Topic: Federation Carrier WIP (Read 6345 times)

Mr_Tricorder · « **on:** November 07, 2005, 09:18:24 pm »

I'm making a Federation carrier based on the fcv model from SFC2 for my graphics project this semester. I'm planning on converting it to .mod format later on and releasing it for everyone to use. However, I recently reformatted my hard drive and now 3ds max 4 won't reinstall properly. This model was made in 3ds max 7, but I'm going to have to either get someone to convert this for me, convert it in milkshape, or somehow manage to get 3ds max 4 working again.

Khalee1 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2005, 10:15:47 pm »

Have you had more than 4 reinstalls of max? if so you have to call support and get a new autherization number. But how does max 7 look, is it better than 4? Which is what I still use.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2005, 10:42:06 pm »

Does the 4 reinstalls thing apply if I just reformatted my hard drive?

Max 7 is still very similar to max 4. It has several new and redone features and some of the controls on the default interface have been moved around (for example, the snap button is on the top toolbar instead of the bottom). However, everything needed to make starships and space stations is still pretty much the same. Some of the new features on max 7 are the preserve UVs tool, bridge tool, paint deformation, normal bump maps, surface scattering, pixel-based camera mapping, skin morph modifier, renderable spline modifier, and smart object culling to name a few.

Starforce2 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2005, 01:37:23 am »

Thats an excelent ship.

Khalee1 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2005, 08:04:52 am »

Quote from: Mr_Tricorder on November 07, 2005, 10:42:06 pm

Does the 4 reinstalls thing apply if I just reformatted my hard drive?

Yep it does as I had some hard drive trouble and had to reformat mine a few times as well And had to call for a new number each time. its a internall type counter I think that keeps track of how many installs you did. Kinda sucks to even have to go and do that really concidering how much it cost in the first place.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2005, 10:18:23 am »

I just started making textures for this ship. This my first attempt at making aztec saucer textures from scratch.

GotAFarmYet? · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2005, 09:32:52 pm »

the grid lines are too dark unless you are going for a TOS look to it. also a tip when doing the saucer for the first time start off at least 2 relotion sizes bigger than you plan on using forthe basic aztexs and gridlines(512 should be done at 2048, 1024 at 4096). That way when you save the file as a bitmap at the size you want it all blends in nicily and looks overall cleaaner. Also to add a 3D look to it make a copy of the gridlines layer with and paste it under the gridlines with the colour lighter than that of the orginal gridlines (black gets a light gray, gray gets a white)

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #7 on:** November 08, 2005, 10:03:32 pm »

Thanks for the tip. I've been gone for most of the day and just started working on this again a few minutes ago. Here's what it looks like now.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2005, 01:51:30 am »

Last update before I go to bed tonight.

Dukrat · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2005, 01:58:41 am »

Very nice, I love the ship, and those textures are amazing for it being your first time.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2005, 07:32:49 am »

Actually, my first texturing job was the Ebon Hawk I made early in the summer. This is the first Federation ship I have textured, so all of the texture elements unique to Federation ships are pretty new to me.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2005, 05:05:02 pm »

I've been doing a lot of work on this today, mostly trial and error. I'm just about finished with the top saucer textures. What do y'all think?

Starforce2 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 10, 2005, 01:34:09 am »

Considering how big this vessel is, why not try and excelcior phaser layout rather than a connie one?

ModelsPlease · « **Reply #13 on:** November 10, 2005, 03:39:44 pm »

Quote from: Starforce2 on November 10, 2005, 01:34:09 am

Considering how big this vessel is, why not try and excelcior phaser layout rather than a connie one?

Yeah that's a great idea !!!!
-MP

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2005, 08:01:47 am »

How about this?

ModelsPlease · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2005, 10:01:24 am »

There's an awesful lot of blank area on the bottom saucer, perhaps move everything out a bit further from the sensor array ? ie: phasers, regs.... just a thought.

OlBuzzard · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2005, 10:31:01 am »

This is supposed to be a large ship ... right ?

If so .. I might suggest continue to use your aztecs .. BUT .. make a bigger panel, then import it such that they appear to be much smaller. This will make the over size of the ship appear more proportionate.

(Just a thought)

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2005, 02:39:00 pm »

I've been thinking about redoing the aztecs too. I want to experiment some more with them.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #18 on:** November 11, 2005, 06:11:01 pm »

Ok. I redid the aztecing. How's this?

edit: I also made some adjustments to the gridlines so they look more like their cut into the saucer rather than painted on.

Captain Pierce · « **Reply #19 on:** November 11, 2005, 06:38:45 pm »

I think the aztecing is looking much better on that one, but the phaser banks seem a touch too large, even larger compared to the size of the saucer than on the Excelsior, for example, and my impression of the Ark Royal is that its saucer is rather larger than even the Excelsior...

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2005, 06:49:50 pm »

How's this?
I also made some other enhancements with different blending options

Tus-XC · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2005, 07:00:34 pm »

try not to use pure colors, instead use darker and less saturated colors to achive the right look. for example the red around the lettering, use instead of using a 100% brightness level, drop it to 75 - 80%. the yellows, decrease their saturation to 80-90%, w/ a 90% on brightness (just random guesses here) you'll notice a difference

. a darker/less saturated blue would also help as its to pure right now and makes it look cartoonish.

anywho, good job

Captain Pierce · « **Reply #22 on:** November 11, 2005, 07:21:39 pm »

I'm far from a scale expert, but that does look much better to me...

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #23 on:** November 11, 2005, 07:37:40 pm »

This ought to look better as far as the colors are concerned

Norsehound · « **Reply #24 on:** November 11, 2005, 08:26:51 pm »

Rah! The type is HUGE!

I personally prefer a smaller font- nothing big with 'empty hull space'- after all, most of the Connie TMP saucer is unpainted.

The thruster banks also look too oversized.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #25 on:** November 11, 2005, 08:54:35 pm »

I kinda like the huge lettering, but you're definitely right about the thrusters. I've reduced them by 50% and they look a lot better now.

ModelsPlease · « **Reply #26 on:** November 12, 2005, 12:00:52 pm »

Definately looking much better. Keep up the good work

-MP

OlBuzzard · « **Reply #27 on:** November 12, 2005, 12:12:37 pm »

MP is right ... keep after it bud !

And (for what ever its worth ..) I would reduce the lettering some as well.

You are correct on your other assessments ! You are definitely on the right track.

"Never give up ... Never surrender !"

Seriously .... looking much better.

Greenvalv · « **Reply #28 on:** November 12, 2005, 01:36:21 pm »

Very nice, hey, if you do the break model I'll do the converting.

Tus-XC · « **Reply #29 on:** November 12, 2005, 03:47:29 pm »

colors are much better

i like this

though i do agree, the lettering needs some shrining, it shouldn't fill up a quarter of the saucer, but thats personal prefernce on my part

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #30 on:** November 12, 2005, 06:39:52 pm »

Ok, I'll do something about the lettering size. I won't be able to work on it until tomorrow evening though. I'm in Oklahoma right now. I'll be on my way back to College Station tomorrow.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #31 on:** November 13, 2005, 05:52:25 pm »

Quote from: Fallen_Warrior on November 13, 2005, 04:02:54 pm

looking good dude the choice to keep the large font works
but would it be possible for a blank set i like youve version already over Wicked Zombies Midway class

Wow! I didn't think I was even in the same league as WZ!
Sure, I can release a blank set if you like.

Fedman NCC-3758 · « **Reply #32 on:** November 13, 2005, 05:57:16 pm »

Quote from: OlBuzzard on November 12, 2005, 12:12:37 pm

MP is right ... keep after it bud !

And (for what ever its worth ..) I would reduce the lettering some as well.

You are correct on your other assessments ! You are definitely on the right track.

"Never give up ... Never surrender !"

Seriously .... looking much better.

Agreed. Very nice.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #33 on:** November 13, 2005, 06:32:31 pm »

Is this good, or do y'all think the name and registry number need to be smaller?

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #34 on:** November 13, 2005, 06:51:40 pm »

Here's an illumination map to go with it. this is the first illumination map for a federation ship that I've made from scratch.

edit: I'm trying two different approaches for this. which picture looks better?

darkthunder · « **Reply #35 on:** November 13, 2005, 07:07:03 pm »

Pic 1 illumination looks better in my opinion... but perhaps shorten the beam length to slightly past the registry? Doing an excellent job on this one, I need to keep an eye on this thread

Khalee1 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 13, 2005, 07:33:44 pm »

Definitely the first one looks better. Texturing is coming along nicely. Ever get your max 4 up and running.?

Fedman NCC-3758 · « **Reply #37 on:** November 13, 2005, 07:49:03 pm »

Hey guys, lay off the questions.........

At this rate, he'll be done by 11:30.

Norsehound · « **Reply #38 on:** November 13, 2005, 11:55:20 pm »

Second one looks more realistic IMO. Beams of light cast from high points look circular, not conical.

And I thought the lettering looked off to me... the origional didn't have the red outlining! I'd like this, since I thought the origional model was good on it's own (Better than the stock SFC1/KA Low poly ones at least).

If people are insistant on having the red outlining try making it thinner... it seems off to me. And what font are you using?

And How faithful are you being to the origional model? Your model's conning tower seems larger than it is tall and thin, the thruster points are off, the fantail at the end needs a rounder hump ending than the square one you have now, the hull top's curve roof needs to be thinner, the area around the deflector dish seems all wrong, and the forward part of the hull's 'hump' at the saucer is too round instead of gradual.

I suggest downloading the modviewer, looking at the model, and taking notes where detail should be added.

I appologize if I seem too rough, but I like perfection in these higher-detail models. I comlained this badly if not worse abaout the Yamato remake (Where did that one go anyway?). And most 'interpretations' I find lacking in some places.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #39 on:** November 14, 2005, 10:53:51 am »

This model is not strictly based on the Ark Royal from SFC2. The basic shape is pretty much the same. The rest is a compromize between the original design and the way I would have designed it.

I still have a lot to learn about things like registries and the red outlining. I might play around with it some more, but I like it the way it is for now. You are right about it being off, though. I'll fix that.

Thank you for your comments. I always welcome constructive criticism.

OlBuzzard · « **Reply #40 on:** November 14, 2005, 11:06:09 am »

Hey buddy ...

looking much better ! Texturing is a tedious process .. and often only comes with experience in understanding the various programs out there to preform the task at hand.

Looks like you have a great attitude .... and are doing good work as well. If ya keep that drive to continue improvement, and looking for better ways to add the necessary details you will soon catch on. I've only done like two complete textures from scratch ...

1. SB777 ( which should be wrapped up soon)
2. The Yamato

everthing else has been a retext... and often using some part of other textures or at least emulating an already existing work.

I said that to say this:

Attempting to make something "your own" is far more challenging and time consuming as well.

nice work ...

keep it up !

Greenvalv · « **Reply #41 on:** November 16, 2005, 06:23:23 pm »

Hey, Tricorder, when you're done take a good beauty shot and submit it for PotD selection at Sfc3files, God knows we need more PotD's.....

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #42 on:** November 21, 2005, 02:34:42 pm »

Sorry I haven't been keeping everyone updated on this one. I haven't been working on it as steadily as I would have liked. Anyway, here's the latest update on the developing textures.

Fedman NCC-3758 · « **Reply #43 on:** November 21, 2005, 04:29:27 pm »

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #44 on:** December 06, 2005, 07:57:49 pm »

I haven't given y'all an update in a while. I've been working on this off and on since I've been very busy with research papers and studying for finals. I have a significant amount of the textures finished, but as you can see I still have a fair amount to do.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #45 on:** December 07, 2005, 09:13:45 pm »

just got some more done.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #46 on:** December 07, 2005, 11:54:25 pm »

Just got finished with the necelles. Now I need to finish placing lights and windows around the ship and make illumination maps.

Mr_Tricorder · « **Reply #47 on:** December 08, 2005, 03:01:54 am »

It's finished!
Now I just need to finish my graphics project and study for my finals. I'm going to get some sleep first, since it's 3:00am and I'm having to make good use of the backspace key while I'm typing this.

Let me know what y'all think of this.

OlBuzzard · « **Reply #48 on:** December 08, 2005, 07:57:38 am »

WOW !

Much better bud ...

only thing I see is so minor it's hardly worth mentioning .. the impulse engines ... a little more red .. less orange-ish.

you've really turned this one around !

Fedman NCC-3758 · « **Reply #49 on:** December 08, 2005, 10:39:11 am »

Prepare to launch fighters!!

+1

Hexx · « **Reply #50 on:** December 08, 2005, 10:51:10 am »

Looks like I've found a new CVA model.

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Topic: Federation Carrier WIP (Read 6345 times) var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true};

Topic: Federation Carrier WIP (Read 6345 times)