I tried to compose it with a backgound (my bedroom), quite successful but the intersection of the image plane and the ground blocks the shadow.

What's the clue ?

I think it looks great, but I would suggest that the tank's shadow should be shorter and contain more brown, like the other shadows in the picture do. Plus the front left tred should be darker because it should not be facing the light, but instead it looks very bright. (I don't know how to fix it since I have very little experience with rendering, but that is just what I can see)

Contrast has a very good point...
:)
though i have a limited range of expierience with 3d+real composition but the shadow is a bit too dark and the shadows colour would do well with a bit of brown...Just a Litlle!?!??

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your tank looks exelent!!!! good going....now to make a little movie

(screen goes dark)

....comander we have incoming!!!
(red light pop on and off like a fualty fluerescent)
bombs drop earth rumbles then silence
BOOOM!!!
the tank explodes....

you climb out of the TH
VICTORY...

Yes, MR is excellent but still hard to tweak. Gonna play around with the shadows (make it brighter and red coloured), materials are too bright...
It's almost ready for an animation (wheels are spinning according their radius , treads too) , all is grouped but when i move it, the treads tread doesn't follow and goes from the front one (is that understandable ?)

This model is truly looking cool, I love it

There is a tut at Nior i think for treads but if you have no probs then go for it....

true treu
EXELENT tank hunter

MutatedHelix, what's the address of the site you're pointing to ?

contrast raised some good points, the shadow is far too long and not the right colour. If you shadow in future extends beyond the ground plane then simply extend the ground plane.

As for your tracks problem, what script did you use to make the tracks?

You all are right...shadow needs some fixing...

For the tracks i used AS_treadscreation v2.0....have you ever tried it ?

The whole mesh is grouped and parented under a locator.

yes i have used that one. What you need to do is grab the locators that are underneath the top locator (speed control I think it's called) and then parent this to your geometry (leave the AS_treads_grp as is) rather than the whoel track. The tracks should then move with the geometry. when you move it.

Alan

looking very cool septentrio. To fix the material brightness trying bringing down the irradiance color for the tracks material. I don't thing Maya is giving true values when your using Mental ray with the irradinace cranked up to white. it should be more around 50% - 70% grey. This will depend on the amount of lights in your scene.

Nice one. Great modeling.
I like the way how you textured it.

Nice job on the tank. It looks pretty good. Would like to see it animated.

last render (but not the least)

Just FG, no GI and no light...truely effective the buddy Mental Ray

And as always, give me your impressions

Looks cool man. Good work.