My method of putting a fully modelled, but ever so slightly 'inflated' liquid into a transparent container apparently works as is shown in this demo image:

 

 

Both glasses are the exact same mesh, only the content is different.

By using this method I can quickly make a whole series of variations of volume and tilt angle for that content and its container.

Ain't I a clever bastard? LOL!

Cheers!

Nice work Erik.

 

is this the design app you are using?

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/autodesk-inventor/

Quote - Nice work Erik.

is this the design app you are using?

http://usa.autodesk.com/autodesk-inventor/

Yep, that's the one!

But you could use programs like SolidEdge or SolidWorks or CATIA just as well I think.

The engineering firm I work for and their major clients happen to be using Inventor, so that's what I'm familiar with. Last week I downloaded the 30-day trial, which is a complete suite of programs (450MB download), but I only installed the core application. Worked right away without any troubles.

I haven't looked into it in great detail, but I think you should be able to do this prop modelling work with the 'Light' version just as well as with the (VERY expensive) full version. The time saved by doing hard surface work with a tool MUCH MUCH better suited for it than any mesh editor could ever be should pay for it in no time.

And as far as my experience goes it is by far easier to learn and use, but that could be very different for you of course.

Cheers!

I wouldn't call either of those 'cheap', but I do have a certain interest in your workflow. I was in drafting/autocad for about 8 years (on now antiquated software) and found it much easier than current day modeling apps. Is this where inventor mixes both pedigrees together? 

Quote - I wouldn't call either of those 'cheap', but I do have a certain interest in your workflow. I was in drafting/autocad for about 8 years (on now antiquated software) and found it much easier than current day modeling apps. Is this where inventor mixes both pedigrees together? 

Not really, no.

I still (have to) use AutoCAD from time to time, and I thoroughly hate it to be honest.

Autodesk has a habit of buying out exeptionally good products they could never ever create themselves, and occasionally they don't kill them instantly or in due time. Inventor seems to be fortunate in this respect. But because of its history it doesn't share any roots with other Autodesk products.

I loved its 3D modeling interface from the first day on, what a relief that was after earlier 3D engineering tools we worked with. I have to say its drafting module (that you probably wouldn't use anyway) is not nearly as sophisticated, that's one of the reasons why AutoCAD is still in use today.

As I mentioned before I think Inventor is MUCH easier to learn than the 3D mesh editors I know, but even in my mechanical engineering work I only use perhaps half of what Inventor is capable of, and maybe not even that much. Learning ALL of it is a different matter! But that also goes for Photoshop and similarly powerful software tools.

Cheers!

The big scene I'm working on is being mean and keeps showing me something I screwed up after rendering for 30 minutes so after the 4th restart and finding something else wrong I'm quitting for the night.

To make myself feel better I did a quickie of my main character from the scene.  You can't see it here, but she's holding a katana and a chainsaw.  

Quote - The big scene I'm working on is being mean and keeps showing me something I screwed up after rendering for 30 minutes so after the 4th restart and finding something else wrong I'm quitting for the night.

To make myself feel better I did a quickie of my main character from the scene.  You can't see it here, but she's holding a katana and a chainsaw.  

Zombie hunter. This looks promising! Nice lookin' gal, Brad. 

Quote - The big scene I'm working on is being mean and keeps showing me something I screwed up after rendering for 30 minutes so after the 4th restart and finding something else wrong I'm quitting for the night.

To make myself feel better I did a quickie of my main character from the scene.  You can't see it here, but she's holding a katana and a chainsaw.  

 

Cute character, like the braces. Good work on the skin.

Look forward to the full image.

Quote - There IS a price to pay for all that detail though, these models are really really BIG!

 

So I am very curious Erik, how big are we talking?

Quote - FSMCDesignsSo I am very curious Erik, how big are we talking?

Probably Double D.

Just a rework of an older DS3 scene to use genesis instead of V4 with lots of other small changes.

Quote - > Quote - FSMCDesignsSo I am very curious Erik, how big are we talking?

Probably Double D.

 

Well that ain't that big, LOL.

Been working on my third image for my present series. Still not sure about the lighting -it doesn't help that there seems to be more than one light source in the backdrop I'm using- but I'm more concerned with making the dragon's scales look better. Not sure if they need to be glossier, or if I need to tweak the bump settings. Incidentally, why does Daz have the negative and positive bump setting at -0.20 and 0.20, yet Reality has it as -0.020 and 0.020? Why the extra zero after the decimal point, and does it make any difference? Anyway, any suggestions for getting these dragon scales to 'pop' would be appreciated.

Cheers :)

Quote - Just a rework of an older DS3 scene to use genesis instead of V4 with lots of other small changes.

What top is that Mike?

Attached Link: GWB

Cool mikey im just making more george dubyeah for my story

Attached Link: Fringe

nother using Wert's Lynda Carter Morph

Quote - So I am very curious Erik, how big are we talking?

Well, to give you an idea I can tell you what's inside Lux' resources folders:

Protector objects folder (.ply files) total amount 138 MB,

Crystal decanter and two glasses objects folder (.ply files) 19.8 MB,

Two pairs of pliers objects folder (.ply files) 18.3 MB.

According to MeshLab the decanter model (alone) has 142,433 vertices and 284,862 faces.

STL export from Inventor can be done in one of three default quality settings: High, Medium, and Low, but you can also fine-tune it to your needs. I didn't touch those settings yet, so far I've only applied the High Quality default setting.

Here's another I'm working on.

Getting the model to this stage, including all measurements using a caliper, took me about seven to eight hours (at a leasurely pace). All dimensions are true to the original within about half a millimeter or so.

 

 

Cheers!

A bit clean those look like industial surgical players LOL!

Quote - A bit clean those look like industial surgical players LOL!

 

They are German, what do you expect?

; )

Quote - > Quote - A bit clean those look like industial surgical players LOL!

 

They are German, what do you expect?

; )

 

Good one Erik for real nice stuff!

Quote - > Quote - A bit clean those look like industial surgical players LOL!

They are German, what do you expect?

; )

Vorsprung durch Technik?

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - A bit clean those look like industial surgical players LOL!

They are German, what do you expect?

; )

Vorsprung durch Technik?

 

Du mich auch, Liebchen ; )

Salut touer...

Uploaded a new version of the pliers with better light.

Do have a look at the larger version, here at rendo or at DA, especially for the finely engraved lettering. It's is all geometry, no displacement or normal maps were used.

 

Cheers!

Quote - Just a rework of an older DS3 scene to use genesis instead of V4 with lots of other small changes.

 

This is very nice!! Love the lighting and her skin tone!

How did you get genesis's nails so long?  I can't seem to find the option to grow the nails.

Quck question after seeing how nicely lighting up a backdrop works I am looking to use that prectice more often to reflect exterior scene from inside a house appt ect.

Someone mentioned creating a plane adding the backdrop to it via surface tabs then convering it to light. What I am wondering does one give the plane the same dimentions as the pic one will use?

I have a scene that keeps getting stuck in the same spot with this in the log: 

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying 1 levels of loop subdivision to 14960 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Subdivision complete, got 59840 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying displacement map to 31479 vertices

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Warning: 43] Shape #85 (plymesh): Inconsistent shading normals in 175 triangles

Any idea what this is?  I narrowed down the object from this line "Shape #85 (plymesh): Loading PLY mesh file: 'reality_scene-Resources/objects/001-Harness_001-Harness_HChestStrap_130.ply'..." so I assume it's the chest haress causing problems but I don't know what.  I thought it was smoothing so I turned that off, and there's no subdivision.  Any ideas on how to trouble shoot this further?

 

 

Quote - [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Warning: 43] Shape #85 (plymesh): Inconsistent shading normals in 175 triangles Any idea what this is?

I believe, if I remember correctly, that it isn't something to worry about. It has something to do with the faces of an object, if my memory serves me right.

Quote - I have a scene that keeps getting stuck in the same spot with this in the log:  [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying 1 levels of loop subdivision to 14960 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Subdivision complete, got 59840 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying displacement map to 31479 vertices

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Warning: 43] Shape #85 (plymesh): Inconsistent shading normals in 175 triangles

Any idea what this is?  I narrowed down the object from this line "Shape #85 (plymesh): Loading PLY mesh file: 'reality_scene-Resources/objects/001-Harness_001-Harness_HChestStrap_130.ply'..." so I assume it's the chest haress causing problems but I don't know what.  I thought it was smoothing so I turned that off, and there's no subdivision.  Any ideas on how to trouble shoot this further?

 

 

 

None of those are fatal errors, the mesh seems to have loaded/compiled fine. Is anything else going wrong?

 

(actually, the shading normals thing is a debug message as of yesterday, because it so seldom tells you about actual problems).

Quote - I have a scene that keeps getting stuck in the same spot with this in the log:  [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying 1 levels of loop subdivision to 14960 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Subdivision complete, got 59840 triangles

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying displacement map to 31479 vertices

[2012-08-14 16:34:34 Warning: 43] Shape #85 (plymesh): Inconsistent shading normals in 175 triangles

Any idea what this is?  

These messages are not an indication of any problem. From the messages everything is fine. I'm not denying that you might have a problem, likely it's the displacement. It's just that those messages are not a sign of anything being wrong.

Cheers.

Quote -  (actually, the shading normals thing is a debug message as of yesterday, because it so seldom tells you about actual problems).

The timing of this is quite something isn't it :) We discussed this at length and finally I submitted a quick patch yesterday to remove the message unless you use the special debug option to call Lux.

It's been nicknamed "the coconuts" message. I'll let Jason explain why :)

I guess I asked too complicated of a quetion.... Online forums can be so hit & miss sometimes..

Quote - What top is that Mike?

 

Ole Clubwear by exnem. I had you use a D-form to get the center out, but it's a sweet top/set.

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/exnems-ole-clubwear-v4-a4-gnd-elite-morphs-/81236

Quote -
This is very nice!! Love the lighting and her skin tone!

How did you get genesis's nails so long?  I can't seem to find the option to grow the nails.

 

Thanks! on the nails I use the morphs ++ from V4. I am trying to get 2 other nail packages to be recognized in genX but so far no luck. One thing i do is turn off the parameter limit for the nails and bring them out a little longer.

 

I have all the morphs for genesis, but don't remember if she had any nail morphs, but I do like the finger width dail.

New one from me, not feeling terribly inspired lately. 

'Unauthorized Access' Full size:http://fav.me/d5b8rvz

Not sure what the deal is, but neither on Firefox or Chrome is there an option to make the image appear in a new window (within the little tree option box). Just me?

Edit: Well I'll be a sum B!tch, it works! 

> Quote - > Quote - I have a scene that keeps getting stuck in the same spot with this in the log:  [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying 1 levels of loop subdivision to 14960 triangles > > > > [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Subdivision complete, got 59840 triangles > > > > [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Info: 0] Shape #85 (plymesh): Applying displacement map to 31479 vertices > > > > [2012-08-14 16:34:34 Warning: 43] Shape #85 (plymesh): Inconsistent shading normals in 175 triangles > > > > Any idea what this is?  I narrowed down the object from this line "Shape #85 (plymesh): Loading PLY mesh file: 'reality_scene-Resources/objects/001-Harness_001-Harness_HChestStrap_130.ply'..." so I assume it's the chest haress causing problems but I don't know what.  I thought it was smoothing so I turned that off, and there's no subdivision.  Any ideas on how to trouble shoot this further? > > > >   > > > >   > >   > > None of those are fatal errors, the mesh seems to have loaded/compiled fine. Is anything else going wrong? > >   > > (actually, the shading normals thing is a debug message as of yesterday, because it so seldom tells you about actual problems).

The problem is that the scene never starts rendering.  It stays exactly like in this image until I end lux in task manager. That message about shape #85 is always the last thing in the log.

Have you tried ticking memory conservative and or export only then fire it up? This works great for memory heavy scenes..

Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

Quote - > Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

 

I have fixed many issues like that Paolo can you please answer my question posted a bit up about using images on planes converted to light pretty please :)

Quote - > Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

Removing the displacment maps (the object has 10 materials and about 5 had the maps) fixed it.  What exactly am I losing from my image by not having the displacement maps?

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

Removing the displacment maps (the object has 10 materials and about 5 had the maps) fixed it.  What exactly am I losing from my image by not having the displacement maps?

Was it viewable in that other image you posted? What a displacement map does is displace your mesh a bit to give it geometrical depth. You can do without in most instances, though if you know how to convert your bump map to a normal, you can do without the bump map and displacement entirely. I've learned that Lux loves a proper Normal map. 

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

 

I have fixed many issues like that Paolo can you please answer my question posted a bit up about using images on planes converted to light pretty please :)

Bob, your background and primitive plane will not coordinate in sizes within studio (Studio thinks in a much different unit of measurement than pixels). Either the texture you apply to your plane will stretch, or you'll need to scale your primitive accordingly. 

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - > Quote - Memory conservative is checked and also collect textures at full size.  It seems to be related to that one specific object. I removed it from the scene and it starts right away. Of course it's an essential part of the outfit so I can't just leave it out and need to find out what's wrong.

Have you tried removing the displacement map from it?

 

I have fixed many issues like that Paolo can you please answer my question posted a bit up about using images on planes converted to light pretty please :)

Bob, your background and primitive plane will not coordinate in sizes within studio (Studio thinks in a much different unit of measurement than pixels). Either the texture you apply to your plane will stretch, or you'll need to scale your primitive accordingly. 

 

Finally thank you Il fart around with it, its easy enough to run lux quick render tests

Quote - Removing the displacment maps (the object has 10 materials and about 5 had the maps) fixed it. 

So the next step is to restore the maos but use less subdivision. How many levels of subdivision were younusing? Remember that each levek quadruples the number of polygons. Very likely you were hitting your memory limit. Lowering the number of subdivisions might solve your problem. That or buying more RAM :)

Attached Link: Lynda Carter

Just another Lynda render....

Following on from my previous render "Friday Night Fun" I thought I'd show my typical attire for the rest of the week.

DS/Reality2
Model: PD Claudia V4.
Hair: Melody Hair
Outfit: EvilInnocence BabyT, Sickle Straight Leg Jeans, Shoe Pack 5 Sandals.
Set: Dark Side of the City.
Tink artwork by Rainbow Crispy (DA).

Enjoy,

Abi.

Sharky or anyone else that runs GPU: Strangely enough, I was in the mood to give it another go last night, but checking just the GPU function, not slg, would outright crash Lux once it loaded my cards into the log. I had the workgroup set to 64. Anything else I'm missing? Driver is very latest for nivida, and am using lux rc3. 

As was to be expected I had the same problem with these insulation jackets over the plier handles as with the wine inside the glass.

Scaled them up a tiny bit to get some clearance, but, as with the wine, that also moves them around a bit : (

Therefore they need some fine tuning, but since there's still some detailing to be done to finish them up that's no big deal.

 

 

Cheers!

Are you going to share those props with us, or are you teasing us :)

It looks very good indeed!