#370992
the problem is in lighting . the mountain in the backgroud receive light from right but the model receive light from left
if you try to put your model in Mars planet or Moon you don't need trees or grass
try to add 3d tree than create mxs reference and distribute the referece to get good result
#371034
Hi Seghier,

I know about the shadows (pointed it out two posts ago ;) ) Easily corrected.

Found some reasonable 3D trees which if "planted" using proxies worked but all the trees were identicle without making lots of variants + proxies.
Found a lower poly version which could then use SU plug in to "plant" with randomness in size and rotation. More natural looking and in low pass renders looked ok. Increasing the sample level and ...ahh...you see the "vanes" of the trees. See image below.

Image

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Shadows are about right now but have picked up some caustics...tweak a texture and that will solve that.

Also need to add some variance in height in the treescape too.

The issue is the trees. Was hoping to do the penultimate render tonight too.

With regards to placing the building on a planet.....landscapes modelled just in SU in my mind don't cut it and I don't have the time to generate terrain using the likes of World-Machine. Easy in Vue but can't use that . ;) And "plonking" the building on a planet background to avoid environment issues is avoiding the challenge. Thought about it but running with the scene I have. Besides no time to change now anyway!

Time to go hunting trees, proxies and mxs references it is then....

Lots to do and not much time to do it all in as they say!

Coments welcome as always and thanks for viewing.
#371037
looking much better!!
you could create your own 3D trees using Arbaro (it is free) and comes with a couple of already made tree definitions... other alternative is if you have an ipad there's an App called TreeSketch, resulting trees are good enough... to scatter trees you could use compospray (plugin for SU) Works great
best
V
#371047
Hi Victor,

Thanks for the comments and indeed the suggestions for the plugins. Will take a look at "compospray" this morning.

I located some good 3D trees on SketchUcation and with using "CGDrop" plugin and proxies was able to plant a whol forest and dispence with the "faceme" billboards. However as the proxies cannot (as far as I know) drive size, rotation, randomness of the detailed instance the forest looked more like a plantation. See image below.

ImageUploaded with ImageShack.com

Better trees but with all being the same height (even on a roughly sculpted "terrain") looks rather unatural.

Will look at compospray and need to get the environment sorted today so can complete the render/submission before the deadline!!!

Good luck with your entry Victor.

Thanks to all for your comments and indeed viewing!
#371053
Hi Victor,

First time I have seen "Comp Spray" and what a plugin! :D

Snag is I have installed the folders as directed but the dialogue box does not appear when clicking the spray icon?
Had a quick look around but there does not appear to be anything about any problems with using it with SU 2013.
Do you have any issues with using it with SU 2013?

Comp spray is the way I want to go just need to be able to use the dialogue box?

Will take a look at the plugin you suggested however the trees are all proxies so they only appear at render. Modifiying the proxy will (as far as I understand it) no drive the form of the tree. The proxy is just a "place holder".

Generating proxies for say three tree types, spraying them with "Comp Spray" would give the result I think.

Failing that will have to run with the low poly versions..given the time available.

@abed Removing the foreground trees would lose the link to the environment, uncover the grass which would need to be "3d" rather than painted...or the shot completely recomposed (time not on my side atm).

Thanks for the comments and will take them onboard and yes the lighting is todays job too...
Taken a look at your site btw. :wink:

THanks for viewing and the comments Victor and Abed. Much appreciated.
#371068
I would improve the textures and materials a bit, and the lighting (maybe try later in the day so it doesn't look so flat, and give it a try also without direct sunlight, can look good and moodier). Do you mean to have that railing so visible? To make it look like an amateur snapshot? Between the railing and the mountain texture in the back - they both take away a lot of the attention from what is supposed to be your main subject.
#371125
Dear Gis/ Maxwell Team,

There seems to be a great deal of confusion over the deadline and it appears that the site was closed for submissions before the deadline too.
Had been banking on that I'd have good part of Sunday to render and submit...perhaps due to the confusion and that a number of entrants have not been able to submit perhaps an extension to the deadline?

As I cannot submit a formal entry I enclose the wireframe and render of an earlier version hoping that it may be considered.

The render here only had a sample level of 11 for testing so it is not the "finished article" as it were.
The final image was much improved too....

If it is possible to submit the full size file for consideration let me know/provide the link to the submission page and I will send the png file.
Low res jpg uploaded on forum for review.

ImageUploaded with ImageShack.com

ImageUploaded with ImageShack.com

Look forward to comments and a clarification of the deadline.

Many thanks in advance.
#371144
Dear All,

Until we receive clarification (and a resolution?) to the deadline situation I will continue to get the image as I would have liked it.
If the deadlines stand then off course the image posted with the wireframe here on the forum would be the entry to keep it fair.

In the meantime for comment and interest the images will be rendered to a better standard.
A higher resolution (13 sample levels - 1520x852) is shown here at lower res for posting on forum:

ImageUploaded with ImageShack.com

Looking forward to reading the posts /updates from the NL team tomorrow (Monday) and hope that those of us who could not submit to the official site are given the chance to do so. It would be a great shame for all the time and effort to have been for nothing.

Keeping fingers crossed! :)

Thanks in advance for any comments and thanks for viewing.
#371396
Dear All,

I came away from the competition with no prizes but enjoyed the competition just the same.

Sure, it would have been nice to win one of the prizes but from a personal point of view I came away from the competition very much the wiser, not just in modelling skills but also using Maxwell.
So my "prize" is the knowledge and experience gained and as they say..."better luck next time".

I also want to thank *all* fellow competitors for the comments and advice provided on the forum and indeed making it a good and FUN experience all round.

I am certainly looking forward to the next Maxwell/NL challenge!
Will there be a Maxwell Render 6 ?

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