Season's Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year.

Hi there,
It is little early that an end of the year comes on every year, right? I got many friends' support this year also. Thank you for your cooperation. 108 videos were contributed to this site till today. And Stormtroopers gathered from 17 nations (72 members)!
If you have not joined us yet, please master a storm roll and join us. Let's link all over the world!


2013年ももうじき終わりですね。今年も大変お世話になりました。ようやくQJ代表という大役から離れることになり、2014年は今まで以上にこのサイトで“世界リンク”に注力していこうと思います。今日まででビデオ投稿数は「108本」。ストームトゥルーパーズは「17カ国72名」。2012年4月から始めたので、約1年8ヶ月でここまで繋がりました。まずまずでしょう。まだ入隊してないあなた、ぜひともストームロールをマスターして加わってください。
では佳いお年をお迎えください！

Thank you for your cooperation!

Recently, some new members enlistment to Stormtroopers continued. You're very welcome! And thank you for your cooperation! Just so you know, the Stormtroopers is a multinational force. I would like to link with many friends with a storm roll.

Someday, I wanna hold the meeting of Stormtroopers in Japan or your country. If a storm roll is performed by all the members, is it published at Guinness Book of Records? hahaha!

Please get a storm roll, if you have not joined with us yet. I'll welcome you!
May the STORM be with you, always.

Step 3

I uploaded a new article "Practice Step3".
http://www.storm-on.com/Stromroll/Stormroll_practice3.html

This time, I explained the way of self practice. This is very effective in your storm roll acquisition. Please try it! ;-)

I found a new star.

I found a new star in Italy. She does a storm roll splendidly by Qaanaaq and a storm paddle. It is enough as enlistment conditions to Stormtroopers. So she became our member tonight.

Congrats Ele! ;-)

A new article

I uploaded a new article, about Mr. Shiojima's paddle. He is a master for all members of Qajaq JPN. He has been making an effort for the spread of Greenland paddles from ten years or more before in Japan. I can't explain about history of the Greenland style kayaking in Japan without him.
Please check it out!
http://www.storm-on.com/

To be free

Anyway we have to save the children, right?
No more tears. Please check the website out.

Be happy.

The powerful typhoon traveled through Japan today. There was much damage, such as collapse of houses and flood of rivers. 

As you know, Japan is a country where the rate of incidence of an earthquake is very high. And every year, some typhoons visit. From ancient times, Japanese people have always stood face to face against such natural disasters. And we are faced also with an artificial disaster now. It is radioactive contamination. Maybe, it might have already given the fatal damage to us.

Isn't there any way which survives us? 

I still believe "human beings' possibilities." 

We have the wisdom and courage which are overcome any difficult. 

A new design.

I prepared a new design sticker for you. If you want to get it, please offer a storm roll’s video to me.This sticker is big size. It is 170 mm x 70 mm.
And I will bring these to Delmarva. You have a chance to obtain these there.
See you soon in the DPR! ;-)

Presentation

I’ll do the presentation related with QajaqJPN in Delmarva Paddler's Retreat. So I am making the document now. You will be able to enjoy it. I elaborated the plan for that. However, I have a problem. It is "pronunciation." For Japanese, it is a difficult problem. For "reading and writing" can be achieved, if we study it a little. However, we have achievement obstructed by the difference in the composition of a phoneme which each native language has as for "pronunciation." Ummmm…what should I do?

Nattō

I love Nattō very much. It is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis and  is popular especially as a breakfast food. Nattō may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture.In Japan nattō is most popular in the eastern regions, including Kantō, Tōhoku, and Hokkaido. Usually, I mix the soy sauce containing some stock there as a seasoning, an egg yolk, a dried bonito, and mustard.
In summer when appetite declines, I break a pickled plum finely and often mix it.Intense practice of rolls damages muscles. Good protein is required to reinforce it quickly. Nattō is low calorie content and proteinic content is very high. First of all, the soybean is called "the beef in the farm." Since it has essential amino acids uncompoundable in a body, it is equivalent to animal protein. Although you may be unable to get this daily, I will recommend you "Nattō." Please try it someday!

Can I meet you in Delmarva?

Yes, I'll participate in the Delmarva Paddler's Retreat. How about you? Can I meet you there?
Although I am not so good at English, am looking forward to communication with you very much. Since Japan is an island country, the opportunity to contact foreigners is restricted by geographical environment. Also in various information, it is the same. We get to know most information from overseas via media or the net. However, I would like to know first-hand information as much as possible. Therefore, I will use such a chance effectively.

Of course, I'll bring STORM ON's stickers! Please get your STORM in Delmarva.
See you soon! ;-)

Children

I lectured on how to paddling to local children yesterday with QJ's members. This is held every year at this time. I am always surprised by children's possibility. Their uneasiness is always canceled in "the first 30 minutes." Then, the sea turns into their paradise. They learn the Greenland style from the introduction time as looking. Yes, this is our style.
I hope "Stormtrooper" appears in great numbers out of them. ;-)

Hunting

I had interesting video introduced from Mr. Ole Tang living in Struer (Denmark). Not only kayak there, there was a valid image as a resource of hunting culture. Come to think of it,　ｔhe storm roll which I love was derived from them. I respect them who completed such great culture from the bottom of the heart.
BTW, since they had the same plays as Japanese people, I was surprised. For example, they are "Kendama" and "cat's cradle." 

Polygons

The starting point of my design in computer graphics may be "Nebuta Festival." It sticks Japanese paper on the frame intricately assembled with wire, and forms the solid. This methodology is just the foundation of CG design. Since this is a festival of my hometown, I have seen this up close from an early age.
Although the following is the movie last year, you could fully enjoy it.

Qaanaaq 512SS

"512SS" has just uploaded to STORM ON.
I like the Qaanaaq512ss. That is because nothing is specializing. In short, it means almighty. The spec may be infinitely discovered by a user's skill. It is a merit of a neutral model, right?
If you can have an opportunity, I want you to try this. Of course, I will support it, when you visit Japan.

Try again.

Since the battery was run out, photography of the "low brace" of last weekend was stopped on the way. Of course, I fully charged this time. The video already finishes edit and is exhibited in YouTube. Don't miss it! ;-)


先週の「バッテリー切れ」のリベンジ。もちろん、充電満タンで海へ(笑)。
例によって下洲から出て、富津岬先端を回り、砲台前へ移動。適当なポールを立てて撮影開始。さすがに今回は満遍なく撮れました、とさ。さっそく編集してアップロード。絶賛公開中です。

The battery is dead!

Futtsu-misaki(Cape) in which I live is extended from the east side of Tokyo Bay to the west. Many forts at the time of a World War remain here. It is an old pillbox that is in the inner part of the center of the image. Since nobody can enter by car, this circumference is very quiet. I mainly practice a roll here. Today, I came here for take a video  of "a low brace." Of course, it is for my website. However, the tragedy attacked me suddenly. The battery of a camera has died. No way!!!! (TOT)
Renewed STORM ON will be released soon! 

今日も富津岬一周の旅。

布引は海水浴シーズン突入なので、カヤックを出せません。というわけで、下洲の漁港からアプローチ。いつも通り第一海堡を経由して砲台前へ。
今日の目的は「ローブレイス」の撮影。もちろんSTORM ON用。
大潮だったので干潮は避けて、潮が満ち始めた頃を見計らってランディング。砲台前には「洲立て」や「のりひび」があるので、カメラをセッティングするポールには事欠かない。適当な場所を確保して撮影に臨んだのだが、ここでまさかのバッテリー切れ。OMG!
辛うじて数カットは撮れたので継ぎ接ぎで編集。なんとか公開できそうな体裁にはなった…かな？(笑)
リリースまでもうチョイ！

She got her SOF at last!

Although it was still in the state of a framework, she got her SOF. She will appear in the website renewed as a lecturer of a storm roll soon. Don’t miss it please! ;-)
Oops, Should I do skinning?

まだフレームの状態ですが、彼女は自分のスキンカヤックを手に入れました。もうじき、講師としてリニューアル予定のウェブサイトに登場するでしょう。
あー、スキニングするべき？

I'm working now!

Hi there,

It’s been ages, hasn’t it?
I was very busy with preparation and execution of "SUPER GUTS." The event was a huge success, thanks to you!
And now, I am doing the renewal work of STORM ON’s website. It has contents substantial rather than before, and will surely delight you. Today's my work is texturing to SOF. It gives the wooden life to inorganic polygons.
Please wait for a while for releasing the renewal website. Thanks!

お久しぶりです(笑)。
SUPER GUTSの準備と開催、そして社会復帰に追われてました。元来マルチタスクな人間じゃないもので、軌道を戻すまで時間を要します。
しかし、しかし、決してサボっていたわけではなく、コツコツとリニューアルを進めております。今日の作業はSOFへのテクスチャリング。数種の樹のテクスチャを用意して、各パーツに貼っていきます。モデリングのために組み上げたポリゴンを、この作業では逆に展開します。つまり、複雑なポリゴンで「形状」を作ってしまうとテクスチャリングで苦労するわけです。Simple is the bestとはこのことです。
リリースまでもうちょいお待ちください。頑張ります！

Renewal

I'm preparing renewal. It will be released around this summer. Please expect the STORM ON website which may evolve, furthermore. 

リニューアルの準備中です。シンプルな構成でより見やすくしました。夏ごろにリリースできるでしょう。ご期待ください！

Another version

I created the version which is not covered with a hood. I corrected her expression a little.
Actually, I am in trouble very much now. It is about her kayak. Which kayak should I give her? Those choices are "Qaanaaq Transam-SS", "Qaanaaq Mosquito", and pure SOF. I would like to consider this difficult problem carefully. However, it is already in mid-April now. Ummmmm…L

フードを取った状態も作成。当然こういったシチュエーションは充分に考えられるわけで…。

それにしても困った。彼女のためにQaanaaq Transam-SSを作ろうと思ったが、やはり女性にはちょい大きいかもしれない。うーむ…Mosquitoか。分割タイプもリリース間近かだし。いっそのことスキンカヤックにするという選択肢もあり。しばらく悩みたいところだが、すでに4月半ば（汗）。

Complete the first stage of the renewal.

I completed "Tuilik Version.” ummm....Shoulder straps are unexpectedly troublesome. It sinks into Tuilik in conjunction with some motions. Shouldn't it be made as another part?
Practice is insufficient for me still more. L

やっとこさチュイリックのウェイト付けまで漕ぎつけた。ストラップを別パーツにしたのは誤算だった。めり込みの処理が殊のほか厄介。今後、ロールモーションにおいて、もっと他の部分にも影響が出そう。まだまだ未熟。

Hooded

I am making her Tuilik. The form is completed mostly. Then, adjustment of textures is required. I will not use "Syflex" which is physics simulation for her. Although it reproduces a realistic motion, it requires computation time longer than usual.
ummm...Does she dislike the hood? 

チュイリックを着せたバージョンを作成中。

モデリングはほぼ終わり、現在テクスチャを貼っている最中。Syflexは当てずに、ウェイトで制御するつもり。
それにしてもフードを被っちゃうと「台無し」だ(笑)。

Expressions

I gave her some expression. It's the moment a life dwells in her. There is 1 set of joint in man's face. It's a jaw. In short, "expression" is made from the combination of the muscles of the face and a jaw joint. By parameterizing elasticity of each muscles, expression is controllable as a "numerical value." Probably, she will already be able to communicates any feeling to you by expressions.

表情をいくつか与えてみた。一気に命が宿る瞬間でもある。
顔には関節が一組。顎だけ。つまり、この顎関節と顔面を這う筋肉（表情筋）によって各表情は作られる。筋肉の伸縮をパラメータに見立てることで、額・眉・まぶた・頬・鼻筋・口周りの表情を数値化でき、匙加減での制御も可能。こうなってくるとキャラクターを動かすことが楽しくなってくるわけだ。

Skinning was completed.

The renewal of my website in April is likely to be very overdue. It is a mere excuse although I was busy with preparation of "SUPER GUTS."

She changed into the state where each joint can be moved. Then, I will give her some expression.
Oops, I had not decided her name yet.

4月のリニューアルに大きく遅れてしまった。ちょうどSUPER GUTSがかぶってしまったせいもあるが、言い訳はするまい(TOT)。

とりあえずボディへのウェイト付けまで済んだので、この後は表情を仮でいくつか作って、その次にチュイリック。チュイリックはもちろんQJバージョンにするつもり。

さてと、もうちょい頑張ろ。

Her tongue is the best!

The structure relevant to her mouth is completion now. I should not be concerned with her tongue any more. It may influence "family peace." ;-p

口周りはこのぐらいにしとこうと思う。あまり拘ると勘違いされそうだ(笑)。大体、今更ながらだが、舌を出すシーンなんてあるのか？

Change my occupation.

After all, I did her hairstyle like the upper picture. I will not be afflicted by this at complicated animation of her hair.

彼女の髪は結局こんな風にまとめてみました。アニメーションの際に「余計な動き」に煩わされることがなくて済みます。

So I’ll change my employment from a "beautician" to a "dentist." Since a tooth differs in form, respectively, modeling work is serious. Although it is effective to make only "visible teeth" from outside, she is going to open and laugh at an her mouth wide open.

というわけで、美容師の肩書きを一旦破棄して、今度は歯医者に転職です(笑)。

歯は一個一個形状が違います。モデリングの手間は半端ありません。「見える歯だけ作ればいいだろ」とも思いますが、彼女は大口を開けて笑う予定ですので、そうもいかんのでした(TOT)。

In fact, the structure of the point of contact of a lip and a tooth is complicated. A fixed distance that a lip does not sink into a tooth needs to be kept.
I will be deprived of my mind by her lip during work. Hahaha!

唇との接点もなかなか難儀です。めり込まないような距離感をキープしなければなりません。しばらく彼女の唇に悶々とすることにします（こら！）

Textures for her hair

I was going to use hair shader for the her "hairstyle." 

However, it requires very much the time which a rendering takes. Considering the future work, it is not realistic well.Therefore, I gave up use of hair shader and changed into the method of sticking a texture on a polygon. 

Although it is very classic, it is good in working efficiency. 

ヘアシェーダーを使う予定だったが、形状が思い通りになり難いのと、レンダリングの計算が殊の外かかる。今後の絵作りを考慮するとレンダリングばかりに時間をかけるわけにはいかない。
というわけで、大人しく板ポリにテクスチャを貼る古典的な方法にスイッチ。

In accordance with a hairstyle, some polygons are prepared first. 

まずポリゴンをヘアスタイルに合わせて整える。

Four kinds of textures are used roughly. They influence a setup of "base color", a "bump", "transparency", and "speculer." 

ベースカラー、凹凸、透明度、反射（テカり）と、それぞれのテクスチャを用意。

Textures are stuck on polygons and tuned finely. It is not so realistic compared with hair shader. However, computation time is shortened considerably. 

The upper picture is processing of the "top" and "bun." I have to process both sides and the nape further. 

ポリゴンに貼り付けて微調整。レンダリング結果はこんな感じ。ヘアシェーダーに比べるとリアリティに欠けるが、計算時間はグッと短縮できる。
ちなみにこれはまだトップと「お団子」のみの処理。サイドとうなじはこれから。

A girl's hair is her life

Her appearance was completed almost.
I will start the "hairstyle" of the most interesting part from now on. Yes, it's the climax! There is the idiom "A girl's hair is her life" in Japan. Once upon a time, this is because the Japanese woman needed to extend long hair in order to tie a "Nihongami (Japanese coiffure)". Therefore, I will make her hair hard. With this being said, actually I worry about the design of her hairstyle. ummmm...;-(
Do you have any pointers for her life?

大まかな外観が完成。
大詰めは髪。「髪は女性の命」なんて言われるからなぁ、少々気合いを入れて作りますか。その昔、女性が日本髪を結っていた頃、その“ヘアスタイル”を作るために長い髪は女性にとって必須アイテムだったそうな。「女性の命」はそこから来たらしい。一方、「髪の長さは七難隠す」とも言うっけな(笑)。ま、これはいいか。
いま見えている髪（生え際）はテクスチャに描いて処理したものなので実体は無い。さてさて、どんな髪型にするかな？　悩む悩む。

Shoes

She who is my new character needed shoes. Yes, it's for "fashion."
I made shoes for her with big pleasure!

最初は素足にしようと思ったのだが、チュイリック姿だとあまり着飾る要素がないので、シューズにして「色」を加えてみた。

Her shoes fit her bare feet. I have arranged the polygons so that the form of her foot may be in sight. 

大まかにポリゴンを配置。なるべく足の形状が出るようなフィット感を持たせる。

I made the detail moderately. Incidentally, these shoes referred to the Kokatat's. 

徐々にディテールを作りこむ。
ちなみにこのシューズのモデルはKokatat製のパドリングシューズ。

Some conspicuous lines are made from polygons. 

ライン入れ。

When rough form is completed, a texture will be drawn and it will stick on this model.

形状が整ったところでテクスチャを描いて貼る。 

It is checked by a partial rendering.

リージョンレンダーで確認。 

A "speculer map" and a "bamp map" are further drawn, in addition the appearance of the model is adjusted. Then she got shoes!

「スペキュラマップ」と「バンプマップ」を加えて質感を調整。

Details

I keenly realize the difficulty of a "female character." Even if it assumes a simple design, in order to give the aura unique to a woman, "fine structure" is required for it. If nails are rough form like a male (or me!), they make her atmosphere spoilt. I checked those form carefully and "reflected" some in them. 

改めて女性キャラの難しさを痛感。なるべくシンプルに作ろうと思っても、それなりに作りこまなければならないところがテンコ盛り。爪の形状ひとつとっても、男のソレみたいに無骨に作るわけにもいかず、一枚一枚爪きりで丁寧に形作ったように入念なチェックが必要。さすがにネールアートは施さなかったが、薄い映り込みぐらいは入れてみた。

Eyelashes were controlled by the program called "Shader." It can solve problems, such as "length", "curl", a "color", and "quantity", with a parameter. 

ummmm....Her goal is still far. 

睫毛はポリゴンで作るのが手っ取り早いのだが、後々に変更が入った場合にほぼイチから作り直さなければならない。であれば、最初は少々手間だが「Shader」と呼ばれるプログラムでこさえた方が、長さ・色・カールの具合・本数などを関数で制御できる。

まだまだ先は長いな、こりゃ。

To the next

STORM ON will celebrate the first anniversary of a release next month. I’m making a new character for STORM ON for the second year. It’s the shift to "the Asian woman" from "the middle-aged tough guy." Although I have worked as a CG designer for a long time, in fact, I’m making the "woman" for the first time.

Well, I have to make her so that "my type" may not be disclosed to you. It's very difficult and cruel for me!
SUPER GUTS is publicized. This is a very precious chance. Let's join us!  


来年度のSTORM ONに向けて新キャラを作っています。
中年のおっさんから、今度はアジア系の女性へ…。

長いことCGを生業としてきましたが、実は女性を作るのは初めて。好みの女性が露呈しないように作るのは難しいです(笑)。

SUPER GUTS 広報宣伝中です！
とても貴重な機会だと思いますので、ぜひぜひご参加ください。

Particles

I work in a game company and was making "fog" as a designer ten years ago. Fog was indispensable to the stage of the game which my post was making then. Yes, it’s for horror production. I was devoted to physics simulation every day. It’s the Brownian motion of particles. My soul was governed by fog from the morning to the evening.

Thanks to the experience, I can visualize parameters automatically, if fog is seen in the real world. But it’s just nonsense. And it does not stand for nothing.

Just so you know, some CG images are arranged easily at STORM ON. Although they do not have a deep meaning, I am making them for atmosphere.

I looked at the very beautiful night sky last evening. There, the countless star was appearing. Then, I thought "my following works may be a night sky and a bonfire."

Wait…..A bornfire? 

A bonfire also consists of particles and is governed by Brownian motion. Should I offer my soul to physics simulation again? No way!!! ;-(

By such circumstances, I was re-employed in the "mist maker." Somebody, please release me from particles!

もう10年以上前になりますか。現場でデザインをやってた頃、年がら年中「モヤ」を作っていたことがありました。開発中の製品のおもなステージに霧が発生しているというシチュエーションだったので、まったくもって外せない要素だったのです。

ええ、朝から晩まで、来る日も来る日も粒子とブラウン運動の虜になったがごとく作ってました。それこそ重力に魂を縛られるような思いでした（どんなだよ？）おかげで、日常で霧やらガスを目にすると今でも各パラメータが即座に思い浮かびます。何の役にも立ちません。

STORM ONにはご存知の通り、ところどころに無造作にCGが置かれています。特に意味はないのですが、なんとなく雰囲気作りにいいかなぁという思いつきレベルでこさえています。

昨晩、きれいな星空を見ました。田舎なもんで曇ってなければ夜は星が綺麗に見えます。周囲に高い建物など皆無。空は無限大です。壮大な景観に見取れながら、「あー、次は星空に焚き火なんて“絵”もいいなぁ」と思ってしまったのでした。なんと恐ろしいことでしょう。次の瞬間「た、焚き火…」と、嗚咽ともつかない苦痛な言葉が口を突いて出たのです。自分の学習効果の無さを呪ったのは言うまでもありません。そうです、焚き火もまた粒子の世界でありブラウンに支配されています。

そんなこんなで再び「モヤ・メーカー」として日々を過ごしています。どなたか、よろしければ解放してください。たしけてー。

NARVAL KAYAK

This is the stern piece of a folding kayak. The silhouette is just the Greenland kayak. Nikola living in Serbia made this as a prototype. He is advancing preparation which promotes a kayak manufacturer in his country. The name is "NARVAL KAYAK." "NARVAL KAYAK" means a unicorn whale (Narwhal) in Serbian. I will  deal with his kayak in "STORM ON" and will inform the details and cost later. Don't miss it!

先日、来日したセルビアのニコラ君が作ったプロトタイプのフォールディンググリーンランドタイプカヤックです。これはスターンピース。
帰国後、メーカーを立ち上げる準備をしているそうです。屋号は「NARVAL KAYAK」。NARVALはセルビア語でイッカククジラを意味します。
STORM ONではこのフォールディングＧを取り扱う予定です。スペックや価格については追ってご案内しますので、お楽しみに。

Contents

If you or I fall indolently for a moment, you will be instantly returned to a "starting point." It is even "practice" or even "website."
STORM ON advances to second year soon. I will continue efforts in order not to betray your aid. Thanks!

一瞬でも休んでしまえば「ふりだしへ戻る」です。
練習でもウェブサイトでも…。
STORM ONはもうじき二年目に突入します。世界各国からいただいた閲覧・応援を裏切ることなく精進したいと思います。