h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

ddombrow, really NICE work! Can I ask, is this Poser software that's getting the full workout, or what?
Lil

Most of the figures are from Poser, yes. The two Fighter's in front are models from a freeware program called Doga, which were textured and rendered in Ray Dream Studio, the float itself was also built from scratch in Ray Dream, textured and rendered. The background sky and ground were from a freeware program called Terragen. The Jawa and the Falcon-looking ship were from a free 3d model site. The road surface was from Bryce 3d. I composited al these things in Paint Shop Pro 6 in about 20 layers, and reouched the heck out of everything till I got what you see.

Sorry, that's probably more information than you were looking for, but I wanted to make it clear that it wouldn't be feasible for someone of my meager skills to do this in a single program. So I didn't. Thanks for the compliment, though I was far more impressed with your floats.

Well, I've been doing 2D work for yonks, mostly in Painter, but I have only just bought Poser and Bryce 4 in order to make the leap into rendering -- and it ain't as easy as it looks, that Bryce!

Off topic, sort of: so you're aware that Metacreations has been selling off all these apps? Painter is now Corel-owned, as is Bryce. I forget who bought Poser. They had me buying software like it was a fire sale, just to keep my options alive.

Anyway, I'll be coming back to look at your float as a tutorial for Poser. Just one thing though: does Irv know you gave him an orange Mohawk? My original portrait of him, circa Dec 1999, is at
http://www.h2g2.com/229943 ...

Lil

I've been into graphics since I got Paint Shop Pro this Christmas. I've heard a lot of good things about Painter, but I've never found a bargain deal on it. I got the Metacreations 3D suite in february which included Bryce, Poser, Ray Dream, and Painter 3D for $250. I've never been that impressed with the way Bryce works, but I have seen incredibly good things done with it, so its probably just me, not the program.

Yeah, I am aware of the Metacreations sell-off. I am interested to see what Corel will do with those programs. I think cgi.sys or some strangely named company bought Poser, and Adobe bought Carrara and Canoma.

I think you'll find Poser to be pretty simple, it was in fact only the third time I'd used it that I created Irv and the rest. And about Irv, he specified to me that he have blue skin, sun glasses, and a goatee. I fulfilled all those, so I guess he can't complain. I admit I saw him on the Aroma float before I made him, but decided to go my own way. It's not quite a mohawk, as you'll find it in the standard Poser Hair library. Let's just say he got a makeover for the special occasion, eh?

oh, and a good 3d link for you:
http://www.renderosity.com

good luck, and thanks for the chat.

Artists talk, eh? Still a novice here.

So, just where are Zax, Tweetie and Sporky?

Alas, Zax (accompanied by Tweety) notified me of his wish to be on the float a bit too late. Sporky made an offhand comment about wanting to be under the float, so I suppose that's where he is.

I understand. Doctor John would have made a splendid addition to the cast on the Aroma Cafe Float, but by the time he was a regular the composition was nearly done... But there is next year. Or perhaps Guy Fawkes Day. Or Halloween! WOuldn't that be fun? I should be on top of Poser by then too.

Dammit! I've just forgotten to watch Ali G!

Thought of trying to do a 3D Float of Bryce, perchance

Maybe. But to do my friends in Halloween costumes, maybe animated... If we had a Halloween promenade, and if I let you have Ferrari for it, how would you dress the two of you?

I have a horrible picture I did with bryce resting on my page

Bloody hell Sporks, you did that?! Cool.

Who, me, Lil?

I don't understand any of the techno-talk in here, but just wanted to say thankyou for the cool float
Maybe one of you artistic types would like to take on doing the May Mayoral Ball for our esteemed h2g2(virtual) Mayor of London... Ms. Fenchurch M Mercury??
shazzPRME

I never understood that Virtual Mayor Of London thing. Still don't . What's happening with it?

LOL! The whole site is still on h2g2... follow the link from my homepage! I apologise that the pics probably don't work atm... I need to get my own internet account set up and a new web site based in Holland to get them back again!
Basically, what started out as a joke ended up as an ongoing saga with voting by the h2g2 community
shazzPRME

I did do that... however, I lied; that was Poser, not bryce. I have bryce, but I've yet to use it.

I joined h2g2 just as the voting for virtual Mayor was going on, so I didn't participate cos I didn't know any of the candidates. So, like Mike, I've never really understood it.

Bryce is strange and wonderful and easy to mess up. I have been fiddling with the landscapes so far, but may wind up using it to create complicated objects for importing into 2D works.

Hey, art geeks have to meet up somewhere! ddombrow did one of the techiest floats, so here we are, looking under the hood

That's an interesting idea. A hangout for artsy types on h2g2, perhaps a small gallery? Maybe taking graphic requests periodically? It's a thought.

Gotcha! Already exists: http://www.h2g2.com/A304354

Yeah, I thought Lil would point that out . Go Lil!

Maybe someday I'll suss out Virtual Mayor Of London. I hope I do

If I didn't already have six commissions, I'd jump at it. So maybe ddombrow has time. An art collective!