Planetside Software Forums

General => Image Sharing => Topic started by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 04:21:45 PM

Title: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 04:21:45 PM
I was fascinated by the ' stratbyimage' .tgd file by Schmeerlap (John Robertson - thanks John); and created this fantasy scene. These UFOs may exist; but, I've never seen one.

Thanks to Thelby for the UFO file; and, Wallie for the vegetation.

Enjoy...

Bob
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: inkydigit on November 26, 2010, 04:49:06 PM
I love this Bob!
especially the rock wall detail!
cheers
Jason
:)
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: FrankB on November 26, 2010, 04:54:15 PM
very cool, I mean VERY cool, Bob!  :)
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Tangled-Universe on November 26, 2010, 04:55:53 PM
That looks pretty awesome Bob! ;D
Great work!
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Naoo on November 26, 2010, 04:58:02 PM
Hi

Yes, very nice and cool!


ciao
Naoo
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 04:58:46 PM
Thank you so much guys, you've made my day.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Seth on November 26, 2010, 06:13:19 PM
great light, very very nice pov (I love the pov), and very good composition ^^
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: dandelO on November 26, 2010, 08:18:31 PM
Something really bothers me about this one, Bob, although, I can't quite nail it down to one point. I agree it is a nice image but, I think there is a lot of atmo' noise, a great deal of uniformed strata layering and, the plants appear to look like alpha planes to me. Also, the sharp cut off of the mountains(those vertical edge parts) are very extreme to be real to me.
I might just be too picky, everyone else seems to think it perfect. Sorry for speaking my mind but I think you have done very much better, composition wise, before.
After all of that, I really do like this pic', those are just a few things bothering me about it, sorry, I hate to be a rain-cloud, I think it might be that the pov is in the entire shadow of one of the terrain features and that's drawing away from the realism for me, it's a hard balancing act when there is no shadow detail, I don't know. ???
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: dandelO on November 26, 2010, 08:23:19 PM
Correction; It may not be atmo noise that's bothering me, I think it might just be shadow detail, in general. It's a hard one for me to specify, because there are no real shadows being cast from the main features but, everything is still in shade. A weird one, to be sure.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 08:33:47 PM
Quote from: dandelO on November 26, 2010, 08:18:31 PM
Something really bothers me about this one, Bob, although, I can't quite nail it down to one point. I agree it is a nice image but, I think there is a lot of atmo' noise, a great deal of uniformed strata layering and, the plants appear to look like alpha planes to me. Also, the sharp cut off of the mountains(those vertical edge parts) are very extreme to be real to me.
I might just be too picky, everyone else seems to think it perfect. Sorry for speaking my mind but I think you have done very much better, composition wise, before.
After all of that, I really do like this pic', those are just a few things bothering me about it, sorry, I hate to be a rain-cloud, I think it might be that the pov is in the entire shadow of one of the terrain features and that's drawing away from the realism for me, it's a hard balancing act when there is no shadow detail, I don't know. ???
Excellent critique Martin. I hesitated a few days making some changes before posting; but, still felt there was something wrong here. I realize that maybe I could have made the strata more irregular as I have in the past (thanks to FrankB). And yes, the plants bothered me the most. Perhaps I should have used some back lighting here. I did increase the plants' reflectivity to help a bit - but, the results were minimal.

Never feel that giving me a critique makes you putting a rain cloud over the my work Martin - I am pleased that you have given me some pointers here that will help in the future to avoid such mistakes.  
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: dandelO on November 26, 2010, 08:44:26 PM
See, I don't even feel you have made any 'mistakes', at all, Bob! Have a look at my images for some mistakes and you will be treated to a banquet! :D
Just something bothers me about the pic', is all. I like the composition, subject matter, geographical reference, in fact, everything about it, really. I just think something is out of kilter, and it is hard to put my finger on exactly what that is.
I'm glad you're not offended, I do seem kind of blaze when, overall, it is a really nice piece.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 09:03:38 PM
I'm beginning to think I should have put a light source opposite the sun set at a low elevation IF there wasn't another high land form behind my back here. In all, it was another learning session that I must keep in mind for the future.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Mahnmut on November 26, 2010, 09:21:36 PM
Hi there,
I just wondered:
If there is something that irritates DandelOs sense of realism, and it isn´t the strata, the atmosphere or any of this,
What else in this image could it be?  ;)

my sense of sci-fi-ism is satisfied at least.

Earnestly, I think the shadow over the complete foreground could add to some irritation, i couldn´t make out the suns direction intuitively.
Maybe it´s the big mothership that throws the Shadow??
By the way, the foreground vegetation looks as if it needn´t be ashamed in the sunlight!
best regards,
Jan
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: dandelO on November 26, 2010, 09:36:02 PM
Quote from: Mahnmut on November 26, 2010, 09:21:36 PM
Maybe it´s the big mothership that throws the Shadow??

Nailed it, Jan! That's it! :D

Like I said, I'm not quite sure what bothers me here, however, I do like it a lot.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 10:02:23 PM
Thank you friends. I never expected too many visits on this one ...now, I'll sleep well tonight.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: RArcher on November 26, 2010, 10:12:02 PM
It's a great composition Bob, nice work.  Like DandelO, the fuzzy/grain in the shadow on the rock face is a bit bothersome.  I'm not sure if overall detail, or higher GI would be the solution though.  Either way the render time would go up considerably.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 10:33:56 PM
Quote from: RArcher on November 26, 2010, 10:12:02 PM
It's a great composition Bob, nice work.  Like DandelO, the fuzzy/grain in the shadow on the rock face is a bit bothersome.  I'm not sure if overall detail, or higher GI would be the solution though.  Either way the render time would go up considerably.
Thank you Ryan. The detail was set at 0.9 for detail; AA at 6; GI at 2/3. I think you are right here. The GI at 3/4 would have been a better choice here.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Oshyan on November 26, 2010, 10:37:44 PM
I too really like this scene and actually feel composition is one of its strong points. The use of the tree and clouds to frame the top part of the scene is great IMO. I can understand the complaint about the shadowy nature of the center rock formations, but I think the noise might be what detracts most. With a smoother rendered result I think it would be less objectionable.

I don't think higher GI detail is necessarily going to help here though. It may need more shadow or atmosphere samples though. You might want to try raytracing the atmosphere in the next update (2.2) when it becomes available.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: choronr on November 26, 2010, 10:50:38 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on November 26, 2010, 10:37:44 PM
I too really like this scene and actually feel composition is one of its strong points. The use of the tree and clouds to frame the top part of the scene is great IMO. I can understand the complaint about the shadowy nature of the center rock formations, but I think the noise might be what detracts most. With a smoother rendered result I think it would be less objectionable.

I don't think higher GI detail is necessarily going to help here though. It may need more shadow or atmosphere samples though. You might want to try raytracing the atmosphere in the next update (2.2) when it becomes available.

- Oshyan
Thanks Oshyan for your input. I have noted all the good advice here and will re-render it with the new update. In addition to the noisy issue with the rock forms in shadow, I want to do something to brighten the vegetation and show more of their detail. Your suggestion has prompted me do a re-render ...thanks again.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: Dune on November 27, 2010, 03:14:46 AM
I'd like to add that it's better to get some good and solid critiques than just oh's and aaaah's. There should be a nice mix in fact.
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: riche on November 27, 2010, 06:02:52 AM
thats where my hub cap went..!?!

nice image BTW :)
Title: Re: The Watcher
Post by: ra on November 27, 2010, 07:48:50 AM
Great! Really like it.