Day 3
The model and render is really coming together now it's time to get into the details and get done! I have a deadline for this render which is December 22nd. December 23rd starts my Christmas break and I have a recent tradition to uphold. For the last two years I have devoted my Christmas break to some big Carrara project. Millenium Falcon - 2008. Snowspeeder and At-At scene - 2009. This year will be a new Star Destroyer model! Anyway, I have to get this thing done by then (can't cut into the schedule for crying out loud!, this is a SERIOUS hobby!, how else am I going to get stuff done?).

So I started a list of things to finish. Here's what I did on day 3.

1. I fixed the fact that the starboard engine pylon was sticking into the shuttle bay (oops!). Then I noticed that somehow I had accidentally moved the entire starboard engine to the right and that made a huge mess to get it all straightened up again (how does this stuff happen!).
2. I removed a few more panels on the primary hull. The window texture was overlapping on some of the edges and it looked weird so I got rid of them (nit pick).
3. I added an additional central deck to the primary hull and several pie shape dividers. I textured this with some squares. I emailed some test renders to Gavotte and dang if he didn't send me a list of things he'd do. I thought about it and some of the ideas sounded pretty cool and I couldn't resist. This deck was one of his ideas so here we go. To be clear, he gave me some really great ideas which I think will make the render really great so I appreciate his ideas (but it added work which I wasn't planning). The added stuff will make some really nice differences.
4. Added some lights inside the primary hull (another Gavotte idea, dang him).
5. Doubled up the detail bars on the deflector dish thingy.
6. Added some spotlights to point at the primary hull (still needs dialing).
7. Blued up the panels on the drydock.
8. Decreased the sunlight brightness. This sunlight is an issue for me. The sunlight is illuminating the upper portions of the drydock a lot and it really helps the image quite a bit plus the shadows it casts on the ship look pretty cool but it washes things out. So I have to have it but it needs to be done correctly. This is going to be a little tricky. In addition, it's going to be a little messy when I figure out a backdrop planet because the sunlight on the planet needs to correspond with the sunlight on the ship and drydock (pain!).
9. Added some conduits inside the primary hull. I'm quite unhappy with them though. It's obvious they were rushed so more work is required (thanks to Gavotte for adding work, AAAAARGH!, looks good though).

-Kix