Blender Underground

A bit like RR's wooden train challenge ... a bit like DaveC's Bean Mug ... but the ideas been floating around in my head for a while now. Thought it'd share it.
Here's a 1x4 plank of solid wood.



The challenge is, duplicate it to build whatever you like, from a Himalayan Greenfinch to an Asus graphics card.
Only rule is, make it look ... realistic. No abnormal scaling, no obvious interpenetration, etc etc. Think in solid forms. Only scale what you'd be able to saw in real life.
Also, other models are allowed, as long as the plank is the creative focus of the final render. You can have a beautiful tree model, as long as your final render is a close up of the lifelike wooden ants you've made crawling up the trunk.

Quick idea:



(yes, it's rushed and I barely followed my own rules, but the idea is there) Bonus points for using all the texture space provided. Also, since this isn't so much about nice topology and interesting shaders, more effort into nice renders and awesome ideas would be cool.

Hopefully it's an interesting challenge, not too intensive since all the bare materials are there. Say entries close in 2-3 weeks?

Files are here: 2.4 MB of zipped files! Included is the base model, unlit, the diffuse texture, and the specular/normal texture.
And for the 2.49 users: Hopefully it works this time!

But yeah. Hopefully some of you get a kick out of this.

cool.

So, how could I possibly saw planks into forms the scale of an Asus graphics card?

I got an idea and some spare time today, hope I can finish it until supper. Can I use other wood forms than a plank? Like for a round shape, I could use a piece of a tree trunk? Or is this off the challenge rules?

And what about post-processing or using other renderers?

Oooo, this is a neat one....

If it's not too much trouble, I'd like a 2.49 version. If it is, I can use 2.5. Maybe it would be good for me...Oh, and one question. Can we use other models? Or is it only the plank?

Either way is good; just thought I'd ask.

Of course Loklac is boss now, but I vote you can...if we're voting. If you were to make a spindle in real life, you could always lathe the wood to shape.

I just wanted to know if this is acceptable so far:



I'm going to do an interior, too, like seats or a dashboard. However, there's no sense continuing the project if I'm not following the rules. So, what do you think of it?

Awesome wooden Lamborghini so far !

This is a unique idea for a challenge. I like your van/truck Prom. I'll be keeping an eye on this.... Might participate if I can get the kids to sleep. Anyone got some chloroform?

So, the car is ok? And tree trunks and resized planks are agreed, too? I'm not quite sure about what is allowed and what isn't...

Sorry, the past few hours have been night for me, so I only just woke up haha.

1) On other wood models; as long as the majority of the model is the wood plank, its all good.

2) On other models in general; same as above. Other models are allowed, as long as they aren't the creative focus of the final render.

3) On external renderers; render using whatever you feel comfortable with.

... And the 2.49 file is coming in just a moment.

Edit: Forgive my ignorance, but changing file compatibility isn't something I do every day. I've reopened it in 2.49, relinked the textures, etc etc, and re saved it. Is that all I have to do? It didn't seem to want to render too well. Is there something I am unaware of? Am I too deep in the 2.5 rabbit hole?

You're too deep into the rabbit hole...

Export it as a WaveFront Object in 2.5 then import it in 2.49. clean it up then save. That should get you away from the nasties...

Ah thank you, penix1! You are a gentleman, a scholar, and a life-saver. I was considering including an .obj in the .zip for ambiguities sake, but I've fixed it all up now anyway. If any 2.49ers have trouble ... dont come running to me, cause I've been stumbling in the dark this whole time.

Haha, thanks.

Well, now I've committed to this, so I'd better make something! I was considering modeling a tranquilizing mallet for Steve, if he couldn't find the chloroform, but I had a better idea.

All of the normals are screwed up on the plank in my file and it renders black. Even after I add a lamp! What am I missing here?

EDIT: Fixed it. The wood material was set to use nodes.

Apologies, I had that problem briefly, but I thought I had saved it out. Not sure why it's reared its ugly head again.