As we liked the way Rubbish Planet turned out not to be rubbish, Arminder and I
decided to work together on our second major project. This was to be more ambitious
than our previous one. We wanted to develop a Flash based interactive microsite and
import 3D modelling created in 3DS Max or Maya into it using Papervision.
We decided to make a microsite called 16th Century Sikh Armour and Weaponry to publicise
a forthcoming temporary exhibition at the Horniman Museum. We followed the premise
it is best to write about what you know. Arminder was Sikh. I’d done a lot of research on
the Horniman for my small objects of delight project earlier in the year. I knew the museum
had an ongoing series of temporary exhibitions enlightening the public about different
ethnic groups. Information about future events was published on the museum’s main website,
often through a microsite.
We decided to model a 16th Century Sikh soldier and his weapons in 3D. His weapons
would be on the ground. If the user places the weapons on the soldier where they would
be they will attach to him, arming him. When all his weapons were in the right position and
his was correctly armed he would animate. When the cursor rolled over the weapon in place
a panel would pop up explaining how it was used.