[deadalvs]

i'm currently on the mission to create a NPR-workflow in maya for landscape design and terrain-evaluation. for this i need to set up some MEL based automata that output quick-renderings with cityscape, a sky, volumes and the terrain itself in different qualities:
like abstract blocks in greyscales
like volumes with AO
like simple colored/textured like abstracted beds of flowers
...

* * *

how would i start with defining/setting up
1[ the render settings for maya software (or maybe mental ray)
2[ setting up simple materials that are often used (eg. lawn, beds of flowers, ...)

all can be really simple and a degree of abstraction is desired for the first step of scripts. PR will come later.

the goal is to create a GUI for ultra-dummies that can then sculpt diverse terrains, paint colors and render with standardized quality output by pressing a button.

any nice tips ? would be welcome !
thanks in advance ...