Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: SadisticSid on March 26, 2007, 02:35:35 pm

Title: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 26, 2007, 02:35:35 pm

I thought I'd try my hand at modelling. It's a destroyer, longer but more slender than an Orion. It was made in Sketchup and isn't really finished, but I thought I'd see what ideas other people can come up with (especially the flat bit on the top and the main engine). Thoughts?

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest3.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest4.jpg)

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Snail on March 26, 2007, 02:58:04 pm

It looks a little too "small" to be a destroyer. By "small" I don't been literally "small," I mean it just looks like it would be something smaller. But it's a very good first model nonetheless.

BTW, how many polys?

Title: Re: First model
Post by: takashi on March 26, 2007, 04:14:25 pm

carrier/freighter would be an exalent desigantion. loot at the pvfr bes...and looks at the fighterbay you stuck on there....

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 26, 2007, 04:30:27 pm

Sketchup says 431 polys, but considering it said >3000 at one stage I think something may be wrong! The geometry is screwed in a lot of places, which adds lots of unnecessary faces, and this is not helped by the fact that you can't manipulate or merge individual vertices in Sketchup.

What class do you think it should be? It may be too spindly to be a destroyer, given that most FS designs are large, solid blocks rather than solid blocks that have had bits grafted on to them. :p

Title: Re: First model
Post by: takashi on March 26, 2007, 04:33:50 pm

see previous post.

or take this answer:


carrier/freighter hybrid.

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 26, 2007, 06:45:29 pm

The hangar isn't really big or deep enough to be a carrier - my idea was a strike destroyer: a fast ship that can move in to engagement range, launch maybe 4-6 wings of escorts and pick off smaller targets quickly.

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Turambar on March 26, 2007, 07:36:25 pm

cool design, i'd do something with those vertical fins that flows better with the shape of the ship, and i'd make the head and rear agree with each other more (instead of one is round and the other is pointy)

nice so far!

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 27, 2007, 07:35:46 am

First revision. I added another hangar on the top, made the nacelle-like structures a bit more rounded, and moved the vertical fins on to the main hull instead of mounting them on struts. It looks a bit sleeker now and I completely rebuilt the geometry around the bottom hangar bay. Stands at 2736 triangles now. :)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest2-1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest2-2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest2-3.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest2-4.jpg)

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Snail on March 27, 2007, 11:56:38 am

I liked them on struts more than the current.

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Prophet on March 27, 2007, 12:07:19 pm

Break down the engine in to smaller ones. If it's a destroyer, then it's going to be one gigantic flame...
And the big curved "hood" is way off. It needs something more detailed and less beak like...
I also liked the fins more when they were on struts. And when the hangar was in the front you could pretend there was some purpose for their presence. Though generally I think its a better idea to have the fighterbay to the rear...

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 27, 2007, 02:15:21 pm

I changed the fins to horizontal (they were originally there to shield the hangar and to provide extra space for mounting turrets) and tweaked some edges to give the ship a bit more bulk. The  Now the only thing I'm unhappy with is the main engine. It's not so much that the engine glow will be big - the Orion has the same thing after all - just that round and cylindrical doesn't fit in with the rest of the design. Not really sure where to go from here.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest3-1.jpg)

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Turambar on March 27, 2007, 03:45:00 pm

break it up into a bunch of smaller squares, and make the side fins have  similar shape to the head.

coming along nicely

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Getter Robo G on March 27, 2007, 04:46:50 pm

Honestly, I'm not feeling the design (but that's a non-issue).

But I want to go on record to say, for your first model that's freaking amazing!  :yes:

Looking forward to seeing you finish this and then do more stuff!  :nod:

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Snail on March 27, 2007, 05:18:08 pm

The reason I liked the fins on struts (and vertical) because they reminded me of the Hecate. They had two fins (though much larger) on struts vertically.

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Unknown Target on March 27, 2007, 09:40:55 pm

Quote from: SadisticSid on March 26, 2007, 04:30:27 pm

Sketchup says 431 polys, but considering it said >3000 at one stage I think something may be wrong! The geometry is screwed in a lot of places, which adds lots of unnecessary faces, and this is not helped by the fact that you can't manipulate or merge individual vertices in Sketchup.

What class do you think it should be? It may be too spindly to be a destroyer, given that most FS designs are large, solid blocks rather than solid blocks that have had bits grafted on to them. :p

Don't listen to Sketchup's polycounts - export the model as a .3DS first, then read what the polycount is in the window that pops up :)

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 28, 2007, 04:46:49 am

Quote from: Snail on March 27, 2007, 05:18:08 pm

The reason I liked the fins on struts (and vertical) because they reminded me of the Hecate. They had two fins (though much larger) on struts vertically.

Yeah, that's what inspired me. I think I'll make another attempt on them in my next design, but all I want to change on this one now are the engines.

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 28, 2007, 06:54:58 am

OK, here's the finished hull. I merged the fins so they flow with the hull a bit more, and changed the engine to something that fits in better with the rest of the design. Another benefit of this arrangement is that fighters using the rear hangar will no longer have to contend with engine wash. The final poly count for the hull is 2754.

I suppose texturing is the next hurdle (and something I have no idea where to start with). What do people tend to use? I reckon I'll stick with tile maps as UVs aren't feasible for a ship this size.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/th_dest4-3.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest4-3.jpg)      (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/th_dest4-2.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest4-2.jpg)     (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/th_dest4-1.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v36/SadisticSid/modelling/dest4-1.jpg)

Title: Re: First model
Post by: Titan on March 28, 2007, 09:27:42 am

the second version looks perfect for a fighter........

Title: Re: First model
Post by: SadisticSid on March 29, 2007, 05:55:34 am

I've started adding turrets and mapping using Max... it's fairly easy to adapt to it once you have the basics of 3D under your belt. But boy, does Sketchup produce some nasty geometry from its exporter! 2700 triangles down to just over 700 ATM after a good old vertex welding. So evidently I'm going to need to add a lot of detail to the hull as well.