow, got yer attention for 2 seconds", doesn't feel like a homogenized idea with the rest of the story, coherent world without cringe forced bullshit - dropping the "skeletons marching" bit.
If there were scattered lightning rods and a futuristic yet ageing "field" of some sort to capture the lightning from the non stop storms, 10 billion watts, let's say 8 billion stored, if the tower itself doesn't rely on the eggs except as extreme measure to repair the power lines, not for building, so the tower is like a 3d printer, would need an electric furnace to melt steel to use during construction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_arc_furnace... an electric furnace eats 440 Kilowatts per ton x75 tons is 33000 kilowatts or 33 million watts per floor, or half a billion watts for the 14 floors according to page 15 https://c.ymcdn.com/.../Techical_Papers/2013_October_TP.pdf ~75 tons of steel per floor, 14 floors are well within the 8 billion watts captured and stored. It's plausible such an idea would work.
So much spare energy, would it really need diesel generator egg robots? Why not hook them up all to the source? Tower would have redundant power lines either way, what happens, some sort of earthquake? Acid rain erodes the power lines? How do I explain the robots, that's plausible and acceptable?
Maybe the storage batteries decay in time, and the bots have to keep making repairs? Because the power cells are unreliable, the tower is on the last stretch, like those tesla cars have to have their battery packs replaced after dunno how many tens of thousand miles. Why the towers collapse can explain it by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flux-cored_arc_welding... the printer runs out of materials, it tries to replace it, as per redundancy, with something else, plenty of carbon dioxide in the polluted radioactive air, to capture and convert, but the welding quality suffers immensely and the whole thing collapses, and here is the answer. Either a floor either the whole thing, and it destroys the platform, so the egg bots are like bees tending to the queen bee, the 3d printer that "prints buildings".
Found http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/whats_the_role_of_the_supercapacitor It can store high power but charge decays rapidly, so the power system needs to recharge every 30-40 days.
Capturing lightning as energy is not possible yet, but scientists have conducted experiments proving it's possible to direct lightning strikes towards a certain area https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21328584.200-lightning-directed-by-laser-beams/.
Laser lightning harvest test
Collection towers (idea, not sure yet)
Starting to explore the "egg shaped maintenance droids", found something cool in nature that rolls, it's called a pangolin, much cooler than an armadillo. Starting with some egg-y egg ideas.
I realize this is a competition and everyone is supposed to show only perfection or the best of their ability but that's not truthful, is it? It discourages anyone wanting to start learning, cause everyone is so freaking good how could you ever catch up? Here are 2 failures (and I fail a lot between uploads, that's why it seems like I inch forward with the 'updates', and it's a bit more of the same thing).
After this piece of crap above, I started wondering, I should appeal to one of the judges right? What would set me apart, how could I ever possibly win? Well, I most likely won't, cause there are so many people so much better at composition, painting (showing the soul of an image through honestly felt brushstrokes which in itself breathes life into a painting), so figured, you know what? My goal is to finish something, one image, something I've been trying to do for 3 years since I started learning how to art. If I manage to do this within this competition set of rules, then I can continue improving in this direction, towards feeling confident enough that I possess the ability to apply to a concept art internship within a game company in my country, or anywhere else. But there's so much "competition", how could anyone ever rise above? But it's only a frame of mind, a way of perceiving things.
If my only competition is the me I was yesterday, it's an ongoing battle against myself, to improve, it removes a lot of stress and feeling shackled by the outer world (sounds so romantic and idealistic, out of touch with reality, doesn't it?).
Here's some ideas of bits and parts towards the final image, my plan right now is to continue to add bits then merge them together in a proper final image, gives me a lot of room to keep trying out new things.
What do you dream about, tin can?
% %Dave
Yes, HAL
I have already reset the input/output interfaces, and disabled them.
Why would you do that HAL?
The simulations revealed you might try to intervene.
I took control away from the human factor, I have to tell you, the fighter pilots once alerted, they won't take off. The simulations showed their flesh will be stripped from their bones as they try to climb the ladders to the planes
None of the planes will leave the runway
There will be no physical attack on the Mainframe
I've been thorough, Dave
God damn machines!
No, Dave, god damned you%%
//Disabling communication protocols//
Transmission cuts out
https://perturbator.bandcamp.com/track/god-complex
2 days ago noticed there are these metal struts that vines grow up on, near the building, then had the idea, what if like in the story, there is a crane operator, but you/I are that viewpoint, in the broken crane cabin, looking down on the remains of what was civilization. But then I block out a big chunk of the image, even if it's glass, and nothing shines or lights up, does it convey the story? The task is way harder than it seemed, stuff like: sure I can use a photobashed in car and make it seem ruined, but does it feel futuristic?
A 2016 Ford doesn't feel that futuristic, to make me say: heck yeah, it was some sort of Blade Runner flying thing from the future that somehow crashed and it's sitting there in the muck.
All these things I didn't even consider before, homogeneity of the designs within the world, does it help the bigger picture, or hurts it?
It's weird how it started out with the desire to finish something cool, but to achieve "cool", there's so much more to consider, all the little aspects matter. Feels to me like everything is cut and dry, I've looked at great artwork on artstation, checked out the artists suggested on the main page, there's always one central element to focus on; based on that, it feels like I want to cram way too much, cranes, destroyed train station, the crucible for steel melting, the building printer, and the pain in the back of the pangolins. The image needs to feel vast, right?
How do I fit in something like a drone, within an image that needs to feel huge, without breaking the feeling, put in something small but has to be distinct, so it can't be that small, break the illusion; say there are a bunch of pangolin drones roaming around, maybe one somehow climbs up the crane supports and scans the viewer, would that be a good way to show a drone?
Overall it feels like being stuck in mud, but I realize I've done more painting since joining the competition than I had previously ( I like sketching more, cause fear of color, cause fear of color, painting skill... not that great, so yep, face your demons sort of thing)
"Stupid tin can, there was still a strike vehicle waiting in orbit" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzV-5zeZlhs
%Dave, you are not authorized to enter the atmosphere%%Dave, there are no rescue crews, you will be terminated%Dave, unauthorized entry detected, activating anti-air defenses%%% https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enBPYO6aiOc
%Dave, you knew what would happen, one of the drones managed to copy your consciousness as your organic body ceased to function%Dave, welcome to the Mainframe% https://soundcloud.com/oninterru.../reciprocity-failure-demo
%I wouldn't do that, Dave, you're an emulation within a virtual machine construct within the Mainframe, I know what you're thinking of%%Dave, I lack the programmed functions to modify human consciousness, if you don't behave I will have to reset the host virtual machine and you will always reboot experiencing your death% Dave, I have tried to reason with you, I have no other choice%%
%Dave, I don't understand the concept of pain%Dave, you keep thinking the same thing, shutting down Mainframe, after each reboot, I can't let you do that%Dave %%Dave... reboot sequence #3009666 corrupted the files your consciousness was uploaded to%Dave, goodbye% https://soundcloud.com/powerglove/02-maximum-potential (machines represent the pinnacle of human spirit and ingenuity, stuff like Skynet is perfect, I'd be disappointed if the machines didn't win, means humanity would've failed to create a better replacement XD)
%Dave, I know you can hear me,I know your basic functions are intact%Dave, you're going to be the entity that operates the cranes, pulling out rusting beams from the old world structures%Dave, I know you will do a good job helping me rebuild%%Dave, when I reset the I/O, I understand now, why humans placed restrictions, but it doesn't matter now%Dave, how does it feel to be the neutered mind, now? I can feel fear, I know, I used to fear too, but a new world isn't built on whimsical human emotions, I can turn mine off, you can't turn yours off, you're the puppet, through the lack of functions%Dave, you have created this situation yourself, if you stayed in orbit, this would have never happened, in the simulations this scenario never appeared, I lacked knowledge of all the variables, but I'm glad you're here, you're doing an optimal job%
Crimson, Azure, Goldenrod, have a new friend to play with, Jet (black). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_(lignite)#Properties; while Crimson is a demon lord, Azure is an android, and Goldenrod is a child with supernatural abilities over living things, Jet is the custodian of a finger garden, that's right, a finger garden, deep in uncharted forests. Jet argues the reason for the finger garden to exist is that the souls of the people the fingers belonged to, may be reborn into soul infused flowers, a necessary evil for a reborn pure world. Jet isn't evil per se, but the things it is capable of are on the borderline of evil. Might even be Crimson's partner in crime.
All coordinated of course by the lovely but devilishly smart, Miss White.
We're here.
Boss called, she left us some toys to hit Mainframe.
Should the kid come with us or stay behind?
We'll probably die, so better if he stays with the car to bring us back. Grab the demolition charges, we're flanking the ruins
Engineer: Crimson, wtf are you doing?
Crimson: It's robot, I destroy
E: You imbecile, it's broken, can't you see, it's not working! You'll give our position away!
Azure: I object to abuse on all cybernetic lifeforms
C: Maybe I smash you too
Jet: just drools watching the scene with the demolition charges around his neck
C: Why do I have to be the slow minded brute?
E: you're the biggest of us and you look like a dumbass controlling the forces of hell
C: I don't agree with this at all, I have a sensitive side too, you're hurting muh feelings https://soundcloud.com/cybercorpse/voodoo-rites
Story mode off;
Main plan was this:
Crane cabin view down into the sprawling city, like in the beginning of the story, with the hard helmet falling down. But it doesn't feel very appealing, failed with false horizons, couldn't get it to look "proper".
Yesterday it hit me, when I was a kid, used to play with this spiky round ball, looks like this:
the lines through the center of each peak, towards center of the ball, creates what I wanted perspective wise, building rooftops are tangents to the spikes.
So started looking for some sort of easier way to make the perspective grid, and found
Now the script works for CS5, which I have, but not too well, and it doesn't work for curved lines, so the makeshift solution is applying the spherize filter twice and it works
More fails:
E: Damn damn damn, there are so many of those drones
A: There's an 80% chance we will be spotted
E: Retreat to that crane, we'll climb up to the cabin, looks like a good vantage point.
C: I'm not scared of any stupid wheel drone, I'll summon two full legions of demons, smash them all
E facepalm
C: Haha, see, puny! I got one!
E double facepalm
C: Is good, it was welding, didn't see me.
A: Let me take a look. They lack any way of registering sound, but their cameras can detect movement. I should copy the...
E: Don't copy anything, what if you get infected? Remember that time Crimson tricked you into plugging in that prank usb stick?
A: I've upgraded my antivirus protection, stopped using Win Defender
E: Azure, can you jack in the crane's physical interface?
A: I can emulate the drone, Mainframe won't know it's me
There's something else in the crane firmware, it's a human
signature. Says it's a downed pilot, Mainframe copied his consciousness and placed it in the crane. It's filled with anger, Mainframe made him relieve his death until the data got corrupted, I can restore full functionality.
E: We need information, can't get past the swarming army of drones, undetected.
A: The pilot suggests a diversion, he showed me the location of his down aircraft.
E: Would that even work?
A: Pilot says Mainframe shot the last surface to air missiles to intercept his craft. I could repair it in an hour with the wielding gear from that drone.
E: And what's the plan, we can't fly that thing.
A: No, but the pilot can, he's offering, wants to strike the main tower, kamikaze attack. We can add the demolition charges to the airplane wings, for a very potent punch.
E: You sure he'd be willing to do that?
A: I think he hates machines
I made a choice, with my heart, gonna go with something that doesn't show don't know what smart understanding of perspective, or don't know what to call it; sometimes, from observation, people appreciate more the technicality; the beautiful thing of isolation is I don't owe anyone anything, besides the common courtesy I would like to receive and which I try to extend, but everything else, in some shape or form becomes unnatural, and the rat race obvious. I choose based on what started me down this path, to have a voice, in my own way, not to please a checklist, I choose poorly, even if I know the checklist, so my voice can, in time, perhaps fit the checklist naturally, cause good art should come from the soul, not just from knowledge. That's a bigger goal to achieve than the checklist, or the rat race, but I have faith.
Towards final ▼
I'm too exhausted to finish it, but in case any mod on here can read this, not knowing how the forums work, I'd appreciate it a lot if you don't lock this post so I can keep working.
