That's an interesting method to build the windows... I'm going to have to try that.
I do all of my Glowy effects in Photoshop, after I render the image. That's easier for me than messing around with the node editor.
You might want to add in a "sun" lamp, and turn it up to about 1.1 or 1.2. That'll make it look brighter, and bring out some of the detail a little better.
Could you post up some wireframes, particularly of the neck area? I'm just curious to see how you did it.
Sure. As long as you will still respect me in the morning...
That black "grill" on the neck is usually shown as "Inset" into a cut out on the neck. But the actual model photos show it to be panals stuck onto the surface of the neck. That's easier, so that's the way I did it for now. But I think it actually looks better inset, and so I may cut into the neck yet. Although frankly, from any distance at all it's hard to tell the difference.
Here's the wireframe. Notice that the neck object is still a subsurface object that has not been converted into the full mesh yet. Since I have not needed to cut into the neck, there has been no call to make it into an actual full mesh. The suppot pylons for the nacelles are the same way.
Please ignore that messiness in the lower right hand corner... I just haven't gotten around to tidying it up yet. (Of course it doesn't show on the entire model.)
Take the neck itself away, and you can see the various objects I have sticking onto and through it. Those window objects, as I said, poke through and serve as the partner window on each side of the neck. That's an even bigger shortcut than doing one side, Duplicating mirrioring and rotating and making the opposite side. Lazy by nature, I really dig shortcuts.
Those torp launchers are temporary.
And here's the wire frame from the front view. Not much to it, really. But it was the hardest part of this model. I kept wanting to make the base of it wider than it "really" is on the studio model. That would look good, but then the lines wouldn't look right from the sides.
Take the neck itself away, and you can see the various objects I have sticking onto and through it. Those window objects, as I said, poke through and serve as the partner window on each side of the neck. That's an even bigger shortcut than doing one side, Duplicating mirrioring and rotating and making the opposite side. Lazy by nature, I really dig shortcuts.
There’s another way for the even lazier: build one half and let Blender do the rest by adding a mirror modifier (you get that from the same menue as the subsurf modifier).
ThereAâs another way for the even lazier: build one half and let Blender do the rest by adding a mirror modifier (you get that from the same menue as the subsurf modifier).
Good point. I read about that one but I haven't messed with it yet. Definitely time to look into it...
Oh yeah... The Mirror modifier rocks. If you do any kind of mechanical modeling in Blender, the Mirror and Array modifiers are you best friends.
About your model - the secondary hull windows seem to dip near the deflector. Is that intentional?
Yes, that represents a compromise on my part. If I wanted to use the natural edges of the mesh to make the darker grid lines on the sides of the hull, then I was going to have to move the windows some, so they would look straight. I lined them up on the lines rather than bringing them all across level in an absolute sense.
Some alternatives would be to make new objects to become the horizontal lines in the grid. (Which I don't want to do.) Or else to use texture mapping to make the grid. (Which I also don't want to do.)
Hmm. Subsurfs. I still box model everything, starting with primitives, and using booleans when I have to. At least I did finally figure out Loop Subdivisions...
Well, the physical modeling is about done, including the detailing. I put the registries and banners on, turned some of the lights off, and messed around with adding the glowy effects. I think I just need to perfect the glowy bits, add the spot lights and do the texturing. I will probably mess around with the texturing quite a long time, as I really have to learn all about it as I go.
Aft view. I added the glowy effects by messing around with the halo material setting. I almost have it, but you can see it's still a little patchy here.
I turned off some of the lights to give the crew a night life (and some sleep.)
Please do not point out that this registry number is completely inappropriate, cannon-wise. I know. But the ship is a gift, and I let the recipient choose the name and registry number. He had his heart set on this number, so what could I do? My version of the mesh will have something more consistant with cannon.
Starboard Bow. The Vessel is named U.S.S. Tycho.
Here's a close up of the bridge area. You can see I'm starting to experiment with textures a bit.
Hmm. Subsurfs. I still box model everything, starting with primitives, and using booleans when I have to. At least I did finally figure out Loop Subdivisions...
Yeah, working in your "era" you don't really need subsurfs. I was working the same way when I was trying to model the Constellation and Daedalus classes. It wasn't until I started working on the Cheyenne Class's neck region that I needed to learn subsurfacing. Probably you could do this class without subsurfacing, but the neck and pylons would perhaps be difficult. ( I don't think I could do them without subsurfacing, but someone else probably could.
Although the last shot is screaming out for a nice subtle specular map.
Gah. Texturing... I have a long way to go with texturing. I have yet to even THINK about how to do specular maps. It took me a year and a half to get this competent with physical modeling. Texturing will probably take at least that long.
Nah, it'll come pretty quickly. Are you doing it using UV maps?
Well, lately I've been using the uv image editor window to give each section of the starship it's own texture. There might be one for the upper saucer, the lower saucer, the saucer rim, the nacelles etc. I either make something simple or use something I find online.
I understand much of the principal of stacking textures, from dissecting other people's models I found online, as well as from reading online. But I haven't done too much of that, because it doesn't seem like you can use the image editior uv window to unwrap and line up the image with the model. Maybe there's a way, but I haven't found it yet. Doing it manually using the tabs in the texture and editing buttonsis always a big headache, and I do whatever I can to avoid it.
A good example of where I am at texture wise, would be to look at the end of my "For the Luv of the Challenger Class" thread.
Your texturing in that other thread seems to be quite good, IMO!
Once you have UV mapping set up, applying a specular map is not hard. Add a new texture, and change its 'Map To' setting from 'Col' to either 'Csp' (specular color) or 'Spec' (specular strength). With a gray-scale map, both should have the same effect. Then play around with the settings.
Your texturing in that other thread seems to be quite good, IMO!
Once you have UV mapping set up, applying a specular map is not hard. Add a new texture, and change its 'Map To' setting from 'Col' to either 'Csp' (specular color) or 'Spec' (specular strength). With a gray-scale map, both should have the same effect. Then play around with the settings.
Thanks, I will look that over carefully. Maybe I'm closer than I think.
When you say "add a new texture" in the advice above, I suppose you have to do it in the Texture tab that has all the "stacking boxes" for layered textures? If so, is there any way to use the UV window to move or adjust each layer of terxture? I hate using the buttons in the texture tabs, they make it so hard to see what you are doing.
Yeah Blender texturing is a bit complicated. The interface makes it more difficult than it should be.
You can setup multiple UV maps/projections per object, and so each texture *could* in theory have its own UV map. But I would not recommend it at all.
No, once you have a color/diffuse texture applied with its UV map, it is easier to use the same projection. That way you can use the color texture as a basis for the specular texture, and you are assured that they will line up.
I have attached a simple .blend file (in the zip) with a color and specular map. Render it, and then click on the Csp button to remove the specular mapping, and render again. You'll see how much flatter and 'plasticy' it looks without the specular map. (Click on Csp again to restore the specular mapping).
Yeah Blender texturing is a bit complicated. The interface makes it more difficult than it should be.
You can setup multiple UV maps/projections per object, and so each texture *could* in theory have its own UV map. But I would not recommend it at all.
No, once you have a color/diffuse texture applied with its UV map, it is easier to use the same projection. That way you can use the color texture as a basis for the specular texture, and you are assured that they will line up.
I have attached a simple .blend file (in the zip) with a color and specular map. Render it, and then click on the Csp button to remove the specular mapping, and render again. You'll see how much flatter and 'plasticy' it looks without the specular map. (Click on Csp again to restore the specular mapping).
Thanks. I looked over that tutorial, and it was EXACTLY what I needed. I don't know how I never found that site.
Yep, it's like Hyperspace said. I always do the color map first, with the UV coordinates, and then use those coordinates for the specular, or emit, or whatever I am doing.
Okay, so I've been messing around with texturing, and using the information in the tutorial Hyperspace sent me, and this is where I am now. (The detail is much better in the uploaded pics at the bottom of the page.)
I was very excited to learn that Gimp can convert square images to polar coordinates! Yay. I was able to easily make a Checkerboard Bump map to make a subtle paneling effect. It shouldn't be hard to mess around and make a true aztec sort of pattern as well...
I have modified my original mesh with the "refit" components of the Later Ambassador class vessels, and I have also given this version an appropriate Registry.
I think this tweek to the texturing is a HUGE step forward. Thanks to everyone for helping, especially Hyperspace for forwarding that tutorial, and Aresius and madman1701a and Starship and Juvat and Melak and Thunderchild for the general wisdom and encouragement. You guys have been great. I look back over the development of this thread and realize how much better my skills are because you guys always seem to know just what to say to help.
And I'm not done either. STILL taking any and all comment and criticisims. Keep them coming.
Posts
I do all of my Glowy effects in Photoshop, after I render the image. That's easier for me than messing around with the node editor.
You might want to add in a "sun" lamp, and turn it up to about 1.1 or 1.2. That'll make it look brighter, and bring out some of the detail a little better.
Have fun...
i did one about two years ago....
Sure. As long as you will still respect me in the morning...
That black "grill" on the neck is usually shown as "Inset" into a cut out on the neck. But the actual model photos show it to be panals stuck onto the surface of the neck. That's easier, so that's the way I did it for now. But I think it actually looks better inset, and so I may cut into the neck yet. Although frankly, from any distance at all it's hard to tell the difference.
Here's the wireframe. Notice that the neck object is still a subsurface object that has not been converted into the full mesh yet. Since I have not needed to cut into the neck, there has been no call to make it into an actual full mesh. The suppot pylons for the nacelles are the same way.
Please ignore that messiness in the lower right hand corner... I just haven't gotten around to tidying it up yet. (Of course it doesn't show on the entire model.)
Take the neck itself away, and you can see the various objects I have sticking onto and through it. Those window objects, as I said, poke through and serve as the partner window on each side of the neck. That's an even bigger shortcut than doing one side, Duplicating mirrioring and rotating and making the opposite side. Lazy by nature, I really dig shortcuts.
Those torp launchers are temporary.
And here's the wire frame from the front view. Not much to it, really. But it was the hardest part of this model. I kept wanting to make the base of it wider than it "really" is on the studio model. That would look good, but then the lines wouldn't look right from the sides.
Good point. I read about that one but I haven't messed with it yet. Definitely time to look into it...
About your model - the secondary hull windows seem to dip near the deflector. Is that intentional?
Yes, that represents a compromise on my part. If I wanted to use the natural edges of the mesh to make the darker grid lines on the sides of the hull, then I was going to have to move the windows some, so they would look straight. I lined them up on the lines rather than bringing them all across level in an absolute sense.
Some alternatives would be to make new objects to become the horizontal lines in the grid. (Which I don't want to do.) Or else to use texture mapping to make the grid. (Which I also don't want to do.)
Aft view. I added the glowy effects by messing around with the halo material setting. I almost have it, but you can see it's still a little patchy here.
I turned off some of the lights to give the crew a night life (and some sleep.)
Please do not point out that this registry number is completely inappropriate, cannon-wise. I know. But the ship is a gift, and I let the recipient choose the name and registry number. He had his heart set on this number, so what could I do? My version of the mesh will have something more consistant with cannon.
Starboard Bow. The Vessel is named U.S.S. Tycho.
Here's a close up of the bridge area. You can see I'm starting to experiment with textures a bit.
Yeah, working in your "era" you don't really need subsurfs. I was working the same way when I was trying to model the Constellation and Daedalus classes. It wasn't until I started working on the Cheyenne Class's neck region that I needed to learn subsurfacing. Probably you could do this class without subsurfacing, but the neck and pylons would perhaps be difficult. ( I don't think I could do them without subsurfacing, but someone else probably could.
Although the last shot is screaming out for a nice subtle specular map.
Gah. Texturing... I have a long way to go with texturing. I have yet to even THINK about how to do specular maps. It took me a year and a half to get this competent with physical modeling. Texturing will probably take at least that long.
Well, lately I've been using the uv image editor window to give each section of the starship it's own texture. There might be one for the upper saucer, the lower saucer, the saucer rim, the nacelles etc. I either make something simple or use something I find online.
I understand much of the principal of stacking textures, from dissecting other people's models I found online, as well as from reading online. But I haven't done too much of that, because it doesn't seem like you can use the image editior uv window to unwrap and line up the image with the model. Maybe there's a way, but I haven't found it yet. Doing it manually using the tabs in the texture and editing buttonsis always a big headache, and I do whatever I can to avoid it.
A good example of where I am at texture wise, would be to look at the end of my "For the Luv of the Challenger Class" thread.
http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/3d-wips/52756-luv-challenger-class.html#post438421
I think that one illustrates my struggles with texturing quite clearly.
That's where I am. I really like the textures you have on your ships, I would be very happy to do as well. Maybe you could give me some pointers.
Or anyone?
Once you have UV mapping set up, applying a specular map is not hard. Add a new texture, and change its 'Map To' setting from 'Col' to either 'Csp' (specular color) or 'Spec' (specular strength). With a gray-scale map, both should have the same effect. Then play around with the settings.
Here is a quickie specular map tutorial for Blender: http://www.blender3dclub.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=51
Thanks, I will look that over carefully. Maybe I'm closer than I think.
When you say "add a new texture" in the advice above, I suppose you have to do it in the Texture tab that has all the "stacking boxes" for layered textures? If so, is there any way to use the UV window to move or adjust each layer of terxture? I hate using the buttons in the texture tabs, they make it so hard to see what you are doing.
You can setup multiple UV maps/projections per object, and so each texture *could* in theory have its own UV map. But I would not recommend it at all.
No, once you have a color/diffuse texture applied with its UV map, it is easier to use the same projection. That way you can use the color texture as a basis for the specular texture, and you are assured that they will line up.
I have attached a simple .blend file (in the zip) with a color and specular map. Render it, and then click on the Csp button to remove the specular mapping, and render again. You'll see how much flatter and 'plasticy' it looks without the specular map. (Click on Csp again to restore the specular mapping).
Thanks. I looked over that tutorial, and it was EXACTLY what I needed. I don't know how I never found that site.
I was very excited to learn that Gimp can convert square images to polar coordinates! Yay. I was able to easily make a Checkerboard Bump map to make a subtle paneling effect. It shouldn't be hard to mess around and make a true aztec sort of pattern as well...
I have modified my original mesh with the "refit" components of the Later Ambassador class vessels, and I have also given this version an appropriate Registry.
I think this tweek to the texturing is a HUGE step forward. Thanks to everyone for helping, especially Hyperspace for forwarding that tutorial, and Aresius and madman1701a and Starship and Juvat and Melak and Thunderchild for the general wisdom and encouragement. You guys have been great. I look back over the development of this thread and realize how much better my skills are because you guys always seem to know just what to say to help.
And I'm not done either. STILL taking any and all comment and criticisims. Keep them coming.