Here is an image i'm making for the 3DVF contest . The topic of the contest is : what if the computer had been invented in the beginning of the 20th century ? Well, this one is not really a computer, more like the first gaming console ! The image is still in progress . It's very long to render, due to the screen part : lots of lights, reflections and transparency . So the anti-aliasing is really basic on this render and the number of reflections/transparency levels are limited too . The bulbs of the screen will render much better in the final render, hopefully . I'm planning to add some cables that come from the screen and go to the control panel . Also, i'll have to find a workaround for the bug you can see on the chains : the distant fog doesn't render through transparency . Any ideas ( no touch up allowed ) ? I'm waiting for your comments and advices ! litst litst.@freesbee.fr http://www.chez.com/litst/

Very clever. I like it. Neat idea for a contest, too. Kind of reminds me of some of the technology from "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (sort of). The theme also makes me think of the steam-powered robot in "Mr. Hero".

It's very intricate and satiric like the hostile pseudo-modern technology in "Brazil" (Terry Gilliam) One might just use real chain objects instead of transparency. we have several for Poser, and they can be straight or curved in the typical catenary fashion.

looks great...not bad for 64 megs of ram :) I know I should be looking at the screen and the computer but for some reason I keep looking at the roof. I really like the architecture..its so big and bright, yet so gloomy all at once. Isnt it weird how you can become fascinated with a part of a picture and not care about the pictures focus?

Nice litst.

Thanks for you comments :) Brent- the architecture is inspired by the Austerlitz train station in Paris . I think (not sure) it has been made at the end of the 19th century . litst

Why do the levers have brakes? :) Love the image. DESKTOP!

Awsome image litst, no wonder your the moderator.The window in the background is incredible. As soon as you fix the chains this will be perfect. You rock man! Great work, kaom

Very nice. Excellent atmosphere! Clint

Litst, i love you'r pong machine, it's awesome. Great work. Can i have it.

Very nice. Strong sense of mood. You should see the size of the coin that this game runs on... big as a manhole cover, it is! I think Miss Nancy is right about the chains; you'll probably have to model them. You've already got a shader for them, don't you? I look forward to seeing the final image. Jim Z. a.k.a. Julian Boolean

I like it, the lighting and shading is very good. It almost makes me think that something very evil is going on in the back were the light is bright.

Really neat! Great idea and the composition is perfect.

Thanks for your kind comments, guys and girls . Hoborg - so those things are brakes ??? Good, now i know :) Why i've made some ? Well, if i put them off, the levers don't look like levers anymore to me . About the chains : i can't model them because my computer doesn't have enough horsepower for that . So i've used some simple rectangles with my chains shader . When i'll find a workaround to the transparency bug, i think they will do the trick . It's almost done now, so i'll probably have something to show tomorrow . Thanks again ! litst

It's seriously cool litst. I kept going back to look at it, so I gave in and started using it as wall paper (hope you don't mind). Dangerous to do in an engineering lab... we want to figure out how to build it for real.

I've been giving some thought to your transparency problem. Is it possible you have the refraction turned on? That might be the problem, as I've done that on many occasions myself. Good luck. LOVE the idea.

Hey Litst (and Hoborg), If you're able to beat that transparency problem, please share the solution. I was working on a helicopter some time ago and was using the wires function in the transparency channel to create a blurred rotor blade. This presented a problem with the distance fog in the scene - much like the chains in your illustration. I haven't been able to make any of the VL or atmospheric effects render properly when looking through a transparent object and I'd love to see a solution.

The main render is done :) It took 9 hours in 1152x1536 ! Now i got to render the chains and their mask for compositing because of that transparency bug . Julian Boolean, my workaround might be good for my problem but not for yours . Did you try to render the background of your scene (with the fog) and then use the render as a backdrop for the foreground of your scene ? I hope it's clear ;) I'll post the image soon . litst

Here it is ! This is the image i'll enter to the 3DVF contest, with no touch up . I'll post another version in the gallery because i want to tweak the levels, add depth of field, glare and noise in post-render . Hope you like it ! And thanks for your suggestions :) litst litst.@freesbee.fr http://www.chez.com/litst/

Excellent job, Litst. The stovepipe on the back of the machine really brings the components together and the chains LOOK fully modeled. Regarding the use of a backdrop, I was unaware of that technique when I was working on the helicopter - although I did use it to create depth of field in my 15 minute cheese can if you have the courage to look. It never occurred to me to use it in the way you did. Bravo. Jim Z. a.k.a. Julian Boolean

Excellent job as always litst! I like that it's in something of a hanger too! It gives it that pseudo-military look. Good luck with the contest and let us know how you finish up! Jared