We have attached a preview of three films we are going to be putting up on our official Youtube channel and are looking for some feedback. There are two distinct categories involved in these three films.
We already have some of our own comments and improvements we want to see, but it never hurts to have more eyes on the target. The resolution for these is only 1280x720. The final cuts will be 1920x1080.
Lead, lag, and pure pursuit explored.
Environment mapping revealed.
Maximum texure size explained.
You asked for it...
1) In the first video, I don't think a novice will see the distinction in lead, lag and pure the way it is demonstrated. It shows a single plane going through the whole range and no pausing or added graphic to make the distinctions to precise moments you go from lag to pure to lead.
2) One great thing about the game is no F3 mode in the MA. The whole video is in F3. Potential customers should see the best of AH even if they may not know enough about it to appreciate that difference. Filming this with Track Ir or the like from inside the cockpit, with the pilot making a couple of clearing glances (ideally with other action going on around him) would be more interesting along with a few external shots to see the sexy aircraft. Also, using a pause in the video to show the gunsight in the lag, pure and lead positions would more clearly identify those than the external picture.
3) You already stated it would not be you in the final cut. For consideration, my thoughts on what I heard was, it sounded like one of us geeky players recording from mom's basement, echo and all. It should sound like, maybe even be, a current or retired fighter pilot (and identified...Robert Shaw, Author and former...) He should sound professional
4) The humor. Maybe it was delivery, but I don't feel it worked. "maybe you just like being a target" is clever alough I'm not sure how to define what I sensed. It seemed to me that it either has to be more off the wall, shocking, playful or not at all. Or in other words delivery.
5) Maybe you should identify the types of aircraft in the engagement. You should identify the players in the aircraft. I suggest Hitech be the one going down in flames... "Here we have Dale 'Hitech'... flying the A6m. Hitech is the only pilot in history to cut classes in flight school..." Just my humble opinion
While many of the people drawn to your site already know what a Zero is, some won't. It's not a critical issue though I feel identifying characters is more important. It gives a little life to the game, it reinforces that these are real people you're dogfighting with and uses minimal effort to get every ounce of positive PR out of a single video when the person who hits that film is a novice with NO CLUE what so ever what they just stumbled on.
6) The first shot of of the Zero getting flamed and no other objects in the film was unimpressive or bland.
7) I think you should use some custom sounds. Even though it's a form of embellishment, it is a player option and like I said, every effort to make the game shine should be taken. Obviously engine sound would interfere with dialog, so fade out the sound only during dialog. It won't make your film any longer to use a little cinematic affect to flash from an external shot of the Mustang and its Merlin to the Zero with its radial.
8) What Semp said. Add custom skins and do some close ups of the airplanes. This is show and tell, make it good.
I like where this is going but want to stress it again. No matter how relatively minor these little films seem to be, every little thing should be done to make it shine. A good example, Niros talent at dramatizing the action.
