The Moon Of Machines

Started by DocCharly65, November 05, 2021, 06:29:59 AM

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WAS

#15
Did you ever see my topic about fake SSS?  It's a lot faster but requires the creation of map for what you want subsurfacey.

Here it is: https://planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,27494.msg273088.html#msg273088

Essentially, using a transmission map you merge between just a default shader, and the SSS, or a default shader faking SSS glow with transparency. This speeds up render time a whole lot more than using density of glass itself, as even what's very dense still has a lot of unneeding SSS calculations.

I also feel it comes out more realistic and less like a doll and plastic, or wax. SSS for realism should use SSS maps, additionally, we need to control the SSS colour tint which isn't even available yet (ears having a more intense colour than say the cheeks so it's not a uniform tone).

DocCharly65

Sorry folks, the effort for "just one hobby" has meanwhile become too great.

I started all this just for fun and to do just a small vid of approx. 5-6 minutes without sense  and special aim.
Meanwhile my demands on myself and on the quality of the animations are far out of everything that makes sense. Every 2 or 3 months I could delete everything I made in the past and restart rendering. My first animations were AA3 and good enough. Meanwhile I render almost all in AA8/10 or even 12 and I am still not satisfied. Next step would have started tonight in rerendering all in PT... a neverending story.

I'd say enough is enough. I have proven what I wanted to prove (ok  - in reality I've proven the opposite): A single person cannot create a movie of the length and quality like George Lucas does films. One man cannot do what usually is be done by several 1000s of people.

I MUST stop this now because it's meanwhile mentaly not good for me any more and financial it's so far not a real problem - but if I never started this hobby I could efford to retire working 3-4 yeras earlier! (Only examples: 4-5k $ for CGTrader models, same for Turbosquid, including dies PCs it must have been  approx. 10.000$ for PC equipment. 3-4k $ renderfarms and last but not least 25.000 $ energy costs.)

You have seen right. My YT Channel, all contents are deleted and/or formated (including all HDD savings - ok you can't have seen that...). Necessary! Or would you leave a hidden reserve of dope for a junkie on withdrawal? So I close this chapter. I don't regret the 10 years TG, but I will end my addictive obsession now. And believe me. You don't end an addiction by saying to yourself "just a little less Terragen, then it's okay". Stop means stop. But I won't just disappear without saying "good bye" and "thanks" to all of you helping, motivating and sometimes just joking and having fun.

CU,
Nils

WAS

It's a little depressing to hear, as your work has always been a great inspiration, and incorporated so much nostalgia from growing up. However if this "hobby" (and I say that lightly as I totally understand where you are coming from) is causing you stress, and hardship and you want to be done with it, I can only support that and hope things get better. Just know, I don't say this just for myself, WE appreciate your work and have admired it. Thank you for sharing with us.

Dune

I sent you a pm, Nils. Very sad to hear this, and I wish you all the best!

Hannes

Holy cow, that was quite unexpected, Nils! :o
I'm sad to hear all that, but I think, I understand what you mean. It may become a real obsession to improve things more and more without an end in sight. When you can't manage to take a break anymore for example, then it might be the right decision to quit all this and see, how life changes (hopefully).
I guess, it's not only the money you spent, but also a lot of time. Lifetime.
So, it's heartbreaking, but I wish you all the best, old chap. Brothers in animation I'd say... :)

Jo Kariboo

Hello Nils,
I'm sorry for you. Passions sometimes lead us into financial dead ends of depression etc. It is true that it is sometimes difficult to stop taking a break from a passion, etc.
You have a lot of talent. You have proven it to us all and no one can say otherwise.
I wish you the best for you.

DocCharly65

Thanks friends :)
I thank you for understanding my decision and for all the support I got here. A little Farewell present will come when I have got a little distance. All renders will come together to a last film. It would be a shame to let all gone lost completely. But I anyway didn't want to become famous. 10 fans who liked it would have been enough. On my YT channel I had to gain the terrible realization, that that stupid little Airwolf animation had almost 90,000 clicks and the people started to order changes like in a warehouse: "Add that famous car, add another TV show that I know, the landing gears are mounted in the wrong direction, where's Mc Gyver?, why are there no tanks?, why is nobody shooting?, ... " People are no longer able to simply enjoy something but have to categorize it because they know everything better. That is why people now say, for example: Germany consists of 80 million professional footballers and football coaches, all of whom could do better than the national coach. :)

I'm not really frustrated but tired about all this. The energy to be creative - even to have the will to be creative is used up.

Another thing: I just have to disagree about the talent ;) . Perhaps I can tell funny stories and make nonsense to plausible wisdoms for people with a similar humor like me. But real artistic accomplishments and the little for TG necessary mathematic basics are only possible for me if I invest everything + 120%. Too much for a hobby.

And it will be a relaxing time when I learn again to enyoy a e.g. park with trees, flowers and butterflies in the nature without that arrogance to say "no problem I can create that, too - how many polygons?"
Perhaps I'll use the time to start all my LEGO (and alternative) sets...

And as I said. Give me some weeks and stay tuned a last time for a last film. I'll post a cloud link for a while here when it's time.
Thanks again for all.
CU

Dune

I have to disagree with your disagreement, Nils. Talent comes in gradients and flavors and I rate yours very high. I just wish you fare well and get some undigitalization in real nature! CU indeed, I hope.....

sboerner

Sorry to hear this news. But a life out of balance is not good. Good for you for seeing this. 

It's also good that you have no regrets about the time and effort spent on your "little" project. You have a wonderful sense of humor, and much, much talent. Thank you for giving us a front-row seat.

Good luck to you!

masonspappy

Hi Nils, kind of hate you made this decision because I've always enjoyed your animations, and they have prompted me at times to scratch my head and ask "how in heck did he do that?" But I really do hope this works out well for you.

Kadri

Sad to hear this Nils! But i think i can understand you.
As i was working on my old animation for 2 years or so it was frustrating from time to times.
I wish you well and good luck Nils.