Challenge: The history behind
We have always invented tools to simplify everyday task. In everything we do, we aim to simplify the process and add different tools to help us out. Enhancing our capabilities by the help of a mechanical entity.
Different concepts have been found long ago , concepts akin to a Robot in the 4th century BC. One of those is “The pigeon” a mechanical bird which was propelled by steam, made by a Greek mathematician Archytas of Tarentum. Another was a water clock, named the clepsydra made in 250 BC by Ctesibius of Alexandria.
As the industrial revolution began, from 1760 to 1840. We made a choice to understand what we can create with help of a mechanical entity. As we began to understand that certain tasks we weren’t capable to do without an external help.
At that time, we used steam and carbon as our power-source for this types of mechanics . It was at this point where the modern concept was developed about mechanics. As electricity was introduced by Thomas Alva Edison in 1847. It became the fire to the industrial revolution. This made it possible to power small machines with compact motors and not only one.
The first uses of modern robots were in factories. Machines capable of manufacturing tasks which allowed production without the need for human assistance. As our advancement of different remote-controlled systems. From torpedo to industrial machinery, we began to explore the possibilities of Humanoids Robots. In 1941 and 1942, Isaac Asimov formulated the Three Laws of Robotics in his fiction base novel I, Robot. And coined the word “Robotics”.
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Our imagination became the influence of a new era of Robotics. But as the this progressed, we took a seriously look on what we could achieve with “Robota” meaning servitude. In 1948, Norbert Weiner, formulated the principles of Cybernetics, the basis of practical Robotics. And in 1950 Alan Turing release his paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence. The Term Artificial Intelligence was created not short after. The first digitally operated and programmable robot was invented by George Devol in 1954. A robot arm, called Unimate, and was used in the General Motors assembly line.
In the early 20th century, the mind of a humanoid machine was developed. Today, it is now possible to envisage human sized robots with the capacity for near human thoughts and movement.
As we progressed with our imagination of a future humanoid Robot. The military expansion of the so called, Mecha. Aimed for warfare, started a new era of AI Robotics. In 2042, of tension in the middle-east, U.S.A and the Europe Union introduced the “XERPS”. The new intelligent Mech that was bound to keep order in troubled times. Accompanied by small squads of exo-soldiers. The XERPS was the first version of Mech that could interact and speak, understand danger and different type of situations with his own “brain”. It had an additional help, a sole main brain, that connected the dots. The Carcassussus, a main brain that distributed experiences from all the XERPS, it worked as a recognise-sable tool and also gave all the XERPS the same enhanced experience. A united memory of experiences. This made the XERPS a very trustworthy combatant, both smart, agile and fast.
In 2048, as the world economics where more and more divided, where China and their coalition with Russian Federation and Japanese Kingdom. They introduced a new type of XERPS. They named it, RP-EXES. A more robust and still fast with the ability to fly short distances. But not with a main brain as the XERPS. The RPS-EXES where smooth combatants, able to disguise themselves into whatever environment out there under a certain small time window.
As we started to space travel in 2020, and colonised the Moon and shortly after, Mars. Corporations needed to have adequate security for their colonial factories. Their security was provided by different security corporations, driven by different governments. The problem was, colonies grow fast in the few liveable planets existent in our solar system. Hunger and poverty expanded as a epidemic. The few conquered planets, couldn’t provide enough for the thousands of thousands of colonist. The corporation giants where only interested in profit margins, and forgot their population. As earth governments where very busy with earth problems. They ignored about the bigger problems in the colonies, and wasn’t eager enough to understand them.
Even though small governments where established in the different colonies. The corporate mind, endeavourer the governments and corrupted the system.
In 2046, The Revolution began, a new faction arise, the UNWC. The UNWC, in the beginnings worked as an union. This union expanded so fast, that after ten years, it became a small planetary government. As nearly 40% of Pluto where exploited. The corporations where thrown out of the planet by the UNWC. Pluto became the UNWCs stronghold. The rumours spread fast and by that. THE MECHA WARS started, also known as the CORP wars. It started in 2051, where the UNWC accomplished to create their own Mechas to defend themselves. THE MECHA WARS finally involved the whole solar systems of planets in 2056. Where different governments tried to get a grip of resources in the different areas as some of the colonist started to join the new revolutionary entity. The main goal of UNWC was to help the people of their current indigence.
The Mecha Wars became the largest conflict of our time. Where the UNWC, did all in their power to protect the people interest and increase the understanding of the overpopulated worlds. As the corporate factions did all in their powers to put UNWC to rest. The also fought each-other in the game of gaining more control of resources and planetary strategies against different coalitions. The Mecha Wars endured a century, of corporate conspiracies, death, mistreated colonist, disappeared politicians, new military discoveries and new technologies.
Your mission:
Your main goal is to find inspiration, to understand what a mecha is. Choose a faction. The XERPS, RP-EXES or UNWC. Use whatever tool you need and explore the mecha world. We want a great presentation. By choosing a faction, you also need to join a group for the specific faction. You can create all the factions mech if you want. Keep in mind that the certain factions with their specific attributes are meant to be part of a guideline. An inspiration. We also have in the background cover, the artillery of the different factions. They have some similarities between the different factions. And are called MECH ECHOS XSP. You can create them as well.
The deadline for the challenge is the 4:th October, CET +1, 23,59 Sunday.
To be able to join the challenge, please sign-up for our free membership. You need to be registered as a 3D Concept Art member. After your registration you will have to join either the three groups or join all if you want to do all the factions. The XERPS, RP-EXES and UNWC group. After that when you upload your images you need to agree to our terms and conditions to be able to upload images to the preferred group. You need to upload at least 2 WIPS and then the final artwork. We recommend you start adding WIPS early in the challenge, from the concept phase and then through your whole process, as it can become stressful to add WIPS and finals in the end. We are interested to see what you do and we are here to help and give feedback during the process.
The faction groups:
Click on the link and you will get to the group. Keep in mind that you to be logged in to access the group.
Groups
There will be three groups made in our community for the challenge. One called XERPS, RP-EXES and UNWC. After you login you’ll see, different icons. Go to the groups icon, click and then view all groups. Join the different groups, where you will upload your wips and final renders. Every group has own project albums, so when you upload, you need to be in the group and click the gallery icon and choose upload on your right. You will be able to select different project albums.
Upload your images to this Project Albums
For Wips:
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – WIP – XERPS
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – WIP – RP-EXES
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – WIP – UMWC
For Finals
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – FINAL – XERPS
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – FINAL – RP-EXES
- 3CA – Mecha Wars Challenge 2015 – FINAL – UMWC
The deadline for the challenge is the 4:th October, CET +1, 23,59 Sunday.
- The artwork you send in is made for this contest.
- It’s very important to see your progress.
- No dead animals
- No dead humans
- No blood
- It must be a good looking image
- It must be a full character
- Preferable but Topology doesn’t matter as we will not judge that
- Preferable but Uv’s doesn’t matter either as we will not judge that
- The render must be a full character render
- Others Kitbash set aren’t allowed unless it’s your own kitbash set
- Your main inspiration is the our front challenge image
- Don’t copy our main inspiration
- Find a meaning with your arwork
- The images must be from WIPS to Final. Upload at least 2 WIPs (Work in Progress)
- The final images submitted should be no bigger than 2 mb
- You have no restrictions which angles you submit but preferable that is fully viewable, no strange focal length. We want to have a nice presentation.
- You can submit at max 3 key final renders. This is if you changed your mind about your key render. This mean also that the older key renders aren’t valid for the contest. Please write it in the description.
- The render must be at least 1000 px wide and vertical what ever you want.
- Add our logo to your final for supporting us further, and helping us to keep making more awesome challenges.
Redshift Renderer
For the 2nd and 3rd places, we’ll offer a free license if the winners are willing to convert their scenes to Redshift. The end rendered result has to be identical or as-close-as-possible. By agreed to this term the winners should also be willing to share their scenes with us (geo/textures) so we can use them on our website, any tutorial scenes, as marketing purposes etc.etc. We will hold you as the owner and add credit to your artwork. We respect the intellectual property. Redshift will support Mac in the future.
Keyshot
The winners will receive an email and a special code from 3D Concept Art. Then you must contact the different sponsors of the challenge for getting your winnings.
- Any existing taxes or duties must be paid by the winner. 3D Concept Art and sponsors are not responsible for any illegal actions taken by the prize winners.
Yes, you are allowed to work with any software you need for making your artwork go all the way. But it’s important that you write it down in your description when you upload the final artwork.
You will receive an email the eleven (11) October. And the winner will be announced at 3D Concept Art the same day.
The judges will be all the sponsors involved in the challenge and 3D Concept Art’s founder and moderators and special invited Judges.
First of all, we, Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art and sponsors are thankful for your entries and your engagement in this challenge. We are very glad to host and with the help of sponsors be able to give you very nice prizes.
- By entering the competition the entrant warrants that they are the sole copyright holder and indemnifies Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art and Sponsors from any subsequent claims that may arise regarding ownership, or any other claims that may impact upon the entered work.
- This list of terms and conditions constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of the terms and conditions and supersedes any prior terms and conditions, oral or written, and any other communications relating to these terms and conditions.
All entrants must be registered with 3D Concept Art Community and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions as described here.
- To be eligible for prizes, all winning entrants must provide accurate and reliable contact details. Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art will make all reasonable efforts to contact winners for a period of 14 calendar days after the completion of Judging.
- If a winner cannot be contacted within this period then they can be disqualified at the sole discretion of Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art.
- Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art and Sponsors will not be held responsible for late entries for any reason whatsoever. It is the sole responsibility of the entrants to make reasonable allowances for upload times and to plan accordingly.
It’s very important for us that all entries should be original and not a derivative of existing work, including works previously entered in this competition.
Note that you will receive your pro account after we publish the site and get out Final Beta, this process will start automatically from the time the site is published and counting the months or years from the publishing date.
Entrants are not permitted to enter works on behalf of any other individual or entity.
At least two wips (Works in progress), with clear description must be uploaded to the challenge group.
You can add multiple entries, they are permitted but don’t forget the rule above.
Entries should remain unpublished outside of Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art prior to the close of the challenge unless we says otherwise.
- Images must conform to nominal decency guidelines. Any image deemed to contain content that depicts violence, racial, political, religious, sexual or any other inflammatory material in an inappropriate manner may be disqualified and removed.
- Interpretation of what is, and is not, appropriate material is the sole discretion of 3D Concept Art and/or its appointed agents, judges and sponsors.
- Entries will be judged on artistic and technical merit within the scope of the competition theme. The interpretation of these rules, the theme, artistic or technical merit of the work and any other consideration made by the judges is at the sole discretion of the judges.
Any import taxes or duties on prizes must be paid by the prize winner. It is neither practically possible nor ethically reasonable for Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art or any of the sponsors to pay duties and taxes on behalf of a winner. Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art and sponsors will not make false valuation claims to assist winners from evading any applicable duties and taxes.
The winners grant Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art rights to use the entrants name, imprimatur and likeness in conjunction with the use of their entered works in any media..
- The entrant indemnifies Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art against any claims or indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages from any party that may arise from any use, including but not limited to, publication of entry materials submitted as a part of, or in association with the challenge.
- The winners grant Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art first right to publish their submitted work in any media.
- It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all rules. Disqualification of any entrant is not reflected in any public change of status or alteration of their entry.
- Other than the rights assigned in the preceding clauses entrants retain copyright of all entered materials and are free to use said materials for personal promotions.
- The winners grant Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art unlimited, non-exclusive permission to use the winning artwork for promotional purposes in any media. In such circumstances Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art will notify the artist and will publish full and correct credit for the artist that will appear with any reproduction of the winning artwork.
All artwork that is entered by the deadline is final. The entries or entrie cannot be removed or changed after this point. Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art will not return any material submitted or alter any entry.
Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art will take reasonable measures to ensure the security of entries and information supplied to them.
- In no event shall Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art be liable to any party, for indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the loss of images and data supplied, even if Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art has been advised of the possibility of such loss and damages.
- Certain type of employees and relatives of Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art staff cannot compete in the Challenge.
- The exceptions on site is, moderators on site can be part of the challenges as they aren’t aware of which challenges will come and can’t prepare for such event until it’s launched. Therefore they can be part of challenges.
- Challenge judges cannot compete in the Challenge.
- Judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- The judges have sole discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of rules, including but not limited to suspension of categories and entrants.
- There is no chance component in the selection of winning entries. Winning entries will be chosen solely on the skill exhibited by the entrants as determined by the judges.
There is no agreement or contract between the artist and Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art. The artist assumes all responsibility and costs for delivering images and other required information to the Publisher for consideration in the competition.
Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art reserves the right to suspend, shorten, modify or cancel the challenge at its sole discretion.
We hope you can agree on this terms and have a successful stay at 3D Concept Art.
By entering the competition the entrant warrants that they are the sole copyright holder and indemnifies Visual Design Workshop | 3D Concept Art and Sponsors from any subsequent claims that may arise regarding ownership, or any other claims that may impact upon the entered work.
This list of terms and conditions constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of the terms and conditions and supersedes any prior terms and conditions, oral or written, and any other communications relating to these terms and conditions.
Inspiration
UNWC
RP-EXES
XERPS
MECHA ECHOS XSP
Our invited judges
Riyahd Cassiem
Riyadh Cassiem is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and work as a Independent freelance digital artist doing visual effects, digital sculpting, illustration and concept art. He has worked on various projects from producing concept art, Vfx and mattpainting for films and games. To working on commercial illustration and motion graphics for advertising. He lectures part time in concept design and have produced online video tutorials for cubebrush.com. He has been published in various international publications like Bio Mech art, Exotique, 3d world, 3d Artist, Imagine Fx and Advanced Photoshop. He specialize in creating concept design and illustrations using digital painting in Photoshop and 3d character sculpting in ZBrush.
Justin Goby Fields
He is a concept artist specializing in creature, character creation, environment and props. He has worked in production of short and feature films, advertisements and games. For companies like Aaron Sims Company, Imaginary Forces, Halon Entertainment, Amalgamated Dynamics Inc. And finally opened the doors to his own company, Ironklad Studios. Serving the Film, Games, and Entertainment Industries.
He uses frequently his talent to make concepts and illustrations, both traditional and digital as a freelancer. He also teaches valuable know how in different workshops within the field of 3D Concept Art for games and films.
Lee Souder
He is a Cinematics artist specializing in environment and hard surface design, Lee Souder. He has worked in production of feature films and games. For companies like Treyarch, SCEA Sony Santa Monica, Trion World Network and many more. He has been involved in several AAA titles, some of them have been COD Black Ops 2, God of War: Ascension, Defiance Syfy MMO and several others.
He uses frequently his talent to make concepts and illustrations, both traditional and digital showing up his skills in mechanical hard surface design. His work has been published in different international publications like 3d world and 3dcreative magazine.
Be Part of this amazing challenge at 3D Concept Art Community!
