Editing Update of the Avatar/Update 252 (section)

===<span id="3">Scottie’s Yuletide Objects of 2017</span>===
''[https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/scotties-yuletide-objects-of-2017.102606/ &#91;A Dev+ Forum Post by Scott “Scottie” Jones&#93;]''

''Hello again folks!''

''Welcome back to my little 3DS Max Scene containing the various kinds of Gift Boxes and Yule Stockings I’ve worked on! Here, in the lower right corner, you can see the newest Yule-themed gift boxes for 2017!''

[[Image:01-All-Gift-Boxes-in-Max-2017.jpg|800px]]

''Just for a fun comparison, I’ve set them beside the 2016 Yuletide gifts so you can see the changes I decided to make for this year. In addition to designing some new base papers, I’ve also added a few more decorative elements with which to festoon the tops of the festive wrappings. I’ll add more such variety every time I’m tasked with these, just to throw in some differences here and there…''

[[Image:02-2017-vs-2016-Comparison-01.jpg|800px]]

[[Image:03-2017-vs-2016-Comparison-02.jpg|800px]]

''My general goal with these is to create an overall visual variety of colors, sizes, and heights. Eventually I may start playing with different shapes as well, though that will require a new texture-map template to account for new shape configurations and mapping. Once finished in Max, and mapped with the proper textures, I bring them into Unity and create new materials for them with all the good specular effects to help make them look more realistic! Here are several images showing the new gift boxes from different angles and in broad daylight, so you can enjoy the details.''

[[Image:04-2017-Yule-Gift-Boxes-01.jpg|800px]]

[[Image:05-2017-Yule-Gift-Boxes-02.jpg|800px]]

[[Image:06-2017-Yule-Gift-Boxes-03.jpg|800px]]

''Lastly, I test the finished items in a scene that properly lights them in an atmosphere representative of where players would most likely place them when decorating their homes! In this image, the details and rich materials of these new Yule gift boxes really shine! You can see the glinting of lights from the surrounding room on the surfaces of the decorative bells, the glimmer of the firelight on the wrapping paper and the bows, and even the sheen of the upturned holly leaves and rounded berries in some cases.''

[[Image:07-2017-Yule-Gift-Boxes-04.jpg|800px]]

''[https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/scotties-yuletide-objects-of-2017.102606/#post-894890 &#91;A Dev+ Forum Post by Scott “Scottie” Jones&#93;]''

''OK! Today was the day for the creation of the 2017 Holiday Candelabra!''

''Starting off in Max as always, I wanted to create a design that was significantly different from the other three we’ve already made, while still retaining the basic elements that Starr requires from it. This time I also wanted to combine silver and gold into the design for some rich variety, and have candles that were a bit more orange than the typical tallow yellow that one of the earlier ones used. Below you can see this year’s candelabra compared to the 2016 version you see peeking out on the left (in Max it’s still using the older yellow color for the candles)…''

[[Image:2017-Menora_01.jpg|800px]]

''Of course (as always), in Max’s building windows there’s a limit to how nice the textures look (they’re often flat and drab when seen there), so it becomes necessary to bring the item into Unity to take full advantage of the materials and metallic shininess. The next few images shows them in the editor in broad daylight, where you can begin to see the lovely glints of the silver and gold portions. The first image is the new candelabra by itself, while the second shows it with its candles lit while comparing it to the nicely-rendered 2016 version I created.''

[[Image:2017-Menora_02.jpg|800px]]

[[Image:2017-Menora_03.jpg|800px]]

''And, as usual, I always like to place it in the little scene with all the correct lighting cues and surrounding objects. Here you get a good idea of what this piece will usually look like when illuminating your home during the Yuletide season!''

[[Image:2017-Menora_04.jpg|800px]]

''[https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/forum/index.php?threads/scotties-yuletide-objects-of-2017.102606/#post-895362 &#91;A Dev+ Forum Post by Scott “Scottie” Jones&#93;]''

''Oh! I almost forgot to showcase another item I created, which isn’t a part of the items to be sold in the store, but is instead another craftable item for you all to enjoy!''

''Do you recall the more “generic” gift boxes that had themes such as Chaos, Spirituality, and Virtue (Ethos)? Among them was the 2016 Craftable Gift Box, which you can see below, along with the one I created for this year on the bottom right of the first image! In the second image you can see it up-close as compared to last year’s version! To make it a bit more special I added one of the same hand-crafted decorations that I designed for the other gifts…''

[[Image:08-Craftable-Gift-Box-2017-01.jpg|800px]]

[[Image:09-Craftable-Gift-Box-2017-02.jpg|800px]]

''And, of course, I would be remiss if I did not show it displayed in that same cozy Yuletide scene by the roaring fire. It’s always good to check it in Unity to make sure my materials are functioning properly…''

[[Image:10-Craftable-Gift-Box-2017-03.jpg|800px]]

''Hopefully you fine folks will like having a new gift box style to craft yourselves!''

''Next I’ll begin working on the 2017 Yuletide Candelabra as well as some new Yule Stocking variations for 2017! Hopefully you’ve enjoyed my progress on these items so far. Watch for Part 2 of this post in the next weekly update, which will include the designs for this year’s Yuletide stockings, as well as the brand new garlands to hang on your walls, which will match some of our existing wreaths!''

''Enjoy!''

''Scottie ^_^''

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