The Download Munkey : Tracking the Treasure Down …

Amazing vexel illustrations and 3D renders of cars that could easily pass off as real photos. Take for example, this black Lamborghini Gallardo ‘Nera’ below.

© Russ Schwenkler

Russ Schwenkler aka Dangeruss not only creates and showcases these highly detailed illustrations and renders without watermarks in his DeviantArt gallery but generously provides them in resolutions large enough to use as wallpapers for most desktops as well (personal use only – more details here).

Most of the cars illustrated are tuned Japanese cars but there’s a variety of other cars, supercars and motorcylces of both American and European makes to keep any car and /or motorcycle enthusiast really happy

Below are three of my favourites – more at DeviantArt and his official site at www.dangeruss.net.

© Russ Schwenkler

3D render of a Mitisubishi Evo IX (High Resolution @ DeviantArt)

© Russ Schwenkler

Vexel illustration of a Subaru Impreza WRX (High Resolution @ DeviantArt)

© Russ Schwenkler

3D render of Xanavi Nismo 350-Z JGTC (High Resolution @ DeviantArt)

So how does Russ go about illustrating his cars? View the steps for this Subaru Impreza WRX here or read about his vexel method of illustration on his profile page at www.dangeruss.net.

BTW, Russ also did the illustrations for the cars on the packaging of Xbox 360′s Forza Motorsports 2

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Forza Motorsport 2 Wallpapers
JDM Option Wallpapers
Rally Car Wallpapers & Papercraft
BMW Art Cars

A review of the Bus Driver demo by SCS Software in which you play a bus driver – unsurprising considering the game IS called Bus Driver Discovered this game from a review of the full game by James Allen’s Out of Eight PC Reviews which gave Bus Driver a 6/8.

A semi-realistic simulation of sorts, you drive a bus around town on pre-determined routes. There are 30 routes in the full game with 6 initially unlocked. I haven’t checked if the demo version allows all routes to be played because my one hour trial has expired

The driving style is a refreshing change from the type of (usually) reckless driving I attempt in most racing games : improper change of lanes without signalling, collisions with other vehicles and road barriers or ignoring traffic lights are penalized so I gradually adopted a slower-paced and more cautious driving techniques as I drove on the different routes in various road and weather conditions.

Some of the mistakes I made in my first few attempts to drive the bus like in a racing game.

Knocking down streetlights

Mounting kerbs

Overstopping and overbraking

Ramming bus stops

Driving into the opposite lane

The graphics are serviceable but the nicely detailed city in which you’re driving in seems to be an empty ghost town where the only people in the city are all at the bus stops. Below are some of the picturesque but empty locations I found myself driving in

The game is also not exactly replayable because it’s limited to only 30 routes without a route editor.

Nonetheless, it’s strangely addictive when you actually deliver your passengers to their destinations with a clean sheet. Not that easy considering that the traffic lights change pretty quickly and it takes several seconds to stop a bus without overbraking (which is heavily penalized). Driving with steering wheels and pedals or analog gamepads is therefore highly recommended over keyboards because of the difficulty of accurately adjusting the braking intensity while tapping the cursor keys.

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen this game on retail in SG and the only way to buy it is via Internet for 22.99 Euros or 29.99 USD. Hopefully some budget publisher will pick it up for retail in SG

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Motorstorm Wallpapers
Forza Motorsport 2 Wallpapers
Papercraft Cars from Papercraft Paradise

Just downloaded the FSK for Forza Motorsport 2 a few days and noticed that the cars on the cover art of the game were different for the US and European versions of the game.

© Microsoft Game Studios

In Europe, the cover art was of an Aston Martin DB9 (top) whereas for the North American version, a Nissan 350Z (bottom) was on the cover. Maybe the Europeans don’t share the American infatuation with Japanese imports

One nice thing about Microsoft being a game publisher is that downloading FSKs are always a breeze thanks to incredible download speed from Microsoft servers. Unfortunately, this FSK isn’t linked on the official site at forzamotorsport.net. Don’t know why though

You can still download the 8.49 MB FSK which I found via forzamotorsport.net Forums through this direct link. (WARNING: Nothing much in there except for the above wallpapers which are exclusive to the FSK)

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
JDM Option Wallpapers
Subaru, Mitsubishi & Citronen Rally Wallpapers & Papercraft
BMW Art Cars

An amazingly detailed 3D model of an Israeli Merkava Mk III Baz tank by AlexStudio which seems fairly accurate to me (as compared to the illustrations in Osprey New Vanguard 021 : Merkava Main Battle Tank).

© AlexStudio

The Merkava has always interested me for the priority given to all-round protection for its crew which in turn makes it much more adaptable for urban warfare than most conventional tanks. I guess having two 7.62mm and one 12.7mm pintle-mounted machineguns also helps to deter all but the most determined AT infantry from attempting to attack such a tank.

© AlexStudio

Little details like the distinct gap between the four and the fifth road wheel on the Merkava Mk III as well as the chains hanging off the back of the turret (see below) to protect the vulnerable turret ring from AT attacks from the rear, have been faithfully recreated in this model.

© AlexStudio

Here’s a quick guide to identify the markings from what I read in Osprey New Vanguard 093: Modern Israeli Tanks & Infantry Carriers:

Brigade: Shape on right fender
Battalion : Number in the shape on right fender and/or number of white rings on cannon barrel
Company : Chevron on side skirt and/or number of horizontal lines on left fender
Platoon : Number on left fender (omitted here) and turret side (also omitted)
Vehicle : Hebrew character on left fender and turret side

Therefore, this tank can be identified as the third vehicle of an unknown platoon, 1st Company, 1st Battalion of an unknown Brigade

© AlexStudio

You can download sample renders and a high resolution wireframe blueprint (above) from Precise3D.com or purchase the model in a variety of formats (3DSMax, Maya, SoftImage) for USD250 or for Solidworks for USD750(!). Another 3D model of the US M1A Abrams is also available for preview and purchase on the same site.

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Kyoshi Harada – Military 3D Modeller
Armada International Complete Guides to Military Hardware
OPFOR Equipment Guide
SEGA’s Tiger I Papercraft Model
WinSPWW2 and WinSPMBT – Tactical Turnbased Freeware Games

Games Day Chicago 2007 must have (possibly) gone down in history as having the greatest number of Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine Primarchs on display.

© Chris Borer

The first Primarch entry is of Fulgrim of the Emperor’s Children by Chris Borer, who won the gold for Warhammer 40,000 Single Miniature.

His entry is followed by a whopping six(!) honorable mentions featuring the Primarchs from various Space Marine Legions, which adds up to close to 40% of the 18 known Primarchs.

© Nathan Comanse

Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands by Nathan Comanse. My favourite among all the Primarch entries featured at Games Day Chicago 2007.

© Tom Schadle

Lion El’ Jonson of the Dark Angels by Tom Schadle.

© Angela Imrie

Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists by Angela Imrie.

© Joe Orteza

Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars by Joe Orteza.

© James Craig

Alpharius of the Alpha Legion by James Craig.

© Shawn Welte

Perturabo of the Iron Warriors by Shawn Welte.

BTW, the recently released Horus Heresy : Collected Visions book contains several illustrations of the various Primarchs including an awesome scythe- wielding Mortarion (Death Guard). Worth every cent if you love the imagery of the Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines or the Cult Mechanicus. Available in SG @ Paradigm Infinitium.

My top three for the non-Primarch entries

© John Daye

Tau and Space Marine Diorama (Rubble, Rubble, Toil & Trouble) – John Daye, (Honorable Mention) Open Category. Under attack from Tau gun drones, a Space Marine from the Ultramarines counterattacks with a mastercrafted wooden ladder

© Dave Pauwels

Femme Militant – Ex Inferis – Dave Pauwels, (Silver) Open Category. I wonder which GW game this miniature belongs to?

© Nathan Comanse

Krieg Macharius – Nathan Comanse, (Silver) Warhammer 40,000 Large Vehicle/Model. Finally something different other than the usual Leman Russ tanks, a Macharius Heavy Tank with dual Vanquisher cannons (the cannons look different from the Forgeworld version)

BTW, I found Tyranid player Bill Kim’s blog while randomly browsing through Technorati. Bill also happens to be the winner for the Best Overall and Best General categories at the Chicago 2007 Grand Tournament. Read his battle reports starting with #1 here

MORE @ THE DOWNLOAD MUNKEY:
Favourites for Games Day Baltimore 2007 Golden Demon
Favourites for Games Day Altanta 2007 Golden Demon
Horus Heresy : Collected Visions Preview PDFs
Adrian Smith – Warhammer 40,000 Illustrator
Warhammer 40,000 Dark Millenium Card Database