This is an old challenge now, this thread is archived. If you scroll down to the Challenge #14 section of the downloads page, you’ll see that the models can still be downloaded for your tests, and also that a gallery has been made of top entries. Feel free to browse this thread to see what others have posted, even though you can no longer post here.
Trains run all over the world. The challenge here is to render this train so that it appears to run through your own home town.
Challenge #14 is on-line and active! You can download files from this page:
http://www.3drender.com/challenges/
MIRROR
BLENDER
FBX
LWO
MA
MAX
OBJ
XSI
The Local Idea:
You are capturing the feeling of your local town. The train doesn’t necessarily have to run in a location where there actually are train tracks at the moment, especially if you can think of a more scenic route where a train could run.
Any texture maps (particularly signs, lettering, or logos) that you map onto the train or signals should be based on what would appear in the city or town where you live. Try using a camera to photograph local trains for reference and texture maps, and also get some shots in your town for a background/environment.
An untextured view of the scene by Alvaro Luna Bautista.
The Scene:
This scene was modeled by Alvaro Luna Bautista. Please credit him for his work if you use images of this train on your webpage or showreel.
The scene includes a number of extra buildings, signals, and surrounding models. Try to use some of the buildings in your scene if you can find a place for them. To achieve a “local” look, you are free to change the geometry around as needed.
The ground and all the little stones on the ground were positioned to look good from one particular camera angle, as shown above in Alvaro’s rendering of his own scene. You can match this camera angle if you want to use the stones as they are distributed, or else change the ground and ground-cover if you are rendering from a different camera angle.
Feel free to add whatever kind of grass, plants, or vegetation would be appropriate for your home town.
Deadline:
Post your work here by March 31, 2008 to be eligible for the initial gallery selection. The scenes will still be available after that date as an on-going challenge for people who wish to try this as a lighting and rendering excercise.
-jeremy
I’d have to change alot since the scene atm has alot of american trainyard feel to it, not really looking like sweden 
