Model Fight '06

Now for the main reason to start a blog--Model Fight '06! "And what is Model Fight 06?" you might ask. Well, the first rule of Model Fight is that you don't talk... oh, never mind, that gag was beaten to death years ago. Basic premise: join in with one or more like-minded 3D enthusiasts to sharpen your skills, with the added benefit of having a constant chorus of "why don't you get off your lazy backside" when you stop posting progress notes.

Already well underway, the models I'll be going up against are Dallas' Bank of America Plaza and a Robotics factory. And what could possibly complement this theme better than a Shinto shrine? Well, a lot of things, I guess, but the influence of natural lines and elements will help show off the modeling pros and cons of my chosen software, Animation Master. I made this choice because 1) AM is fun to model with, albeit with a bit of a learning curve, and B) its the only 3D package I've kept current over the years (too much cash to keep Lightwave, Maya, et al, up to date). If you've never head of Animation: Master, then I hope to do it justice. If you have, then perhaps I can cast aside some of the more common misconceptions about it.

In relation to the other models, I obviously won't have a blueprint to work with, nor an opportunity to inspect a specific shrine up close. To that end, I've taken the liberty of interpreting the rules so that I'll be modeling a generic shrine, not one in particular. I'll also keep the detail of the grounds of the shrine to a minimum, since this can vary from a simple pebble courtyard to a centuries old garden complex. It will have the items that make it obviously a shrine, such as the torii, toro, honden, chozuya, etc. (hey, go google them for yourself).

So let the games begin!

kgh