A new graphic art tool/toy – Bryce 6.1

I just received my copy of Bryce 6.1 from DAZ Productions and am enjoying playing with this powerful software. After installation, I was able to generate this island vista (Bryce is known for its vistas and its wonderful portrayal of water/reflections/shadows) in but a few minutes. I don’t even know where most of the controls are yet, let alone what they do. I will be posting more artwork, mostly likely focused on fantasy art (in support of Aega Mythea and Shadows of Reality) as I learn more about the program.

Incidentally, much of the original art you’ve seen to date has been generated by our very own Dr. Pazzazzu on the DAZ Studio software (FREE from DAZ Productions). DAZ is known for its smaller scale renderings (as opposed to vistas) and anatomically correct portrayals of people (stop snickering). Since Bryce and DAZ have interface functionality, you can expect to see some neato collaborations from the good Doctor and myself as we put these tools to good use…now where is that button for “add gore”?

Update:

Jeeze, just a little while longer (a couple of hours max) and I’m able to actually do some stuff on purpose. This eerie coastal tower at high tide was made with just the standard tool sets that come with Bryce. I’m starting to learn what tweaks do to surfaces, textures, etc. The amount of control that one has with this program is astounding. I’ve never been much of an artist so this is really amazing to me. Bryce totally gives me a way to develop evocative scenes for the website and, more importantly, my game publications. Aega Mythea may actually have some passable art in it.

Ok, one more in which I started playing with color filters, interference, textures, etc. It is not exactly the effect I was going for, but I am seeing the possibilities and learning what the knobs and dials do.

~Adaen of Bridgewater, High Adventure Games

New Geek Movie Out today – Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles

Having two small children in the house, the youngest of whom recently turned the four-month mark, I am more than a little out-of-the-loop in terms of popular media (e.g., TV, movies, etc.). I love movies, but I just don’t have the time much anymore. I do make some time to do look around the web though from time to time.

While looking tonight, I noted an ad on one of my favorite sites, RPGnet for Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Movie. It features the voices of two giants in Geek Culture, Mark Hamill and Chase Masterson.

 

 

 Here’s my first attempt at adding a YouTube bit:

Yeah, I’m going to have to look at some reviews on this….I’m thinking that this will be a DVD purchase. That’s not to say that I’m “going to wait for DVD” because I think its going to suck or somesuch, I’m just lucky if I make it out to a movie once a year or so.  That and it looks like it might be an “own it!” type movie anyway.

 This all reminds me that I’m really dying to get some info on good Sci-Fi tabletop Roleplaying Games. Back in the day, we played a lot of Star Frontiers. I’m not sure that is what we need right now. I’m sure I could adapt it/update it, but perhaps this has been done already. So any feedback on Sci Fi games that you love/could recommend, would be greatly appreciated. And with that, I’m off to bed.

~Adaen of Bridgewater, HAG Steward