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Carrara Challenge #37 - Dungeons Deep - WIP Thread

JonstarkJonstark Posts: 2,738
edited January 2018 in Carrara Discussion

This is the Work-In-Progress Thread

 


Dungeons Deep:  

Pluck up your courage, adventurer!  Delve forgotten tombs, explore mysterious caverns, brave darkened haunts and abandoned cellars, plumb the icy depths of a ghost ship beneath the frigid waves, or dare to raid an abandoned starship beyond the fringe.  There will be danger aplenty, but also eerie beauty and perhaps the glitter of lost treasure.  Fortune favors the bold!

Unlock Carrara's potential and give us your best dungeon render.  For the purposes of this theme, 'dungeon' can be any sort of dark place, whether it's caverns deep below the earth sparkling with crystalline beauty, a spacestation high above the earth with lights and screens, or a darkened closet in a young boy's bedroom at night which may or may not contain a boogeyman (or maybe those shadows are just clothes on hangers...)

 


Rules:

 

1.  Each participant may submit as many images as they like
2.  Images must be new (previously unpublished).
3.  Images must be "mostly" set up in Carrara.  Post work is fine.  The render must be done using one of the native or plugin render engines for Carrara (for example: Carrara native, NPR engine, Octane for Carrara, Luxus, etc)

4.  At least one WIP (work in progress) image of the Carrara setup must be posted to the WIP thread

 


Prizes:


Daz will again generously sponsor the monthly Challenge.

1st place: $75 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
2nd place: $55 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
3rd place: $40 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)
4th place: $25 towards DAZ 3D owned item(s)

 


Dates to Remember:

(All dates are Daz Utah Time http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/usa/salt-lake-city)

WIP Thread Opens: Friday December 8, 2017
Entry Thread Opens: Friday December 29, 2017

Entry Thread Closes/Voting Begins: Tuesday midnight (end of Tuesday) January 16. 2018  (DAZ Mountain time)
Voting Ends: midnight Monday (end of Monday) January 22, 2018  (DAZ mountain time)

 

 

Post edited by Jonstark on
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Comments

  • JonstarkJonstark Posts: 2,738

    (This space reserved for additional notes)

  • JonstarkJonstark Posts: 2,738

    (This space reserved for additional notes)

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,063

    sweet... sounds like an awesome challenge

    looking forward to seeing HeadWax's Phantom render in a catacomb with a hairy cucumber!

    Thanks Jonstark for hosting and thanks again Daz for sponsoring yes

  • MarkIsSleepyMarkIsSleepy Posts: 1,496
    edited December 2017

    Nice! I had an idea along these lines already but held off on starting it when I saw that something like this was one of the themes you were thinking of. laugh

    I'll just say that my idea is inspired by this awesome cover: 

    Post edited by MarkIsSleepy on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    Jonstark said:


    Dungeons Deep:  

     For the purposes of this theme, 'dungeon' can be any sort of dark place, whether it's caverns deep below the earth sparkling with crystalline beauty, a spacestation high above the earth with lights and screens, or a darkened closet in a young boy's bedroom at night which may or may not contain a boogeyman (or maybe those shadows are just clothes on hangers...)

     

    Dark place, like my mood around tax time.  Thinking cap is on.

     

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588

    Well-written intro!  Looking forward to discovering what lies below.

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    would Santa's boot shop be a scary place?

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    MDO2010 said:

    Nice! I had an idea along these lines already but held off on starting it when I saw that something like this was one of the themes you were thinking of. laugh

    I'll just say that my idea is inspired by this awesome cover: 

     

    Misty?  ... oh wait, not me Misty  lol

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    Diomede said:
    Jonstark said:


    Dungeons Deep:  

     For the purposes of this theme, 'dungeon' can be any sort of dark place, whether it's caverns deep below the earth sparkling with crystalline beauty, a spacestation high above the earth with lights and screens, or a darkened closet in a young boy's bedroom at night which may or may not contain a boogeyman (or maybe those shadows are just clothes on hangers...)

     

    Dark place, like my mood around tax time.  Thinking cap is on.

     

    not the same as a sorting hat? smiley

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    Stezza said:

    sweet... sounds like an awesome challenge

    looking forward to seeing HeadWax's Phantom render in a catacomb with a hairy cucumber!

    Thanks Jonstark for hosting and thanks again Daz for sponsoring yes

    cool cucumber smiley

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570

    Awesome theme JonStark! yes

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,063
    edited December 2017

    I couldn't help myself... a hairy cucumber render I just had to do... devil

    Here are the WiPs for it... used 2 spotlights and one bulb for lighting with soft shadows and replicators for the skulls

    Made the cucumber with Carrara hair and stand .. modified the fantasy tunnel to make a catacomb then post in PSE2018 to add atmosphere.
    edited to add: LoRez Super Hero from P3DA retextured to The Phantom and the skull is from Them Bones

    Title - Phantom in Catacombs with a Hairy Cucumber

    hairy cucumberWiP1.jpg
    1448 x 890 - 253K
    hairy cucumberWiP2.jpg
    1022 x 925 - 140K
    PSE2018 WiP on render.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 444K
    Phantom in Catacombs with a Hairy Cucumber.jpg
    1000 x 750 - 533K
    Post edited by Stezza on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited December 2017

    Wow, Stezza, that was both amazing and fast.  yesyes

    I think I will make an effort to use some of the content I have from our Carrara PAs.  This set is Mmoir's bedroom.  The babysitter is Misty's G8F for Carrara figure.  The hair on The Kids 4 is Kids Cuts by Naomi.  I'm not happy with the layout, lighting, composition or much else.  It is a beginning.  I used the position index multipass to try to give it a spooky feel.  I think I will change to a portrait view and adjust the camera angle accordingly.  

     

    Dark Babysitter 1.png
    1600 x 1200 - 955K
    Dark Babysitter 1b.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 497K
    Dark Babysitter 1_Position.png
    1600 x 1200 - 218K
    screencap 1.JPG
    1677 x 1012 - 187K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    teee heee   haireee

     

    i am groot 

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987

    well great choice of theme Jonstark - and it's the quick or the dead I see - very nice Stezza :) is that a pickled hairy cucumber by chance

    et Diomede - into the fray with both hands and a hockey stick :) how you doing with the uv mapping in that room? I seemed to have stuffed it up when I went to remap with other textures

  • JonstarkJonstark Posts: 2,738

    Wow, you guys are awesome!  I was afraid no-one would be interested in this theme, but I shouldn't have been worried, already 2 awesome renders before I even had a chance to spruce up the thread or add some fun thematic examples.

    By the way, both of those renders made me burst out laughing in pleasure for different reasons.  From the moment it was mentioned in the other thread about hairy cucumbers, you just knew there would be a render of that type, but I didn't expect Stezza to beat headwax to the punch!  laugh   And that's actually a really great render Stezza, man you're quick! 

     

    Diomede, your render is terrific, very creepy and I love the lighting, it actually works pretty darn well to build tension if you consider the image itself.  Maybe that's why the text '...and the Randolphs lost yet another babysitter' had me falling out of my chair laughing, it was the perfect counterpoint, and like any great scary movie with tons of tension, the little comic moments of relief are key to the whole thrilling rollercoaster-like experience.   Bravo!

     

    On top of that, a stray comment from UB in the artzone thread sparked me an idea for a render  smiley

     

    Man, you guys totally blow me away, so quick off the mark.  Carrarists are really just the best.   I figured I would need at least the weekend to try to get things rolling with some similar-themed images to 'prime the pump' and get things rolling, but here it's already in full swing.  

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited December 2017

    Not an entry 

    Just thinking of various approaches to making a winding cave.  Here, I used 2 terrain models.  I used the same heightmap on both, but applied the inverse function.  I used a rain filter on the floor to smooth it compared to the roof.  Then I fit them together to make a cave.  I put some light bulbs along the cave, starting with weak dark blue light and gradually changing the color to yellow (or not, if I want the cave to be dark).  I've also tried digging a deep hole in a single terrain object and seting it on its side, but I didn't like the result.

     

    aa01 cave terrain modeler.JPG
    1905 x 1047 - 242K
    aa02 cave terrain 2.JPG
    1762 x 1021 - 172K
    Slope Plateau Road edges more Outer no squares reversed.jpg
    512 x 512 - 43K
    aa03 cave terrain render.jpg
    640 x 480 - 19K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • MarkIsSleepyMarkIsSleepy Posts: 1,496
    Diomede said:

    Not an entry 

    Just thinking of various approaches to making a winding cave.  Here, I used 2 terrain models.  I used the same heightmap on both, but applied the inverse function.  I used a rain filter on the floor o smooth it compared t the roof.  Then I fit them together to make a cave.  I put some light bulbs along the cave, starting with weak dark blue light and gradually changing the color to yellow (or not, if I want the cave to be dark).  I've also tried digging a deep hol in a single terrain object and seting it on its side, but I didn't like the result.

    Don't forget that you can turn terrains sideways to make cool looking walls!

    Here's one I did like that a while back:

    I'm excited for this challenge - I've got an idea roughly sketched out and should have time to jump into Carrara today and start blocking it out at least.

  • UnifiedBrainUnifiedBrain Posts: 3,588
    Jonstark said:

    Wow, you guys are awesome!  I was afraid no-one would be interested in this theme, but I shouldn't have been worried, already 2 awesome renders before I even had a chance to spruce up the thread or add some fun thematic examples.

    Stezza and Diomede typically lead the way.yes  The rest of us mortals straggle in later.

    Jonstark said:
    On top of that, a stray comment from UB in the artzone thread sparked me an idea for a render  smiley

    I live to serve.smiley

  • MarkIsSleepyMarkIsSleepy Posts: 1,496
    edited December 2017

    I've got my scene basically blocked out. Now I need to do textures, some extra detail and the lighting.

    This is just a test render with no texturs and some basic lighting. I played around with a few looks in post too and liked this one, although I may go more photorealistic with the final.

    AncientHalls Test 001 no textures.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 147K
    Post edited by MarkIsSleepy on
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,217

    a rigged cave handy too can bend it where you want

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,063

    @MDO2010 I want to try and model a cave.... been thinking about one for ages...

    @diomede that lady with the hockey stick sure looks like she means bussiness... whatever is in the cuboard is going to be pucked!

    thanks jonstark.. just had that in my head and had to get it out lol

    looking forward to see what UB comes up with in postwork with PSE2018 yes

    This one is for fun... modeled the hairy cucumber, carroot and the weevil...

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    head wax said:

    et Diomede - into the fray with both hands and a hockey stick :) how you doing with the uv mapping in that room? I seemed to have stuffed it up when I went to remap with other textures

     

    Sorry, HW, missed this.  Should have responded before.  For Mmoir's bedroom set, the only things I customized were the bed and the hockey stick.  No problems with the textures.  However, the bed did not have enough mesh density to morph depressions for the child's legs to sink in to the mattress.  I did redo the textures for the clothes for The Kids 4.  No problem applying a tiled pattern to the shorts so the UVs must be OK.

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169

    Stezza, that is the best hairy cucumber ever entered in a challenge!  Almost makes we want to have an army of tomatoes attack an army of cucumbers - in a cave.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    Stezza said:

    I couldn't help myself... a hairy cucumber render I just had to do... devil

    Here are the WiPs for it... used 2 spotlights and one bulb for lighting with soft shadows and replicators for the skulls

    Made the cucumber with Carrara hair and stand .. modified the fantasy tunnel to make a catacomb then post in PSE2018 to add atmosphere.
    edited to add: LoRez Super Hero from P3DA retextured to The Phantom and the skull is from Them Bones

    Title - Phantom in Catacombs with a Hairy Cucumber

    I love the shaders amongst other things in this. Well... I love the whole image!

    and Wow! Diomede, using that coordinates RBG map as a color enhincing layer... very cool! Rock on!

  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675
    edited December 2017

    public safety tip,  dont hug a hairy cactus whom hide in dark caves, especually if you're a balloon.

    caves = goblins, dwarven mines, cave trolls, succubussesai, balroqs

    Post edited by Mistara on
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,570
    edited December 2017

    When I made the Cave Builder preset in Badlands, I used various light-linking to try and make it easier to use withough putting too much work into lighting the setting - the terrain. So there we lights that only affect the ceiling terrain, and vice versa along with other elements, like atmosphere, etc., to help illuminate a dark area. Then in this kitbash which adds some other EnvironKit stuff - I think just some of the shaders as well as the effect light from behind. 

    But then this cave that I just modeled in the vertex room I'm just using the very simplistic lighting I normally use for myself. Roots are Carrara plants.

    Test 1AP.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 780K
    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,217
    edited December 2017

    metaballs make cool caves

    metaball cave0012.jpg
    1920 x 1080 - 877K
    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169

    Metaballs!  Yes, positive metaballs and negative metaballs don't cancel out, they create caves!  Wish I had thought of it.

     

    th3Digit said:

    metaballs make cool caves

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,169
    edited December 2017

    Badlands has a cave builder preset?  Gotta check it out again.  And I found the tunnel in Mmoir's mystic gorge.

    .

    Meanwhile, here is a room in TangoAlpha's Medieval Hall set.  It just begs for dungeon furniture and accessories.

     

    tim medieval hall set.JPG
    1825 x 998 - 222K
    Post edited by Diomede on
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