PRODUCTION JOURNALS - "Bomber Folly" (FINISHED)

(EDIT: This Bit is hereby COMPLETE!

LINK: https://mega.nz/file/vQsBFQ5T#WE31OizlTbuDntlUYrkMSKrBqGhYWgGODyK0Aiuj2iY)

I want to get a good backstock of Pikmin Bits, so I started another one right after finishing up "Krik's Kid". I drew out a 3-point outline, and doodled faces next to them. POINT 1 would be the need, POINT 2 would be the conflict, and POINT 3 would be the consequence. I recalled a Pikmin 1 clip someone posted where a Yellow Pikmin chucks a bomb at a Flint Beetle that had other Pikmin all around it, and worked off that.

Then it was time for some quick thumbnail sketches.

     Think I'll start with the first and final shots, and try making them the prettiest.

This Pikmin is named Neuron, and he's all about impressing the captain, despite Krik and the others usually getting in the way of his attempts to be impressive. Krik, however, wants to join the captain in planetary conquest, which he thinks he can get... by also impressing her.

This pose was cut for having Karolyn's head too squished.

Something I'm looking to focus on in this shot is alternating the line depth. These key frames used sizes 19 and 30, and the variations look nice.

So that's it for tonight, I'll be working on this when I wake back up. I'll edit and update this post as I go along, so keep your eyes peeled!

(UPDATE - 5 7 2024)

 Had to share my night schedule with the portraits, but I mostly finished up this shot! Wonder what Karo's lookin' at...

I went with some more glowy effects on the bomb rock, and the screen. I forgot to also do that for the antennae, which I'll have to do later. I also gotta add the 50% transparent layer of white in her helmet.

(UPDATE - 5 9 2024)

 The last shot was essentially done the other day. I had to add some arrows to the gesture of Neuron and Krik collapsed to make it a bit more readable, which is a trick I wanna use more often. I did it a ton in the cut shots from the Pokémon Bit "Sandslash Peaces Out".

 I redid the Glint Beetle to be larger to block out Karolyn before it skitters offscreen to reveal her.

 Their heads slap down, and I had to redo Neuron's eye to make it more of a match. This up here is the scrapped version.

I haven't assembled it yet, since I haven't mapped out which specific color of Pikmin the 4 ghosts are, but the animation assets for the shot is all done.

The backgrounds here were influenced by The Angry Beavers, and a hint of Duckman. The DNA of the Beavers was already there for a while since it's got an earthy nature feel to the art, which would translate nicely for a Pikmin cartoon.

 Here's the shot I'm currently working on. I agonized a bit on what treasure's gonna be tall enough to be seen from this low camera angle and behind a wall. I decided on the Giant's Fossil (a Moai Model). It was a battery in the initial thumbnails.

So while the first and last shots were more of a priority, I wound up focusing on this one alot, too. I guess I don't do walking shots all that often, so I had to become more acquainted with it. I'll be showing the rough animation for the walk as an .mp4 attachment to this post.

Update y'all again soon!

(UPDATE - 5 10 2024)

 I loved how this turned out, Neuron's such a feeb. Krik's always around to screw something up!

I'd say the Angry Beavers-like bg style is getting more accurate with these shots, and the big bushes were added to reinforce that they're practically ants. I dunno what was up with me yesterday, but I suddenly got really sluggish, so I had to rest a lot. But I still got two shots done. Feels like Pikmin 1, where I'd always want to get at least two parts per day. These shots are kinda like the parts. What am I talking about, I dunno, CARTOONS ARE HERE.

I just have two more shots to finish, one includes a big explosion and smog, which might be a bit of a challenge.

See ya soon!

(UPDATE - 5 12 2024)

The attacks are done, and they look kinda hilarious.

The reticle that was in the original storyboards was removed, since it felt kinda crowded. Think I'll put one of those classic Ren & Stimpy/SpongeBob dramatic links in here. I like being able to show Krik screwin' everyone over after showing him fathering a Smoky Progg.

I'm thinking of adding an effect for when the Glint Beetle zooms offscreen, possibly adding a layer with a blur. So far, I'd say this is one of the best looking Pikmin Bits I've done.

So with these shots assembled, it's just the shot with Krik making a slam dunk that's left. I've been juggling this with the Vi the Imp Bit, cuz having that unfinished for so long has been bugging me bad.

Slightly related, given Pikmin Bits is my most popular series, I'm thinking of starting something for Patreon subscribers. Something like presenting 2 to 3 outlines, and having the majority vote dictate which gets made first. I'll start that once this is done.

(UPDATE - 5 16 2024)

 This is a technique I saw in The Silver Way. Most of the weight of this scene is on the bomb rock, so the balance is towards that. Hopefully, it should attract the eye moreso than Krik and Neuron. It also helped with posing the two. The center line would be roughly where the belly button would be, and it's pushed further to the right, since Krik is shoving his weight forward to chuck the bomb. Neuron's trying to add balance to the scene, by being in the blank space, but he's further from the camera-- mirroring him trying to take the bomb away from Krik.

 This shot's gotta have more of a balance with the bomb rock being the size of Krik's head. When animating this part, I think I'll have that empty space on the upper right corner-- ahh what am i doin tryina use words, ill just draw it.

 This. I'm aiming to have this done by tonight, and uploaded here. I'm leaning towards the 25th for the public release, so I can have more time to do another Pikmin Bit.

(UPDATE - 5 17 2024)

Went to a different project involving shots I might not be able to show here, but the music has been added to the Bit, and all that's left to be done is add the SFX, which can likely be done after tomorrow night. Then it'd be time to start working on the poll winner, "Grubchucker Mother-Plucker"

(UPDATE - 5 16 2024)

Name's been changed to "Bomb-Rock Folly" for the official release. I added all the SFX, and the finalized Pikmin Bit is now attached. Loved doin' this one a lot, and I got to further solidify the Angry Beavers DNA in this. It'll be up in public by the 25th.

~KARO '24