We made an SVN repo for Rigamarule, to track changes and invite outside contribution and eyeballs.

You can find the repo at: http://projects.freefac.org/rigamarule/

to check it out:

svn co http://projects.freefac.org/rigamarule

Current plan is as follows:

- small fixes for rescaning marulez.py, resetting stretch-to bones rest length, and example .blend templates.

- better template error handling

- new rules based on tube needs

- port to 2.5

- better interactivity

- add support for external deformer/rig objects.

I’m also inviting external contribution, so if you’re interested in the project let me know and I’ll give you an SVN account.

Even though tube is not a ‘traditional’ narrative, there are elements of narrative in it – themes, structure, character, etc.
It’s of a high importance that everything comes through and works; that the audience can care about the character, that the themes are not so deeply buried that they are completely opaque, and that the flow of events is graspable.

The current animatic suggests to me that viewers unfamiliar with the epic tube is based on are going to be too challenged to piece together the narrative structure, and might end up feeling left out. Having such an epic work to base on allowed us to make great visual ‘flights of fancy’ unfettered by a traditional stucture, but I think that we must do both- have a great visual piece and still engage ‘cold’ viewers in the character and theme.

The good news is that this is the best time to do story changes: production has not begun yet and changes are practically free (they will become increasingly more expensive once we get into production). So now is the time to get radical. Nothing is sacred. Everything is permitted.