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General => Contests => NWDA 2013 Theme Challenge - Roadside => Topic started by: yossam on February 26, 2013, 04:47:32 PM

Title: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on February 26, 2013, 04:47:32 PM
It's a start..............
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on February 27, 2013, 04:04:19 AM
Definitely. I'd make it single track to start with, and/or perhaps blend the way the tracks are displaced down by a fractal (size 2/100/0.5 or so), so it's a bit more randomized. Just add the displacer of those tracks (inside the gravel road node, I believe) as a child to a surface shader and blend that by that fractal. 
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on February 28, 2013, 01:52:29 AM
And another start................
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 03, 2013, 01:51:13 AM
A low res rendition....................
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 05, 2013, 01:07:16 PM
Still working.........................
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: cyphyr on March 05, 2013, 06:21:19 PM
I like the autumnal look. Try softening the colours and see if you can find (it's on the forums somewhere) a way of varying the colour of the leaveson each tree.
Richard
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: TheBadger on March 06, 2013, 02:13:56 AM
I like what you have got started.
But believe it or not I am feeling partial to the first image you posted. I like the feel of the dead look. But if you can make the fall scene look real, that will be real nice.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 07, 2013, 04:42:23 PM
I was not happy with the progress of the first try, so here we go again.

Suggestions are most welcome.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: FrankB on March 07, 2013, 04:50:44 PM
I think this is a pleasant scene. Is has potential for you to explore. Can you render a larger high quality crop, to see how the vegetation looks like?
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Tangled-Universe on March 07, 2013, 04:53:15 PM
Yes I like these kind of concepts with a dirt road :)

I have the feeling the space in the image is a bit small, that there isn't much sense of scale and everything seems to be close to the camera.
You can fix this relatively easy by adjusting the scale of your underlying terrain, if that's possible in your current setup so that you won't affect your road too much.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: cyphyr on March 07, 2013, 04:54:30 PM
Reminds me of walks in Scotland up to the Grouse Moors. Even remember being chased by a bee as a child along a path very much like that :)
Richard
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 07, 2013, 10:54:48 PM
A crop of veggies..............light still is not right in my opinion.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on March 08, 2013, 02:46:49 AM
It's going to look like a loch, the ones I remembered from Shetland/Scotland and where we caught eel to eat. In Shetland there would be a lot of grass and peaty ridges. If you would add that grass to the far top, and put some large rocks at the water's edge, you go a step further again. At least stop the heather at the water's edge. You might want to google 'loch' and get some ideas.....

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dt-yVhrpSGo/TOpZ6EXzSpI/AAAAAAAAAIM/Pn7m-2FZzM4/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dt-yVhrpSGo/TOpZ6EXzSpI/AAAAAAAAAIM/Pn7m-2FZzM4/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Oshyan on March 08, 2013, 03:15:42 AM
I like this new start, quite realistic-looking already, to my eye. I agree there are potential scale issues, but the basis is very good, and conceptually I like the dirt road/path curving over the hill, it suggests to the viewer a question, an adventure, "what is over that hill?". The water is I think good to add some interest and suggest a reason to walk this way (around the lake/loch?), but it also flattens things a lot compositionally on that side, and is a bit boring perhaps. Not entirely sure how to fix that.

But again, overall a great start.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Tangled-Universe on March 08, 2013, 06:15:00 AM
The water is also one of the tools to 'set' the scales of your scene. In this case you may consider reducing wave scale a bit.

I think at this stage and in regard to the lighting and how it turns out on the vegetation you may already need to think about where you want to go in terms of exposure.

At this moment both atmosphere and surface are exposed correctly, but practically only one of both would be.
So when you expose for vegetation then the sky will be overlit and could look completely bright as if overcast.
When you would expose for atmosphere then shadows in vegetation and on surfaces would be stronger.

Practically speaking this is not complicated fortunately.
If you would expose for atmosphere then dial down the "strength on surfaces" parameter in the enviro light.
This will darken the GI on surfaces, giving more contrasting shadows.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 08, 2013, 11:44:32 AM
Made some adjustments....................
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 08, 2013, 05:10:53 PM
Low quality render, nothing optimized at the moment.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 10, 2013, 10:21:07 PM
Lighting sucks, any suggestions ?
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Jo Kariboo on March 10, 2013, 10:37:53 PM
Personally I prefer your image contest21crop.   :)  I am not sure for the monster in water. Perhaps worked over again the background of the contest21crop.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Oshyan on March 10, 2013, 10:47:21 PM
Hmm yes, I really prefer Contest21crop.jpg and feel it kind of veered off course after that. Latest versions have a very green tone to them, and feel very "muddy", compared to the sharp, detailed look of Contest21crop.jpg. If you can bring back that lighting and atmo, then add in the mist (white not green?) and perhaps the overcast-ish sky...

Just my 2 cents, though. Personal preference, no doubt. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 11, 2013, 02:44:49 AM
Hopefully this is better...............
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 11, 2013, 07:15:00 AM
Bigger of the previous post
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 16, 2013, 12:22:37 AM
My dinosaur of a computer finally finished this. Original at 1920X960, 31.5 hours and change.

Quality:.7
AA:6
Sun:1
Camera exposure:2.5
GI:3/3/8

I know the reeds need to be about half the size, and the water is too noisy. What other recommendations ..............?
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: TheBadger on March 17, 2013, 04:07:07 AM
Looks good Yossam.


I like the lower clouds a lot, they look especially nice.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: FrankB on March 18, 2013, 09:22:06 AM
I like this one best http://www.planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,15745.msg153504.html#msg153504


This had something that made this shot quite photo real in my view, and you have lost some of it along the way.
It's something about the scales and colors in this. But also, the bluesky looks more realistic than the later images with clouds.
Not sure how anyone else feels about it, but I mustsay I like that one best.


-Frank
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Oshyan on March 19, 2013, 01:40:45 AM
Frank, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Subsequent images often seem to have a greenish tint to them.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: TheBadger on March 19, 2013, 02:55:55 AM
^^Yes. But compositionally the last image is stronger. If you kept iterations as separate files, yossam, perhaps you can go back to the earlier versions but also keep your composition like in the last post.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on March 19, 2013, 03:23:55 AM
Agree as well. Maybe keep it simple without too much atmospheric stuff and Nessie monsters. Concentrate on realistic vegetation/surface from a compository well balanced image, like you started out with.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 19, 2013, 03:32:45 AM
Played around with the mist.............this is lo res, low quality. Bigger one rendering, will post later.


I like Nessie  :P


Nessie will not be in the final render, that is for my next door neighbors' son. He is at the dinosaur (monster) stage.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 19, 2013, 05:09:01 PM
Same iteration, just bigger and higher quality.


This contest has made me realize how badly I need a new computer.  ::)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: FrankB on March 19, 2013, 06:40:19 PM
Quote from: yossam on March 19, 2013, 05:09:01 PM
Same iteration, just bigger and higher quality.


This contest has made me realize how badly I need a new computer.  ::)

This reminds me that next time we should try and get Intel on board as a sponsor ;-)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Oshyan on March 19, 2013, 06:47:42 PM
Yes, Frank! :D

- Oshyan
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 19, 2013, 07:13:19 PM
Is this one any better ?


Anybody.......................................... ;)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Gannaingh on March 19, 2013, 07:47:21 PM
I like it. The larger size allows the detail you have to be seen much better. The shadows are kinda lacking in detail; I'm having the same problem with my contest renders at the moment.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on March 20, 2013, 03:32:08 AM
It is, I like the last one much better that the ones before that. The reduced mist helps. Maybe some more grasses and shrub (species) in the closer area, not making it denser, but more varied. That's all I can think of at the moment.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 22, 2013, 11:14:44 AM
Render time 25 hours and change.


Quality:.7
AA:6
GI:3,3,8


If I start on the final now, it might be finished by the deadline.  :o
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on March 22, 2013, 12:15:44 PM
25 hours! That's along time. Ancient machine? For a small size like this, maybe detail 0.6 or 0.65 may do, as well as less GI (deafult). Try some crops with different settings before you start your final render. Would be too bad if the last bucket finishes an hour after deadline.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: zaxxon on March 22, 2013, 02:11:27 PM
Some nice things going on in the image. Seems a combination of denser haze and shadows poses some challenges for TG, I also am having some issues with that. But I like the overall mood and composition and you're MUCH further along then I am!
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Jo Kariboo on March 22, 2013, 05:45:14 PM
Yes it is better. I like vegetation in water and the mountain in the bacground but I prefer the version of "contest 21crop".
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on March 25, 2013, 12:56:15 AM
This is the final, just smaller. No post, just converted to .jpg.


I have to do a small amount of post on the .exr and will send it to NWDA.
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: Dune on March 25, 2013, 02:24:03 AM
Great, now cross your fingers and wait for the outcome.....
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: FrankB on March 25, 2013, 05:18:38 AM
Good job, Yossam! We hope you enjoyed the journey  :)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: inkydigit on March 27, 2013, 03:58:43 PM
great job!
an excellent scene you have created!
:)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: yossam on April 04, 2013, 06:46:52 PM
Yea, broke a thousand views................................ 8)
Title: Re: yossam's contest ideas
Post by: choronr on April 05, 2013, 12:01:17 AM
Quote from: FrankB on March 19, 2013, 06:40:19 PM
Quote from: yossam on March 19, 2013, 05:09:01 PM
Same iteration, just bigger and higher quality.


This contest has made me realize how badly I need a new computer.  ::)

This reminds me that next time we should try and get Intel on board as a sponsor ;-)

I live just a little less than 3 miles from the original Intel plant on Chandler Boulevard and Rural road.