1960's Dragster in .395

Started by Speedster, July 02, 2017, 02:27:02 PM

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Speedster

Hi all!

So, after a year restoring my 45 HP 1971 VW Super Beetle, I felt an insatiable need for 800 HP and speed!  So, in honor of KeyShot 7, I modeled up this 1960's era "slingshot" dragster in SolidWorks. Also modeled the driver in SW, an insanity I'll never repeat!  I'm going to visit this model many times!

I uninstalled KS7 .385, copied over the license and a few assets to the desktop, deleted the .385 assets and then downloaded and did a full install of build .395 without incident.

Have to say- I haven't had this much fun since my honeymoon 48 years ago!  I remember feeling this way with 4, 5 and 6, but 7 is way over the top IMO!

The anodizing option for metals is awesome, and I used it a lot to dial in the metals on the dragster.  Not necessarily for an anodized effect, but more as a color toner.  It's like the new Cloudy Plastic- I doubt it will be used that much for plastic, but a lot to create strange and wonderful effects.

The new HDR Editor is amazing!  I tweaked the heck out of my chosen environment, and it's a super tool now!

Backplate management and retention is still very erratic and unpredictable.  They may or may not retain, and may or may not render.  You have to drag in some other backplate, and then go back and drag in your choice again, and maybe it will stick.

I'm still not a fan of the new Studio setup procedure.  But the ability to save an environment/camera as a new "pseudo Viewset" is OK.  It creates a new studio of course.  But it also creates a new "Environment" on the Environment tab, which retains the backplate most of the time, but not always.  The whole backplate issue needs a lot of love to be useful in my workflow.

The Studio takes a lot longer to set up, and so far in .395 is still not stable, as I mention above.  I say this as my workflow depends on quickly setting up many images, usually on-line with my client, and then rendering them out later.  And without exception they'll call in a month or so and need new exact images, but with a different color, for example.  It's absolutely imperative that I can revisit a project with confidence.

But overall, KS7 is exciting!  Good job, guys!

Bill G

Speedster

One more quickie before my beta license expires tomorrow...
Bill G

soren

Looks good, Bill.

We are narrowing down the issue with the backplates. Are there any other instabilities with respect to Studios?

Søren

Speedster

#3
QuoteAre there any other instabilities with respect to Studios?
I think they all relate to the interconnection between Studio, Camera and Environment. It's a complex relationship, and frankly quite confusing. 

I noticed from the warning window that most of the red relates to not being able to locate the backplate path.  Yet the backplates are all from the stock KeyShot Backplate library dropdown.

Attached is a typical .txt, and a screenshot of the warning window.

If I create a new Studio, then adjust the camera, drop in and adjust the Environment and then add a backplate, it sort of works.  If I create a new Environment/Camera using the pseudo Viewset button on Camera, it creates a new Studio, but it usually will not retain the backplate, or will drop out the backplate when I start a rendering. Or drop the backplate when I change a material!  Or it may throw a ghosted Environment on top of the Backplate!  This regardless of which tab I use to return to a setup Studio.

The Camera list is usually not locked, but the Studio usually is.  But not always, so you have to search around for which tab is locked.

So now we have three different tabs to deal with, which is both confusing and time consuming.

I think it will all smooth out once the Backplate issues are resolved.  At least I hope so!

My bigger concern is, as a nine year KeyShooter, that when 7 finally drops there's going to a loud chorus of yowls from your established user base like myself.  For many of us our workflow depends on speed and simplicity, and I just don't see that in 7.

"Way back" in KeyShot 6 we could set up a rig, and when all is good a single Save Viewset mouse-click and move on.  In 6 I can set up 10-30 images in an hour long meeting. With luck, in 7 maybe 2-3.

The ideal would be to retain the Save Viewset (not as a lost bastard child as it is now in 7) yet offer the depth for those who need or want it.

Bill G

Speedster

#4
Couple more shots.
Bill G

Magnus Skogsfjord

I'm loving the look of that tire!

Speedster

QuoteI'm loving the look of that tire!
Me too!  It was a lucky guess.  I used the "Spotted Concrete 1 Diffuse" from the stock textures library as both diffuse and bump.

That's why we always wiped down the tire while the driver was backing up from his burnout!

FYI- I used the anodized tweaks on aluminum to dial in the color of the phosphate finish used on the Hilborn injectors.

Bill G

DriesV

Sweet!!
Reminds me of this madness...
Two times  Rolls-Royce Griffon.
https://youtu.be/6hRT7P1Axwo

I do prefer these in Spitfires though. :)

Dries

Speedster

Sled races are always insane!  Spitfires are way safer!

What's really insane are the numbers in drag racing.  My little mid 1960's slingshot has a small block 327, bored and stroked to 362 cu. inches.  Puts out maybe 1200 HP, of which 600 is required just to power the GMC blower.  Top speed of about 180 to 200 MPH in the quarter mile, back in the 1960's.  The monster Hemi motors were just making their entry into racing.

Today's top fuel dragsters put out about 11,000 HP, go 335 MPH in 3.7 seconds ET, on the now shorter 1000 foot track, and reach 100 MPH in about 0.4 seconds!  What's really nuts is that the crank only turns about 660 revolutions down the track, at 10,000 RPM!

Several weeks ago the entire eight top fuel brackets at a major race were all women!  First time in drag racing history!  But hey, we all know that women are faster than men!

I snapped this photo with my Brownie Hawkeye camera at a park in 1963.  At 17 I was the youngest member of the "Four Bangers" car club (now a porn site!), and had just bought my 1931 Ford Model A pickup with a vintage racing motor, from Wes Cooper, left, front row.  Every major name in racing and hot rodding belonged to the club, and many are in this photo.  The dragster has a Model B (1932) engine, OHV, etc., and belonged to Wes.  He was doing 105 MPH in the quarter mile!

Bill G

DriesV

Hi Bill,

I think we have squashed the backplate bug.
Let me know how it works on your end when the new build comes around.

Dries