View Full Version : Blender Battles Monthly Contest
Blender Battles Monthly challenge
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz
Will begin on the 1st of each month and will run for the entire month.
Respower is sponsoring this new challenge, meaning the winner at the end of each month will win a "1 month, Blender Bronze subscription", to the ResPower Super/Farm
Each Month will have a new topic that will test your ability in different areas of Blender.
Modeling, animation, texturing, lighting..... different months will excite different people.
The challenges will often be strung together, so that the winner of one month becomes the blank canvas of the next.
Modeling -> Texturing -> Animating. could be a 3 month epic containing the winning model from the first, the winning texture from the second, and the winning animation from the third.
Respower is kindly suporting this challenge with a monthly bronze membership prize.
They will also be sponsoring this years Blender World Cup (so keep your eyes open). All up this year they will be donating $480 worth of prizes to Blender Battles to give out to you, the community.
Alltaken
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/albums/userpics/10002/feb.jpg
The Challenge
The Monthly challenge will be held at Blender Battles. submissions should go into this thread there. http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=391
Space is a Playground
To kick off the first 'Monthly Challenge' we have chosen to go with a fairly traditional topic, which seems to be enjoyed by many people.
Space is a playground, the future does not hold war, nor massive mining ships.... Ok maybe it does, but not in our challenge.... Space is a playground for the rich, and the boy racers, with their lowered rocket boosters, body kits and wicked sound systems.
Your job is to create one of these pleasure craft of the future. it could be for any market you want, in any style you want. (could be serious, could be funny, could be practical....)
rich stars
gang leaders
boy racers
8 year old kids
families going camping.....
fast
sleek
flashy
fun
futuristic
...
Outcome
The expected outcome of this challenge is a single complete and self sufficient image, to be submitted for judging at 1280x960 or 640x480
Software Rules
Most modelling needs to be done in Blender. Rendering can be done in yafray, blender, or a mixture of both.
Post processing is allowed, and expected. (gimp, photoshop....)
You are allowed to use pieces from old models, as long as this is a largely original composition, with a largely new design.
Moral Rules
These are pleasure craft, not war machines. Unless they are space deer hunters, its duck season on Jupiter, or it is generally light hearted weaponry I don't want to see guns.
I am not saying the ships can't look mean, or need to look fun/funny. They just need to look like they have a purpose that is personal.
Deadline
The Deadline is the End of the Month 1st March 0:00 GMT. Find the time in your location
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=3&day=1&year=2006&hour=0&min=0&sec=0&p1=0
Prize
The winner will get a 1 month, Blender Bronze subscription at Respower super/farm. http://respower.com
The winner will be able to choose when to use the subscription, within 3 months after winning the competition.
Tips and Tricks for Entries.
Research
The best designs often have good influences, I have included some quick research at the bottom of this post for ideas. but go onto Google and get some more. Don't just research the topic you are designing for, research anything that offers inspiration, could be beetles, could be electronic components, could be anything.
Draw your Concept
Before you model in blender, perhaps draw your concept. it doesn't need to be a masterpiece, it just needs to serve as a Guide for your creativity. you will find you are spending less time thinking and resolving problems while modelling if you resolve them on paper.
Simplicity and Elegance
Sometimes modelling every single detail is not needed, a simple object made from 5 cleverly intersecting spheres or other simple shapes, may in fact look better than an elaborate model that took you weeks. Remember its in the lighting as much as the model, even a simple model can look amazing if well lit. We don't want entries to be laborious, we want them to be efficient and effective.
Create a simple model, get the lighting and camera angle correct. Sort out a background, and then add details as you need
Post Production
You are free and encouraged to use post production, don't feel you need to render the background at the same time as the foreground. If you do use post production (out of blender, i.e. Gimp or Photoshop) please include your original render also, we are all interested, and it will help prove the effectiveness of Post production, to convince others to use it in the future.
Nice Background
Create or find a fantastic space background. The Hubble space telescope is a beautiful and free resource. don't underestimate a good background.
include a planet or planets in your scene if you want. Your background may be 90% of the scene with a simple model zipping in front of it. its the overall effect we want
Please view the research I have gathered already, it covers various styles and topics to do with space/ships. jump on Google and do 'at least' 30 mins more research. Get those creative thoughts flowing.
space scenes
http://www.laughtergenealogy.com/bin/hubble/thumbs09.html
http://www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper_space2.php
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/Press/planets.asp
http://www.etext.org/Zines/planet/pm39/pm39.html
inspiration
http://www.mangalocity.com/ziebenlindigitalartgallery.html
http://www.keiththompsonart.com/pages/spaceship.html
http://www.maxon.net/pages/gallery/gallery_9.html
http://homepage.mac.com/joebergeron/garage.html
http://blender.org/cms/May_2005.600.0.html
http://blender.org/cms/August_2005.715.0.html
http://www.povcomp.com/hof/rocket.html
http://www.collector.co.jp/~toys/sonicon.htm
http://www.alivingdog.com/Sci-Fi_Space_Age_Toys.html
http://www.ele-mental.org/~ecc/exo/exotica/osearticle.html
http://homepage.mac.com/joebergeron/orbit.html
http://www.johnegan-illustration.co.uk/pages/spacecruiser.htm
http://www.amv-lilliput.org/mostra2004/fanta/fanta.htm
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04k.html
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/albums/userpics/10002/logo-320x60.jpg (http://respower.com/)
How can you possibly make something that looks cooler (and sexier for that matter) than Wu in space?
Still very interesting.
Good topic and not really cliche because of the 'no warmachines' rule.
I always liked the Weekend Challenges, but I think it's time to kick it up a notch. So I guess I should register at Blender Battles...
Sago
Very cool. I hope a lot of people come!
Please view the research I have gathered already, it covers various styles and topics to do with space/ships. jump on Google and do 'at least' 30 mins more research. Get those creative thoughts flowing.
space scenes
http://www.laughtergenealogy.com/bin/hubble/thumbs09.html
http://www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper_space2.php
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/Press/planets.asp
http://www.etext.org/Zines/planet/pm39/pm39.html
inspiration
http://www.mangalocity.com/ziebenlindigitalartgallery.html
http://www.keiththompsonart.com/pages/spaceship.html
http://www.maxon.net/pages/gallery/gallery_9.html
http://homepage.mac.com/joebergeron/garage.html
http://blender.org/cms/May_2005.600.0.html
http://blender.org/cms/August_2005.715.0.html
http://www.povcomp.com/hof/rocket.html
http://www.collector.co.jp/~toys/sonicon.htm
http://www.alivingdog.com/Sci-Fi_Space_Age_Toys.html
http://www.ele-mental.org/~ecc/exo/exotica/osearticle.html
http://homepage.mac.com/joebergeron/orbit.html
http://www.johnegan-illustration.co.uk/pages/spacecruiser.htm
http://www.amv-lilliput.org/mostra2004/fanta/fanta.htm
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/iss-04k.html
and don't forget...
http://www.publicorgtheory.com/uploaded_images/spaceballs-704719.jpg
Sandurz: Prepare for light speed.
Helmet: No, no, light speed is too slow.
Sandurz: Light speed too slow?
Helmet: Yes, we'll have to go right to...Ludicrous speed!
Sandurz: Ludicrous speed! Sir, we've never gone that fast before! I don't think the ship can take it!
Helmet: What's the matter, Colonel Sandurz...CHICKEN?!
heh, heh...
LOL yes, that van is awsome, i did love that in Spaceballs :D
Alltaken
Tyaedalis
01-Feb-06, 01:19
can we make a space mining vehicle or no?
can we make a space mining vehicle or no?
is it mining for "pleasure"
if it is a space gold hunting vehicle, that is used by hobby gold hunters with a nice big metal detector on it, then sure.
but mining is a profession, and its not very fun. we are trying to keep it to pleasure craft, things which probably have little to no practical value.
Alltaken
Tyaedalis
01-Feb-06, 03:49
gotcha! ;)
i got a concept sketch, but dont know how to model it :( maybe i can upload it (when i can get my hands on a camera) and you guys can help? (btw, i will make a new topic for that if i do it. i'm just asking if you guys would help me.)
Is this purely a modelling competition, or is composition also a factor? That is, are we supposed to submit an untextured model with a nice GI render, or a complete textured scene with a fancy lighting setup?
Yeah, Alltaken is very vague with his rambling.... ;)
Just modeling one ship (or whatever) isn't really that interesting to me, I also want to make a complete scene/story (or whatever). Without losing the topic, ofcourse.
So is it meant to be like your recent challenge with Ecks... or whatever? haha, you lost...
Whatever it's gonna be, I'll just do whatever I like... :P
Whatever,
Sago
ok i can clarify my instructions, and edit them.
it is a "completed image" with effectively few rules other than that.
you CAN use compositing and post pro, and we want you to.
if you do you composite and use post pro we would appreciate you to also include a render of your unedited image. this is not necisary but is optional and we would all like to see it for interest. (and to make sure its not all painted)
you can model as many ships as you like, it is a completed scene :D could be space go-kart race for example.
Is this purely a modelling competition, or is composition also a factor? That is, are we supposed to submit an untextured model with a nice GI render, or a complete textured scene with a fancy lighting setup?
both and all of the above. the final image is being judged, the rest is for interest and to support your case.
we are wanting overall results for this challenge.
Alltaken
Thanks.
So I guess much like those CGChallenges on CGTalk.
Just go all the way.
Vrooommm,
Sago
Can we post our works in progresses here? Or do we do that at BlenderBattles? Or can we at all?
Super Wu-Man
02-Feb-06, 15:14
sorry guys, but nothing you do is going to look cooler then me in space, unless it is alltaken with his skin tight red shorts floating around eating cheese burgers, haha, that would be pretty cool.
anyway looks like your blender battles site is getting popular. rore and i plan to battle all this week and post our works for voting saturday feb 11th! its a damn shame to have the skills i have, only 5% of this forum is female and i still get the chicks to hang with me!!! just look how long i got Sago to hang out!!!
Can we post our works in progresses here? Or do we do that at BlenderBattles? Or can we at all?
Blender Battles has no intention to be a "crit or help" forum. so all WIP's and such go to elysiun.
Blender Battles is 100% about competition, and are only interested in the final work. No point in breaking up the community with 'clone' websites everywhere.
Alltaken
Sounds great, but I don't think I can join this time. I'm already in a contest at threedy. I think this contest sounds pretty like it to me.
Not very long left to get your entries in for this Months Competition.
We have a few days left, then there will be voting.
1 months renderfarm rendering is still up for grabs people, so get in quick.
Alltaken
Wha?
Oh sh*t!
I better get started then.
HA HA HA!!!! I just might quite possibly maybe will win? I haven't posted in my Focused Critic so you will be blown away when you see the finished product, secret weapon mwohahahahaha!!!!!!
Secret weapon hey?
I've got a secret weapon too, and it's called love.
And you know what they say 'bout love:
"love conquers all", "all you need is love" and "love can break your balls and leave you bleeding like a pig".
%|
Looking forward to see some the entries.
Love y'all,
Sago
I hope the last day gets a heck load of entries, because here in my country its the last day..... about 24h left.
Good luck everyone who is entering.
Alltaken
I'm so friggin' nervous, I hope I get it rendered in time.
The Challenge
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=406
From Runes to Ruins
The life blood and energy of a once powerful hub has been drained and eroded by the never ending river of time. The original creators forgotten, the new meaning strange.
This months challenge is about showing the progress of time in a still image. Both the state of vibrancy, and dilapidation should be addressed in the same image. You must tell a story without movement.
old/new
power/ruin
vibrant/dull
lost/found
You may choose to go from Runes to ruins, or from Ruins to Runes. It is suggested you look at how things can be misused, or reused in different contexts. How a car now seems ordinary, but in the future may not be understood. Or may even become an object of worship to a post apocalyptic society.
Outcome
The expected outcome of this challenge is a single complete and self sufficient image, to be submitted for judging at one of these sizes.
Size: They can be either vertical or horizontal.
normal 3:4: 640x480 or 1280x960
Wide format: 1280x480 or 2560x960
250Kb for your submitted image. Larger file sized images for wide entries can be emailed to me.
Software Rules
Most modelling needs to be done in Blender. Rendering can be done in yafray, blender, or a mixture of both.
Post processing is allowed, and expected. (gimp, photoshop....)
You are allowed to use pieces from old models, as long as this is a largely original composition, with a largely new design.
Deadline
The Deadline is the End of the Month 1st April 0:00 GMT. Find the time in your location
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?month=4&day=1&year=2006&hour=0&min=0&sec=0&p1=0
Prize
The winner will get a 1 month, Blender Bronze subscription at Respower super/farm. http://respower.com
The winner will be able to choose when to use the subscription, within 3 months after winning the competition.
Tips and Tricks for Entries.
Research
Research is a must. Without it, you will be limiting your imagination to what you understand right now. Don't just research the topic you are designing for, research anything that offers inspiration, could be beetles, could be electronic components, could be anything.
Draw your Concept
Before you model in blender, perhaps draw your concept. it doesn't need to be a masterpiece, it just needs to serve as a Guide for your creativity. you will find you are spending less time thinking and resolving problems while modelling if you resolve them on paper.
Simplicity and Elegance
Sometimes modelling every single detail is not needed, a simple object made from 5 cleverly intersecting spheres or other simple shapes, may in fact look better than an elaborate model that took you weeks. Remember its in the lighting as much as the model, even a simple model can look amazing if well lit. We don't want entries to be laborious, we want them to be efficient and effective.
Create a simple model, get the lighting and camera angle correct. Sort out a background, and then add details as you need
Post Production
You are free and encouraged to use post production, don't feel you need to render the background at the same time as the foreground. If you do use post production (out of blender, i.e. Gimp or Photoshop) please include your original render also, we are all interested, and it will help prove the effectiveness of Post production, to convince others to use it in the future.
Composition and image aspect ratio
This month allows much wider formats for your work, this should be used to full effect for those wishing to have linear space to tell a story.
Subject matter
Be creative, don't just think of a ruin as an area lost!
You choose for the ruins to be incorperated into a modern city, built upon, expanded upon without people realising.
You could show that society and civilisation has left and has never returned.
You could show that society has made an ordinary ruined object into a place of power.....
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/albums/userpics/10002/logo-320x60.jpg (http://respower.com/)
Wow, lotsa words I never heard of. what does 'challenge' mean... :P
You may choose to go from Ruins to ruins, or from Ruins to Runes.
Ruins to ruins? Not sure if I'm getting that. Or do you mean "runes to ruins"?
Anyway, very interesting. Not really my cup of tea, but maybe.
Thanks for giving more options for the size and setting the maximum size higher. I really had a hard time with my first work; with the small size some details just got lost, and with the big size I couldn't get it to look good under the max. of 200 kb.
Love y'all(taken),
Sago
Wow, lotsa words I never heard of.
Me too. I looked up vibrancy on wiktionary and there came no results. Dilipadition (or however it's spelled) I understood like it was the crime of letting buildings become ugly and disrepaired and stuff, and cutiing down trees was some kind of Dilipadition.
Kinda confusing title for the contest "Runes to ruins". I don't understand it. Runes are the letters that vikings was writing with and you don't have to do anything historical or anything about the vikings. So why is the contest called "Runes to ruins"?
Try www.urbandictionary.com for those non conventional words like *Dilapidation and Runes.
Don't break your head over it too much. The title isn't meant to be taken literally, but more general (I think).
Runes were original used as an alphabet, now it's more like a 'mystical' museumpiece.
See the title as some sort of example.
It's about changes in time that something goes through; the way it looks, the way it is used and the new meanings it has gotten.
Sago
If I'm wrong please tell me...
I've got an idea for a project but it would probably involve fire. And I haven't learned how to do it yet, but I have seen a thread with a ball of fire in his hand and there was a tutorial in that thread too about how to make fire without using particles I think. So please if anyone has a link to that tut I would be more than happy if you could give it to me (I know that there is a search function but it doesn't work, let's try search for "fire tutorial" and we get 9264 matches).
That's an easy one.
Clickie: http://www.elysiun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41327&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=fire+tutorial&start=0
That's an easy one.
Clickie: http://www.elysiun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41327&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=fire+tutorial&start=0
Thanks. Harder than I rememberd. I gotta learn Photoshop.
Yes Sago is right.
the topic title is not to be taken litterally. the challenge is written in the words of the post.
look at some of the work by @ndy and Endi to get an idea of some beautifull old stuff. look at some modern futuristic posts from people to get ideas how to re-look at time.
Simplicity and lighting are really important in this one. it will mainly be in the lighting and materials.
unless i spelt the words wrong, they are all real words (perhaps i take them for granted)
Alltaken
Are you free to make an animation or do it have to be still image?
Outcome
The expected outcome of this challenge is a single complete and self sufficient image, to be submitted for judging at one of these sizes.
Outcome
The expected outcome of this challenge is a single complete and self sufficient image, to be submitted for judging at one of these sizes.
Ok, thanks.
there will be animation contests later on.
the first challenge was looking at composition and lighting (effective dispaly) this month is looking at telling a story in a still image.
We will have challenges looking at other aspects like animation.
People will build up a good level of skills if they meet each months aims.
Alltaken
Would something very old in a very modern building count?
If I do a scene with the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and have some spanish conqeastadors (right spelled?) on their way to the city would that count? I mean it's something that the Aztecs see every day but it's something new to the europeans.
Please don't steal my idea.
the first challenge was looking at composition and lighting (effective dispaly) this month is looking at telling a story in a still image.
When it comes to voting, people don't really seem to care much for those aims and the very meaning of the topic. Whatever the average Blender/elYsiun/BlenderBattles user may be (boy, 17 yrs old, amateur 'artist'?), most people just vote for the 'coolest' pic. No matter how cliche the work is. In fact, most people just looove cliches.
This is just something that's been bothering me for a long time. People make cliche work, people vote for cliche work (this isn't about the Monthly Battle, but more in general). Not that I really care what they make or do, it just feels I don't have an audience I can reach, my work not getting the proper recognition. And seeing other peoples talent being wasted 'cause of lame approaches.
Oh well, sorry about that.
Btw. Alltaken, such a shame about the low voting turnout, even though this is the first one. I think your work and effort deserves better, something I (and surely the others) appreciate very much.
See ya next mothly battle,
fight the cliches
and thank God for Backiz' alien octopus bathtub spacevessel.
Sago
If I do a scene with the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and have some spanish conqeastadors (right spelled?) on their way to the city would that count? I mean it's something that the Aztecs see every day but it's something new to the europeans.
well the idea is a profound change in meaning or time.
an event like you are describing is really one moment of time. but two totally different time periods being shown in the same image could be achived.
think about the aztec civilisation in its glory.... then tourists taking photos of the ruins. you have two different meanings to the same elements.
good idea though.
Alltaken
If I do a scene with the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and have some spanish conqeastadors (right spelled?) on their way to the city would that count? I mean it's something that the Aztecs see every day but it's something new to the europeans.
well the idea is a profound change in meaning or time.
an event like you are describing is really one moment of time. but two totally different time periods being shown in the same image could be achived.
think about the aztec civilisation in its glory.... then tourists taking photos of the ruins. you have two different meanings to the same elements.
good idea though.
Alltaken
Damn, I think I am going to finish it yet.
Just over two days left for entries people.
there are some sweet prizes this month. If you want the books or games on offer, the winner gets first picks, if not the runner up gets their choice.
Check out the prize pool people.
and get those entries in.
http://battles.mudpuddle.co.nz/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=413
Alltaken
i've posted the new challenge for anyone subscribing to this thread.
from now on the challenges will be posted in a new topic each.
Cheers.
Alltaken
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