First peek at my Small Junk

[LordDrow]

Just follow the link below. This is a sneak peek, no skin, no details. Just the basic initial lines of her.

<a href="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8858" target="_blank">http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8858</a>

Cap'n Drow

 

[Black Bart]

personaly i like it very much <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

I've been thinking we need a better selection of small class vessels in the game, so these look like a great addition....great work <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/me.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="me.gif" />

 

[LordDrow]

Thanks for the compliment, Bart. Tis greatly appreciated.

New pics are up, like the updated model a whole lot better myself. Still nowhere near complete, but definitely starting to look like it ought to.

Just follow the link above to see 'em.

Cap'n Drow

 

[LordDrow]

Okay, newest test renders. Still unskinned but definitely looking more complete. This is not the game version, but one meant for render tests.

Hope everyone enjoys!

Cap'n Drow

<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b237/LordDrow/AOP_Test_Renders/Junk_Test_8.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />


<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b237/LordDrow/AOP_Test_Renders/Junk_Test_9.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

 

[ged]

whats this?
<img src="http://dl.eve-files.com/media/players/junk_20061112042154.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
are those darker areas .. holes?

and the rudder (called that way? the paddle the that moves left and right, and controls the direction of the ship) also got holes? why is that? so you can steer more easily? (i mean, in reality)

oh and btw looks nice.

 

[LordDrow]

Thanks ged. Apparently that exactly what those holes were for, to make maneuvering easier in rough waters. It was commented on when I did my first test renders. I'm including the holes simply because they actually existed on the real ships.

Cap'n Drow

 

[Black Bart]

its looking great - i only hope you can find something workable to get some decent looking sails, that would finish it of perfect <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

[LordDrow]

Well, right now I'm trying to get it skinned to my satisfaction. I'm not pleased with any of my attempts thus far, at the same time I'm working on the locators. I now think I understand by nobody has done a Junk previous to mine. Setting up all those damned booms is a pain in the arse. 7 booms per mast, with all associated rigging needed. FAR more complex setup on the masts, reyes(booms/yardarms) than a european ship. So I'm having to take extra time making sure everything is setup correctly. Apparently everything needs to be done before I export it using the plugin. Skinned, locators for everything, walkmesh and all have to be done, or they won't export properly.

Cap'n Drow

 

[Thomas the Terror]

skinning??? oke can you show me, maybe, maybe i can help a little little bit?? But i dont know anything about texture mapping, i know only about skinning.

 

[LordDrow]

Okay, I'll give you a quick rundown on how skinning is actually done, Thomas.

First off the modeler builds up his model using his tools of choice. I use a combination of Lightwave to do the basic modeling, then I export to wavefront .obj object format.

Then I import the model into Maya 4.5, make sure all my surfaces are setup properly and proceed to make a set of UV co-ordinates. What the UV co-ordinates do is create a surface image of the model, unfolded. In other words the software more or less deconstructs the model into sections of polygonal surfaces that can be painted on, without distorting the skin once applied to the model again in the modeling software.

This set of UV co-ordinates are what are used to make those really weird looking stretched out textures everyone seems to get confused by. Thats what the UV map looks like AFTER its been painted on. BEFORE its been painted on, it looks like a funky unpainted bunch of random triangles, all over the page. When I've got some examples to show off of these steps, I'll add them to this thread, as well as my 'Riggin' Them Ships' threads so everyone understands a bit better exactly what goes into creating a ship, character or any other 3D item into ANY game.

Cap'n Drow