Fine. Let's screw the collaboration idea

[Gary David Bouton]

I work just like everyone else on this forum. Perhaps more than 12 hours a day, at least 5 days a week earning my bread as an author. The bottom has fallen out of the application book market, so I've taken on writing web chapters for Pearson, and writing school textbooks to make up the difference.

And yet I'm here on the forum every day, and if I hadn't promised everyone that I's stay out of the creative and modeling process, *I* would have half the collaboration image done by now.

What's going on, folks? Out of all the TalkGraphics forums, ours is the most in-depth. The others feature "hit and run" graphics advice...but not a lot of background, meaty material like we do.

Has interest waned so badly for whatever reasons that we, as a group, don't have the energy to devote a little "ooomph" to the collaboration?

Are we a bunch of tired, old, easily distracted, has-beens before we've begun?

I'm pissed, because I thought a collaboration would help bind us as a forum. But the most active thread right now is a word game (admittedly, one in which I participate).

Shall we go back to posting pictures of,"Golly, look what I did today.?", and referrals to upgrades? Hey, there's nothing wrong with that...it's just that I think...no, I KNOW, we can do better than that. I mean, shit--Stu is desperately ill and yet he emailed me a bunch of crayons to use in the background of the collaboration. Do any of us have as critical excuses for setting back?

So do we, as Wayne intimated, pull the plug on the patient?

Really confused with this group as a whole,

Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.

[This message was edited by Gary David Bouton on October 15, 2001 at 11:38.]

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Ya! And i said i would be posting my models asap.

I've completed these toys thus far:

- ball'n'jacks
- skate board
- paddle board

Images are below.
No textures for these of course... that's up to those in charge of that area.

But as for posting the meshes, shouldn't we setup one specific thread for that to make things simpler?

Let me know?! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

PS: my apologies for any delays from me folks. I've been having to learn some new software in the last week or so. That, on top of my regular schedule, has sucked up my leisure time.

[Mark (theKeeper)]

da lego blocks.

[Gary David Bouton]

THANK YOU for the org chart, Randy. If ya can visualize something in Visio, everyone, than this makes total sense.

What we need is an inventory (and yes, I know thi will take time) of the toys. We cannot have too many of them, but a nice mix I think can be arrived at here. I would prefer to see a Lego creation instead of loose Legos:
1.)They're teeny and will get lost in the sauce, as it were.
2.)They are easily identifiable as a trademark item, but less so as a construction of say, a dumptruck or a dinosaur.

Personal opinion: I like the idea of the robot begging to be played with so much, I sort of want it to be a "place out of time". Jack-Inna-Boxes, spinning tops, teddy bears, construction toys...they might not have been part of my 9 year old, male experience...but I wish they were, and the picture then becomes attractive and wish-fulfillment to me. The bike helmet strikes me as too new...when I was a kid, we never wore helmets (and that's why so many of my friends and I have brain damage!)...but seriously, child safety then becomes a political issue (like not running with the scissors, so kids get blunt-edge plastic scissors to play with) in the image. I cringe that it might detract from the foreground action (P.S., please create Scrabble board from memory and do not duplicate it...again, copyright issue).

The enrgey's good here! Consider making the board part of the skateboard out of wood to make it a little more old-fashioned? Okay, okay, I'm out of here! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

BTW, this "old man" who has been drinking too much coffee, Wayne? I'm two years older than Jens, which puts me at 48 and two steps from the retirement home and dentures, eh? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

My Best,

Gary David Bouton
Gary@GaryDavidBouton.com
Free education! The Writings Web site
and the updated GaryWorld Gallery is pretty okay, too.

[\"W\"]

Jens:
Sorry, I forgot about the link to your toy-bot. Thanks again for it.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So do we, as Wayne intimated, pull the plug on the patient? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Aux contraire ...

Randy - Yes, let's start a strictly inventory/staus report thread for what we have so far from those involved.

Steve - I agree... don't feel rushed, enjoy the process. Nevermind the old man [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img], He's just drinking too much coffee.

W

[randyrives]

Where or to whom should we send/post our models? We need some organization, mom-de-bomb says she is too busy to head this up (if I remember correctly). We need someone to assign projects and set dates, and for all of us to report back to. In another words a project leader. I know it is Ross's design, but we need someone to be the central hub.

May I suggest that everyone that wants to see this through post a message saying so, and their email address so they can be contacted, assignments given etc.
I will be glad to attempt to head this up. If we have enough intrest.

Thanks,
Randy

[Steve Newport]

Calm down Gary! I can garuntee you that all those who said they'd work on a model are in the process. We are not professional modelers and it will take time! Without them, we can't do anything else with this project. I believe the plan was to take it slow. We'd get all the models in andd work on a scene plan with what we have. Once we have the layout, we'll render the scene with all the models and everything without textures. once that's done, we'll have an idea for the atmosphere and mood of the scene. That's where the texture people come in (Ross & I) and so on and so forth! So just give it time!! Do you think the people at pixar/dreamworks were mad because Toy Story wasn't released 2 months after it started?! Good things never come without hard (And most of the time LOONG) work!
So if you havn't started your model yet,GET MOVIN!! Otherwise, lets not rush it!!

Steve Newport

[Ross Macintosh]

Mark - can you make those lego blocks thicker? They look good except most people's collections have dozens of standard blocks for every flat piece like you've developed. I wonder if someone who feels uncomfortable modelling their own toy might enjoy trying to build something with Mark's modeled lego pieces??? If there are no takers Mark, any chance you can assemble a bunch into some sort of construction? I'm sure even a rather hap-hazard assembly of blocks will look great in the context of the final image.

Also Mark - I attach a texture for possible consideration on your bike helmet.

Regards, Ross

PS - Don't fret Gary - I'm sure you'll be proud of what gets achieved. It may take longer than you ever expected but it will get done. Definitely.

[randyrives]

Ok,

I have attempted to Flowchart what needs to be done and who is going to do it.

We have Four basic areas (departments).
1) Modeling: Randy, Mark, Stu, Wayne and jens.
2) Textures: Ross, Steve and Paul.
3) Final scene render: Earl
4) Touch-up and post effects: Sharon and Gary

If I have missed anybody let me know and I will update this message.

I am a computer programmer and have no experience in the art world. So if this is not what we need let me know and I will redo.

--Randy

--Green on the flow chart means the section has been completed.

[Mark (theKeeper)]

helmet WITH a strap...