Chapter 4

"Alex, you're not going to win anything for a long time. "

"Right, Dad."

( I think he was a little surprised by the price, even though it's not exactly expensive, it's not cheap, especially if it's for a child. )

"What are you going to do with it anyway?"

" I found an AI that can make animations with my drawings. "

" Wow, so all my drawings are going to become videos?! "

Melissa, who was holding a plush of an animal I don't know in her hands, shouted in surprise.

" Yes, everything you draw can become an animation. "

"Great, when I get home I'll draw lots of pictures. "

( I think I've just lost some space on the creative table... Never mind, I was doing it for her anyway. )

"Animating drawings? I can't believe something like that costs 500 credits. "

I turn a deaf ear to Dad muttering, now that I've got the creation table, I can start doing some tests.

"Melissa, when we get home, I'm going to create a big birthday present with my drawings for you."

"Promise, then I'll make one for you too. "

Soon we arrive home, Dad takes the creation table to my room, I'll finally be able to test this thing out.

Looking at it, it just looks like a normal table, but looking closely, it seems to be made of black glass or some similar material.

The moment I put my hand on it, the whole table lights up and a small hologram appears, it's a white-haired girl wearing a green dress.

"Hello, I'm your operational assistant, it's a pleasure to meet you.

She introduced herself and stood looking at me.

"....."

"....."

" Eh?! Oh yes, I'm Alexandre Lockhart, nice to meet you. "

" Mr. Alexandre, I hope you'll be satisfied with my services. "

( Shit, shame on me, I forgot how advanced these things are AI, I really do look like an old man lost in time. )

"Would Mr. Alexandre like to appoint me? Or keep the name I've already been given? "

"Hmm? All right... Luna, yes, Luna is a good name. "

" Okay, thanks. "

" Luna can introduce me to all the functions of the table. "

" Understood, this is the 13⁰ generation creation table, it specializes in animations and designer creation, you can create projects for buildings, games, films, music, advertisements and much more.

For each type of creation, there is a different function, which would you like to see first? "

" Show me animated movies. "

" For animated films, a 3D project will be created, the user can just tell you how they want the scenes to be created, so that the scene is as close to your imagination as possible, you need to provide as much detail about the scene you want to create.

You can create up to five minutes of animation, a hologram will display the content, with the modification pen you can change any detail you want with just a few words or by marking and changing the scene directly with the pen.

You can also..."

" Luna, focus on 2D animations. "

" 2D animation? "

She looks slightly confused, a few dots of ? appear in her head. 

"Unfortunately there aren't many functions for 2D animations, but you can easily create small GIFs for presentations, "

" Luna downloads the 2DGX AI from the Lunar Star company. "

" Okay...

...

...

All set, would you like to replace me with the new AI, or can I hand over its functionalities? "

" Just integrate the functionalities. "

Unlike 3D-focused AI, this 2D animation AI is free, so if I create something successful, I won't have to pay anything to the company that created it.

These AIs are usually created as a test by companies before they create 3D-focused ones, so it's easy to find lots of free ones all over the internet.

" Integration is finished, new functions are available. "

" Great, what are the functions? "

You need a complete sketch or drawing to create a 2D animation, the better and more detailed the drawing, the better the animation.

In addition, a more detailed description is needed to compose the scenes.

The animation will be displayed on screen and can be viewed frame by frame, with the possibility of modifying and polishing each frame. "

Luna went on to tell me various details about the creation table, but the most important parts are about 2D and 3D animation, even though the tools for game designers are very appealing to me, I have plenty of time to study them, so I'm not in a hurry.

The biggest problems with 2D animation are the strokes and the exaggeration, the AI can learn a specific drawing stroke, but for that it needs a large number of drawings to analyze the desired stroke.

As for exaggeration, that would be the comic expressions that only work in 2D animation. Oda, creator of One Piece, is a master at this, even though decades have passed, I can still remember perfectly the scene where Usopp defeated Sugar with just an expression.

"Hahaha, to this day I laugh just remembering it, hahaha"

That's how animations should be, there are things that are impossible to convey to the audience with 3D, but are easily conveyed with 2D animation.

To tell a story, you can use any stroke you like, but if you want to create a masterpiece, you need to choose the right drawing stroke for the story being told, so you can maximize the viewer's experience.

Not only is the drawing line important, but the music, the dubbing and even the angle from which the scene is drawn is important - all these things together create a masterpiece.

"I can do a maximum of thirty seconds of animation per drawing, Melissa's birthday is in a month, so there should be time to finish everything. "

I look at the creative table which is completely white, I feel my heart beating fast, I retired from the games industry at the age of 50, since then I've never disdained or created a designer.

I've gone 10 years without touching a pen, counting this lifetime, and I haven't drawn a single picture in at least 17 years.

Picking up the modification pen from the table, I leaned over slightly and began to draw, slowly, line by line, as I drew, my hands quickened and a large, fat, hairy creature with a leaf on its head began to appear.

"How I've missed this. "

Who would have thought that I, a person who once gave up on trying to create my company, gave up on making a masterpiece, gave up on everything I'd worked for all my life, would feel so happy, just remaking a movie from the past for a new generation.

"Hehe, I guess I really am an old man."

Bang

"Brother, dinner's ready, huh?! What animal is that, it's so cute. "

" That's Totoro, but don't stare now, it's part of your birthday present. "

" Rum!, ok let's eat before mommy starts yelling. "

I left my work and went with Melissa. During dinner everyone was talking, Mom was really excited about her new holographic bracelet.

"So what were you doing locked in your room, you're getting to that age?! "

"No! I was drawing on the creative table that Dad gave me. "

" What?! You bought it for him, I thought you'd refuse since it was so expensive."

"Eh?!"

"Yes, Dad bought it for me, he even took me to the store to pick it up. "

( Wait, wasn't it her who promised to buy that damn table?! )

Dad looks at me, and I just smile.

( That boy!!!!! Shit, I can't tell my wife that my seven-year-old son walked in on me. )

" Haha, it wasn't that expensive, and it can destroy children. "

"If you say so, fine."

As soon as dinner was over, I ran up to my room, but not before receiving a vengeful look from Dad. 

I just quickened my steps, I'll let him calm down, anyway I'm looking forward to continuing working.

......

Note: slightly shorter chapter