Here's some more stuff. I've been thinking about going in a different direction with my ship designs, at least the ships that represent the UN faction in the New Haven Chronicles universe. It was getting to the point where I was starting to feel a definite Halo vibe from my stuff and it really wasn't standing out as anything unique....not that there is anything wrong with Halo ship designs....quite the contrary, I quite like them, which is likely why I was leaning in the direction.
That being said, the Halo look is a definite trend right now, and I need/want to move away from that in some regard by giving my designs a less advanced...modular look....
I may end up keeping the Shiloh (Defiance Class) as a more advanced corporate design however, as it's seemed to be one of the more positively received concepts I've done so far.
So, with all that in mind, here is what I have so far for a brand new UNMC ship design.
This is the ships primary weapons module and sensor hub, representing one third of the ship. The other two sections will consist of a living/work/command section, and the engine section.
Here are some closer pics of the detailed panel/cutout that can be seen in the first pic.
Continuing work on the new ship. I'm trying to stick with this one for a while, instead of moving on to something else. lol
I'm working on this in sections, so the third pic shows the entire ship. You can see that the middle section, the neck, and the aft sections containing the main work/living spaces as well as the engines, aren't as well developed as the head.
that's a great looking ship, those weapons are excellent. I would bulk up the "neck" just a bit though, it looks a little too fragile
Thanks. And yeah I agree the neck needs to bulk up. I'm currently playing with a few ideas that may alleviate some of that problem though, so we'll see how it goes.
looks good, i would round a few edges off here and there to break t up a little bit its still very boxy and I know that is your plan for the design but all those right angles! you can get the rounder edges plugin from sketchucation will help and it makes the model look all the better in renders.
Yeah, I've got the rounded edges plugin already, I'm just not at the point where I want to start rounding things off yet. In some previous models, I started rounding off corners right away, and then later when I wanted to change things, it proved more difficult then it really needed to be. So now I wait until I'm fairly certain of what I want the design to look like before beveling or rounding off edges. It just saves me a load of frustration and possibly more work.
I started placing some thrusters. In this close up, you can also see the missile launch tubes and a hand full of other details that aren't as clear in the other pics.
I've done a bit more work on the Essex; placed the upper PDW stations as well as the weapons to go along with them, however at this point they're only place holders. I've also refined the middle habitat section a bit, and made some much needed refinements to the command/engine module.
These are big pics, a resolution of roughly 2800X2100, so take that into account when you click on them. It's worth it though I think, since you get to see everything.
I haven't been working on this much, but I've made a few changes that are worthy of an update. Learned a few new things to.
The laser turret is now fully rigged for movement, though I'm not yet sure how to create an animations showing it moving. So you'll have to take my word for it. lol The sensor pod arms, are rigged to rotate around the ship as well, however their are stilla few bugs to work out before it will run smoothly.
I added a few additional lights to the last pic (above), particularly one inside the launch bay, showing out through the opening, so that it gives it a bit of an 'operational glow.'
And if you compare this one to the previous updates, you'll notice that there are several components around the launch bay that have been relocated. The bay itself has also been enlarged and some details added.
Something new...a concept for the Guardsmen Infantry Support Unit.
The ISU is a remotely operated logistical and combat support vehicle, capable of performing a variety of tasks, including but not limited to hazardous environment reconnaissance to direct fire support. With three dedicated external hard points, the ISU can mount a variety of components ranging from rocket pods, high caliber fire suppression auto-cannons, and full mobility robotic limbs.
While a could deal slower and and less heavily armed/armored then it's larger unmanned combat vehicle brethren, the ISU is capable of matching most mechanized units speeds, allowing it to maintain close proximity to its parent unit. Propulsion is provided by twin electric tilt fans, while lift is generated by twin jet turbines with a single downward vectored exhaust.
Unlike the majority of UN based unmanned vehicles, the ISU can accept most verbal commands. Additional operation capabilities can be extended in the field through the use of a holographic interface, akin to allowing a pilot/driver, the ability to operate the drones umbilical units (be it weapons or robotic limbs) as if he/she were wearing an enhanced exoskeleton.
I'm also using this model to get a better grasp on the aspects of lighting a model. The first shot is using the default sun setting as the main light. In the second pic, the main light has been disabled and the drones on board lights are the only ones providing any illuminations. Still needs work, but it produces a cool effect. The third pic is just a default pic of the belly so you can see the thrust vectoring lift jet.
I remodeled the gun turret, the gun mount, and the ammo can. I also placed some rockets in the launchers. I still need to work on the main gun turret though, because right now it can only swivel up and down.
Thanks. And yeah, that concept from EVE was the inspiration for this version of the Essex and the decision to make the UN ships more primitive in general. The more I work on it though, the more I'm trying to pull it away from the EVE ship and have it stand on its own. I scrapped most of the back end and still haven't decided how to do the engines yet. I haven't really worked on it much though recently. Once I get a bit more done on the drone, I'm going to try and get back to it.
I made some sizeable improvements to the the drone; mainly reworking the body to be more areodynamic and a bit more compact.
I'm also playing with the demo for a new renderer, called twilight.
Here's the twilight render: (there are tags and a size limitation because the program is a demo)
This is the same scene rendered in Kerkythea, plus an additional view.
A couple of shot of the Essex, with the new back end. I'm at the point now, where I'm happy with the layout of the general components, so from this point on, the overall layout of the ship won't change much. So now I'm going to start refining the components, making sure everything is the correct scale, adding details, and cleaning things up a bit.
Thanks. I'm working a bit on the ships Fusion Drivers at the moment so another update should be forthcoming in the next day or two.
Also a reminder, that on the blog, there is more then just the same wip pictures seen here. There are words, strung together into sentences that try to explain some of the New Haven universe. So if you're interested in learning a bit more, then go here and take a look. I'm trying to add material at least every other day, so check back often and please leave a comment if you see something you like....or something you don't like, or even just to say hello.
Someone on DeviantArt asked for a brief history of the conflict taking place within the series the Essex Class is a part of. And I know it's not 3d, but it might help provide some context to the work shown here. So here is the primer, I posted on DA.
Primer...Not even close to everything you need to know in one handy page.
In the mid 21st century, the Pax Corporation developed viable fusion technology on an artificially created island, called New Haven. This catapulted them to the forefront of many leading industries, primarily energy management and consumption. With the energy crisis all but over by the 22nd century, the Pax turned their attention towards space. By this time, a number of other mega corporations had followed in the Pax example and were now boasting economic power capable of rivaling some medium sized nations.
At the same time, the United Nations was finally dissolved in face of the growing isolationism of its members. When the Corporations began growing in power and dictating how the resources procured in space were to be utilized, the few remaining space faring nations on Earth banded together to reform the UN as a means to stand together against the corporations.
For many years, the UN held an uneasy alliance with the Alliance of Corporations as each entity began to become dependent on the other. The vast infrastructure the Alliance had created, allowed the exploitation of space at a far cheaper cost of manpower and resources then what Earth would have otherwise endured. The procurement of Helium3, a vital component of the fuel used in all fusion power generation, remained squarely in the hands of the Allies, the manufacturing of food and other items which couldn't be produced in space or under the domed colonies placed Earth in an enviable position of negotiation. The further the Allies expanded their reach into space, the more they required resources which could only be found on Earth.
Finally tired of having Earth holding them back, the Allies sought military action to bring Earth under their control. While the combined military's of the United Nations far outnumbered the private military contractors the Corporations relied on for protection, the Allies held a distinct advantage of experience and a slight technological superiority over the majority of Earth’s space faring nations.
When the Allies finally attacked the Lunar Ship Yards, it was all the UN could do to keep from being overwhelmed. Now, nearly two years later, with a war on two fronts, Allied Forces presenting a constant threat in space, while an intense ground war rages across several contents on Earth, the UN is facing defeat.
Some important details....
In the New Haven Chronicles, there are no aliens. There is no FTL. There are no laser guns wielded by supermen, clad in power armored suits....not that there's anything wrong with that. Everything is as realistic as possible....most of the time. Think Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers....but in the future. People die, people get promoted and move on, and it's generally a lot of sitting around waiting for things to happen, punctuated by intense moments of action. This is military science fiction, with stress on the military and technology aspects of the universe, however not to the detriment of the characters or the story.
This version of the primer seems to stress the general conflict as a whole while leaving out much of the development of the ground war, which plays a sizable role in the series, equal if not larger then the space combat portion of the story.
And just for good measure, a new pic of the engines.
Thanks, though even the primer doesn't really do the depth of the universe justice I think. At least not completely. Hopefully that will come across more as I explain things in regards to the WIP's shown here. It'd probably also help if I got around to finishing the actual timeline/history that explains everything in more thorough detail.
Here's my first pass on the tilt-fans for the drone, posted on the previous page. I decided to go with an electric ducted fan of sorts. For the first pass, I'm rather pleased, though it'll no doubt need some revisions.
Posts
That being said, the Halo look is a definite trend right now, and I need/want to move away from that in some regard by giving my designs a less advanced...modular look....
I may end up keeping the Shiloh (Defiance Class) as a more advanced corporate design however, as it's seemed to be one of the more positively received concepts I've done so far.
So, with all that in mind, here is what I have so far for a brand new UNMC ship design.
This is the ships primary weapons module and sensor hub, representing one third of the ship. The other two sections will consist of a living/work/command section, and the engine section.
Here are some closer pics of the detailed panel/cutout that can be seen in the first pic.
Facing the front of the turret, the pule laser is on the right, and the twin targeting sensors are on the left.
Looking at it now, I can see that I need to work on my AeroRam some more.
I'm working on this in sections, so the third pic shows the entire ship. You can see that the middle section, the neck, and the aft sections containing the main work/living spaces as well as the engines, aren't as well developed as the head.
Thanks. And yeah I agree the neck needs to bulk up. I'm currently playing with a few ideas that may alleviate some of that problem though, so we'll see how it goes.
Still trying to work out the details of animation in Kerkythea. Hopefully, the next one will be a bit longer, slower paced, and a bit smoother.
I started placing some thrusters. In this close up, you can also see the missile launch tubes and a hand full of other details that aren't as clear in the other pics.
These are big pics, a resolution of roughly 2800X2100, so take that into account when you click on them. It's worth it though I think, since you get to see everything.
The laser turret is now fully rigged for movement, though I'm not yet sure how to create an animations showing it moving. So you'll have to take my word for it. lol The sensor pod arms, are rigged to rotate around the ship as well, however their are stilla few bugs to work out before it will run smoothly.
I added a few additional lights to the last pic (above), particularly one inside the launch bay, showing out through the opening, so that it gives it a bit of an 'operational glow.'
And if you compare this one to the previous updates, you'll notice that there are several components around the launch bay that have been relocated. The bay itself has also been enlarged and some details added.
You have to sign up in order to download things, but it's worth it. I've found a few helpful tuts on youtube as well. Beyond that, it really just depends on what you specifically need help with and trying to find it with google.
There's also some good info here that will help when you're just getting started. http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/showthread.php?49789-The-SketchUp-Tips-amp-Tricks-thread
The ISU is a remotely operated logistical and combat support vehicle, capable of performing a variety of tasks, including but not limited to hazardous environment reconnaissance to direct fire support. With three dedicated external hard points, the ISU can mount a variety of components ranging from rocket pods, high caliber fire suppression auto-cannons, and full mobility robotic limbs.
While a could deal slower and and less heavily armed/armored then it's larger unmanned combat vehicle brethren, the ISU is capable of matching most mechanized units speeds, allowing it to maintain close proximity to its parent unit. Propulsion is provided by twin electric tilt fans, while lift is generated by twin jet turbines with a single downward vectored exhaust.
Unlike the majority of UN based unmanned vehicles, the ISU can accept most verbal commands. Additional operation capabilities can be extended in the field through the use of a holographic interface, akin to allowing a pilot/driver, the ability to operate the drones umbilical units (be it weapons or robotic limbs) as if he/she were wearing an enhanced exoskeleton.
I'm also using this model to get a better grasp on the aspects of lighting a model. The first shot is using the default sun setting as the main light. In the second pic, the main light has been disabled and the drones on board lights are the only ones providing any illuminations. Still needs work, but it produces a cool effect. The third pic is just a default pic of the belly so you can see the thrust vectoring lift jet.
And because I'm not above shameless plugs, visit the New Haven Project Blog, for everything you see here and more: http://newhavenchronicles.wordpress.com/
I'm also playing with the demo for a new renderer, called twilight.
Here's the twilight render: (there are tags and a size limitation because the program is a demo)
This is the same scene rendered in Kerkythea, plus an additional view.
I agree with sorceress 110%. I always look forward to your updates.
Also a reminder, that on the blog, there is more then just the same wip pictures seen here. There are words, strung together into sentences that try to explain some of the New Haven universe. So if you're interested in learning a bit more, then go here and take a look. I'm trying to add material at least every other day, so check back often and please leave a comment if you see something you like....or something you don't like, or even just to say hello.
ETA: Some preliminary shots of the new launch bay...which is now more of a drop bay. Still trying to get the hand of lighting in Kerkythea...
Primer...Not even close to everything you need to know in one handy page.
In the mid 21st century, the Pax Corporation developed viable fusion technology on an artificially created island, called New Haven. This catapulted them to the forefront of many leading industries, primarily energy management and consumption. With the energy crisis all but over by the 22nd century, the Pax turned their attention towards space. By this time, a number of other mega corporations had followed in the Pax example and were now boasting economic power capable of rivaling some medium sized nations.
At the same time, the United Nations was finally dissolved in face of the growing isolationism of its members. When the Corporations began growing in power and dictating how the resources procured in space were to be utilized, the few remaining space faring nations on Earth banded together to reform the UN as a means to stand together against the corporations.
For many years, the UN held an uneasy alliance with the Alliance of Corporations as each entity began to become dependent on the other. The vast infrastructure the Alliance had created, allowed the exploitation of space at a far cheaper cost of manpower and resources then what Earth would have otherwise endured. The procurement of Helium3, a vital component of the fuel used in all fusion power generation, remained squarely in the hands of the Allies, the manufacturing of food and other items which couldn't be produced in space or under the domed colonies placed Earth in an enviable position of negotiation. The further the Allies expanded their reach into space, the more they required resources which could only be found on Earth.
Finally tired of having Earth holding them back, the Allies sought military action to bring Earth under their control. While the combined military's of the United Nations far outnumbered the private military contractors the Corporations relied on for protection, the Allies held a distinct advantage of experience and a slight technological superiority over the majority of Earth’s space faring nations.
When the Allies finally attacked the Lunar Ship Yards, it was all the UN could do to keep from being overwhelmed. Now, nearly two years later, with a war on two fronts, Allied Forces presenting a constant threat in space, while an intense ground war rages across several contents on Earth, the UN is facing defeat.
Some important details....
In the New Haven Chronicles, there are no aliens. There is no FTL. There are no laser guns wielded by supermen, clad in power armored suits....not that there's anything wrong with that. Everything is as realistic as possible....most of the time. Think Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers....but in the future. People die, people get promoted and move on, and it's generally a lot of sitting around waiting for things to happen, punctuated by intense moments of action. This is military science fiction, with stress on the military and technology aspects of the universe, however not to the detriment of the characters or the story.
This version of the primer seems to stress the general conflict as a whole while leaving out much of the development of the ground war, which plays a sizable role in the series, equal if not larger then the space combat portion of the story.
And just for good measure, a new pic of the engines.