Darawork

Hi, I too have never managed to set up 3DSMaxs in-software email service. I usually just save the completed batch renders into a Dropbox folder on the workstation in the office. This will populate my Dropbox at home, and on my phone. I also leave TeamViewer open on the workstation at the office, and take a note of the ID / Password so if something does go wrong (besides a power failure or workstation fire) I can remote access into the workstation and restart the render if needed. Both softwares are free and reliable. Teamviewer can even be installed on phones, which can be handy if you're on the road away from a PC.

These guys used to do some pretty good trees years ago, I'm not sure if they are still up to scratch. You could buy 'seeds' in the online store, drop them into your scene and then grow them. Each seed randomly generated a tree in the confines of its algorithm, each tree type had its own algorithm. You could change the season and everything. They were high poly though. http://www.bionatics.com/Site/product/realnatpremium.php

I've always liked the look of these: http://www.faro.com/en-us/products/3d-surveying/faro-focus3d/overview You can rent them out, have a search.

http://www.neatimage.com/index.html invaluable for getting rid of grainy noise.

http://shadermap.com/home/ Gets pretty good results from jpegs.

http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-1025173.html Applies to Arch & Design materials.

Just finished a shop design presentation just using 3DSMax Design 2014 and its nice Nitrous Viewport (set to Realistic and Edged faces). Navigation with the walkthough tool (cursor keys and mouse to look around). That is the third presentation / design meeting done this way. The clients always seem to be satisfactorily impressed and the idea gets put across fine. Plus if things like sizes and colours need to be changed on the fly, it's possible. I think it's nearly visually on par with using a game engine (at least for the client), and it bypasses the need to convert down/across/sideways in several programs.

Would a point cloud scan of the scene help? You can get a Faro Focus 3D scanner for hire for £1500 a week. http://www.surveyequipment.com/faro-hire#.UoOxsuLwp7w Then it's 'simply' a matter of UVW mapping the cloud... hrm, perhaps not. How realistic does it have to look?

More than ten years ago, in an Architectural company where I used to work, I exported a project building we were all working on from 3DSmax into the HalfLife SDK. We played plenty of DeathMatches in it (after work) before it went to build. The underneath of stairs and landings are good sniping spots. I would love to see 3D printing take off, but I'd say it will be another few years. Even then, the expense of 'last minute' changes may well still be prohibitive in cost for it to be a sole solution. The reason we got away from drawing boards in the first place was to venture into non-destructive media and the speed and forgiveness it offers.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/downthemall/ Very handy for sites like the above. Install, right-click and select 'DownloadThemAll...', select a filter type and that's it.

Couple of ones here: http://www.texturemate.com/category/image-galleries/seamless/seamless-brick any use?

http://dnbradio.com/ D'n'B Radio 24/7 Anything else and my renders look crap.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a484981bdeda2083e5ce1315da23831c&prevstart=0 Simple model, but may give you some measurements. (You can import .skp files into 3DSMAX or AutoCad) http://revitcat.blogspot.ie/ "As part of the presentation, all being well, I intend to give a live demonstration of how to build a fully parametric Revit model of the roof structure shown below - within about 30 minutes. This is the Gare do Oriente in lisbon, designed by Santiago Calatrava." Maybe email this guy, ask him to maybe share his presentation with you? http://www.blogger.com/profile/17421472010756742971

In Ireland we have the facility to search for planning permission applications (Drawings) online. Is there such a thing as "lisboa pesquisa planejamento"..?

V3 on the way: http://www.v-ray.com/features/rt-gpu-render-elements/