chrono

Ok I see what I did now. Because of how it was filmed, showing only the red bugs eye(s), I assumed that the bugs jumped in like a VF with an FTL drive would and further assumed that icon was the Einstein science ship (shown to still exist earlier in the shows intro). I didn't think that it was a carrier ship. So it looks like the Ghosts provoked a response. Also when looking into this bit I stumbled upon how the Islands may have not been constructed 'in flight', but built with the main city ship probably as an experiment or as I posited earlier a forward mobile front line base. Look at time 2:08. As for the screwy numbering conventions... I can only say that it looks like not all colonizing fleets got the Aircraft Carrier & City Ship colony set-up OR they didn't care about numbering conventions because they made the distinction between the Fleets of Earth and Eden.

I'd like to agree, but so much has been generally "re-imagined" (asshattery to umbrella the alt universe material) in minor ways that it's kinda hard not to call it retcon. Especially when the '2d issue' turns into vapor when you bring in the concept sketches that don't change during animation.

Not at all. The object that is the FIRST attacked looks like the old science/tech ship from M7, it's even got a name. You know the first time where ECM & the Ghosts are used (anybody figure out what the DRG or ORG tags mean?). (see attachment) I've only seen 1 clam shell ship in 35 episodes of M7 that was in the M7 fleet, so I assume that you are referring to the specialist ships as "colony ships". If so that we are agreed upon. In the Tactical view if you look closely enough under the 'Frontier' name it also puts a '25', which could mean that it's military tag is City 25 or that it's part of Fleet/Battle 25. Also when you look at the fleet tag pyramid it also labels Macross Quarters. Would this be the catch all name of "military quarters"?

*cough* The M-25 is a multiple ship just like M-7 was. You can cleanly see Battle 25 on the front of her in tactical mode. Everything is cleanly labeled. M-25 does have other colony ships. The science ship was the first to be attacked. As for the others not being the in first episode... the M-7 fleet was fairly dispersed and was rarely caught in the same view as the M-7 herself. I do find it completely plausible that the pills were built in transit and were added because the M-25 was designed in the 'forward mobile base' ideal. I'm beginning to think that some of the ship scales were slightly retconned, they did attempt to match the scales, or the 2D in M7 wasn't well done.

Oh!! Now that's signature worthy material.

It's fanboy intelligent masturbation. Because they REALLY hate that the Ghosts are the modern equal to Brown VF's and will continue to be that way as long as the Bishie is still the shows star.

psst!! Current bio-engineering is already at the point of attempting to create organic circuits and we've been using rat neurons in celluar computing experiments. Now take into consideration that macro & micronization is understood, extended exposure to OverTech, and that they've already attempted to fly the VF's via brain it would be hardly surprising to see a consumer level bio-form at this point. Especially since they've seen and been exposed to this tech for a full 50 years. Graham, I'd say that the Ghosts are still AI flown and that the jamming was more than advanced enough to disable them. Not totally the current mind set of brute force noise jamming, but constructed attempts at hacking the Ghosts and giving them virus's as well.

It's cute, but gross at the same time. The 'fart' sound when she squeezes it is just nasty though.

I wouldn't go that far. I would say though that Makoto Shinkai is helping to bring back into focus how simply "awe inspiring" basic slice-of-life movies should be. The individual parts of a movie all blend into something powerful without being powerful, just touching and striking at the emotional core of humanity. Not some over blown warning driven movie with a personal agenda to drive you into a political stance, but driven enough that it makes you want to care again. But just like Kong, Makoto focus's on one thing and one thing only.

Gotcha! I would suggest that you render a 'clay' version once in awhile so we 'nitpickers' can get a better look at the details and shape since colors tend to hide them until too late in the build. I'd also suggest that you either a) look into another model program to build by or b) cut up the model into many pieces since Wings doesn't allow for many faces to be in the program before it slows down.

The Biomech seem to be perfectly matched with the technologies of the Macross forces. So much so that killing the fighters pilot was something that they knew to do. The entire fight felt like an armed assault recon rather than just seeing and attacking. VF-171 vs VF-19..... Kawamori "I like the 17 better than the 19, and it helps to separate series (and myself from M7), and keeps the older and more familiar craft for the audience"

Only IF current radar is involved. Besides it doesn't void the secondary systems that would see generations of further development. IR, UV, MicroWave, EM, and Mass becomes equal to or greater sensor than simple radar. And these only cover the ones that we know about! Who knows what other fields they've expanded on with all of that Overtech! So IF they have stealth in the current Macross it would most definitely be of the active type and active stealth doesn't mean jamming it means actively reducing everything that will give you away. Extra cooling, extra shielding, reduced & shielded engine output, reduced usage of systems, reduced mass, & etc. The shape is to help keep the audiences attention and to keep it "familiar".

Well it looks like that you have a good grasp on the basic shapes right now. Other than telling you to get as many close references of the ships so you can plan out your small details and figure out what is and what is not paint and surface equipment... I can't suggest much. But if you want to add more detail than the references give you I suggest looking at the other designs that do have close references.

Morpheus, what detail level are you aiming for? Game level or static render quality(aka hi poly)?

Battle 7. Look through this site for good references: http://www.un-spacy-qmtdb.com/M3.html

If you aren't willing to kill off a character, let alone a balanced and likable character, than you can't get across the depth and meaning of your story. Besides they are known for killing for secondary characters and even main characters to prove a point. And I think that point was firmly delivered in the episode. Sure I may seem like a waste but he was hardly what you could call a developed character.

Agreed. It's more like The Big Head is attempting to make yet another political statement instead of entertaining us. ANYWAYS!!!! BOT! --------------- The new Ghost... It's kinda like a merging between the X-9 and M0's. Upgrade or newer version?? I'd have to say it's an X-9 with a 'sensor pallet'. Also did everyone see how the Megaroad 1 on the Galactic map curved back towards M25's & MF's routes?

I've never bought into the "private Military" idea. Because in M7 we see that the Military still had control over defense even though there was a normal Civilian police force. What M7 did was bring in the historical nation "Military Defense vs Civil Defense" which is something that is seen through Japanese history especially in the eras of 2-400 years ago. Basically a re-balancing of powers. So I view the SMS as merely the Civil form of today's SWAT team which helps to explain why the City 'Mayor' has a military adviser just like any other large city/state/country.

I think that it's a Varauta inspired Cruiser because if you look at one of the Varauta designs and adapt it a little that's what you might get. Yeah... I'm kinda feeling sick about how fugly they look. The cannons style are very bad idea though. Throwback designs on an space vessel is bad enough but designs that just don't belong together is something else. Square-ish cannons that were integrated instead of looking 'slapped on'. Would've been far better. I get the vibe that designer/creator and model builder didn't talk about the final design, and the director waved it threw as being 'ok'. ------- On another note.... The 'cadets' practice gear... some mind control brought over from M+???

How would a system that could remove g forces from the pilot put any extra strain on the pilot?

Now that we've seen that Macross has gravity control refined enough for public consumption would it be to far reaching to claim that the various fighters now have gravity control as well? Does Humanity in macross have consumer level Organic Tech? (see Ranka's 'phone') Has anyone figured out the name & class of this ship?

Indescribable WIN! ----- Well I could pull a Gainax and make an homage filled SF romp. Or use Uncle GO's idea of manly shouting + giant robots = awesome show! I could always go post apocalyptic cyber-punk loli or a magical shota series! I'd have to go with a drama-ish/SF/mystic/slice of life show. The brother is a SF fan is something of a playboy (knows he's wrong and try's to get out of the situations with the girls) who eventually knocks up 3 of the 5 girls near the series end but is to tongue tied when he's around a specific girl (the bad boy screwing things up so badly he loses his true love). The sister sees nature spirits, not dead people, is a bit of an eco-freak even though she is a fasion slave, hangs off her older brother too much, sometimes shoplifts. The mother is an parallel universes space pirate(sweet body, sweet motherly attutide though her ex-pirate ways show sometimes, harsh on discipline, bit of a son complex but hates his SF hobby and the girlfriends) and dad(stereotypical roundish not fat, loves the daughter too much, complains how she dresses even though he's also a fashion whore) is a big time buddist priest in charge of a medium sized temple who's lazy as it's director. The place would be normal Earth and each show or mini-story arc would be about part of the family. Sometimes the family 'wins' it's battles sometimes they don't, but each story effects the character's development as the show goes on.

For anime? I've already posted it. But if you remember a cartoon shown in the states only a few years ago that had either Kirby or Mario in it... it had 50/50 2D/3D and only the camera work gave away the 3D. @Keith, nope! I haven't seen DYRL yet. I'd love to but I've got a money crunch happening. Believe that as much as you want because the world doesn't. M:F has slightly equal and slightly better 3D work than Strain, but Strain has better 2D/3D matching. As I already stated. @Graham, Like everyone else I knew that the static pictures don't tell the full story or even a part of it, but they did hint at things not being all that rosy looking. Seeing the basic Cel-shading in the 171 pilot prep scene was very telling though. But the annoying thing is that E7 had incredible matching in 1 or 3 areas. They could learn from that? Not even from or Strain, Karas, Noien, or the old CGTalk Shirow project? All of which had individual moments of brilliance!?!? Lacking talent pool, lacking continuing professional education, lack of R&D, and lack of will on Kawamori's part has all given us this level of anime. Even though better is possible. As for the Super Robot-isms.... what the 30+ g turns, the 500+kph to 0 in milliseconds stops, the zero damage done after the 25 crashed into enemy/buildings didn't make it clear enough? That's all handwavium mate.

I don't take it as knocking at all!! And I knew right from the beginning that my 'IMO' wasn't going to be popular or agreed even on or at a marginal level. As I said I saw the RAW and since I don't speak/understand Japanese beyond a few words I was less involved/distracted in/by the story/plot & music and only really had the visuals to be entertained by or focus on. So some of the things in the show simply "pop" on the screen as being not 2D. For example: in 3D shadows lines(ink out lines, etc) are solid through out a turn & in 2d they are normally broken. Another example is perfect focus, and yet another is perfect straight lines or curves. All of these make 3D models "pop" against 2D and that doesn't even cover textures or color matching. It's exactly like watching a foriegn B movie with lousy FX. As for my experience... none professionally (i'd rather have my dominant hand cut off than work as a "technical artist"/slave), however I have been heavily involved with 3D for the last 10 years often browsing 3D boards help others, posting my own works, and talk to professionals on a daily basis (from DARPA, Industrial Design, through to Video Game & TV workers). So when it comes to 3D I'm far more versed in it than the "average joe" movie watcher. The 3D quality is a direct result of money, continuing lacking talent pool, and time.

Well I finally finished DL'ing and watching the HD raw. Now before I start I'll say that I'm as nearly as big a fan of macross as one that doesn't spend hundreds a year on models, books, games, and trinkets as can be. Now with that out of the way..... CGI: ROFL! Just ROFL! I knew that portions of this series were going to be poorly done, virtually every series has it's crappy moments, but... wow! SERIOUS amounts of near total failure in every aspect of 3D/2D integration! From the crappy FX to phong shaded basic 'bad guy' models. It's just incredible poor. Macross Zero is ridiculously better in every aspect of of 3D/2D integration (sans the last episode which was pretty equal to this). M:F is sub-Strain level quality when Star Wars level like quality is to be expected, and sadly the quality will continue to degrade while the series airs. It's only real hope is that Kawamori can get Satelite to clean up the work for the disc release and then maybe he'll pull a Lucas and revamp the series in a few years. The ONLY "oh-my-freaking-god!" awesome was that they had 1 or 2 of the 3D models textured well to nearly pass as regular 2D ships. *See attachment* Character art: bland and forgettable. Directing: flat and uncreative. Story: badly rushed, heck SDF: Macross was spread over 2 episodes! Action: MEGA amounts of SUPER ROBOT handwavium and video game button bashing declaring that Macross can no longer be consider REAL ROBOT. Better hope that NEO-Basara can pilot at Jesus+ levels. Looks like the ONLY reason to watch this series, for myself, maybe the story and even then it's kinda clear that the character drama is going to be fairly questionable due to the cast being 95% cliche and unimaginative characters. Preview IMO rating: C to a D+