My latest Art Project

[Robbie]

forgot to mention my mesh density...its not very high at all...I'm relying on some of the new mental ray shader effects to do most of the work...for example, I have absolutely no modelled in chamfered edges...all my edge chamfering is done with the rounded edges mr_A&D shader effect. It even has a blend with other materials option, so I can create a clean merge between two pieces of geometry just by overlapping them...which you can see where the compass housing merges into the compass base, and also where the little cylinders that hold the gnomon in place merge with the sundial face.

Here's a screenshot of my workspace and a high resolution render of the current model. As you can tell, its not really that dense except for the number of segments on all the circular pieces...none of the chamfering is modelled which really makes things easier to work with.

Also from this high res, the bump map on the glass is a bit too intense...gonna have to reconsider it.

[töff]

absolutely no modelled in chamfered edges

I noticed those. They're a great touch! I almost asked how you had modelled them.

my mesh density...its not very high at all...

Doesn't need to be, the way you're doing it. Dense meshes are a soak of resources. I don't have a nice enough compy to do anything with them.

chamfering is done with the rounded edges mr_A&D shader effect. It even has a blend with other materials option, so I can create a clean merge between two pieces

That sure is handy! Obviously there's quite a bit I need to explore in the new Max.

[pyrandon]

This is amazing to me. I can't believe I know somebody who actually does this high quality of work. Just incredible!

[töff]

this high quality of work

The work is excellent, and kudos to the worker. But some credit has to go to the software, too. Here's a piece I did in Max several years back ... http://lattice.mysteryandmagic.com/d.../151/12280.jpg ... you can really get some wonderful results if you have the right tools, and know how to use them! Sounds like Arcana is really mastering Max. I struggle. I've stuggled since, I think, v3. It's the only piece of software that has ever intimidated me with its power. It makes Photoshop look like Wordpad.

[edit] I should admit up front, I stole the naked-girl mesh from Poser. I'm nowhere close to a good enough mesh modeller to create such a thing!

[töff]

But to get something close to back on topic ...

I ask about mesh density because, of course, many of us play with 3D terrain renders, height maps, etc. Max does those with displace modifers, and to get decent results you need really high mesh densities. (That puts Max at a disadvantage to proggies like, e.g., Bryce, which seems to handle them much more easily.) The same modifier applies to doing an engraved brass compass face. I just never had any success with high-density meshes, probably because of lack of processor power.

I guess I am wondering if the mental ray techniques used on this piece would be applicable to terrain maps?

[ravells]

You might not know this, toff, but Arcana does 3d modelling for a living...so he's very good at it

[töff]

.so he's very good at it

No argument from me. Cheers!

(Shh, I'm pickinig his brains.)