March/April 2004 Challenge
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Time for a change of pace, and a new challenge! For the months of March and April, the theme for the Simply3DWorld challenge is:

Ancient Civilizations!

In this competition, your challenge is to create an environment scene with this theme in mind! You can portray a long, lost city in ruins, leftovers from a previously undiscovered world, or show an ancient society in its hayday, Atlantis at its peak, so to speak.

You are not limited to civilizations that are known to have existed, or even legends (such as Atlantis). You are free to invent your own lost world of the ancients! Technology level is your choice!

Perhaps the ancient civilization you portray is one much like our own, with high-tech tools and machines, but were somehow lost before the age of dinosaurs. Or even as far as some alien society that set up a colony on earth long ago but was long forgotten.

There are no limits except what your imagination can come up with!

1) Design and create an environmental scene under the theme of ancient civilizations, keeping the above info in mind. Show concepts and WIPs! You can create it in game low-poly OR in high-res cinematic quality.

2) The more you are able to do, the better your chances! Texturing, lighting, animation, dynamics, etc. are not required, but will add to your chances!

3) BONUS! Extra consideration given to those who accomplish this second (optional) part of the challenge! Integrate a particle or fluid effect into your scene! Because no animation is required, you can use Photoshop to composite such effects. However, the effects must be derived from Maya's particle or fluid effects and not something painted in from a photo or by hand!

AND/OR

Create a character that would fit within the ancient world you have created.

Keep in mind that it's the environment that REALLY needs to be done, so make sure you save your bonus details until after your main entry is complete! Do not sacrifice your entire entry because you didn't meet the optional aspects of the challenge!

For the ambitious among you, if you'd like to try for both bonuses, feel free.

4) Name your posts thusly:

March/April - Your Name - Normal or Noob

If, over the course of the challenge, it is determined that you are performing at an OBVIOUS opposite to your chosen class, you will be asked to reverse it. This hasn't happend often, and usually only to those who enter Noob category and are decided to be good enough for Norm.

5) Toward the end of the challenge period, Final Entry posts will be made for you to officially submit your entry for consideration.

Guidelines/Suggestions/Etc.
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1) Congrats to the previous challenge entries! The requirements needed to give out the grand prize we've been waiting to give away have been met! Watch this space for details of what grand prize is in store for this new competition!

As usual, we'll need five (5) valid final Normal entries between SimplyMaya and SimplyLightwave to consider shipping out the prize, so encourage each other!

The winners of the Jan/Feb Challenge will be announced within the next day or two.

2) If doing low-poly, let us know your final entry's polycount. Try to stick to around 50,000 triangle polys. This limit is not strict, however.

No special consideration is given to an entry based on whether it is low-poly or not.

Keep watch here for any addendums and feel free to post your own questions you might have.

Good luck!

PRIZE INFO ADDED! CHECK PAGE 2!