Bringing Fire to Machinimists: Heavy Water’s Surveillance Helicopter
by Godzprototype, HSM filmmaker
Yes. This is the one.
The new camera. A camera that goes anywhere in your personal estate. Heavy Water’s new Heavy Strike Range Surveillance Helicopter.
Honestly, I haven’t been this excited to get something Home has had to offer since LOOT’s Space Station personal space. There have been things and places I have wanted to capture using my PVR which, quite honestly, I couldn’t — simply because the particular motion did not exist.
The Helicopter is a new camera that allows three users to fly around and take photos in any place in your personal space. The controls are simple and to the point. I will admit, they will take getting used to, but already I completely appreciate this tool. For me, and I can imagine for other machinimists, this is a must-have. You can capture tracking and dolly shots with this camera like never before. When I say like never before, I mean we couldn’t do this unless we were at LOOT’s Studio Stage Lot using the stage camera or building scaffolding with ramps everywhere.
Heavy Water came out with the prototype for this tool with their dragonfly at Avalon Keep. When I first used the dragonfly, I knew this is what people who were either into photography or making machinima needed. The dragonfly went everywhere that was open and accessible, so you could take photos of your friends. Way up high or far away. It was pure genius. The catch, however, is that the dragonfly was always in the frame — just like your regular avatar.
Heavy Water just gave us a tool that will allow us to do what the dragonfly did in all personal spaces — and more. This is the tool I have been looking for, as dolly shots are important. While the Lockwood Mechjet has served its purpose (it has been indispensable in it’s ability – that tool allowed smooth tracking shots across the floor), getting those dolly shots from a higher position were just not that easy; you really had to get inventive, and at times it was still impossible. While getting inventive is not such a bad idea (simply because it can be fun trying to figure out how you will go from point A to point B), there have been more than a couple of times I could not figure out how to capture a shot the way I wanted it to be, and left it alone.
Being able to capture film from any angle is a dream made real.
I would like to caution anyone about putting the Orb from the Seven Winds out in the same instance that the Helicopter is in. It froze my PS3 every time. I love this new feature in all of our personal spaces. Couple that with flight, and you DO have the stuff dreams are made of. At least my dreams.
Heavy Water brought us the Heavy Strike Cannon, and with this new addition making some of the more interesting perspectives come together will be much easier. Whether you are a photographer or a machinimist, the Heavy Strike Range Surveillance Helicopter will definitely be useful in capturing scenes, or moments you would like to share.
Did I mention it has a spotlight?
The helicopter has a spotlight. It isn’t very bright, and tweaking this feature a tad wouldn’t hurt. It pushes two beams of light out of the front of the helicopter that seem to be closeup lamps. Another bit of genius is that the Helicopter was made so anything you were tracking up to, you could pass right through an object instead of knocking it over. That means you can get extreme close-ups. Just thought I would throw that out there.
You can turn the sound for the helicopter off, and remove the helicopter entirely from the frame to have a first-person view. I could name a few people who have wanted this particular camera for a long time. I look forward to what people may do with this camera, as it will no doubt add to everyone’s ability to be creative. And hopefully share that creativity with us.
I cannot thank Heavy Water enough for this tool. It isn’t hard to see what makes this tool so special. For this machinimist it truly is the fire that Prometheus brought. If there were anything about it I might change at all, the camera is just a bit jerky in spots. But these things are really not important, and may even border the ridiculous nitpicky complaints I detest so much. So I will refrain.
Heavy Water: thank you. You’ve now given me considerable hours of filmmaking work to get done — and I shall enjoy every moment of it.
- You can photograph in any position at your personal space.
- Provided you own a PVR you can film in any personal space.
- You can still communicate with the people in the room while flying the helicopter.
- Clearly it was made for machinimists and photographers.
- Only uses 9 slots!
- You can turn the sound off for the helicopter.
- You can take the helicopter out of frame for a no muss no fuss full screen shot.
- The motion on the helicopter is a little jerky at times.
- Spotlights on the front are super dim.
- No speed option.
- A selection of vehicles is not an option at the moment.
October 30th, 2012 by Godzprototype | 4 comments
Godzprototype is learning the art of creating Machinima, and would like to share it with you. Hope you enjoy.
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Thank you. was a pleassure reading. been wanting to get that. As a amateur film maker on home, this could be the best thing yet!
This is very cool indeed, I look forward to seeing some of the first Home made videos using this Helicopter. I kinda wish it had weapons so you could blow things up.. maybe in a future update?
I knew the minute I saw this that you would love it Godz. It is what you and many other people have been asking for in Home to add to your filming abilities. I can’t wait to see what you come up with now.
It takes a lot to make me utter an explicative in admiration but this is (insert here) awesome! I got to try it and its just amazing. I love that PSH is slowly incorporating things that allow us different perspectives on the spaces that are created. Flying in 7 winds, Riding in a car in Tycoon, Riding a Tiger in Aurora, a plethora of Wings to choose from… Jella Skating around as an MIB worm… And now BOOM! this. And you know for me its a fantasy come true. One of the few bucket list things I have left to achieve “Ride in a Helicopter.” Weeee.
Great Article Godz. Thank you.