rhino is a great program..but it costs out the wazoo..somewhere in the 4-digit range. now if you're really serious, and it's an investment, go for it. I think that you could start with the freebies just to get the concepts down, then work your way up through commercial stuff like Truespace, Maya (does Maya model?) and Lightwave, etc., on your way to Rhino..everyone's different, just take it at your own pace.

DAZ is working on one..though if you read the fine print, you notice that it doesn't save either, until version 2, later this year. Neither version is expected out until Summer or so. (If Daz wants to correct me and bring it out earlier, just say the word..;). The Japanese have a similar program called Shade, but it's likely to be just as expensive.

funny..my renders usually come out looking just like this..must be my mats..;) Even your penmanship is good..

thanks..I'm still a little shaky on conversions, but I suspected it was more than my typical 30 minute renders..;) I'm sure they'd do fine as textures or mats..you're on to something here...

Hmmm...according to my database, I have 82 of your freebies (don't worry, a lot of those are dupes..;) I think I'm covered for now..but await the next installment..;) And get some sleep!..;)

I dunno..never been rich enough to get on one..;) I guess (and this is a guess), that 30-50' would be about right..once again, I'm just eyeballin' it..;) you can see some lifeboats in Pic on post #2, as you can see, there are more of them, and they're shorter than on your original model, which is how I'd look at the sense of scale. Don't know if there's a standard for lifeboat size, but working off that pic, maybe from the lampposts, or even if you can see a human being on the deck (I think I can, but my eyesight isn't what it used to be..;). There's got to be something about lifeboats on the Web somewhere..(just ignore all the URL's for the Hitchcock movie..;) good luck.

don't have that much left..;)Wings3d Hardness, huh? I like the idea that you can drag individual points in any direction, that's very interesting (yes, you can do it in Amapi too..;)..have to try it out. If they don't release a new version of Wings in the next 5 minutes and I have to load it all over again..;) (they once came out with 2 upgrades in 14 hours..;) Have to admit they clamp down on bugs like a duck after same..;)

ah well, that's 2 more to add to my collection of 'useless' downloads (getting close to a total of 10,000 total, and CD 50 will be done by tonight..;)

well, it does help keep my 'air hocky' skills up..I have to do the same thing with the mouse to get to the commands..;)

Land sakes, 'Sam's'..what are you doing up at 5:30 on a Sunday morning!?..;) you're going to give us 'lazy' artists a bad name, we have a reputation to keep down..;)
On the other hand, we appreciate the dedication and effort..I especially like the way she can adjust the 'lens flare' on the camera..;) Great stuff..off to add it to the collection..;) (off..whistling 'Girls on Film'...;)

I got Amapi 5.15 from Computer Art mag, last time they put out Maya, I heard that the word 'Maya' was plastered from top to bottom on any render, and there were other limits as well..is it still that way?

Heh..you'll only be 2 hours from me by 40 (the longest, most boring stretch on the east coast)..it's where they filmed Dawson's Creek, so you can go by the Studio (on Airport Rd, or 25th st., I forget which..;). And all the beaches you could want, both north and south of you, on NC 17..Outer Banks, all sorts of fun stuff..have fun.

you can't have too many textures (recent count, I have 1,218..consisting, I think, of about 400 unique items..hate dupes, dangit..;) Bring 'em on..;) What's the render times on those? I've gotten exponentially longer times to render, depending on the number of volumetrics I use

yer a brave person..I wouldn't let anything sharp and metallic lie on the top of my scanner (well, the missus', hence the caution..;) welcome to the club..drop by anytime..we're always open
-Young Frankenstien..;)

not to worry..I have a good idea of what I'm looking for..I just get things in the way sometimes. I've seen Bryce stuff since, oh 2001, so I got it with the intention of being able 'to do stuff like that'. As for bad pics, there was a thread a while back on 'your first Bryce pic', very humbling to all..;) The big thing is to experiment, to actually read (and not just download) the tutorials..and take more than 2 hours on each pic (my usual, since I'm at work most of the time..;) Maybe I'll try something different next time. Sometimes you do something, and it works out..