Something I've been doing during my journey to learn little by little is keeping a log of what I learn with each set-piece I create.

Outhouse:
- basic ground displacement.
- sinking props in the ground and displacing around it to make it appear buried.
- overlays dont jive well with displacements.

Mining office:
- change the skybox texture with mapping properties
- discovered paint alpha and inverse alpha (thank you BreadHeadFred!)...

Vander

Once upon a time when I was a younger man I had the ability to draw. I drew all manner of things, but being young and impressionable I drew silly Mega Man and Ninja Turtle scenes. What I wouldn't give to have just one of those pieces of art now.

In any event, I am truly back to the drawing board. I have started drawing once more. Mostly just doodles, but starting to feel the old magic once again.

I stopped drawing long ago because I just got bored with it. Now...

Vander

Ever play a great game with a crappy save system? You know the ones I mean, with the checkpoint saves that make you start all over if you die before reaching the next one? My mapping exploits have been very analogous to checkpoint saves. I spend so much time on it, then I screw something up, or leave something important out...I miss that 'checkpoint save'. Then, I gotta start all over again. Starting over is never fun.

Like any other gamer who just spent the last 30 minutes traipsing...

Vander