USS Tecumseh - Canonicus Class ACW Monitor

[Devin]

Okay, those reasons make sense. I'm still not clear how it worked, though. To my way of thinking the chain guards need to be accessible through the deck, like a modern ship's chain run, otherwise I don't see the purpose of having them pronounced on deck like that. In the photo of Tonawanda below it looks to me like all of the anchor handling is taking place on deck (granted this is a post-war image), which would make me think that the chain connected on deck somwhere at this piont. If on the Canonicus class the anchor chain connected below the waterline to the hull -- which is what the drawings suggest -- then how was it attached and to where?

Interesting stuff. I'm only kicking myself because I wasn't even THINKING of the anchor system when I was at the Mariner's last fall, so I didn't bother to look for any drawings on this.

[tea monster]

I'm thinking that they ran into the same problems that you commented on. Sludge coming up through the hawse, etc. I imagine that if the anchors were kept 'wet' they would be in danger of fouling constantly on snags and obstructions.

I still can't find that text anywhere


Owen

[tea monster]

Progress is going slowly. I've got some other projects on and its difficult to find the time.

The main problem I'm having at the moment is that the Tecumseh just refuses to 'pop' in cycles. I've got the Rebel gunboat looking pretty good, but for some reason, the outdoor scenes just refuse to come alive in cycles (Blender's internal path-tracer). That and some problems with scaling the ocean modifier is bogging things down.

It may yet come to pass that I stick with Yafaray for the Tecumseh.

[Roscoe]

Progress is going slowly. I've got some other projects on and its difficult to find the time.

No worries mate, I know how it goes. I haven't done much lately myself, and Blender hasn't been fired up in awhile.

-Dean

[tea monster]

Yeah, it's sad sometimes. So much to do and so little time.

I decided that I was spending more time converting all my mats to Cycles than I was actually rendering, so I'm sticking with Yafaray for this project.

Owen

[Roscoe]

That looks SWEET!
Since cycles is still new, maybe it will just take some time to get the feel of it. It sure looks like you definitely have Yafaray down pat though.

More pics please.

-Dean

[tea monster]

I want to get some bits and pieces together and I'll do a few. I've got a day off coming up and I'll try to get something up.

Owen

[Devin]

Looking very good, Owen.

[tea monster]

Cheers.

I'm still working on this. Still having alpha problems with Yafaray and the 'real' trees. But so far I've got this.

Owen

[Roscoe]

I like it! The "real" trees look great!
Maybe a few scattered bushes or shrubs would be the only thing I could suggest. Yeah, and this critic is from someone that can't even make a decent texture himself.

-Dean

[Fritz]

WOW!

I only have industrial rendering capability.. Your work is making me jealous

[Devin]

Great work!

[tea monster]

Some more render tests. I'm grabbing time between other projects to try and nail down a good way of rendering outdoor landscapes realisticly. So there is going to be a bit more testing and 'messing about' till I get it right. Once that occurs, things should progress more quickly.

I've decided to take the bull by the horns and bend Cycles to my will. I've taken a break from trees and I'm working on Blender's Ocean Sim. I think I got some nice 'oceany' results.

Of course, I've double checked my refs and, of course, the James river had an almost perfect glassy calm!

This should do for shots in Mobile Bay though.

Owen

[Roscoe]

The water looks great, and so does the rest, nice one! I tried playing with the ocean sim a little myself, but didn't get anything near as nice as you did, guess I need to do some more tweaking.

Cheers,
Dean

[Ziga]

I am impressed! I can't wait to see her with the CSS Tennessee.

[tea monster]

LOL, neither can I. I worked a bit on the Tennessee the other day, but nothing really visible yet.

I'm doing regular updates, but due to my crazy job (50 hours this week), Progress is taken at an hour here, an hour there. I'm working on getting Cycles mastered, then working a bit on the crew (pictures of them soon!) and then doing some landscaping.

I've got the materials in Cycles under control (except for that hatch coaming - bleh!). I've also got the sunlight to 'pop' and look a lot more realistic. So things are advancing.

Owen

[Roscoe]

but due to my crazy job (50 hours this week)

Those slave drivers!

That Sunlight really does pop, and some great shadowing too. NICE!

-Dean

[tea monster]

The crew are starting to come together now. Well, the officers are. I started a crew member and I'm assuming he's on a back-up device somewhere.

There are two heads, one of which I posted earlier.

Owen

[Roscoe]

Man, that looks great! The wrinkles on the clothes is spot on, nice work!

I especially like the headless horseman look you got going on.

-Dean

[Devin]

Nice work. The figure is coming along nicely!