https://www.posetteforever.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2748 ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 21 April 2007, 11:47 PM It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Seeing Futura (which I think really *is* the name of a car by Ford, but oh, well) got me to thinking that it's all very well having a robot... but what about the lab? So I decided to whip up a few items in 3D MAX and (hopefully) convert them for Poser use. I have the tools. I have the technology. (I don't have six million dollars, but I'm pretty sure I can build 'em better, faster, stronger...) This is a really quick prototype of what I mean. Forgive the roughness, it's just put out here to gain some ideas from you all before I start serious meddling... er.. modelling. I may need help when texturing, but the neat part about going all Art Deco is that it's mostly chrome and plastics anyway! (I hope to add a bunch of Strickfaden devices if I can model then as well. Good thing I own "Young Frankeinstein" on DVD...) Any comments... or am I as mad as the scientests? GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- tda42 Sunday, 22 April 2007, 02:04 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Hey your family and sick minds have to stay together. :thumb: The cool thing about all of this is we are doing it as a team here. So if you have any ideas you know I'm listening as well as the others. Good jog by the way. :notworthy: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Sunday, 22 April 2007, 06:14 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Here's something ( not so much an idea, as something to consider): What is Futura's (yes, that was a model by Ford...) power source? Considering the "Young Frankenstien" reference, I wondered if she is electric. (: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Sunday, 22 April 2007, 06:17 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Something about Futura sparked (no pun intended) an urge to do a little modelling... My inspiration also comes from [i]Metropolis[/i], of course, as well as the Universal monster movies of the '30s. In particular the wonderfully baroque electrical devices designed by Kenneth Strickfaden for [i]Frankenstein[/i]. Plus the style of design to be seen on '30s and '40s SF magazines. And Star Wars. (And Bettie Page. And in a great, great example of confluence... try looking at this!) [url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/droid/bettybot/?id=bts]Happy Shiny People...! Having got the encouragement, I'll continue my puttering around. Expect a lot of industrial-sized electrical toys. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Sunday, 22 April 2007, 06:56 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Good Job Mad scientist cat :grin: !! ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Sunday, 22 April 2007, 09:00 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- This is a (very) rough outline for the layout of the lab. Please note that this is just the prototype for the main gantry and creation chamber. There will also be massive electrical generators and such stuff. on the bottom level (and obviously a room to house the whole furshlugginer mess in...) I think the creation chamber would come up from the ground floor on a hydraulic pedastal. The assembly table, main generators and workshop would also be at ground level. On the gantry ring itself would be a control panel to control the generators during the final creation phase... I'm assuming the lab can do both organic and inorganic Creation! From under the main stairway would swing up a bridge to cross from the gantry to the booth while it was still elevated if need be. Things I'm aware of that definitely need to be modelled include guard rails for the gantry and the booth, proper steps, control panels, nice thick power cables for the three generator pylons, a room to hold all this in, the hydraulic lift well... but it's heading towards winter Down Under so it's not as if I don't have the free time in the evenings coming up! My only real concerm is getting enough detail without going nuts on the polygon count. Everything will be broken down into individual componets for ease of UV mapping. Once (if...) finished, I'll be placing it for upload here as a freebie for all wannabe Victor Frankensteins... (or Morbius's, Rottwangs, Dr Cyclops's or Strangeloves...) I'll start proper modelling from the booth, and work my way outwards. Each piece will be uploaded for crash-testing to destruction...! Any and all comments, suggestions, criticisms are welcome. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Sunday, 22 April 2007, 08:24 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :thumb: Mad scientists, mad mechanics, mad designers, mad cats... everyones welcome to madforever :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: ----------------------------------- tda42 Monday, 23 April 2007, 12:45 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- This is so cool! I looked at the female robot and it seems like maybe I could do one of those as well. :bigrinnin: The model idea looks great. I would like to make a charging dock after she is built in the lab. She is half human but doesn' understand that. I need to make a story of her and how she cane to be. This I would think be in the 1940s but set in the future 100 years ahead. :uuh: So this seems like a great thing we are making. It was a belief that some people saved Sara from going under and this when complete will be one of a kind with all that has helped. Now I have to go to the lab. I thought I heard something knock over a test tube. :uuh: ----------------------------------- JanReinar Monday, 23 April 2007, 03:16 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Amazing 3D work GrouchoCaesar! :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Monday, 23 April 2007, 04:25 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- First part of the Lab Of Tomorrow (catchy name, huh?) should be uploaded for playtesting sometime tomorrow-morning my time. (hey, it really [i]is[/i] the Lab Of Tomorrow!) Already finished remodelling the creation booth from scratch, this time paying proper attention to things like material surfaces. (Outer, inner and the lip where the glass shield (is is glass?) seals up.) I've also finished the main pillar the booth rests on. The electrical discharge receiver assembly on the roof of the booth is next - I'll make several versions for ease of mix & matching, and once that's done, up here it'll all come. Exporting from 3D MAX to Poser works surprisingly well with the .OBJ exporter plugin from Hab. The one frustration I [i]have [/i]had is an issue with smoothing groups. Working on it... though I may need some more research and / or help. As for the backstory... I dunno if this stuff classifies as SteamPunk - I guess it'd be closer to some form of retro-future. A late '30's early 40's look is definitely the aim here for me at least. One of the major driving influences for all this is the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair... especially the Futurama ride by General Motors. There is quite a bit of stuff on the net about the Fair, including amateur colour movie footage of the exhibits. It is amazing to think of what the future was like for them! I also think a charging dock is a really good idea! Maybe a throne (for lack of a better word) where she can rest while not active. And this brings forth questions like... Is she a maid? Is she sentient? Is she happy? Is she being taken advantage of? Are robots now the new slaves? And if so, who will help them? Or will they rebel? GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Monday, 23 April 2007, 05:27 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Quick example of the booth imported into Poser 5. Note that the electrical doodads on the top are temporary, that the booth has been scaled from it's original shape for no good reason, and that I'm still fiddling with smoothing groups. But at least it does import the mesh without too much hassle. Work continues into the night... now to find my very own Ygor... GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- JanReinar Monday, 23 April 2007, 12:52 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Cool! :thumb: :clap: :clap: :clap: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 12:09 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Updated look at progress so far... Gantrey is next target. ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 02:48 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- This just in: New improved Gantry delivered earlier this morning. Both mother and 85-tonne torus are doing well... I've decided to hang off uploading most of this stuff until I've finished the main Laborotory - because of object sizing issues when importing items piecemeal into Poser. Also, I want to reload Poser Pro onto my PC and use that to do the preliminary texturing so as to have the greatest compatibility. I will upload the creation chamber pretty soon though. ----------------------------------- tda42 Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 07:36 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I think this is really great work you are doing. The whole thing is a spirit of SciFi and Horror movies from gone by, I miss the B rated Movies. They seemed simple but didn't explode todays way of just bells and whistles. It had a good story and left the mind to play with the rest. You have great ideas. :thumb: ----------------------------------- Tormie Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 12:10 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Yeah! Groucho, it looks wonderful :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumb: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 01:02 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I agree this is looking really good. I haven't done much "Retro Future" Sci Fi; but this is kind of inspiring. (: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 11:41 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Okay, the gantry is now pretty much complete in terms of mesh. Decided to use a ramp and not stairs for A) a more streamlined look and B) I figure - by going on past movies - that there probably at least one wheelchair-bound mad scientist out there somewhere (Strangelove comes to mind...) There are minor issues with surfaces on the ramp, due to my slightly lazy extrusion technique to make the ramp, but that is easily fixed with surface groups. I'm figuring for the room itself that (because it is vaguely circular) that maybe it's in the hollowed out core of an extinct volcano? Also, by making the upper wall of the volcano fit fairly snuggly to the circumference of the gantry, I won't need to model the outer guard rail! Anyhoo... work will be started on the lower level machinery, floor, and other large bits. I'm half-tempted to convert what I've done so far to an .OBJ file and post it for importing so you can get a rough idea about scaling and possible scene blocking. Any takers? GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Posy Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 11:41 PM ----------------------------------- Will making the upper wall of the volcano fit fairly snuggly to the circumference of the gantry I will not need to model the outer guard rail accomplish your objective? ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 11:45 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I hope so, Posy. But it may take many years, and cost millions of lives. What we need is a really senseless act on somebody's part. And I think we are just the ones to do it... ----------------------------------- Posy Tuesday, 24 April 2007, 11:45 PM ----------------------------------- And. Then again, it may not. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 02:48 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Posy wants to help :heartbeat: ! ----------------------------------- Posy Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 02:48 PM ----------------------------------- I haven't heard anything like that before: Tormie said I wants to help heartbeat. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 25 April 2007, 02:48 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 28 April 2007, 10:56 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- The Lab of Tomorrow is (sort-of) here. I decided to redo the whole thing because the polygon count was getting way too high. (Translation - I was very lazy and took too many shortcuts!) Luckily, it took less than a day, and came out quite good - what I've done so far, anyway. So I've imported it into Poser and made the whole thing a prop. The test version (see picture below) is now available for the brave to download. Note that it is still very early days. No texturing has been applied - although the object has groups for all its surfaces so it would be comparitively easy to add textures. Have a play with it and tell me what you think, and what caould be added to it. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Saturday, 28 April 2007, 11:48 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :dance: Looks good from the preview. I'll try it. Thanks a lot :thumb: :clap: :clap: ----------------------------------- tda42 Saturday, 28 April 2007, 11:54 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I think this is really cool. I have an idea. Why don't you put something over the top of the tube she is in like a thing on Fantastic Voyage. Or a light ring like the Jupiter 2 on the bottom of the ship? It needs something to go over the platform above the tube. Just looking at it but what I see. Well you sure have got it going on. Great job. :thumb: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Saturday, 28 April 2007, 03:20 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Looking Good GC! I'll too will try out a few textures on it and let you know. (: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Saturday, 28 April 2007, 05:22 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I sent you PM Groucho C. (: ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 28 April 2007, 05:26 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: I'll look at Futura's package tonight and she will hopefully ready in few hours :grin: . I'll finish the work after fixing the damn broken PC of my bro :doh: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Saturday, 28 April 2007, 05:30 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- A pair of images from my texturing experiments: (: ----------------------------------- tda42 Saturday, 28 April 2007, 05:33 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- That is so sweet! :) ----------------------------------- tda42 Saturday, 28 April 2007, 06:35 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- My turn! :bigrinnin: ----------------------------------- Posy Saturday, 28 April 2007, 06:35 PM ----------------------------------- Have you told many people that your turn? ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 28 April 2007, 09:58 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- First of all thank you all for the kind comments.... gosh. It's only a little prop (and my first attempt at making one for Poser) but I am glad you like it. Some insight into why I designed it the way I did. There is nothing over the chamber for a reason: The spheres on those [large-bottomed] pylons are to discharge a couple million volts of electricity into the little sphere on top of the chamber. (Good for nice stark flashing lights for dramatic effect! Though I am wondering how to portray the lightning sparks....) Therefore I wanted nothing to get in the way of the drama of that. Also, I am going to model the outer room being inside a volcano vent (with wild walls to allow long-shot camera angles). However, an upper gantry could easily be arranged, with a crane device allowing more equipment to be lowered over the chamber if so required. As for lights and such, there is a plan to make a few devices to position around the outer edge of the gantry ring, each one with a different 'mad-scientist' electrical or pulsing lights - purely for effect. The generators are (obviously) in very rough form, and mark the start of my lower level laborotory modelling. Unlike the gantry and chamber, I want the lower level to be asymmetrical and relatively cluttered, to re-inforce the notion of that from chaos comes order (or beauty). In the finished model, all parts of the laborotory will be properly separated components for ease of posing. Now, as Wazizname rightfully pointed out to me, there are a few texturing issues. I am aware of them, and will address them in the final model as soon as I figure out how! There will be more material zones added, that much is certain. Anyway, as I said, thank you for your comments and suggestions, they are appreciated and will be taken on board. I'll keep plugging away until I've finished my contribution. I've spent since November downloading freebies. It's about time I started putting something back into the community. This is a small start - I have other ideas as well. And finally, a large thank-you to our esteemed creator of Futura... the inspiration for all this in the first place. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 28 April 2007, 11:26 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Please avoid to post image linked to other sites, they uses to disappear and we don't leech, please use the usual attachment button :) I'm working on Futura but some fixes are needed to the package, I've contacted Kenny and I hope all will be out soon :) ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Thursday, 03 May 2007, 08:59 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Sorry about the delay in finishing the Lab Of Tomorrow, but I've had a painfully busy week and have barely touched the computer at all. I've got a couple of free days on the weekend and I'm looking forward to puttering around in Poser then. ----------------------------------- Tormie Thursday, 03 May 2007, 09:14 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- No problems Groucho :hand: , Kenny is still working with Futura and I'm helping him with some problems fixes :roll: ----------------------------------- ahjah Thursday, 03 May 2007, 10:13 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :lmao: Future projects... ----------------------------------- tda42 Friday, 04 May 2007, 08:56 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Care to make a battery charger for Futura Andreas? :lmao: ----------------------------------- ahjah Friday, 04 May 2007, 09:55 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :oops: :uuh: where's the socket...? :whistle: ----------------------------------- Posy Friday, 04 May 2007, 09:57 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :nono: :nono: :nono: :snooty: ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 05 May 2007, 05:01 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: ----------------------------------- Posy Saturday, 05 May 2007, 05:03 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- [b]>SLAP!!!<[/b] ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 05 May 2007, 05:07 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :cry: ... ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 05 May 2007, 11:11 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Slowly but surely it continues... This morning built a volcano, and a well for the central pillar to sink into. (Ignore Robbie... seems he heard there may be a new bride on the way and is a little impatient.) GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Sunday, 06 May 2007, 01:02 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I'm feeling a bit like robbie :) :wink: ----------------------------------- tda42 Sunday, 06 May 2007, 03:45 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- We are getting a little bit closer. Thanks to the help of Davide, it is going more faster. I want this to work. The help is greatly speeding things up. The ground and the Lab platform looks great. :thumb: ----------------------------------- Ozymandias Jones Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 06:03 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Hey, it's looking good guys. This has been interesting to follow along with. And, yeah, we need more of the old fashioned B-grade sci-fi flicks of old. I was watching some of the original Lost in Space the other night.... campy, crappy, laughable and totally absurd! But that was all part of the fun :whistle: It's all taken a bit too seriously now-a-days :hand: ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 08:35 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Hi Ozy, welcome back again :hug2: ! About Futura, I just finished to review the project, I think it's 100% ok :thumb: and I sent back the file to Kenny for the final touches , I think it will be ready for download tomorrow :grin: ! ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 09:16 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- ...And a quick render with a couple of quick morphs that I just made :grin: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 09:56 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Wow... Futura is looking very good. You guys are great. I apologize for not logging on earlier, but I have had a little emergency this week - my sister became fairly ill mid-Saturday, and was admitted to hospital on Monday for what was supposed to be a simple day-patient thing, but the docs found out her problem was more serious than they first thought and have kept her there since then as a precaution. Though she is now much improved, the who thing kinda took my mind away from my PC. She should be discharged this afternoon, but in any case I'm now focused back on the virtual world... Barring other upsets, a prototype with most of the ground floor machinery & what-nots should be ready for your perusal and testing before the weekend is out. I'm looking for ideas for the recharging station for Futura... I want to do something more original than a clone of the Borg's... As an interesting aside, there are a couple of movies that I recommend you see for inspiration. First and foremost is[i] Forbidden Planet [/i]- I cannot believe I almost forgot to look at that! Also useful are [i]Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow[/i] and believe it or not, [i]Mars Attacks![/i] as well. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 09:57 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- And another one, I applied a light probe to the metals just for a try (and I added a visor) :) ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 10:04 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I'm sorry for your sister Groucho :sad: ! I hope that she'll be fine very soon :pray: !! For the recharghing station I suggest to add something from B-Movies, like those big metal switches with the wooden handle in the middle and some lightnings over the glass cover/dome for her, my idea is that a lightning would give life to her. Somewhere should be some word in Hebrew language, maybe אמת, 'truth' , in the legend of the Golem ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem ) it's a phrase that would keep the Golem animated when written on the forehead... About movies I suggest Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", the name of the gynoid in the movie is Futura :grin: ----------------------------------- tda42 Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 11:41 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Ok! Davide I am sending you the final Futura. I had to make some changes on the material. The visor is cool. I think she needs that. It goes with a sort of eye vision that she needs to have in order to see things. :thumb: So see what you think and go ahead and post it. :bigrinnin: As for your sister Groucho I am sorry about this. I hope she is doing much better. As far as the SciFi. Yes I was a big fan of Silent Running and Forbidden Planet. I loved the Saucer. :thumb: And yes she does need a Hyper Tube Chamber to recharge with. :thumb: ----------------------------------- Posy Wednesday, 09 May 2007, 11:41 PM ----------------------------------- I believe I have heard that somewhere before. I see. And then what happened to you? You are not the only one. I'm not sure if I like the Saucer. I like computers. ----------------------------------- Whazizname Thursday, 10 May 2007, 03:42 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I wish the best for your Sister & You, GrouchoC. Wow, Futura is certainly coming together nicely. :) :clap: :clap: :clap: (: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Thursday, 10 May 2007, 10:19 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Thank you all for the kind comments about my sister. She is now back home and on the mend, so that's all right. I've allocated all Saturday and Sunday for Poser. Gotta love this hobby! GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Posy Thursday, 10 May 2007, 10:19 PM ----------------------------------- Why do you have to do it? ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Thursday, 10 May 2007, 10:22 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- "From that fateful day when stinking bits of slime first crawled from the sea and shouted to the cold stars, 'I am man.', our greatest dread has always been the knowledge of our mortality. But tonight, we shall hurl the gauntlet of science into the frightful face of death itself. Tonight, we shall ascend into the heavens. We shall mock the earthquake. We shall command the thunders, and penetrate into the very womb of impervious nature herself." Any more questions, Posy? ----------------------------------- Posy Thursday, 10 May 2007, 10:22 PM ----------------------------------- And. That is very soon. ----------------------------------- tda42 Friday, 11 May 2007, 10:20 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Here is updated Futura that I am working on. This has got to work because it is the best she can be. :thumb: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 12 May 2007, 01:03 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- With the unwilling help of several million indentured web-bots, the building of the Lab Of Tomorrow goes on deep under the Earth's crust. Smuggled out of the complex at great danger, pictures of the diabolical lab's construction progress have surfaced. Also smuggled out was a partial schematic... Should have a downloadable version of this and a couple more bits ready by this time tomorrow. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- tda42 Saturday, 12 May 2007, 04:09 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Darned if I know. It looks good to me. :thumb: ----------------------------------- ahjah Saturday, 12 May 2007, 06:13 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :shocked!: :crazyeyes: :shocked!: :grin: ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 12 May 2007, 06:16 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :clap: :clap: :clap: :grin: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 09:01 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Due to some aggravating problems with my PC hardware, I'm forced to delay any more work on the Lab Of Tomorrow until my machine is stable again. I've tracked the problem down to a failing RAM module, and hope to get it replaced as soon as possible. Just one more reason to upgrade to a better machine, I suppose... What annoys me the most is that I really want this thing finished and released quickly, 'cause I have ideas for a few more props based around this theme. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 10:01 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Don't worry Groucho :hand: and take it easy :whistle: , we use to be lazy here :grin: :grin: !! ----------------------------------- ahjah Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 10:09 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Time is off matter on PosetteFOREVER :lmao: ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 16 May 2007, 10:19 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :oops: :oops: :oops: ----------------------------------- tda42 Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 01:42 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I know the feeling. Futura's arm needs oiled again. :lmao: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 08:06 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Good News: Found the offending memory module and removed it, making my machine stable again. Bad News: System memory now barely enough to run XP, let alone all my CGI toys. Good (?) News: My on-going gout problem means I'm eligible for help from the government, and I'm being back-paid a month's pay, so being able to buy double the amount of what I used to have in the first place is now an option. Bad News: I live in a town that can politely be called a back-water dump. Technology to these people means using metal rings on the horses's feed-bag. Forget the Internet - these people have yet to come to terms with the idea of giving up the rotary dials on their telephones... Anyhoo... enough ranting. Hope to be back in the saddle (Poser-wise) by the end of next week. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 09:00 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :) :) :) :grin: ----------------------------------- Posy Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 09:00 PM ----------------------------------- :-) :-) :-) I'm happy you're amused. ----------------------------------- Tormie Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 09:01 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :heartbeat: :heartbeat: :heartbeat: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Saturday, 26 May 2007, 06:45 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Yeehah!!! Got my PC back to a respectable amount of RAM. Pending a burn-in test to make sure the system is stable, I'll be back on the Poser trail within the next couple of days. Technology... Just Say Yes. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Saturday, 26 May 2007, 07:23 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :grin: Good luck Groucho :grin: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Monday, 28 May 2007, 03:25 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- OK, PC is cranking along nicely, and I'm already where I was supposed to be just before all the hardware hassles popped up. I'll have an updated Lab Of Tomorrow ready within the day. Still fairly rough, but getting there. I have made a lot more material surfaces though for better customisation. Anyway, the primary architecture is all but complete. Next will be all the fun little instrumentation and special effects toys... GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Monday, 28 May 2007, 05:35 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Good news :grin: ----------------------------------- tda42 Monday, 28 May 2007, 10:53 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Yes that is great news. :thumb: Had to order new batteries for Futura just the other day. Man, can these things get expensive. :lmao: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 11:15 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Okay, here is an (somewhat) updated version of the Lab Of Tomorrow. Still an early prototype, but getting there. It's a long weekend coming up over here, so I should have plenty of time to putter around and add more stuff. Have fun playing with this... GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 11:25 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Thank you Grucho :grin: *out to try it* ----------------------------------- Posy Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 11:25 PM ----------------------------------- You are quite welcome! I liek milk. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 11:28 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I like it groucho :thumb: it's a very clean style :grin: ! ----------------------------------- Whazizname Thursday, 31 May 2007, 12:09 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Thanks GrouchoC! I'm gonna try this out later tonight. (: ----------------------------------- ahjah Thursday, 31 May 2007, 05:53 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- So much to play with, and so little time :roll: :grin: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: ----------------------------------- Whazizname Friday, 01 June 2007, 01:37 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Hey GrouchoC, The LOT_P2 is looking very good! I really like the new additions; especially the boxes near the generators (They seem like they'd make good control units, if they're mapping was seperate from the capsule...). The seperate material zones on the "well" is also a nice touch; it should allow for some cool "energy" effects. :clap: :clap: :clap: I am very comforable with Poser's lights; so if you'd like a hand, or some tips, just let me know. (Maybe show me a render from MAX that shows the lighting you'd like to achieve...) I can barely wait to so the next version. :) Hmmm... I think I saw Futura wondering around in the LOT; so I'm off to see if i can catch up with her; she and I have some unfinished business. :grin: (: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Monday, 11 June 2007, 05:43 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Okay, the reason I've been a little slow in adding more Lab Of Tomorrow stuff is one of curiosity - I've been doing some heavy-duty experimentation with Poser <==> 3D MAX file transferring. So I've systematically trying out all the export/import options. (Mainly because I have a huge stockpile of public domain 3D meshes in [MAX / Lightwave / Imagine / Truespace / your old format here...] I'd like to convert to Poser. I've been dabbling in 3D for over 20 years now and never throw anything away.) The really good news is I think I've figured out the whole thing, so I'm pretty confident that any object I make or convert will work as I expect in Poser. Having done all that, I can say this: The next release of The Lab Of Tomorrow will be in a proper, modular format. Each component will be a separate pp2 file, indvidually uv mapped if required, and properly positioned for correct placement when loaded. In addition, because each piece can now be swapped in or out as required, there can be lo-res and hi-res versions of each mesh, so that you can have all the detail you need up close, and still save on memory for the more distant objects. At least, that's the plan. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Monday, 11 June 2007, 08:18 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- OK Groucho :grin: ----------------------------------- ahjah Monday, 11 June 2007, 08:50 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Sounds good :grin: :thumb: ----------------------------------- tda42 Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 01:11 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Alot of work. It is very kind of you to go this great mile for the project. :thumb: Can't wait. :bigrinnin: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 02:02 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- What can I say? We all get a nice little set of props to play with, and I get some real-world, hands-on experience in designing something for Poser from scratch. We all win! GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Whazizname Tuesday, 12 June 2007, 03:40 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :) I didn't know what to say; but I am glad to see that this project is still progressing. (: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Monday, 16 July 2007, 03:45 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- [size=14][i]I'm baaaaackk!!![/i][/size] Sorry about the self-imposed exile - I've had a busy, disruptive month. But all is now peachy-keen, and I'm back into the Poser swing-of-things. (An extra 320Gb of storage and a new shiny video card does help...! Then again, filling said storage within three weeks, and a bad case of [i]GTA:San Andreas-itis[/i]) doesn't.) Work on The Lab of Tomorrow is back up and running. I should have something for uploading by the weekend. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Monday, 16 July 2007, 05:05 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Hi big cat :grin: ----------------------------------- Tormie Monday, 16 July 2007, 08:38 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- My cat says >MEOW!< :grin: ----------------------------------- tda42 Monday, 16 July 2007, 10:45 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- You Know I was just thinking about you GrouchoCaeser. :thumb: Was wondering where you had gone too. :mmmh: It is good to have you back with us. :clap: ----------------------------------- Tormie Tuesday, 17 July 2007, 12:07 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :hug2: :hug2: :hug2: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 04:31 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- I may not make much noise (think like a cat, think like a cat, think like a cat...!) but I do log-on and read the new posts almost every day. It's now kind of a habit. The hard part is organizing free [i]quiet[/i] time do do what I want to do. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- Tormie Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 08:37 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :uuh: Yes, I notice the load in the cat litter when I awake :sick: :sick: :sick: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 11:16 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Well it's not [i]my[/i] fault there's no cat-flaps in the vicinity... GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Thursday, 20 September 2007, 06:33 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- (Looks around and sees dust[i] everywhere[/i]...) Good Grief!! It's been this long since I've fired up Poser? The Lab Of Tomorrow[sup]1[/sup] is back on track. Updated prototypes will be uploaded on Sunday 23rd. My aim is to have the whole furshlugginer mess ready for use as a Halloween prop, so aiming for final version by 10th October. Once the final versions are created, they will be put here for free use by anyone. [sup]1[/sup] Maybe I should just call it the Lab Of Real Soon Now until it is actually released! GrouchoC ----------------------------------- Tormie Thursday, 20 September 2007, 07:20 AM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- We're hoping :grin: ! ----------------------------------- ahjah Thursday, 20 September 2007, 04:23 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :dance: :dance: :dance: ----------------------------------- tda42 Thursday, 20 September 2007, 11:46 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Can't wait GC. :thumb: ----------------------------------- GrouchoCaesar Tuesday, 18 December 2007, 01:36 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- Well spank my [expletive deleted] and call me Susan... I've actually made some progress in this little project. Quick pic of the WIP... More forthcoming. GrouchoC. ----------------------------------- ahjah Tuesday, 18 December 2007, 02:54 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: Maybe I'll be using this for making my morphs in future :D :wink: ----------------------------------- Tormie Tuesday, 18 December 2007, 02:59 PM Re: It's Alive. Alive! ----------------------------------- :thumb: Take your time Groucho :D !