Home On The Range

It's been a few days since I've been in here with an update, so I'm going to throw out a quick one, and follow up with a new screenshot later.

One of the various setpiece environments I need to produce for the portfolio and demo is a fully textured Old West setting.  I have considered at great length whether to texture the existing models I have from a few years ago (constituting an entire town) or start from scratch with the individual pieces I need, tailored to the specific shots I need. And after a lot of weighing on the issue and internal (and sometimes external) debate with myself, I decided yesterday to go ahead and begin building new assets.

The primary reason is that the existing ones are just too crude for the closeup shots I need with realistic textures and lighting.  Two nights ago I began modeling the first floor interior of a new saloon, and spent most of yesterday detailing and texturing it.  I've pretty much finished the structure, and am working on the furnishings now.  There's nothing but default Max lights in the scene and the place is completely barren right now, so it's not worth the time to render a screenshot, but it's coming along.

I will finish this and hopefully a few other Old West themed items during the semester break.  Since the shot I'm composing in this new saloon interior faces the bar and will include a reflection of the windows across the room, chances are I will need to model several other buildings (or at least facades) to be visible in the reflection.  I'm also weighing my options on doing a gunslinger character to stand outside on the porch with his back to the window, holding up a pistol to his cheek.  Since the character wouldn't require great detail, and would be seen entirely from the back (and probably in shadow), I will probably rig and clothe a generic human form and model a new Colt Army for him.

In the meantime, tonight I'm doing some tweaking to the lighting and environment of a summer camp setpiece I've been working on for several weeks now.  It's part of the series that includes Spooky House and The Shack.  I call this one.... ready?  The Camp.  I will have screenshots of that environment up later this evening as I finish rendering and compositing the current progress.  It's not QUITE done yet, but it's getting pretty close, and there are a couple cool easter eggs in there for those with a good eye.

Stay tuned, and I'll be back later with more!