I know alot of you make several scenes then merge at the end, I need tips on this cuz this is the first time im gonna try this. Im working on something that has too many objects and its really making things sllllloooowww!! Any suggestions or tips on this please??? roch222

i use photoshops layering feature, i render the separate images and the 'stack" them on top of each other, erasing the obvious parts so it looks like one render.

Just make everything to-scale and you should be all right.

OK, the way I do this is firstly make a file that has all the big components in it. In Siege (as an example), the big component was the castle and bridge and terrain - as those things are going to determine the placments of everything else. Thats your base file (File 1). Save it. Now comes making the next file. I reload File 1 and remove everything that isn't in the place that you want to put objects in (and group whats left). When I was putting people on the bridge in Siege, I deleted everything in File 1 but the bridge. Then I put all the objects in that I want tp put into that part of the scene (i.e. put the people on the bridge). At the end, I delete the bit of File 1 I used in this bit of the scene (i.e. delete the bridge), just leaving the newly added bits to the scene (the people on the bridge). Then save that (File 2). Keep doing this, making new files as you go for each batch of objects. At the end, merge all files together. Hope that helps.

Attached Link: http://uqconnect.net/wasteland/siege.html

I usually have a scene with everything in place, perhaps doing a render with textures and effects off, then I figure the amount of polygons for each group then delete what I don't want and save, But remember to keep the scene with everything for reference. When I've got everything as I want it in each segment I merge it all together and render, this can take ages BTW. Another thing I do is plop render. I'll have the basic scene set up and render, then add the new pieces and do a plop saving each one then it's a cut and paste job in Photoshop. Catlin

thanks all for your responses - a great help - I was one of those people on the Eastern Seaboard who lost power for the last 2 days I pathetically tried to hook up my computer to a welding machine generator but it kept surging!!!! god 100 degrees, no air conditioning no lights and NO COMPUTER what hell!!! anyway,,,,,, ive been rendering scenes and using layers i didnt think i would be able to piece back together, but it works ok catlin- thank god for plop render huh!! and flak your making of the siege is amazing thanks for the link thanks again roch222