All this movements and efforts - influenced greatly on my motivation related to the completion of the Pyro model which I was going to finish but never had time for.
So here i'm going to enlighten you with the process:
0. a REFERENCE.
Ok. back then i've decided to make a Pyro which would bring D to a new level. after D2X-XL provide a possibility to make what i was allways wanted.
So the references for me are:
StarWars
Doom 3
The Homeworld 1-2 ships.
The Eve Online ships.
The Starcraft 1-2 design.
Previously on Pyro:
MB kindly made a brilliant version - at least in mesh - as i heard something still being done about it - unless I've missed something.
Now to all you model builders - this thread will not only enlighten you with the upcoming but probably(i hope) will bring you some tips and tricks I've in turn uncovered whilst creating my ship(for a several years now).
1. A certain amount of idea sketches was created using digitizer and or scan as a basis. . and numerous on paper. On some of them were created a part of the model. The whole idea was to be constrained - the form must be as close as possible to the Pyro GX we all know from D1 (ingame not the cutscenes). Basically it was an effort to "explain" how pyro was able to switch weapons to hold that many of them at once and so on.
2. Based on those sketches were created a model – which incarnation was released as a Phantom XL by MetalBeast.
Back then I was frustrated with the model actually and never thought that it was suitable to be released. And I gave its concept to MB without problem – as I knew that I would never do that – as I was not glad with the result.
3. A second(green) model was build. It was slightly better. But has its cons related to the structure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7f6bPW4_ZQ&NR=1
4. Based on the Green model was created a third one(you saw in on Pumo forum tread – if you’ve been there – if you want to look – it’s here
http://3d-get.de/pumosoft/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=161
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS53pqF0 ... re=related
It's even made it to the game
Descent 2
StarWars Battle of Yavin by Bruno R Marcos
...but as i started to come from model to textures and then i was really fighting - as i never had a tech to actually create a skin texture for low-poly models. And yet to be made that time - was the understanding of UVW Unwrapping techniques. which i know now.
5. From 4 sides was made a render of the latest model.
Then rendered images were put to different map channels. Each channel was applied to model and UVW Mapping projection was applied as a Camera Map Projection. That is render from camera one was applied to the material channel one texture map 1 and UVW Camera Map projection source = Camera 1 from which the render of the map 1 was made.
6. Each of the renders were printed. Over each rendered model was created a drawing – which added details to the faces. then those drawings were scanned and used as a projection maps.
7. I tried several time to make a textures of the model - and got result i considered failed thrice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVGiYv_bzg4
8. Then was carefully created a model 4. It was created with idea in mind that ship to consist from parts which has to be geometrically tied to a certain formulas not just freeform shapes. It was done with idea that in life there is a trend to optimization while making design of any vehicle. also i was released myself from polycount and i was creating what i was thinking is needed. Its a pure industrial design really. I was thinking that i will just heavy up the model with "intended" details - then just create a Projection modifier to project resulted textures to a simlier model. and then fine tune them.
8. As model created piece by piece – for each part was made trough a UVW Unwrap modifier a plain version of the patch like parts. As in creation of dress tailors use to stretch the fabric on the plain surface. So when it was done the exact plain parts of the model – were put in ArchiCAD – where – additional details was created as a drawing - not a geometry. It's quite a time and brain energy consuming process as it turned out. Then the result was put in a "raster" form and applied to a model as a map. That's the fastest and the most flexible way to create textures. They are geometrically sound and are not related to any natural texture but lines there can clearly be rotated to any degree? creat constraints when needed, and there can be made quads triangles and so on. So i found a way to edit texture fast efficient and cheap for me as i use ArchiCAd for my job daily and i can do complicated things there fast.
09.08.10. Current progress you can see on my you tube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bO7-2Po4xo&fmt=35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W2lqw53ma8&fmt=35
Today's progress(last update 13.08.10 6:42am (+3GMT):
Polygon count so far 5098(Yes it will be optimized drastically to meet D2X-XL requirements.)
Here is a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pblIsVCtE3M
"Yup its big. Intentionally. It's a direct screen from my monitor for you to enjoy without decrease of an image quality. Hey you can even make it a wallpaper - eventually....
"
