Happy to say I've gotten back on track with Black Cat Cafe. Black Cat was being stubborn, 'hissing' and refusing to work with me. She works pretty well now. Really what it came down to how I was trying to do the animation. When I first started SFM I learned how to animate via 'pan' camera, which is difficult and time consuming since it shows all of it all the time, so breaks in the model, glitches in whatever, odd angles etc. are visible. 'Still' cameras are more aligned with the animation and model and is easier and I think better, but I default to my 'roots' all the time and forget to stop doing that.

    An example of is right below. Black Cat's knees are pretty jagged/pointed in this pose, but, since the camera doesn't show that high up, you can't see it, thus it looks fine. At one point in this angle her left elbow swings into view much more, hiding a jagged bit on her chest.

    It's still rough of course. I only got this working properly yesterday, but now that I know what I'm doing again, I can really get things swinging.

    Alrighty. I don't have anything to show for Black Cat Cafe right now. It's being difficult to create. Black Cat isn't wanting to cooperate in the pose I want to use, so she keeps breaking at the knees or hips or just moves wrong all around. Usually that's fixed by adding extra constraints to the rig or locking one bone to another, but everyone I try either doesn't help or crashes SFM. Having to rehash how to position her. I did get some nice motion practice out of it though that I think I can salvage into the rehash, so not a total loss of time/effort.

    In other news though, I had an idea (based on a picture I came across like usual) of another project that is going very well. So well, I have a little preview video of how realistic the motions are thus far. Cassie Cage from Mortal Kombat working out. Very rough WIP on that and early as hell, but still, I'm pretty proud of the motions already. Seems to have peaked interest in the Discord already as to what might happen in it.

    In other other news, I had another idea with Shadowheart from Baldur's Gate 3. Not gonna say much on this one yet. Tavern? People. Her. Situation. About all the info til I have something of it.

    So yeah, probably best to not consider anything a 'main project' these days. Setbacks, things in life or just loss of general interest from thing to thing shifts my focus all over, but those are the main things I'm working on.

  Whatcha think of Cassie Cage though? I like it.

    Black Cat Café. I think it's a fantastic name. I didn't come up with it; a follower did. According to Wikipedia, a cat café is a theme café whose attraction is cats who can be watched and played with. Well; Black "Cat" is about to be watched and "played with", so it works on a fun play on words type level.

    Still a lot of general scene sorting. (What's in the background, how much of the background needs to be shown, is there anyone else visible, etc.) so there isn't much to show yet. Also, I have a lot more textures to work on, mostly for Black Cat and for various things, like the dildos for the machine. Interesting what can happen by just changing a texture outright and editing the bump map (the file that determines the way the light bends/reflects on the object to show wrinkles/texture). I like them. More interesting than just a solid color or flesh tone. I'll probably keep them somewhat like the preview picture.

    It's already been chatted about some on my Discord about the possible use of a gag for this. Yes, there will be a bit gag this time. In fact, it's the one on the banner picture here on SubStar that Judy Alvarez has on.

    Still not sure what music I'll use. I need to look around for that soon. Even though this won't be musically timed, the music will still need to help set the tone.

    Might take a bit to sort a name for this one.

    Felicia Hardy (Black Cat) is invited to a spiffy charity event hosted by a new company Obsidian Mirage.  Little does she know that they know that she's also Black Cat and they have an....interesting theme for the event.

    Long limo ride on a dark and rainy night. (Yeah, I like rain in animations. I've not figured out why yet.) Hope nothing happens like a spiked drink, or some kind of knockout gas gets pumped into the car. "Hint hint" and all that.

    Not much to say about this yet; still early in concept. The intro, which is also where I'm also going to place the credits, is nearly finished. I miss intros and more a cinematic style. I like how BM Ivy has the detailed start. I was going to do a single camera angle, but I've decided to do several. One wouldn't show enough of what's going on and it be kinda boring.  The lighting has turned pretty nice on this section. I think I do lights well these days.

    This one will not be timed to music, since the concept wouldn't make sense for it. It will, however, have music in the background, most likely a loop. Something that won't grate on nerves to hear over and over and over and over and you get the point. Lastly, this one is meant to be longer than anything so far. I really want to convey a lengthy passing of time, so there will be the nice time transitions (Like Yin-Ping) and expression changes (Like Sancus 1) plus actual project length. How long? Not sure yet.

    Lastly #2. Since this will be longer running, it will take longer to make. It's going to have a lot of transitions. Hopefully you all bare with me on this, since there most likely won't be anything released for a bit.

    Venturing alone can be rough. Lae'zel, in her arrogance, takes off on her own to the Underdark and it doesn't end well for her. Ends well for some Drow though.

    Free release, since it was a practice/test piece that was decent. I know Lae'zel isn't exactly a smexy vixen or whatever, but I think she has appeal, and seeing Shadowheart in so much well, you know me by now; I use the Underdarks....er...Dogs. Whatever. I do have plans for Shadowheart though.

    Enjoy. Lae'zel is trying not to.

    I'd shown this off awhile back as either a WIP or a practice. Maybe it was just a scene build. I'd poked at it here and there since and it became something decent. Showing it off fully to my "Product Assurance Advisor" as well as a couple of high tier supporters, their reactions convinced me to go ahead and spiffy it up and make it a release.

    I mean it is good, really. Even I like it, and I tend to hate my own things more often than not. I have a few more things on par as well that might get finished and released later on as well.

    So Lae'zel finds herself alone in the Underdark. How she got there, who knows. While she's there though a few female Drow catch her and make use of her. I sorta assume the shocking spell magic thing is akin to Heat Lotion in effect. Lae'zel, being the snarky defiant bitch she is, resists as much as she can. Can't resist forever though.

    Doing a lot of close ups and camera motions in/out of the animation. Lots of camera practice/testing.  Not sure about runtime yet either. It's still being sorted/animated. 2-3 minutes though so far, maybe more. ETA for release is either next Saturday or the one after, depending on how much I add to it. Either way this is the next release, for sure. Back-to-back BG3 things. I do like Lae'zel though.