{"id":341,"date":"2025-04-14T01:32:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T01:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/?p=341"},"modified":"2025-04-14T01:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T01:33:09","slug":"vv-eekly-update-29-cinematic-trailer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/?p=341","title":{"rendered":"VV Eekly Update #29 &#8211; Cinematic Trailer!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Hey everyone! It&#8217;s been such a long time since the last update&#8230; It feels weird to call this the VV Eekly Update still, but it&#8217;s such a good name that it&#8217;s hard to move away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have some BIG news today! We have a cinematic trailer for <em>Vyn and Verdan<\/em>!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vyn and Verdan Cinematic Trailer (preview)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SomZe2mXQ4c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone, please check it out! I would LOVE your feedback, whether it&#8217;s positive, negative, constructive, or destructive! Please let me know what you think!! Post in Discord, respond to the Substack email, send a messenger pigeon, whatever you&#8217;d like!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the rest of the Eekly Update, I&#8217;ll share some tidbits on how I made this trailer (with cat photos!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Animation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The animation was all made natively in Godot! This cinematic trailer is actually mostly the intro animation for <em>Vyn and Verdan<\/em> with a few updates for the trailer &#8211; the beginning splash screen and the ending screen. Those screens just played before and after the original intro animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"617\" src=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1024x617.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1024x617.png 1024w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-768x463.png 768w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image.png 1291w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the AnimationPlayer for Godot. You can see how each texture can be manipulated at a specified time to do different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For various elements of the intro, I added some fun specialized shaders. If you&#8217;re not familiar with shaders, shaders are the programs used by GPUs to generate images efficiently. They&#8217;re usually a specialized language that looks like C++ which uses some special functions so that logic can run simultaneously for each pixel on a GPU. The aura that various things had &#8211; the intro text &#8220;CO &#8211; OP&#8221;, the baddies, Vyn, Verdan  &#8211; was all generated via a shader. The highlight on the <em>Vyn and Verdan<\/em> logo is also a shader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily, I didn&#8217;t have to start from scratch. Godot&#8217;s fabulous open-source community has various shaders available. I used https:\/\/godotshaders.com &#8211; the aura is from <a href=\"https:\/\/godotshaders.com\/shader\/various-canvas-outlines\/\" title=\"\">here<\/a> and the highlight is from <a href=\"https:\/\/godotshaders.com\/shader\/highlight-canvasitem-sprite-adaptation\/\" title=\"\">here<\/a>. However, I did actually extend both shaders a lot! Shader language is a tad complicated, but luckily I had some experience from a computer graphics college class&#8230; whew!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Music<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I spent a long time debating on what to do for music. Luckily, there&#8217;s a huge corpus of license-free music out there! Unluckily, you have to go through it all! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly, I got REALLY lucky with finding a piece that mostly worked for the intro animation. Amusingly, I matched up the music to the animation after I finished the animation, and it just matched up really well. The music gets more dramatic at the right point, it shifts at about the right time, and it was about the right length. I did have to edit the end of the piece so that it cut off at the right time&#8230; but it sounds mostly alright I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Huge shout out to Kevin MacLeod over at incomptech.com. If you want to hear the original piece, then it&#8217;s at <a href=\"https:\/\/incompetech.com\/music\/royalty-free\/index.html?isrc=usuan1100463\" title=\"\">Achilles<\/a>. Be warned&#8230; my edited end of the piece will never sound right if you listen to the original end!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voice-over<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe it or not, the animation was the easy part of the process. I also wanted to take a swing at making a voice-over! The end result is definitely not super professional sounding, but&#8230; maybe it&#8217;s good enough? I would like your genuine feedback here &#8211; does it turn you off the game here? Or do you like it? Please let me know!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had no idea where to start with recording a voice over. After doing some rudimentary research, I decided to set up an amateur voice booth, aka a glorified blanket fort! Here&#8217;s some pictures with my assistant, Boba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-344\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2.png 480w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-2-169x300.png 169w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1.png 668w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3.png 480w, https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-3-169x300.png 169w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Huge shout out to Boba for helping me set this up, and huge shout out to my partner Blossom for being the other voice. By the way, voice acting is really hard! Blossom is a natural and got really good takes almost immediately. I had to redo all of my takes multiple times&#8230; Mumbling is just too easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, if you&#8217;re wondering how the voices match up&#8230; that was just me repeating words. Blossom had the first takes, I listened to the takes a couple times, and then I tried to repeat the exact cadence. She has such good enunciation that it was pretty easy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also had to learn how to use Audacity for some basic editing. Man, editing takes so SO long! If any of you are Youtube influencers&#8230; much respect to you! Even just the littlest bit was so hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyway, that&#8217;s all I have to show off for now. I&#8217;m currently working hard on updating the Steam page for <em>Vyn and Verdan<\/em> in preparation for signing up for the Steam Next Fest in June. If you have any thoughts about the trailer, please let me know! I would really really like any thoughts whatsoever. You can reply in Discord, reply in email from the Substack email, or send an email to shrubb at shrubbgames.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See y&#8217;all next time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vyn and Verdan Cinematic Trailer (preview)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SomZe2mXQ4c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hey everyone! It&#8217;s been such a long time since the last update&#8230; It feels weird to call this the VV Eekly Update still, but it&#8217;s such a good name that it&#8217;s hard to move away! I have some BIG news today! We have a cinematic trailer for Vyn and Verdan!!! Everyone, please check it out! [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":73,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vv-eekly-updates"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=341"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":346,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions\/346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/73"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shrubbgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}