New September Terragen class registration open

[brittmccary]

September registration is now open for the Terragen for beginners class at www.lvsonline.com. The course lasts for 6 weeks, with a new lesson posted every Saturday during this period. The first lesson will be posted August 29th. The classroom opens on August 24th to give us some time to meet and greet. Here is where you can sign up:

http://www.lvsassociates.com/register/product_info.php?cPath=1_37&products_id=217

The Terragen class is updated according to the newest programme version, new navigation, sun positioning tool, new shaders, etc. Hope to see you there.

Britt

[Henry Blewer]

Don't quite know what to say, it seems very basic...

[Tangled-Universe]

Don't quite know what to say, it seems very basic...

Perhaps, but if you look at the questions often asked by beginners here there definitely seems to be a market for this.
This board (tg2 discussion) contains dozens of topics which all deal with "my render looks bad, I have a grainy sky, how do I constrict layers, what is GI, etc. etc. etc."....
Courses like these which cover the basics of all these aspects can be very useful then.

"Best" would be to try to teach it yourself and search the forums, but paying 30 bucks then in order to get started a bit easier doesn't sound too bad either.

Martin

[Henry Blewer]

Actually I thought the price was good. But covering menu items and stuff... I teach dorm residents where I work that stuff in five minutes. I give computer lessons to the people I work with for free. Some of them are pretty have limited intelligence, but they can pick this up easily.

[rcallicotte]

This is a good group and I found when I took this class everything depended on the students' excitement and willingness to learn (and ask questions).

I agree with TU.  This is a useful idea and it's worth the time.  

When I took this class, I already knew way more than you do now, njeneb.  It was a refreshing opportunity to understand things I might not have grasped and it opened opportunities to understand basics I didn't grasp as well as I thought I did.

[Henry Blewer]

I have been thinking about it most of the day. It would not hurt to have more information from someone else's perspective. If the course is offered after I have bought the full version, I may go for it. Sometimes I close my mind to things; hopefully, usually I can make myself more flexible and open to new ideas. It's difficult, since I have been practicing my 'crotchity old man' for sometime.

[brittmccary]

I am by no means a "super terragener". I have however used Terragen since version 0.7 something - and have stumbled in most of the road blocks there are. I also happen to be a pretty good teacher, - who doesn't mind to share the errors I have made as well as the successes I have.

The Terragen classes have been running for at least a couple of years, now. And my estimate is (too lazy to count ) that at least a couple of hundred students have been through the classes. Some have even found it worthwhile to come visit again.

I think that for new Terragen users it has shown to be a good way to get started. Not everyone likes to "drill down" in new stuff on their own. Besides, we are actually having a lot of fun!

Britt

*waving to calico* Good to see you! Did you have a nice summer?

[Henry Blewer]

I hope I did not make you mad Mr. McCary. I did not mean to criticize your class, I was looking at the course syllabus. Good teaching is hard to find. One of my failings is I think everyone knows as much as I (not that much actually). But I have this Jeffersonian view of people. I will most likely take your course someday. Even if the content is something I think I know, differing viewpoints and experience would be a benefit.
I am also looking for help with certain functions and methods in Terragen 2. When I did not see what I was looking for, I jumped and inserted my foot into my mouth. Again, I apologize.

[rcallicotte]

Hi Britt.  Yes, I did...pretty exhausting, though.  Anyway, I'm back up and running. 

Have any plans in the future for a Terragen 2 project class or something specifically focused on something like, maybe, animation?   

*waving to calico* Good to see you! Did you have a nice summer?

[brittmccary]

No offence taken, njeneb!  It is easy to swerve into the ditch that "that looks easy". Been there, done that. Wanna see my T? *lol* B.t.w, I am not a Mr.  The name might sound masculine, but Britt is a pure Scandinavian female name, and I am imported to the US from Norway. (thereby my accent, which sometimes shines through when I write)

calico - yes. I am constantly thinking about either a project oriented Terragen class, or an "intermediate" class. However, - these software developers sure keep us busy with their new upgrades. *lol* (not that I am complaining!!! - but they create a lot of work)

Would you have any suggestions for a syllabus or an angle? I would think that a pure technique oriented class would be a bit boring. How about a more "challenge" oriented? Or something totally different.

Maybe we could make a new thread for this?

Britt

[Henry Blewer]

Britt, I like the idea of a challenge. The recent NWDA contest really generated a lot of discussion and sharing. I learned a lot trying, even if my submission was not 'up to par'.
I am really sorry if I ruffled anyone's feathers. It's a family trait, and got us kicked out of England back in the 1680's.
We would like to see some of your work!

[rcallicotte]

@Britt - Another thread might be better so we don't confuse anyone looking to take the September class.  But, a challenge with certain perimeters so everyone in the class is on the same page, while having learning goals at the same time sounds very good.  I'm pretty sure you have a great imagination from the last time I worked with you.  What do you think?