More power....

So my computer had been coughing and nagging for 2 months. It started slowly with random power-ons after I had shut it down. Then it couldn't cool properly, and finally the power supply said *poof* and everything went black - during a game of Medal of Honor : Pacific Assault.
So two days without my primary machine. But today I got me a new power supply (15 watt stronger than the old one). And everything seems to be working fine. However, Firefox decided to throw away all my bookmarks, but a quick look at their site, revealed that firefox backs up bookmarks daily, and keeps a file for each day for the last five days. Clever thinking, Mozilla guys (and girls).
- everything should be working now :)

Ominous clouds approaching...

- I always wanted to say that... in a proper context anyways.

So here they are - shot 5 minutes ago. So very ominous and... cloudy. And they're also approaching.

Monorail cat

- lots of kittie goodness at roflcat.com and roflcats.com

Evil Dead... the musical?!?!

Now THERE's a good reason to go to the theater. Apparently it ran in 2006.

- I did so NOT see that coming.

*image shamelessly borrowed from Amazon.com

Interior visualization

Just before I wen't on vacation, we finished a visualization of 6 new houses - exterior and interior.
I did most of the interiors, and here are my favourites :



- you can see more both interior and exterior here.

Glittering stars tutorial (3dsmax)

I´m assuming you know how to set up an environment map, and how to use the Material Editor for this tutorial...

Step 1.
Open Material Editor and select an empty slot. Go to maps->diffuse and add a noise map - name this map "parent".

Step 2.
Apply the following settings to the noisemap and leave those i dont mention to their defaults.
Noise Parameters :
Noise Threshold High: 0.7
Now add a new noise map to the colour #1 map slot (its the black one) - and name this noisemap "child01"

Step 4.
Now go to the parent noisemap - and copy the child01 noisemap to the white map slot - and rename the copy "child02"

Step 3.
Apply thefollowing settings to the new noisemap - and leave those i dont mention to their defaults :
Coordinates : skip this part.
Noise Parameters :
Size : 1.0 (this defines the max size of the stars)
Noise Threshold Low : 0.69
Output :
RGB level : 5.0 (this makes the stars brighter)

Step 5.
In the child02 noisemap´s Noise Parameters, animate the Phase from 0 in frame 0 to 3 in frame 100.
By only animating the phase of one noisemap, you have ensured that there will always be some static stars, instead of having them all flicker.

Now apply the parent noisemap as environment map, specify output path and filename/type and hit render.
I know its not perfect, but it can be fitted to your specific needs with a little tweeking.

Open air vintage car show (again)

Once again I've been to Kalø bay, to see some great classic cars. This time though, we arrived in one as well. More specifically in Liv's uncle's '64 Ford Consul Cortina :

A stunning car I must say. Drives very well too, considering it's age and total lack of modern motorvehicular technology.

This time the "field" was dominated by AC Cobras, Chevrolet Corvettes, as well as a few really nice VWs and some rare NSUs. And as expected quite a few of the cars from last time. But lots of new ones too.

The Vee Dubs :

- lovely cabriolet. Not sure if it is in fact a rare Karmann.


Three kings... notice the excellent top chop of the black one? Not many people seemed to notice, which in my book means they did a really good job.


A closer look of a slammed, but otherwise pretty classic looking bug.


T2, which used to serve in the army, and then in the civil defence, who's insignia I think it is on the front. Now privately owned and redone as a camper.

And some of the smaller cars :

A NSU Prinz 3 - quite rare I believe. Another of Liv's uncles used to drive one of these.


The ever lovely Fiat 500 - with ragtop and accessories.


I thought it was an early Fiat Spider, but it is in fact a Renault Florine.


Opel GT. Or "poor mans Corvette". Typical european "smaller remake" of an american car.


NSU RO80. I spoke to the owner and got some interresting backround information about various technical details about the clutchless gear shift, and the Wankel rotary engine, which does not make everything shake like in your average piston-based engine.
Beautifully kept for 30 out of its 33 years by the same owner, who also told me that it had done 370.000 kilometers, with hardly any engine repairs.

And of course the big americans were there as well :

Smokey and the bandit anyone? Very nice Pontiac "Firebird" Trans Am.


Not sure about this street rod, but I'm quite positive it is Ford-based.


Another pontiac.


A fantastic Olds(hydra)mobile. Stunning paint job, which unfortunately doesn't really show on the photo.


GRR baby, very GRR! A chevy showing teeth...

And the weather was lovely - bit colder than greece, oh yes, but lovely still.

- that's the other Pontiac from the rear. Gotta love those finns.

Back again (to the cold)...

Man it was good with a week of TRUE summer. Swimming in the mediterranean and in the pool. Relaxing with a cold moccachino in one of the many loungy cafes at the harbor front. Enjoying the greek cuisine that I love so much. And for once NOT stressing around to see as much as possible.
It was GREAT - pure relaxation. More info (and possibly pictures) later. I need to unpack and catch up.