Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Arts & Talents => Topic started by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 08:11:13 am

Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 08:11:13 am
How about one? I don't know if there were any in the past, but why not? We have the FRED contest going and we had a modding contest, why not one in rendering?
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: pyro-manic on January 28, 2003, 08:58:28 am
Good idea!:yes:

Prob'ly won't get that many entries, though - not enough people with lots of render experience. :doubt:

Shame, really. People like Setekh and Darkage have done some great stuff (sorry if I'm missing lots of people out, but renders aren't spread around very much.):)

Could be good for like a talent showcase. Go for it!:nod:
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Ulundel on January 28, 2003, 09:00:13 am
Where's the point. We all know the winner, do we... :p
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Styxx on January 28, 2003, 09:09:09 am
Erm, and who would that be? We had a render contest already, a year ago or something. If we're going to run antoher one, it'll be after the mission contest is over.

:)
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Darkage on January 28, 2003, 09:21:07 am
I agree on having another render contest, but like our mr sticks said, after the Fred2 contest. otherwise it wil get messy.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 09:39:45 am
Quote
Originally posted by Ten of Twelve
Where's the point. We all know the winner, do we... :p


I was thinking about using standard programs like: 3d Studio Max and Lightwave, Truespace not Setekh's Spire or Spirit (if anyone here even has it). But because different programs have different capabilities, we may sort the renders in cathegories according to programs that were used. Sure, you can't make a same render wusing Mod View as you could with Max. ;)

So, shall we go for it?
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 09:42:06 am
Quote
Originally posted by Darkage
I agree on having another render contest, but like our mr sticks said, after the Fred2 contest. otherwise it wil get messy.


That would be fine. :nod: In the mean time, we may make a list of people who want to take part in it. FREDing is more like hand work (it's not that hard is it?) but rendering,....well that's art. :nod:

Hm..wish Setekh were here. He could be the judge. ;)
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Nico on January 28, 2003, 10:14:02 am
Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Erm, and who would that be? We had a render contest already, a year ago or something.


we did?
yeah, and I wonder who would that be too...
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 10:18:05 am
I think they are reffering to the AWACS. ;)
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Ulundel on January 28, 2003, 10:26:42 am
Quote
Originally posted by venom2506


we did?
yeah, and I wonder who would that be too...


No I mean that FREDing is a little simpler than rendering. Any new guy who arrives here could win the contest but when it comes to rendering, the winner is probaby Darkage...or you.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Shrike on January 28, 2003, 11:09:55 am
Rendering and modelling is affected by what program you use.  Obviously skill is the most important factor, but if you're using a low-end program, you have to work harder to get the same effect.  However, I doubt there's enough people using each program to justify having seperate categories for each.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 01:00:53 pm
Well I don't know. Then we can put em all in one cathegory and well....let the best man/woman win.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Darkage on January 28, 2003, 01:55:23 pm
Shrike is right. Not allot of people are using Max or Lightwave here. Maby render type catagory's like a Landscape render would go into scenerie, a SCI-FI render would go in teh wel duh the SCI-FI section so on. So you won't get mixed type of renders.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 28, 2003, 04:05:26 pm
I dunno, Shrike. While rendering is certainly a software-intensive activity, you can model pretty much the same way in ANY program. Gimme a month to learn MAX and I can do the same things in it as Ray Dream, and vice versa- it's much more a skill-based thing.

Some advanced things require tools like Max's Meshsmooth, skinning capacity, or bones, but generally, those aren't the kind of things we do here. Ships don't need those, generally, and if you're good with a program, you'll find other ways to do the same things or just do without.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 28, 2003, 04:22:50 pm
No offence Stryke but to be able to render like Pros who work for gaming companies, you need a university finished and to know your program inside out. Sure we can make good renders (wrong word, YOU People can make good renders), but to be able to make true, totally realistic art, you need years and years of practice. You won't be able to learn a program that good for a month. It took me weeks to learn SOME of the Lightwave rendering but I still have much much work to be able to do cool renders like Setekh or Thunder or anyone else here who is better than me or at least as close as possible.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 28, 2003, 04:35:03 pm
I'm talking about modeling here. You need more than skill to make good renders, and you need more than software, too. ****'s insane, when you get to the photorealistic stuff. Modeling, it's all skill- there's hardly any difference in the qualities of programs as far as that goes at all, provided you're comfortable with your interface. Some really old programs won't have things like metaballs, but metaballs suck anyway.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Shrike on January 28, 2003, 10:30:45 pm
There's a reason I said skill was the most important factor.  I've seen some pretty impressive models done in Truespace.  But you probably need to have spent more time to get good at using TS than MAX or LW or whatever, because the latter are more powerful programs.  I'll agree that in modelling it's not such a factor (although it's hard to deny that it doesn't count for something), it's more of a factor in rendering.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 28, 2003, 10:39:49 pm
Meh... we'll see. From what I've seen, it'd be a fair fight between me and anyone but Styxx for a high-poly title, now that I've got the Kirov redone for the third time.

I hate greebles. Even when they're easy.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Shrike on January 28, 2003, 11:31:09 pm
Greebling is fun and boring at the same time.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Styxx on January 29, 2003, 05:23:29 am
True. And on another note, I don't know if Admins would be allowed to participate. You know, all that fairness crap and stuff.

:D
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Nico on January 29, 2003, 06:07:34 am
being an admin doesn't mean you're better or anything. I'd have no pb with it anyway.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Styxx on January 29, 2003, 06:11:01 am
Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
being an admin doesn't mean you're better or anything. I'd have no pb with it anyway.


I don't mean that, I mean our ability to mess with the results of any poll or posting system we choose for the voting.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Nico on January 29, 2003, 08:02:19 am
Quote
Originally posted by Styxx


I don't mean that, I mean our ability to mess with the results of any poll or posting system we choose for the voting.


what would that change anyway? if there's someone you don't like, you can still mess up the results anyway, right? so...
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: wEvil on January 29, 2003, 08:53:53 am
I might be up for it If i get time
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Zeronet on January 29, 2003, 10:23:08 am
If the admins cant be trusted, they shouldnt be admins :p.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Styxx on January 29, 2003, 10:46:09 am
Quote
Originally posted by Zeronet
If the admins cant be trusted, they shouldnt be admins :p.


Of course. It still won't stop people from complaining if the entry from one of the admins wins, and that's the real problem. And you know people around here complain about anything and everything.

:p
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Nico on January 29, 2003, 03:50:25 pm
Don't be silly. I'd be the one who would win.
"runs"
"runs more"
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Thorn on January 29, 2003, 03:55:13 pm
We'd have to have separate categories..
Say skill levels?
Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner etc...
or based on what they used
Industrial Level, people using MAX, XSI, MAYA, Lightwave, etc, and...er... Basic? people using a basic photo editing program, modelview (or something similar, 3D Exploration trial maybe) and the print screen key....
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 30, 2003, 03:25:24 am
Quote
Originally posted by Thorn
We'd have to have separate categories..
Say skill levels?
Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner etc...
or based on what they used
Industrial Level, people using MAX, XSI, MAYA, Lightwave, etc, and...er... Basic? people using a basic photo editing program, modelview (or something similar, 3D Exploration trial maybe) and the print screen key....


That's exactly what I suggested. Seems it wasn't accepted though.

By the way, how long till the FREDing contest ends?
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Knight Templar on January 30, 2003, 10:07:35 am
5 weeks about

by the way, skill levels are teh awesome :p
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 30, 2003, 10:57:19 am
Why not? We could have a beginner, medium and pro.
Title: Rendering contest
Post by: Razor on January 31, 2003, 04:33:06 am
Quote
Originally posted by Styxx


Of course. It still won't stop people from complaining if the entry from one of the admins wins, and that's the real problem. And you know people around here complain about anything and everything.

:p


Well of course it wouldn't be OK to let the admins make an entry. Admin renderers should be in the reffery me thinks. :nod: