Ok... ok, enough already! we know you've been itching for an update of some kind. Here is a preview of our scene, lit for an optimized render time, but almost fully untextured. The first render is close to our envisioned lighting setup, however, it's running away at about 1:46 per frame without the added detail. The second render is likely what we will be using for lighting, at least to turn in our "finished" project (John has already given us the go-ahead on this). The re-render will commence after the completion of the first product, taking more time, but being free of deadlines.
The second render, if you're wondering, is currently being spit out at roughly 31 seconds per frame... much more manageable at this point in the game. Enjoy the view!