TRAPPIST-1e Rescue Mission 360° animation
Helena Valenzuela writes:
TRAPPIST-1e Rescue Mission is a 360° animation short film about an astronaut that has to rescue TESS.203 an analytics of terrain robot.
This was my final project for graduation on college, and the purpose of the video is to create an interest of astronomy on young people and deliver facts about our universe.
This was my first step into 360° and I would love to expand this project by making adventures on other more familiar planets :)
You can find a look at the process on Blender Artists and ArtStation.
I thought it was fantastic; the effects, the body you inhabit, the world and landscape you’re in with that robot pet, the audio – great stuff!
BUT… The video has a focused narrative and perspective – there seemed to be very little reason to look away from the character’s viewpoint, and every now and then the camera orientation would shift due to the viewer looking around. If you don’t know that and are looking away then all you see is a shifting camera when it was previously stable. Near the end the environment started to get dustier and you hear thunder, but I think you missed an opportunity of showing lightning if the user looked behind the user – or any kind of extra treats if they used the 360 (besides expected scenery). It’s nice, but I don’t believe it buys you much.
IMHO, I think the next step is moving this to VR. The movement on rails would need to be reworked, but meh. It’s already got the environment, the objective based nature for an interactive experience, and the HUD. The low poly look also seems like it would lend itself well.
Great work! I loved the beginning where the majority was blurred forcing you to unconsciousnessly stay focused in one direction.