Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Arts & Talents => Topic started by: Shrike on April 16, 2002, 05:45:51 am

Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 16, 2002, 05:45:51 am: A new render by......me. (what, you expected me to say someone else?)

Click (http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/capships.jpg)

Here's another view (http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/dd.jpg). This is an older version of the mesh.

And just for fun, a side view (http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/capside.jpg) of the two ships.

Anyone know of a good way to make nav light-type things? The ones I made weren't all that hot.
Title: Re: Just a render.....
Post by: Sandwich on April 16, 2002, 05:49:37 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Anyone know of a good way to make nav light-type things? The ones I made weren't all that hot.

I do in 2D, but not in 3D...
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 16, 2002, 05:52:56 am: What, you expect me to comment on two forums? That's it, I'm just going to quote this reply once I'm done and paste it onto SB. :p :D

Render's good. I like the view you have on the further ship, and the closer one has nice nav lights (you did a good job on the metal shader), and the sun is sweet. I still don't like you having your stars so bright (IMHO it shows a focus of the camera more on the starscape), but you don't look to have any signs of changing that anytime soon, so heh. ;)

As a render, the quality is nice, but it's (unfortunately), meaningless. We don't even know if the ships are moving anywhere, since you don't tell us, and we can't see any thruster glows (sure, they could be coasting, but with relativity and all, how would we know?). So for all we can see, it's just two ships sitting, sunbaking. Ummm... woohoo! ;) Work on putting some story into it next time (you've done it before, it doesn't take much at all).

Anyway, nice job. I won't steal your limelight by posting my three new renders. :D
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 16, 2002, 06:00:05 am: Well, I thought about putting in a bit of weapons fire, but it would all be going to basically the vanishing point......
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 16, 2002, 06:10:56 am: You could make them under attack from some pirates. Excuse for explosions! :D
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Corsair on April 16, 2002, 06:11:58 am: I think that Steakyboy :D said it all. I have no other comments as he pretty much covered everything.
good render aside from all of those things.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: KillMeNow on April 16, 2002, 06:12:17 am: nice nice nice - for the nav lights what progs you using?
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 16, 2002, 06:16:38 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
You could make them under attack from some pirates. Excuse for explosions! :D
Excuse for shield effects actually. Which reminds me, I have to figure out how to make shield effects.....

Quote
Originally posted by KillMeNow
nice nice nice - for the nav lights what progs you using?
Just default MAX lens flares.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 16, 2002, 06:32:54 am: Quote
Originally posted by Corsair
I think that Steakyboy :D said it all. I have no other comments as he pretty much covered everything.

Another name? Well, looks my title is really kicking in, isn't it?

Anyway, shield effects? You have room to move... you can invent whatever shield effects your universe wants. :)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Corsair on April 16, 2002, 06:35:25 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
Another name? Well, looks my title is really kicking in, isn't it?
I'm tired, I just woke up, and my mind is a little fried. Therefore, you have a new name. I christen this GVA Setekh: The GVA Steakyboy!!!!! :D

Yes, it appears you have a new name ;)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 16, 2002, 06:45:28 am: So, what have I got so far? AWACS, Steak, Poor Setekh, SteakyBoy, Tang-Boy, Steak of Steaks... uhhh... :p

Uh-oh. Shrike is gonna kill me for derailing his topic after he went to sleep... uhh.. *runs* :nervous:
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 16, 2002, 06:51:18 am: I still think you should put more work on your nebulae. The scenes are good, but lack any kind of emotion - something like what Setekh said....
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Stunaep on April 16, 2002, 06:57:53 am: I'll just say the following: Yummy. Me likes.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Nico on April 16, 2002, 07:00:34 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Just default MAX lens flares.

use volumetric lights, that's remains the best way for such things. A few local lights shouldn't drain your resources down.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 16, 2002, 07:20:56 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
use volumetric lights, that's remains the best way for such things. A few local lights shouldn't drain your resources down.

You sure of that? Those things are not much better than a decently controlled lens flare, and take ages to render...
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Nico on April 16, 2002, 07:27:46 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx

You sure of that? Those things are not much better than a decently controlled lens flare, and take ages to render...

no, if it's just for a few lights ( say a dozen of punctual lights), it's really not that heavy. I made a SF hydra glows only with volumetric lights.
Of course, the glows are faster: for a red light, you make a very small white sphere, 100% self illumination, give it a red glow, et voila. the pb is that you have to figure how to scale it down with the distance. I can't :(
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: wEvil on April 16, 2002, 07:28:18 am: Use videopost lensflares.

the render effects ones suck in a terrible, terrible way.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 16, 2002, 07:33:05 am: Quote
Originally posted by wEvil
Use videopost lensflares.

the render effects ones suck in a terrible, terrible way.

True.

Hey, wEvil - you know of any other lens flare plugins that actually SCALE the damn thing with distance? The distance fade thing on the standard MAX one is just... terrible. :p
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Nico on April 16, 2002, 07:33:16 am: Quote
Originally posted by wEvil
Use videopost lensflares.

the render effects ones suck in a terrible, terrible way.

I only use the video post effects, but yet, after various searches and asking various peoples, I still have NEVER been able to get the glows to scale properly with distance. not even once, by accident. annoying. Also annoying is that they won't sho through opacity or any transparent map. stupid, if you ask me.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: wEvil on April 16, 2002, 07:35:27 am: check out www.blur.com/blurbeta

I *THINK* they have a shader that does glows through opacity maps.

are you using Gbuffer geometry channels or effects IDs? Material effects IDs should work...i cant remember.

If theres one thing they should fix in MAX for the next release its a decent glow/lens flare package because the two implementations currently in there are unpredictable and hard to use.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 16, 2002, 07:38:24 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Hey, wEvil - you know of any other lens flare plugins that actually SCALE the damn thing with distance? The distance fade thing on the standard MAX one is just... terrible. :p

I've heard all sorts of problems about that. I would have thought something like that would be standard by now. :nervous:
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Nico on April 16, 2002, 07:38:29 am: Quote
Originally posted by wEvil
check out www.blur.com/blurbeta

I *THINK* they have a shader that does glows through opacity maps.

are you using Gbuffer geometry channels or effects IDs? Material effects IDs should work...i cant remember.

If theres one thing they should fix in MAX for the next release its a decent glow/lens flare package because the two implementations currently in there are unpredictable and hard to use.

mmh, I use the material ID in fact. ok... i'll send myself a PM with this URL so I can find it back when I'm back on my PC friday :)
Btw, is there a way to import custom glows? ( I mean different shapes than just a plain circle )
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 16, 2002, 07:58:18 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
I've heard all sorts of problems about that. I would have thought something like that would be standard by now. :nervous:

I think everyone thought that. Too bad it didn't happen. :p
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Darkage on April 16, 2002, 08:31:33 am: Nice renders;)

I just use a simple spotlight whit a cone angle of 10:) for nav lights.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Redfang on April 16, 2002, 02:57:11 pm: Nice. :nod:
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Zeronet on April 16, 2002, 02:58:44 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Redfang
Nice. :nod:

Bah i cant stand the word "nice", it should be removed from the dictionary and burned!
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Darkage on April 16, 2002, 03:14:16 pm: Now now, that isn't very nice :p
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 16, 2002, 03:19:23 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Zeronet
Bah i cant stand the word "nice", it should be removed from the dictionary and burned!

Any particular reason?
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 17, 2002, 03:47:15 am: Nice is a nice word. No, seriously! Uhh... Seriously!

Gahhh... too many words I associate with too many things... :D
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 17, 2002, 03:59:08 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
Anyway, shield effects? You have room to move... you can invent whatever shield effects your universe wants. :)
Yes, it's inventing a good looking one that takes time. :nod:
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 17, 2002, 04:07:09 am: So, what are you waiting for? ;)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: icespeed on April 17, 2002, 04:09:58 am: you know how setekh said about the stories and stuff...
id just like to know, exactly what sort of basic story line is there other than the 'ships fighting', 'ships running away' and... i can't think of any other ones. someone enlighten me.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 17, 2002, 04:17:24 am: I happen to like ships sunbathing.... ;)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 17, 2002, 04:20:08 am: Just look through The Array. All of it. It's pretty much all unique stuff in there. The stuff which isn't unique is pulled from the FS story arc.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 17, 2002, 07:51:42 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
I happen to like ships sunbathing.... ;)

Yeah, gotta love the tan marks... ;7
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 26, 2002, 05:36:49 am: Latest updates on the model.

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/dd2.jpg)

Next up are the point defense mounts, and possibly a modification of the VLS banks near the rear.

Poly count is currently at 23,118.

By the way, at ~8x4 meters, you could practically drive a semi down one of those gun barrels. ;) The ship has a hull length of 402 meters, with another 23 meters of antenna.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Styxx on April 26, 2002, 07:48:27 am: Cool, now put some different textures there...
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 26, 2002, 09:34:04 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
By the way, at ~8x4 meters, you could practically drive a semi down one of those gun barrels. ;)

Ouch. ;)

Styxx gets it in one, let's see you learn to make some new texes there, boy! :D
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 26, 2002, 04:31:10 pm: Let's see you make new textures. I've made new textures before, but what's the point of making them when the model itself isn't finished?
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 26, 2002, 06:06:03 pm: Well, it just seems kinda pointless, seeing as you have the facility to texture and you're pretty good at it, but you don't have any textures to put on there.

Besides, I was joking. ;) I know all your models are WIPs... I don't think I've seen one that was absolutely finished come out of you, ever. :p
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on April 26, 2002, 06:07:39 pm: :nervous:

What can I say, I'm a tweaker....
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: heretic on April 26, 2002, 07:15:17 pm: Shrike has probably hundreds of unfinished models, and maybe 3 that are done.
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Setekh on April 26, 2002, 11:05:48 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
:nervous:

What can I say, I'm a tweaker....

True, I suppose. I think you've got ten or eleven seperate Wasps and Deliverances sitting around, you know. ;)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on June 02, 2002, 05:21:31 pm: Big Bad Update! Finally did some more work.

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/dd3.jpg)

Detail on a VLS bay.

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/dd3vls.jpg)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on June 02, 2002, 06:03:38 pm: Now I remember why it's so much shinier.... went from anisotropic to blinn shader. I think it looks better before, don't you?
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Anaz on June 02, 2002, 08:45:55 pm: ohhh...pretty...
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Redfang on June 03, 2002, 07:24:26 am: I like it, :yes: but it could use better textures. :)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Sandwich on June 03, 2002, 08:22:56 am: Dang you, Shrike! :doubt: I looked over the topic, and it took me a few seconds to realize that Setekh's posts were from a few months ago... :(

I miss him....
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on June 13, 2002, 03:57:13 am: Another update. :D

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/dd4.jpg)

Along with a one-man ramscout parasite ship, which is very unfinished at the moment. But it gives you an idea.

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/ramscout.jpg)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on June 18, 2002, 04:17:54 am: Another one of those damn picture things (http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/shrike/ddbig.jpg).

Surfaces look a bit weird, but my computer was starting to fade so I decided to use it or loose it....
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Nico on June 18, 2002, 04:43:21 am: The weapons effects are so so, but this ship is seriously neat, I love those big turrets, cool shape :)
How many polys for that thing? I suspect a few hundreds of thousands :p
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: wEvil on June 18, 2002, 04:48:08 am: Well...certainly looks good to me ! :)

The starfield needs a little attention though, a bit more variation in the star's intensity etc. and maybe a couple of nebulae.

The shape of the ship is good - try shrinking the texture down a little bit and putting some decal maps on to add to the detail.

Maybe a little more geometry on the rear cylidrical area as well.

Oh, and try out my beam suggestion ;)

Overall...

:yes: :yes: :yes: - still WIP phase but looking promising :)
Title: Just a render.....
Post by: Shrike on June 18, 2002, 05:10:29 am: 90 kilopolys, thereabouts.

As befitting a WIP, it doesn't have custom textures yet. It'll probably end up being significantly darker....