Project 4: Rube Goldberg Machine
Final Animation:
Storyboard
Objects
Ceiling Fan
A ceiling fan begins spinning, setting the "machine" in motion
Yellow Ball
A yellow ball spins a few times on the fan, then falls into a bowl.
Bowl
A bowl is catches the ball and redirects the ball's bounce to the vases.
Vases
The ball strikes the vases, which fall down one by one in a domino effect.
Bowling Ball
The last vase hits a bowling ball, which falls off the shelf.
Plank
The bowling ball strikes a plank attached to a hinge. (Note: an issue with collision between the bowling ball and the plank will be fixed.)
Cake Box
The plank knocks over the cake box, revealing a cake under the box.
Notes
I was inspired by a Rube Goldberg machine from the game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I had to take some creative liberties because 2D physics were difficult to translate to Maya FX. Regrettably, I had to cut the animation short because some items were not playing nicely with each other, but I will be releasing a complete version soon, and hopefully rendered with Arnold if my laptop can handle it (which history says it may not...).
Here is a clip from Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective showing the scene I was inspired by: