Coral Spine /
3ds
Render Tests /
3ds Max Pattern Generation /
Example of Pattern Generator Script (image courtesy of Code-Artists.de)
3ds Max is proving to be a fantastic design tool and something I'm very interested in learning more about. Thanks to its great community of custom scripts, the capabilities are extended even further for specialized applications.
My program for the Evolo Skyscraper Competition, a skybase for weather fighting drones, is going to rely heavily on these scripts to communicate my idea. One such script I'm really excited about is Pattern Generator v1.1.
I found this script via Script Spot and the video demo totally blew me away. Since I'm looking to Syd Mead and Sci-Fi for inspiration for my project, this script seems like the perfect way to help model complex forms rapidly.
Learning New Tools /
Maxwell Interface with Camera controls
For the past few years, V-Ray has been the primary tool I've used to do renderings of my designs. Like most software, it has its ups and downs, but the interface is particularly frustrating and been a nightmare to accomplish even the most simple tasks.
I've heard good things about Mental Ray and Maxwell Render, but the idea of learning a new software package in the middle of a design competition seemed like a bad idea.
That said, after a few hours of playing around with Maxwell, I've managed to produce a better rendering than I typically would in V-Ray over a couple days. Needless to say, I'm a bit more enthusiastic about having some great renderings this time around.
Interior of Timber High-Rise