I actually removed the torch CrankerMan. I originally added alight source onto it so it would act as a real light and give shadow etc (the night time pic) but since then I removed that light source and yet the torch still would do that "light bulb" effect upon rendering. Come to find out it had an "Emitter" built into it and was acting as an animated file. It had key frames and all and would flicker like a real torch when you play the movie part, but no matter what I did to save it as a normal image it would just do that light bulb glow so I removed it altogether.

And as much trouble as I've been having getting the ground textured I def wont be doing another render in this form, will def import worlds to use lol. It looks like no matter what, in order to get proper MC looking grass onto my floor, I have to make and place a single separate cube for each spot in the floor "grid".......which is maxxed at 1000 x 1000 LOL. I aint setting that many individual cubes

I like it! These are good, especially being your "first". Keep it up, and follow the advice of the smart people! *The people who know how to render very good, I should say*

The torch is giving off a light reminiscent of an old, worn out light bulb. Give it a warmer, brighter light.

Playing a lil more. Threw in a small tree in the background and added some global illumination for softer shadowing. I really gotta get that ground textured up lol



http://i.imgur.com/mMmJKfH.jpg

Here is what's left of it after things went south lol. I did have better lighting and he had a diamond pickaxe etc, but I was messing it up even more trying to figure out why the skin disappeared and I totally ruined what I "had" by the time I figured out the problem.

Its good for a first, I use Blender so I cant really help you. But if you DO want to make simple renders, try giving it a simple white backround.

Like mine:
http://i.imgur.com/k7BPVFI.png
http://i.imgur.com/hQYWEKZ.png

Or something harder, like this:
http://i.imgur.com/UiUWATr.png

Good for a first! Keep it up!


Oh and I like the new one

Here's just a quick sky add, kinda gives that morning feel like you mentioned CrankerMan and def makes it more viewable. I think i'll work with this setup now instead of the night time I was going for, at least until I learn the lighting a lil more.

Obviously I didn't touch anything else so the ground and other areas still need some work.



Direct
http://i.imgur.com/Vjgo3ID.jpg

Edit: I just noticed the "torch light" is still making the tree by Steve create a shadow in the other direction lol. Gonna have to lose that light. Work in progress, keep tweaking

I... I.... I.... I... I... like it, but the ground needs textured.

i assume you know what Global illumination is and how to use it.

now what you need is a sky object to create some ambient light
you should also set the secondary GI method to lightmaps

other than that just build the scene you want in minecraft, convert it to a .obj file (use jmc2obj or mineways), add the textures to all the materials (+ alpha channels) and remove the standart reflection on every material.

also making daylight/sunrise/sunset scenes is easier and most of the time looks better.
and post processing does ALOT. even just some slight colour adjustments or cross processing changes alot

some of my own renders that i made with the native renderer:
http://i.imgur.com/0xi7k9o.png
http://i.imgur.com/jm4XGwe.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/mgSitN5.png

i know it wasn't a map but i just wondered how you did it.

I'm using Cinema 4d R16. This wasn't a map, It's a mob rig pack so the trees and house were all placed seperately

what did you use to do this? i use chunky to render maps

Well it looks ok but here are some issues. The ground needs texturing bad. You might want to add less shadows, light doesn't work quiet like that. Last you need to add in surface direction. This looks very mono-tone.

There is a torch on a wall, now what?
I don't like it, over 50% of the image is just black. (at least for me)

Looks pretty nice imo