[Asteroth]

For now, this will just be a reservation and status thread. I've started making it, I'd say I'm about 65% done with it. Modeling is going along smoothly, and I think I should be able to release a 'beta' model for feedback in several days. I'm up to about 1500 polys and I plan to at least double that. So, please if anyone has any tips or comments, what they would like to see, etc. Please feel free to post here.

[Rodo]

you'll have it done as "done" , with textures and all??.. ready for in-game action¡?

[colecampbell666]

Pics?

[Asteroth]

you'll have it done as "done" , with textures and all??.. ready for in-game action¡?

Oh, actually no. I'm terrible at textures, so unfortunately I'm only going to attempt the model itself. Which is also what this thread will serve as: A shout out to any texturers willing to do it.

Pics?

I'd love to, but I'd still like to wait a little before posting anything.

[Mongoose]

Man, this was the last ship I thought anyone would attempt to take on.  Good on you.

[Kolgena]

About time the best shivan bomber looked better than a bunch of boxes stuck together.

I look forward to this

[Rodo]

ok then, we can wait for the model pics. good luck ^^

[Asteroth]

Alrighty, here are the first tenative pics of the model. I, personally don't like that way it turned out. I feel I should have done more than just tack on a bunch of extras, but rather change the base model itself. But, please if you have an opinion on the model I would love to hear it. Good, bad, I don't care, if I'm going to make a model that's going to be beloved by the community I need feedback.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Rodo]

looks like a punk guy... to many spikes for me 

[Galemp]

Yes, please, do more to the base model than just greeble it. Smooth out some edges, round some curves, and replace some parts (like the bridges connecting the wings to the fuselage) wholesale with new parts.

[Asteroth]

Yes, please, do more to the base model than just greeble it. Smooth out some edges, round some curves, and replace some parts (like the bridges connecting the wings to the fuselage) wholesale with new parts.

Well, the thing is, smooth edges and round curves isn't exactly shivan. The feeling I got from the Nephilim, were these strange, arbitrary angles, which I guess the original model did quite well.

[blowfish]

Would you mind doing a couple of renders with ambient occlusion?  It really helps to bring out the detail.

[Kolgena]

Yes, please, do more to the base model than just greeble it. Smooth out some edges, round some curves, and replace some parts (like the bridges connecting the wings to the fuselage) wholesale with new parts.

Well, the thing is, smooth edges and round curves isn't exactly shivan. The feeling I got from the Nephilim, were these strange, arbitrary angles, which I guess the original model did quite well.

Strange arbitrary angles is one way of putting it I guess...

I always thought this bomber was horrendously ugly (in retail), and didn't make a lot of sense geometrically. If you could somehow change the base model to keep some of the arbitrary feel, but somehow made the whole thing cohesive with itself, that'd be great.

Yup, that wasn't nebulous at all. Sorry.

Specifically, I guess:

Try to introduce more arbitrary angles into the fuselage and missile pods, so that it keeps its rigid angular look, but loses its boxy look. Do explore some round surfaces. Using some in the right spots can help accentuate other angles.

The retail model looks like rectangular prisms glued together with glowy red bits. Any deviation from that will be improvement. Keep that in mind as you continue experimenting. I like the direction this is taking

[colecampbell666]

I thought the boxy look was what made it.

[Asteroth]

The problem that I'm having right now is trying to alter the base model, while keeping the details I've made for later application. Obviously, the details are precisely made to fit like a glove on certain faces with certain angles, while I'm in the process of cleaning up the whole fuselage-wings area. Making too many new faces with new angles would mess up the details I have, either prompting a resdesign or complete start-over, lengthing the time required.

While I'm not unwilling to do so, it would take longer.

[Kolgena]

True. Go with what you think is best.

Some things I think you should definitely look into though is redoing the junction points (glowy red bits) like Galemp said, and removing some of the spikes. Personally, I don't like the mohawk bit, although I don't mind the rest that much. Those things should be doable without having to revamp large portions of the stuff that you've already done.

[Bobboau]

get rid to the sonic the hedgehog frill thing on top.

just no.

[Asteroth]

Alright, I got rid of the mohawy thing on top, I wasn't quite sure of that anyway. But to those arguing it has too many spikes: Look at the Moloch. Lots of spikes is certainly shivan, and while is may not be a moloch wannabe, it deserves its fair share of spikes.

[Col. Fishguts]

The spikes are ok, but some of the curved lines (e.g. the starboard wing thing in a frontal profile, and the dorsal/ventral fin things in the side profile) really need to be smoothed out before greebling it.

[Asteroth]

Here are some pics demonstrating the changes I'm making to the fuselage-wings area.

[attachment deleted by ninja]