Starting in March 2020, I began a large stream project to model a comprehensive, highly-detailed Caterpillar 434E backhoe. Please watch the first stream (first 3 minutes of abridged version at least) for an overview.
It's a straight-forward project of building a complex model over an extended period of time. The spin on the project is that I want your help to accomplish it! If I build some parts and you build some parts, we will finish this thing much quicker. Plus the contribution format will include reviews, the potential of having your piece(s) assimilated into the final model. Not to mention large quantities of XP are at stake 🤑
NOTE: This is an involved project reserved for Citizen members.
The general idea is that I kickoff stages of the project via live stream, which is typically once per month. For the time in between streams, you choose a piece of the backhoe and apply what you learned from the stream to that piece. For example, the first stream covered initial block out. So between stream 1 and stream 2, your job is to pick a piece and block it out.
This is the repeating protocol for each Assignment Period (between-streams):
I will reply to this thread after each stream with a [big] assignment post denoted by a 📣 emoji in the title. There I will clarify instructions about each Assignment Period.
We will centralize our collaborative communication between the streams and this thread. Ask any and all questions pertaining to the Backhoe project here.
Hey Y'all Blender 2.90 is released and I have a pretty important question since I don't think we have ever done a project that has gone this long: @theluthier so now that Blender 2.90 is out. Are we okay running our models through the new official release or is that going to pose any problems?
As far as I understand it that piece is more of a smooth geometry with a single notch instead of lots of notches all around. But you may be using a different reference than me. I'm also not as far along on my version of the chair as you haha. 
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I'm glad you pose this question, Shawn. Personally I default to finishing existing projects within the Blender version it was created unless the new / alt version of Blender offers crucial features needed to complete the project.
My only real concern with upgrading to 2.9 for the backhoe project is that we would all need to do it. If I updated the master assembly and a 2.83 contributor opens it, the data loss warning is bound to flash. Could cause confusion compared to sticking with 2.83.
When this happens during my freelance projects we typically play around with the new version on non-production files to decide if we want to upgrade sooner or later. I'd recommend that for us too: Play with 2.9 for a week then decide if we all want to upgrade the project to 2.9.
Yeah I would say we want those tires away from the loader arms as far as possible. Not because they have the Corona but because they need to be so in order to allow the wheels to turn towards the center without collision.
Today when I stood on my window and looked at the construction right next door, helloooo nurse
I'm almost ready to hit the eject button, I haven't been able to do much. Since I don't have a computer at home and I'm dependent on the one I use at work, the workload at the office has been crazy and every time I think I can work on the DOG, more stuff comes in, it's been constantly annoying. It's like pre-work to get to work but pre-work is never over. And worst yet they are opening late and closing early because only like 5% of the workforce has to go, everyone else is working remotely. And to think I also almost got the steering wheel part of the DOG, Kent must be clairvoyant.
I was able to get a really really crappy laptop and a TV that isn't even HD as a monitor to try and get something done in the weekend. There'll be no cooking, no nothing, only fast food and me and the crappy laptop and the crappy TV and hopefully I wont need to throw the towel. Remember Rocky didn't throw it and it got Apollo Creed killed? Well I aint throwing it either, sorry Apollo, no blonde Russian is going to beat me, cuz I aint loosing. Yeah.
Shawn Blanch (blanchsb) I am thinking of remodelling armrests and going for those above. Thanks for the photo.
I am too using a computer at work. If you are using a laptop, get yourself an EMF protection tray that you can slip beneath the laptop. Tray absorbs EMF radiation from laptop that heats like microwave oven.
EMF protection tray or pad helps keep your laptop cool and so reduces the crashing of computer. Overheating motherboard causes crashing. With EMF protection pad, you will have a quieter laptop with less whirling sounds coming from fans. I have one myself.
Moderately priced EMF protection pads.
Good luck Omar! It's not the hardware that makes greatness happen, nor is it the software. It's the Omar..
Day 1 Lessons:
Saw a bird today out the window, he was chirping, if that's what birds do. The sun was shinning, like it always does. Fast food is still terrible. Monday.com adds keep annoying me, as it should. Kids laughter was all around the parking lot, they were happily playing. Life seems to be going on as if no one has a DOG to complete.
If anything is to be said of this internment, don't let civilization die or roll back, Non HD TV's shouldn't ever exist again, protect high resolutions at all cost. Desks are truly your friends; using a mouse at a low angle because you only have a small table is not acceptable, your wrist will hurt for sure. A couch is no way to sit for work either, I used to think better of couches. Rain will make you sleepy, the effect will triple if you're in a couch. I have found a new appreciation for work spaces, they deserve their names.
If I don't make it, tell Ton I tried. I really did.
Wow that totally sucked me in. I am grateful my laptop is working and I have a desk and high res monitor. Here I am trying to fight the motivation to model something new and Omar is dying inside because he is trying despite all of the obstacles.
I'll do it for you Omar, and Ton, and the pound!
@ritag I have at the moment 9 different Blender versions (two from before 2.8 and some experimental ones, like the Spectral Cycles Branch...)
On Linux you don't even have to do anything special; you don't loose older versions when downloading a new one.
Day 2:
Spent the day eating Doritos, I regret nothing. Turns out having a mediocre work setup can really impact your work for the worst, lesson learned. Still I managed to advanced quite a bit, I'd say 57.82% there. I'm glad I borrowed this crappy laptop for two days. Sorry laptop for calling you crappy, but you are, still I wouldn't have been able to advance this much, it made a big difference. Fingers crossed in that hopefully I can finish my part at work in the next five days. The clock is ticking, the clock is ticking
We can always count on dostovel to keep us laughing around here! We can expect that as much as we can expect to create stuff with Blender 😆
I hate that you're lacking a decent PC to work on, man. That's SOOOO frustrating when you're primed to create. Too bad there isn't a stadia-like setup where you could work on a Blender super-computer remotely. Surely someone's working on that idea 🤔
We are submitting our progress on the google sheet #6 correct?
I am not finished with the chair but I am loving the bottom portion just so much haha. I posted the link tonight to the google drive but I'm going to be working on it up to the live stream to be honest. So many parts that go together so beautifully I just can't resist.
