Redfern opened this issue on Jan 06, 2004 ยท 75 posts
Redfern posted Tue, 06 January 2004 at 11:18 AM
Just as the header asks, "Who wants a free TARDIS console?" Well, I'm sure the Doctor would. Get it? "Who" wants a free TARDIS console? "Who" as in "Doctor Who"? Ahem, er, yes, well... As some of you may know, I uploaded a free face pose (.fc2) file turning Capsces' "Boris" for Michael figure into Davros, creator of the Daleks. I'm pleasantly surprised how popular it's been, over 350 downloads, considering what an ugly puss he has. Those numbers give me the impression that users might like some other Poser items. To accompany the face pose for Davros, I am currently modeling his life-support chair. I had put that project aside because I could never get it to render worth a darn within Poser. Last week I purchased UV Mapper Pro from Steve Cox, processed my WIP with his utility and rendered the chair with both its sharp edges and smooth surfaces within Poser 4. Now that I can achieve the look I want, I have started to add the last components. I don't know when I will complete it, but when I do, I will offer it to the Poser community, for free, of course. I see that one one can already download a Dalek, a TARDIS, K-9, Tom Baker's scarf, even a sonic screwdriver. It seems the next logical item would be the famous hexagonal console with the glass column. My question to you, the fans, is which console should I model? One can reasonably debate that the production crew constantly altered the prop through the years, that there was no single design. True, various knobs, dials and readouts were constantly added or removed each series, but one can divide the eras into five major chassis, the so-called original, starting with "An Unearthly Child" and used through the earlier Tom Baker series. Then came the vintage wooden "writing pedestal" debuted in the "Mask of Mandragura". That prop and set was damaged so we returned to the classic motif, though it was a new prop (but suffering from a rush assembly). With the "Five Doctors" the console entered the early PC era with three video monitors and countless keyboards. Some fans endearingly call it the "blinking mushroom of death!" This one remained for the rest of the show's run. Last was the once used "steampunk" Victorian engine displayed in the controversial Fox tele-movie. With respect, don't say, "Build all five!" I'm rather new to the concept of content provider, so vote for the console you desire the most. Later, I might attempt to build others. You can help in this endeavor besides simply voting. If any of you can provide me with links to images or, better yet, diagrams of the TARDIS' consoles and control rooms, that would help a great deal. I have been able to construct my Davros chair using the plans printed within the children's book "The Doctor Who Technical Manual" but I know they simplified things. In fact, some the vectors did not align between the right and left sides, so I had to average them. I'm sure the Baker era "classic" console suffers similar innaccuracies. A little disclaimer, whatever I do construct, I'm not going to become so anal as to be precise to the final millimeter. You will not want to construct a life-size prop from my wireframes. However, I do want to be reasonably faithful to the concept. I will appreciate your feedback. Sincerely, Bill
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Tempt the Hand of Fate and it'll give you the "finger"!