So, fellow "Whovians", you probably thought this project was dead. Not quite, it's merely lying dormant like a Cyberman in stasis. However, relatively speaking, one or two of its fingers are twitching. While I haven't done any more work upon the console panels, I decided to experiment with the console room walls with the famous roundels. I've posted the results from one of those experiments. These walls are not yet suitable for general distribution. While they may render halfway decent, the mesh is a mess. I won't bore you with the creation details, but the finished wall has faces that are seemingly missing around each roundel. The wall was built from individual "blocks", each containing an "intruded" roundel cavity (as opposed to Booleaned). The final render hides this anomaly, but the preview mode would confuse the beginning Poser user. I also tried using a transparency map applied to the surface of the wall (labeled as a separate material from that of the roundels). The roundels are cylinders intruded upon themselves (imagine a thick glassed drinking tumbler). They are "glued" in place with a tiny fraction of the rim poking through the surface of the wall. The trans-map is a white texture with black circles corresponding to the positions of the roundels. When rendered, the black circles appear invisible, showing the inner, reccessed surfaces of the roundels. It makes for a "clean" geometry, but like a trans-mapped hair model, the front surface of the wall appears as a series of dots in preview mode. Plus, it renders slower than an opaque object. I'm not sure everyone would be "keen" on that idea. Hmm, one could set the prop to preview in "cartoon" mode regardless of the other elements. What are your thoughts on this alternative? For my personal projects, I have no issues with it. I know what's happening. But my original plan was to release these as general "freebies". In the meantime, I will continue to experiment and hopefully create a better design. Sincerely, Bill

By the way, I know the walls depicted in my test image are too narrow. Certain versions of the set had at least 4 columns of roundels. However, I like the idea of 5 coulmns with the following stack sequence (going from left to right, 4, 5, 4, 5 and 4. Having just 4 on the outer edges would allow me to add a wider "base" to the pillars separating each wall. Again, I am not trying to create one specific set. I want to introduce a few personalized elements letting me know these are indeed my contributions to an artist's scene. Sincerely, Bill

Still anxiously awaiting your finished works. :) The walls look good even if they are, as you say, too narrow. I certainly wouldn't fuss about them for fan based artworks.

Has anyone ever tried doing anything like the wall roundels with bump maps, or similar?

One might achieve usable results in Poser 5 with displacement mapping, but bump maps alone in Poser 4 would not achieve results I want for a distributable "freebie". Many users would feel cheated, even if it were for free. The more I think about it, the more accepting I am of a triangulated mesh. After all, the "die" Steve Cox provides for his UV Mapper Pro auto-smoothing tutorial has triangles to link each vertice of the pips to the rest of the mesh. My wall with 22 roundels should have a poly-count comparable to that of the gaming die (having 21 pips and fillet edges). If Steve Cox can feel comfortable sharing a triangulated mesh, why can't I? Sincerely, Bill

Concerning the trans-mapped version, I discovered why it experienced an odd mapping anomaly. I had applied a simple planar UV so the transparency map would properly align with the roundels. However, I noticed the side faces were rendering totally invisible. While pillars would hide this effect, it bothered me that it existed at all. Last night I discovered why. It seems my map gained a single pixel wide, dark gray border around the map. Since I used planar mapping, the entire surface of the side faces were covered with the deep gray. Had I applied the image as a standard map, I would have noticed it sooner. After I painted the border white, saved the map again, and reapplied it as a transparency filter, the side faces rendered solid. A couple of posts earlier, I stated my reluctance to use trans-maps to display the recessed interior of the roundels. Part of that concern revolved around this (now solved) rendering issue. Neither were the render times that much slower. I just realized one distinct advantage beyond an orderly mesh. Remember the secondary console room with the Victorian wood finished decor? Those roundels were not deeply recessed. They actually had moldings raised above the surface of the surrounding wall. My trans-mapped version also has similarly raised edges to hide the "blurred" effect created by the trans-map. But suppose I remove the trans-map and apply a wood pattern to the normal texture parameter? Viola! Instant series 15 secondary console room! Shoot! I could, in theory create a variety of trans-maps alternatively revealing and hiding different patterns of roundels! Silly me, a customizable solution was staring me in my ugly mug all along! At this time, I'm reversing my assessment stated within my previous post. A trans-mapped version of the walls appears the better solution. Hopefully I can create some servicable props this weekend. Sincerely, Bill

I can't wait! Hurry Hurry! LOL! No, take your time and do it right. I'll wait. :)

Here's the revised transparency mapped version of the wall, rendered with the "default" materials. I was able to nudge the columns of roundels closer, creating a tighter interlocked pattern. Sincerely, Bill

...and here are 4 variations one can produce using the three materials zones (wall, roundel, and plate). I applied a simple wood texture to each zone, first the wall, then the roundel and finally the inner plate. In the lower right image, I removed the trans-mapped, rendering an inner surface flush with that of the main wall. Of course, one can apply other maps light marbled patterns, as well as reflection maps. Sincerely, Bill

Excitement!!! :) Melanie

Oh this is soo cool. Still looking forward to seing it. Bsteph

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1872922

Bsteph2069, click this link to access a thread in the modeling section and see 4 WiPs of the six stations. I'm modeling the fifth as I type. Well, not literally, but you know what I mean. ;-) Sincerely, Bill

Ah, glad to see this is still going. I'm still looking forward to the finished product. Bill, that door lever you mention over in the other thread, I remember one of the Doctors having problems with it, so he smacked his fist onto the console, the red ball flew up into the air and he caught it in his hand. Was that Tom Baker? I can't remember for sure. It always gave me the giggles. Melanie

I honestly don't know, Melanie. I remember Davison's Doctor rapping the brand new "blinking mushroom of death" in the "Five Doctors" when the doors failed to open, but that was part of part of the script (and the now cubicle red knob stayed in place). It seems a gag that would have worked well with Doctor # 4, but I just can't remember. Can you remember any part of the adventure? That might help. Sincerely, Bill

No, but the knob on the console just reminded me of the funny scene. It was a long time ago that I saw it. :) Melanie

Well, I completed the last two stations somewhat sooner than I expected. Here's everything "glued" together and rendered in TrueSpace. I've yet to load it into UV Mapper (required before importing into Poser). However, I was rather surprised by the results and felt compelled to show you. Wish me luck with the material assignments! Sincerely, Bill

Oh yeah! It just keeps getting better and better. :) Melanie

Wow! Looking great as expected! :) When's that baby due for release? O.o

Well, looks like I'm going to have to throw my hat in the ring and try to start one from scratch using Ray Dream Studio. Here's my current WIP Modeled in Ray Dream Studio as a hex base and a hex top, run through UV Mapper and then imported into Poser:

Message edited on: 09/11/2004 02:23

Attached Link: http://www.lostin3d.com/Video/TardisConsoleWIP5.avi

Here's a quick Animation using the Poser Cylinder as the column and column lights.

Very strange, but I was thinking about this thread just a little while ago and then suddenly this e-bot popped into my mailbox. Glad to see it's still going. Melanie

Well I'm trying to make mine mostly from Poser Primitives so that the handles and such can be animated in Poser. I had to make the Hexagon Base and Console in Ray Dream Studio though. Unfortunately there's not any way to boolean the primitives in Poser so I'm making it a piece at a time.

Based upon discussions in some recent threads, I've opted to play it conservatively and have removed my "Doctor Who" related free items before I may be given an official "warning". Not that it really means anything in the grand scheme of life, but I'd rather not be penalized for actions that were once deemed acceptable. There are people here I've grown to like, and there is much valued information to be utilized. If I were banned, I would no longer have access to that information or some of my friends. This does not mean I will lock away the files, never to be shared again. Rather, I will seek other venues such as other sites still willing to share fan material. I will let you know what site(s) I have selected. I will not argue Renderosity's decision. As a privately owned site, the administrators have the right to decide what is permitted and what is not (as long as it does not violate state and Federal law). And if the reasons I've been told in confidence are correct, it does make sense. I am, however, saddened that members have been given "marks" against their permanent records after the site owners allowed the "concerned" items to remain for months, if not years. Especially when there's been a "screening" process in place since April 2003. Personally, I do not think that is fair, but again I will not debate the administrators' decisions. If requested, I will remove the "DW" tributes from my gallery should the administrators deem them no longer acceptable. Again, based upon privilaged information, that day will most likely come. Sincerely, Bill

Attached Link: http://www.vanishingpoint.biz/freestuff.asp

My TARDIS console freebie, as well as two other "Doctor Who" items can be found at the link provided. Let us be thankful of JHoagland's generosity for offering the VanishingPoint link portal! Enjoy! Sincerely, Bill