DAZ Studio 4 PRO free for a limited time!

And now, free for a limited time, DAZ Studio 4 Pro!  Fun for the whole family!  If you have a 3D enthusiast in the family, give him DAZ Studio 4 pro, Bryce pro, and Hexagon for free for Valentines day!

Yes, kids, DAZ Studio is offering DAZ Studio 4 Pro for free. So, why is this good?  Well, AUTOFIT! And Dynamic Cloth!  This is so COOL!! :)

Well, for one thing, I don't have to buy it later.  But . . . auto fit!  Dynamic Cloth . . . THIS IS AWESOME! :)

Myth and Roleplaying

Once there was a hero . . .

Who took up arms . . . .

To save the beautiful princess . . .

From the Dragon.


Thus begins the discussion in the video: "Remembering the End of the World."  The video talks about a dozen or so Archetypes that exist in human myth: the Hero, the Princess, the Dragon, the Great and Wise King.

When gamers roleplay, they are taking on the roles of the mythic Archetypes in order to defeat monsters of Chaos -- both real and imagined.


Black Dragon by *BenWootten on deviantART

To say the least, we role-players which to relive the mythic archetypes.  In a strong way, we are re-enacting the stories and the legends of the ancient Mythmakers.  We are the Hero in the story, off to fight powerful chaos monsters such as the Dragon, or the Chimaera, or the Gorgon.  Especially with her long, disheveled hair of snakes.   We act the part of Perseus, Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, even Arthur and Saint George.

We relive these Archetypes.  But where do they come from?  Carl Jung however said that they were deep archetypes, a part of the human psyche that was in borne that couldn't go away.  However comparative Mythologist David Talbot has other ideas.

What if the Hero in the story was actually a planet?  The planet Mars.

In Roman Mythology, Mars was the God of War and Agriculture.  Unlike modern representations of Ares -- as an Evil god who wanted perpetual war and conflict; Mars was was a hero god -- who saved the Princess from the Dragon.

Mars was the prototypical hero.  As for the Princess -- what if she was also a planet?  The planet Venus.  But that still doesn't explain the Chaos Monster or the Good and Wise King.  Let us reveal these archetypes for what they are: a planet and a comet.  The Good and Wise King, the archetype for all kings here on Earth, is a planet.  The planet Saturn.

The Chaos Monster, the Dragon -- a monster who has remained in man's imagination for a very long time -- is a creature that has no basis in the biological world.  Part serpent, part bird, part tiger, part leopard -- the dragon is the combination of all life.  But it has long flowing hair and is associated with Lightning.

To be fair, the Dragon or Chaos Monster is a comet.  A comet of planetary size and proportion . . . once again, the planet Venus.   How can the Planet Venus be both the beautiful Princess and the Chaos Monster?  In ancient times, the Mother Goddess was also the Goddess of Death and Misfortune.  In India, Khali is or was worshipped as the Goddess of Life and Death.  The same is true of Aphrodite, who is the Goddess of Love and Death in Greek Mythology.  According to the Egyptians, the planet Venus is associated with the Goddess Hathor -- who could turn into the terrible lioness Sekhmet.  And the planet Venus is also associated with Isis, the queen of the Gods.

And as for Saturn as the wise and good king of Heaven?  In a revelation to Abraham about the stars and the planets Yahweh (Jehovah) revealed: "These are the governing ones; and the name of the great one is ^aKolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest."


--- Abraham chapter 3, verse 3. 


Most Mormons, who have this revelation, believe that the star Kolob is in the Center of the Universe, or the Center of the Galaxy.   However, this tradition is wrong and in error.  Kolob is a planet.  The planet Saturn.  

The word kolob is related to the word qelb, an Arabic word that means to turn around -- to rotate.  According to Yahweh, the planet Saturn was meant to be the lesser light (yes, Genesis says it was the moon).  The star which was the nearest unto God's throne.   It was to be used according to the times and seasons, as one revolution of Saturn's poles was to be as a day unto Yahweh -- one thousand years according to our reckoning here on Earth.  In ancient times, Saturn was worshiped by astronomers who were heathens.


Saturn became Osiris to the Egyptians, Saturn to the Romans, Chronus to the Greeks, Huang-di to the Chinese, and Brahma to the Hindus.  As the unmovable first sun, Saturn became the prototype for all kings on Earth.  The good and wise king, who brought prosperity during Man's golden age -- the Garden and the Time of Perfect Virtue. 

These are the archetypes that satisfy Roleplaying, but lets focus on the Dragon for a moment.

I'm interested in Astronomy and Mythology on how they relate.  When David Talbot talked about the Dragon being a monster that has no place in nature, it clicked when he said that the dragon was a comet.  In China, comets are seen as good luck.  However, in Europe, comets were seen as things of dread.  They are both these things.




I wanted to model my own dragon, my own representation of the comet Chaos Beast.  Although I have the DAZ Eastern Dragon and can use it at any time, modeling my own would be a challenge.  I thought I would base it on the paintings of this man in Nikko.  He draws the dragon with only two arms and a long sinewy tail.  How to accomplish this feat?

By using Pixologic's Z-Brush.  Z-brush allows one to sculpt completely in 3D with an orb of modeling clay made out of energy.  The program works in billions of polygons, allowing one to sculpt in fine detail.  After the initial sculpture is complete, I can paint it (texture it).  Afterword, one can export it to DAZ Studio 4 Pro and use the figure setup tools to set the dragon up and articulate it.  After this is done, I can then save it in DAZ Studio (with DS presets) in order to prepare the model for sale in the Renderosity Marketplace (DAZ Studio only, however enterprising people should be able to set it up for Poser).  Along with it's Maya and Vue counterparts.

The idea is to prepare a creature that represents a comet, seen in the sky.  Although uniformatarists scoff at the idea of Cataclysm or Catastrophe -- these are what the archetypes represent.  They represent stories of Catastrophe from days gone by.

Energy, the Medium of 3D Computer Art

• 27m 12s ago by ~Atlantean6
• Journals / Personal

As 3D artists, we are dealing with pure electrical energy.  But that is the key, Energy.  According to Physics, Energy is the ability to perform work.  According to Spirituality -- Energy is the key to everything.  Everything is energy -- a quantum wave of unimaginable possibilities.


Human beings here on Earth (and other intelligent, thinking beings elsewhere in the Universe) all possess Intelligence.  They vibrate at certain frequencies and can change their vibrations at will.  When a human being dies, his or her consciousness jumps to a higher energy level, while their body becomes an organic sculpture that is readily decomposed.   Element are things that can be changed.  To put it simply, Intelligence are things that Act, and Element are things that are acted upon.  Basically, humans have the ability to collapse the Quantum Wave in an infinite number of patterns -- there is nothing a human being cannot do, cannot have, and cannot be.  They can do it Consciously (and become the thing that Athiests don't believe in), or they can do it Unconsciously (and become the thing that Athiests believe in).  Everything is in waves, we just change the unobserved into the observable.


Energy is infinite in the Universe, it's all around us, waiting to be used.  Computer 3D Artists sculpt energy into what they want to do with it.  That's all they do.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So, I don't know why there is division among 3D Artists.  All 3D Artists work in the EXACT same medium and they use the EXACT same creation process.  Thought -> Visualization -> Emotion -> Action -> Manifest.  Some 3D Artists have a quicker workflow: their workflow from thought to Manifestation is in minutes to hours (they use models purchased from stores like DAZ 3D and Renderosity).  Other 3D Artists have a slower workflow (they do everything from scratch up and work in Maya, 3D Studio, Mudbox, ZBrush, and Cinema4D).  Their workflow from thought to Manifestation is in days (measured in months and years).


--------------------------


Other artists use Energy as their primary medium, but they also work with matter.  Sculptors of Marble just take away the excess stone.  Clay sculptors just shape and mold clay.  Painters brush oils, acrylics, and watercolors on paper or canvas.  People who make bronze statues just need to pour the molten bronze into molds.  People who draw take pencil to paper, and on down the line.  Computer 3D Artists work in absolute pure Energy.  As long as there are electrons, and electricity (which is energy), we can create anything and have it with Artistic value.


Energy is the ultimate plastic medium.  It can take any shape, any color, any shade, any value.  Matter, which is spent energy, has to be coaxed to be molded.  Energy can be readily molded, shaped, sculpted, cut, formed, kneaded, cooked, baked, rendered, and whatever else to take the shape you need it to be.

Character du Jour: Alarcawen, elocater

Sometimes, a psion Nomad and a Fighter can go together to make an interesting combination.  The Elocater prestige class in the Expanded Psionics Handbook (now Psionics Unleashed!) is meant to combine fighter and psion, or just a plain psychic warrior, in tandem.  Alarcawen, which means "Swift/Rapid Girl" in Quenya (thank you, good Professor) is an apt athlete who has learned the arts of fighting with a sword.  She is based on Wayne Reynolds' illustration of a Dromite Elocater. 

Alarcawen is a psion first, warrior second.  She was always fast when she ran through the forested meadows of her home in Massalia.  It was rumored that no one boy, elf or otherwise, could surpass her speed while she was in childhood.  When it was time for her to study, she chose to be a psion rather than monk or a rogue.  She still learned how to fight with a longsword, and she became quite proficient in it.

During the Elf Troll wars in which the elves battled the trolls while some of them looked for a new home to settle in, she excelled in combat.  Pretty soon, she learned how to combine the might of a Nomad (a psion who specialized in psychoportation) with that of a fighter.  This attracted the attention of the Elocaters of Massalia, which were a very small group.  They've been watching the elf girl since she was a child, and now they took the girl under their wing and taught them their secrets.  She now scorns the Earth and does battle against her enemies using a combination of speed and mental alacrity.

She came to Phoenicia, the City of Psionics in order to root out her enemies.  The Dark Brotherhood, a society of assassins, had slain most of her living family and now she wants justice.  But sometimes, justice takes the form of vengeance when the Law can do nothing to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Alacawen   CR 10
XP 6,400
Female Massalian Elf Psion 3/Fighter 3/Elocater 3
NG Medium Humanoid (Elf)
Init +4; Senses Low Light Vision; Perception +11

DEFENSE
AC 18 (22) Touch 15, Flat Footed 17 (+4 Dex, +2 Floating Leather Armor, +4 Inertial Armor, +1 amulet, +1 ring)
hp  61 (3d6+3d10+3d8+18 con)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +8; +10 against enchantment spells and effects; +9 against Fear
Defensive Abilities Armor Training, Bravery, detect psionics

OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee "Langoril" (+1 Sundering Longsword) +7 (1d8+1/20/x2) or +2 Daggers of Teleporting +12 (1d4+2/20/x2)
Ranged +2 Daggers of Teleporting +8 (1d4+2/20/x2)
Psionic Powers Known (Discipline - Psychoportation, ML 5, Power Points 27)

Level 3 -- Astral Caravan, Psionic Blast, Telekinetic Force
Level 2 --  Dimension Swap, Dissolving Weapon, Ego Whip, Thought Shield
Level 1 -- Burst, Deceleration, Empathy, Inertial Armor, Teleport Auxillary (hyp)

STATISTICS
Abilities Str 12, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Attack: +6  CMB +10  CMD 11
Feats: Agile Manuevers, Dodge, Expanded Knowledge, Mobility, Psionic Dodge,  Psionic Talent, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills: Autohypnosis +9, Fly +14, Acrobatics +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal (horse) +5, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (Psionics) +13, Ride (horse) +7, Perception +11, Spellcraft +13, Swim +2
Languages: Common, Elvish, Massalian Elvish, Orc
SQ: Elven traits, eternal grudge (Arcadian Elves), aerial acrobatics, armor training, dimensional step, discipline (psychoportation), Discipline Talents (Burst, Deceleration), freerunning, personal gravity, scorn earth, spatial awareness, terminal velocity

Combat Gear: Langoril (+1 Sundering Longsword), 4 Daggers of Teleporting (+2), Floating Leather Armor (+1); Other Gear: amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, 200 gp

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aerial Acrobatics
The elocater adds her ranks in Acrobatics as a bonus to any Fly checks, and her ranks in Fly as a bonus to any Acrobatics checks, due to her ability to control her personal gravity. She also treats all Acrobatics checks to jump as if she had a running start.

Dimension Step
An elocater of 3rd level or higher can slip psionically between spaces as if using the fold space power, once per day. The elocater cannot bring any other creatures with her. Her manifester level for this effect is equal to her elocater level. At 6th level, the elocater gains a second daily usage, and at 9th level, she can use this ability three times per day. 

Freerunning
Beginning at 2nd level, an elocater's land speed increases by 10 feet. This is treated as a circumstance bonus (it does not stack with terrain-based circumstance bonuses, such as the circumstance bonus from using skate on a decline). This bonus increases to 20 feet at 5th level and to 30 feet at 8th level

Personal Gravity

As long as the elocater is within 1 foot of a sufficiently stable solid or liquid surface, she can change her personal gravity with a thought (free action). As a result, she may move on walls, ceilings, etc. as if they were level floors, including being able to run, jump, and take 5' steps.

Personal gravity is constantly active, even when unconscious, unless the elocater deliberately suppresses it (a free action), is heavily encumbered, or is slain. If the elocater is carrying a medium load or wearing heavy or medium armor while using personal gravity, her speed reduces to 10 feet per round.

Scorn Earth

At 1st level, an elocater’s feet lift from the ground. From now on, she can float a foot above the ground, but still move and act as if she were standing on solid ground. At distances greater than 1 foot from any sufficiently stable surface, her speed diminishes to 10 feet per round, but she can move in any direction (including straight up or down). Melee and ranged attacks suffer increasing penalties as if she were the subject of the defy gravity power.

Scorn earth is constantly active, even when unconscious, unless the elocater deliberately suppresses it (a free action), is heavily encumbered, or is slain. If the elocater is carrying a medium load or wearing heavy or medium armor while using scorn earth, her speed reduces to 10 feet per round.

Spatial Awareness

Beginning at 2nd level, an elocater's hyperawareness of spatial relations lets her use the battlefield to her advantage. When she attacks with a bonus from higher ground or is flanking the attacked enemy with an ally, the first attack she makes against that enemy each round gains a +2 insight bonus to her attack roll and damage roll (if the attack hits). Furthermore, due to her ability to reorient herself, enemies no longer gain a bonus when attacking her from higher ground. At 5th level the insight bonus increases to +4, and at 8th level the insight bonus increases to +6.

Terminal Velocity

As long as either personal gravity or scorn earth is active, if the elocater would be in a position to fall (for example, stepping over a pit), she instead hovers at her current position, as if standing on solid ground. As a move action, she can safely float or jump down 30' (she can float down an additional 30' per additional move action spent in this way).  

  

Art I did for the Phoenicia Campaign

Massalian Elf Mage 2 by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

This is a Massalian Elf Mage. Quite mean looking too. :)

ORC RACIAL TRAITS

I did this, Work-in-Progress though

+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, –2 Intelligence: Orcs are incredibly tough, but they are more likely to follow their passions instead of reason.
Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Orc base land speed is 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Orcs can normally see two times farther than a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. Orcs retain the ability to distinguish color under these conditions.
Battle Rage: Orcs long ago learned how to harness the ferocity that dwells within their fierce hearts. This ability functions exactly as a barbarian’s rage, except for the differences noted below.

The orc may rage only once per day.

If the orc belongs to a class that already allows access to a rage-like ability (such as the barbarian class), the orc’s racial battle rage ability allows him to rage one additional time per day.  Regardless, an orc may rage only once per encounter.

+2 racial bonus on Handle Animal (wolf) and Intimidate checks: Intimidate is a class skill for all orcs.
+1 racial bonus on attacks against humans: Orcs have a longstanding enmity with humans.
Automatic Languages: Common and Orcish.


RACE TRAITS

Only Orcs and Half-orcs may select these traits.

Amazingly Ugly: Your skull is misshapen in a grotesque way. You receive a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate skill checks, and it becomes a class skill.

Beast Rider: You have a knack for breaking animals to your will, though you know little of civilized training methods. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Ride checks, but should you ever be forcibly dismounted in combat, your mount attacks you to the best of its ability.

Big Mouth: You have an innate ability to weave stories about yourself that extol your might and prowess. Yougain a +1 trait bonus on all Bluff, Intimidate, and Perform (oratory) checks made against orcs.

Brute: You are an especially large and hulking individual, and when you strike, you aim to deliver the maximum amount of pain. Whenever you score a critical threat, you add (but not multiply, in the case of a confirmed critical hit) an amount of damage equal to your weapon’s critical modifier.

Deadeye: You have only one working eye, but that eye is especially keen. You receive a +2 trait bonus on all Perception checks involving sight.

Demented Inventor: You adore crafting new and ever more creative weapons, and some of them even work. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Craft (weapons) checks, and it becomes a class skill.

Dirty Fighter: You were raised to fight with every dirty trick in the book. You receive a +3 trait bonus on all attempts to feint in combat using your Bluff skill.

Mindlessly Cruel: You take delight in delivering vicious blows with cruel weapons. Whenever you have a morale bonus on weapon a ttack rolls, you also receive a +1 trait bonus on weapon damage rolls.

Outcast: You are adept at living away from tribes and receive a +1 trait bonus on Survival skill checks. Survival becomes a class skill for you.

Rage of Storms: Summoned creatures can inherit your ferocity. Once per day, a creature you summon creature can have the ferocity ability (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 300).

Tribal: You are especially devoted to your tribe, and within 60 feet of a tribal standard, you gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and Will saves against fear effects, as if you were the recipient of a bless spell.

Tusked: Huge, sharp tusks bulge from your mouth, and you receive a bite attack (1d4 damage for Medium characters). If used as part of a full attack action, the bite attack is made at your full base attack bonus –5.

Unbreakable Hate: Your ferocity is focused into your spells, and it is harder to break your concentration. You receive a +2 trait bonus on all concentration checks.

---------------------

OGL Section 15:

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000. Wizards of the Coast, Inc; Authors: Jonathan Tweet,
Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment

Pathfinder Companion: Orcs of Golarion. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Steve Kenson, Rob McCreary, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, and JD Wiker.

Jassa, Patron of Adventurers

Jassa by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

Intermediate Goddess
Jassa, the Patron Goddess of Adventurers, is pictured here.  She is worshiped in Phoenicia by adventurers, explorers, and other folks who like to take risks on their life.  A Chaotic Good goddess, she is the patron of gathering glory and is sometimes as regarded as Zeus and Hera's daughter.  She is associated with both Ares and Apollo.  She flirts with her two brothers like she flirts with danger.  Her temples and shrines are found across the realm.

Domains: Chaos, Glory, Good, Healing, Travel

Desert Elf 2

Desert Elf 2 by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

A second desert elf render, this time using the Southwest as a backdrop.   If any one objects, just think of it as the country of Jordan in the Middle East. :)  Here, the elf girl is walking around her tribal camp.  It's dusk, so it's a bit cooler for her.

Victoria 5, a report

No doubt some of you downloaded the Victoria 5 preview.  Technically, I didn't have to, since I downloaded the 4th Edition beta of DAZ Studio.  So far, I didn't sign any Non-Disclosure Agreement so I'm not under legal pressure not to talk about Victoria 5 (I saw no digital contract).  Plus, I can't give a report on the DAZ Forums because of my Libertarian views on Copyright.   Still, I won't include screenshots of Victoria 5.

This is a report that I would have typed out on the DAZ Forums.  However, I was kicked out, they told me I could go back but I have to stop talking like a Libertarian.  If I'm not allowed to talk libertarian 'drivel' on a controversial thread about copyright, I ain't going back.  I'm banned forever.  Ahem, back to Victoria 5.

First Look
In a nutshell, Victoria 5 is somewhat an improvement over Victoria 4.  Michael comes in with her, and when you start the Beta, you get an androgynous figure: Victoria's head on Michael's body with some feminine curves.  She/he is a wet dream for those who are attracted to androgynous people (i.e. traps).   However, you can convert V5 into a more male figure by dialing M4 morphs.  Also, you can convert V5 into a more female figure by dialing the Victoria 4 morph.

Posing
Posing Victoria 5 is still like posing Victoria 4.  You still get that plastic doll look.  It's not as pronounced, meaning that they increased the polygons she is composed of.  Victoria 5 will not accept V4 poses, as I did apply a V4 pose to Victoria 5 and the toes were completely distorted.  This means that new pose sets will be created for DAZ Studio and Poser.  Still, it isn't a huge improvement over V4.  The model doesn't have a dynamic musculature.  Meaning that certain poses still doesn't look right.  Like a cancan pose.  So you still can't pose a Rockette dance pose realistically.

Skin
Victoria 5 loads with a realistic skin by default.  That means that there are a lot of blemishes and moles that comes with the skin.  There are no nipple definition, so it isn't perfect.  Still some parents might not want their boys working with V5 and DAZ Studio.  After all, there isn't a painted on bikini.  V5 is nude out of the box.

I'm still looking forward
To working with Victoria 5.  However, since DAZ isn't making huge improvements I am a little disappointed.  One day before downloading the 4th Edition beta, I saw this video:

Also, this video should illustrate what I was looking for or expecting:

So far, I'm not sure if V5 has these expectations.  There appears to be no strong improvements to the figure, but I don't animate, so I don't know.  Still, there are some surprises about V5.  She or he is truly unimesh.

Testing Krew textures by J. Morris

Just a texture test for Hiro 4.

what do you think, so far?  I like it because there are no seams. 

Character Du Jour: Milia Gloriosa

What do you get when you stuff a drama archetype in a little package?

Milia Gloriosa!

Milia Gloriosa is a halfling.  Created by combining A4, S4, and G4 morphs!  Her body is 50% Aiko 4 and 50% the Girl.  Combined with S4 short and petite morphs -- and further reduced to 50% size.  Here she is, compared with one of her soldiers to show her size.

I had the idea when I watched a segment of A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum were Miles Gloriosus was played by a crooning dwarf (with a schlong that makes women swoon!).



Here are her Pathfinder statistics!

Milia Gloriosa

CR 5

XP 1,600
Female halfling paladin 6
LG small humanoid (halfling)
Init +1; Senses Perception +7

 DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 11, f lat-footed 21 (+8 armor, +1 Dex, +3 shield)
hp 51 (6d10+18)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4

  OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 longsword with godslayer blessing +12/+7 (1d8+7/19–20) or dagger +9/+4 (1d4+3/19–20)
Ranged longbow +7/+2 (1d8/×3)
Special Attacks channel positive energy, smite evil 2/day
Spells (Save DC – 14):

1^st – Bless, Protection from Evil

Sample Dialogue: “Stand aside, everyone!  I take large steps!”

  STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 22
Feats Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Longsword)
Skills Diplomacy +12,  Handle Animal (horses) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Ride +4, Sense Motive +4,  Spellcraft +6
Languages Common, Halfling
SQ hafling traits, aura of courage, aura of Good, detect evil, divine bond, divine grace, divine health, lay on hands, mercy
Gear half-plate, heavy steel shield, +1 frost longsword, dagger, 63 gp

To play her while you game, the best thing to do is have your wife sing "Bring me my bride" but change bride to groom at the table when she's introduced.   Oh, and tell her to ham it up. :D

Cover Art for Journey to Terre

The cover art for Journey to Terre is completely rendered, so this pretty much means that I'm on the home stretch of writing the rough draft and seeking playtesters.  If you notice, I'm getting a little better with my lighting schemes since I did the cover art for the Barsoom RPG.


Adventure Cover Image by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

this practically means that my professional work is getting much better. Soon, I'll be able to render in Maya.  If I can (posed in DAZ, rendered in Maya, that sort of thing).  What do you think?  The lighting is 3Delight using the Uber-Environment 2 light shader.

Guess the D&D Class

Lets play a game. Here is an adventuring party. The task is simple. Guess their classes.  guess their classes right, and you will see a write up for the four of them.

Elton.

DAZ Studio 4 (beta/alpha?)

As some of you know, the DAZ Studio 4 Beta (or is it α) is out. and I managed to do a little something with Aiko 3 and the Sub-d Dragon.

What do you think?

Already, I reported two bugs with the Alpha version.

An Adventures in Terre Preview #2

SATURN, VENUS, AND MARS

AN ADVENTURES IN TERRE PREVIEW

A new preview of the Adventures in Terre module sourcebook for Pathfinder.  The adventures continue in a world that was colonized by Lemurians and Atlanteans.  When the Sky is worshiped, and so called god stars light the night sky.  The pantheon of the Old Gods includes Saturn, Venus, and Mars.  The New Gods, numbering twelve, represent twelve achievements of mankind since the colonization of the Lemurians and Atlanteans on Terre.

Saturn
Greater Deity
Symbol: Circle within a Wheel
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Sky, glory, nobility, liberty
Domains: Air, Community, Good, Law, Liberation
Favored Weapon: Scythe
 
Saturn.  The god that ruled over the age of Virtue, the Age of Perfect Harmony.  Called Kronos of the Greeks, and Saturn of the Romans, the Ancient God is a god of peace and wisdom.  Under his protection, the people of Terre was happy and there were no problems or complaints.  Since Saturn isn't seen in the sky, most people participate in a festival that celebrates a time when Saturn will return to the Earth and restore the age of perfect virtue.

 
Venus
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Star
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Love, beauty, and awe
Domains: Chaos, Charm, Good
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Associated as the mother deity in the Ancient patheon, Venus is a woman to be both loved and feared.  She embodies the ideals of phenomenal beauty, love, and desire.  However, Venus has a dangerous aspect, that of becoming the Dragon (see below).  Venus inspired the Star symbol among Terreans, and her symbol is a five pointed, six pointed, or eight pointed star.




Mars
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: Scarred Soldier
Alignment: Lawful Good 
Portfolio: War, protection, agriculture
Domains: Law, Plant, Protection, War
Favored Weapon: Halfspear
 
The god of War and Protection, the Warrior God.  Mars is the eye of God, and the one that fought Chaos and fought the dragon. While farmers pray to him, Warriors sought to learn his weapon arts.  And they sought his protection in war through the armor they wore.  The leather kilt, the crested helmet, and so forth were all seen as ways of getting protection from the war god.






------
OGL Section 15
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

Adventures in Terre preview ♡2011 by Elton Robb; Author: Elton Robb. Copying Art is an act of love. Please copy and share.
Based on original content from our Myths and Legends.

Nott Lady of the Night

Nott, Drow Goddess by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

An

Adventures in Terre Preview:

NOTT

LADY OF THE NIGHT 

MOTHER OF THE DROW

A new mother goddess for your Drow without the Insanity of being counted as Wizards of the Coast's intellectual property.  This is Nott, the Lady of the Night, and the Mother of the Drow.  Appearing in a series of Campaign Adventures I'm writing for Pathfinder, Nott can be used for your Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition games as well as your Pathfinder games.

Nott is from Norse Mythology, brought to life by Tony Puryear.  She is the goddess of the Night, and in Tony's Stories, she tempts Tyr -- the God of War.  In Adventures of Terre, to the Drow she is the Mother Goddess.  The Mother of their kind, much like Lolth is in the Dungeons and Dragons world.

D&D 4th Edition Statistics:
Unaligned
Area of Influence: Night, Civilization, Beauty, Arcane Magic (drow)


Pathfinder Statistics:
Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Night, Beauty, Civilization, Arcane Magic
Cleric Alignments: CE, CG, CN, N
Domains: Chaos (Protean), Charm (Love), Community (Family), Magic (Arcane), Void (Dark Tapestry)

Use Nott in your next Pathfinder or D&D 4e game.

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OGL Section 15:
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn, based onmaterial by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb;
Advanced Player's Guide. Copyright 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn.
Paizo Blog. Copyright 2011, Paizo Publishing, LCC; Author: James Jacobs.
Nott: An Adventures in Terre Preview. ♡2011 by Elton Robb; Author: Elton Robb. Copying Art is an act of love. Love is not subject to law.
Based on original content from TSR.

--- Published under the GSL ---

Daz and Poser artists are Real Artists

People who use DAZ Studio and Poser are Artists in every sense of the word. Well, if you look at them from the point of view of Photographers instead of people who painstakingly build their own 3D models using metablobs and primitives (and rig them).

don't get me wrong! The artists over at the CG Society are extremely good at what they do! Lighting, Texturing, bump maps, normal maps, Displacements, shaders, all of it! However, DAZ Studio and Poser are low cost 3D programs that allow the common person to work with 3D and express himself.

Both DAZ Studio and Poser shine best when they are treated as photography studios instead of the full package like Vue and Cinema 4D. A DAZ Studio Artist is like a Photographer. We use lighting and camera position as our main weapons of choice in which to express ourselves (I, myself, may be getting Cinema 4D one of these days -- Mental Ray sounds like a good plugin).

The idea of putting down a DAZ or Poser Artist because we make "Poser Plates" is not a good thing to do, since the versatility of both programs allows us to make art faster and cheeper. We can make one page of a 3D comic in the better part of a day using props and actors made by other people. While the people at the CG Society feel that they have to build all of it themselves -- a process that can take weeks or months.

Spending the time to build the actors yourself is not very efficient. In fine art, it's all well and good. However when you have a deadline to meet on a 3D comic, sometimes you need to sacrifice fine 3D Art and go with ready made models. In this case, it's best to just concentrate on using lighting, Z-depth layers, and camera positions.

A Man and his Dragon

Hardly for the season.  It is the season to celebrate the Saturnalia, actually.  Looking forward to the second coming of the Son of Man is what we all should do.  But I rendered this up to try out a new pose set.

This is from the Michael, Master of Dragons pose set.  I used the Default MilDragon2 skin for this one, so it could be a Copper Dragon for all I know. :)

Lizardians

They are no dragonborn, but RawArt does have a wonderful imagination.  With this pose, I had to inject a little S4 into V4 to make it work.  The pose as originally intended works best for mermen and mermaids.

Hands up if you like Stephanie 4. :)

Unexpected Allies

Unexpected Allies by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART

The Terran-Illithid War rages on in the Galaxy! On an industrial planet under British Control, two people make a stand against invading Mind Flayers. They are a human female and a BKEO2K10. Unlikely allies, as the BKEO2K10 series are living androids and the humans that encountered them didn't accept them; they are thrown together for a common cause. Defeat of the Mind Flayer Empire in the Milky Way Galaxy!