Project for Computer Graphic
 
    ----Waterton
  
 
written by Gang Wang
February 16, 2005
 
 
 
 

Tracing Software: 3DMAX

Other Graphic Software: Photoshop

 
     
 
 
Original Picture
 
3DMAX Picture
 
     
    When I was doing this project, I really enjoyed it. Of course, I also encountered several difficulties while I created this picture. Some of them are listed below.  
     
    1.The first problem is to creat the mountain terrain.Initially, I tried to use NURBS Surfaces to create the terrain, but I found it a little bit complicate to create the mountain in detail. So, I changed to use the grey picture for creation of mountain. Fisrtly, I used photoshop to create a grey picture, in which the grey part is similar to the mountain terrain that I wanted to design. Then I applied this grey picture to "displace" command in 3DMAX to get the mountain approximately. Then I modified it in detail.  
     
    2.The editon of material for the mountain is another diffculty I faced when I doing this project.In order to get the effect that the portion of the mountain which is close to the water display the color of mud and the other portion display color of tree, I tested several maps and applied some effects such like Diffuse, Bump, Noise.And also, I used the grey picture as mask to apply the material to the mountain.  
     
    

3.Environment and lights setting

In order to make the scene of wateron look pretty, it's important to design a good environment for this picture.firstly, I only use one light, the picture looks a little bit dark as well as the surface of water I used 3 omni lights in this 3DMAX picture, one for the sun, one used to shine the surface of water, the last one is used only to illuminate the mountain. Furthermore, I used environment editor to create the mist around the mountain.

 
     
  4.The last hard thing, when I was doing this project, is to design the town. First, I used 3DMAX create several different models of building, and then rearrange them in the picture. This job cost me lots of time on designing and rearrangement.  
     
  In all, this picture is not ideal, but it is the best i can do for now.