Don't worry, Ed. I've got something special planned to commemorate your participation in this extravaganza...
So here's tonight's progress....
Note the addition of the parapet wall per Zox's recommendation, and the extension of the puff matt (to flat to be puff balls, really...) over to the left, and of course, the new building to house the Laurel Star Apologist newspaper. (10 points to anyone who can recall the obscure reference there...) I haven't added the catwalk yet, and I'm not 100% sure that I will. I'm pondering a row of distant photo buildings that would be visible farther up the road there. We'll see.
After I took this first shot, I immediately saw the problem with the background painted mountain not blending properly with the 3-D stuff. Here's how I fixed that...
I probably have to do a little more color adjustment, but that will come as I blend it around to the left. Note that the future roof of the newspaper building will obscure the lower bit, and I may add some photo buildings to the skyboard to camouflage the curved cut in the roof.
That solved, I went hunting for some more photo angles. Please pardon the construction debris apparent in many of the shots.
Here you can see the photo extension is eliminated. That experiment confirmed my prejudice that 3D is 3D and 2D isn't, and never the twain should meet. This removes the conundrum of having exactly one angle from which you can get a cool shot, and everything else (especially standing there operating a train) looks like crap. This way, no matter how you look at it it looks like crap.
Same angle, a little further back.
This view gives me a little of that "Brick Canyon" effect. This is where the space compromise related to modeling the depot full size and trying to shoehorn in a few more industrial tracks is most evident. I wish I had planned for about 3 or 4 inches of "air" to let the back of the station appear more as it does in nature. I'm not sweating it too hard, though. This is never going to be a primary viewing angle, and I'm planning to make a module that can travel with the station for folks who wish to get the "full Monty" view from the back. (Dear God! It could even be an N track Module!!)
This will be the most likely photo angle, which masks the impossibly narrow alley to the station basement. Gyads, I need to do some vacuuming!!
Another view to confirm the blend of colors from the painting to the 3-D, and also to confirm that the building looks better without the 2-D fake wall there.
A final look right down the street. This will be where the catwalk concept or the background buildings on the flat will stand or fail.
For the newspaper building, I'm planning a dark brick color, which will help it recede into the scene, allowing the station its rightful spot as the centerpiece of Cumberland.
Oh, by the way, the chunk of foam there to the right of the station will be mudded over shortly, and will await the attentions of the Coonass Grass Master... There will be a little lawn area and a couple of trees per the prototype.
So, thanks for all the input thus far, I think it's really helping to shape up the scene both in person and in photos. Any body gots any more thoughts?
Lee
