Storyboard Idea.

   My initial storyboard for the animation depicted a ship descending and releasing the gunbots, but as I further explored what was possible, i realised some parts of this idea were not possible within the time scale. However, as this was post research, it is interesting to note the shoulder mounted guns idea continued through to final render. It seems just quick, almost subconscious scrawlings of an idea can yield a degree of permanence.

Animation Visual Research.

   The following images document the research that lead to the model construction, and walk style of my gunbot.

• This image (Starcraft 2 'Goliath' concept) shows the position i'd like the weaponry to be in on the shoulders, as animating the walk cycle is the focus. If i can achieve some form of 'shooting' scene in the frames of the animation, then the animation will feel more genuine to it's purpose.  

• These mechs exhibit an interesting legs-straight-to-head construction. However, I want to convey a heavy battle mech, and these seems to convey a more 'scout' or 'ranger' based role. The solidity of the missing hip joint on these bots evokes an aura of imitative to human biology, so I won't be using this particular style in my final animation piece, as the classwork pertains to human walk cycles. 

• This mech is similar to the last image, but has two shoulder guns in an appropriate position to give me inspiration to the position of the shoulder guns I require. The cylindrical design also fits with what my vision desired. However, the legs are far too big, and still no hip joints. Legs to head seems to be a common design for these 'walker' mechs. 

• This mech style is obviously far more contemporary, as it portrays an air of high technology and massive scale. The knee joints are the reason behind this image being referred to as research, as they present a very functional, ergonomic movement. However, I wish to make my bot a bit clunky and weighty, so I can incorporate some comprehensive weight in the animation. 

• This is an image of the Steel Battalion walker mechs. The legs join to a lower section (hips?) which illustrates more closely the style I wish to create. However, this mech is a bit too clunky and weighty. The animation research has actually altered the mech design to a close cohesion of the styles I have presented, weighty, yet exact, but not too 'technological'.  

• This papercraft bot allowed a simplification of design that the high res concept images don't convey. The missile pods on the shoulders are a nice change, but i'd like to keep my main guns in the shoulder position. The cockpit also looks too much like a space ship design, and I'd rather make my bots head look like a 'head'.   

• This hand-drawn sketch illustrates a very exaggerated inverse kinematic dynamic to the silhouette. This style of leg walking is very appealing, as it removes the humanity, yet somehow with an air of ambivalence retains a biological pertinence. 

   This series of research images convey with efficacy the direction I wish to take my animated gun-bot. Of course when evaluating, some of these images have certain features that I find relevant to my animation, and some have very little that can inform my final animation. However, illustrating the origin of the idea is very important to understanding the workflow process, and in this instance, it has helped hugely. Following this research based development was informative, and refreshing, as my idea changed hugely from the instantaneous impression of how a 'walker bot' should look/move.