Another vote for the concept version. If you look at ships like the Defiant, Intrepid, Nova, Sovereign and Prometheus there's an ongoing trend after the TNG to have somewhat more enclosed bussard collectors than the Galaxy and other older classes had.
Thanks guys, I am gonna go with the concept version.
Might be some time untill the next update. Have some issue with getting the Cat's shape. I have tried box modelling and by point, neiter has worked.
So I got to figuer it out.
I think there is a low ploy version of the ship on Star Trek Blender. I might DL to see how they did it.
Well I DL the low polly version form Star Trek Blender. The model is bad, I mean it's really bad! No help what so ever.
However I think I know how to do just need to test it out.
If it helps here are some old renders of my old akira model.
It was build on a mix of officialish blueprints and the wireframe view of the real model...
Thanks Lenneir I forgot they where on John blog. They should be very helpful.
Thanks for the pic's Nutsy, they will also be a great help.
When you where modelling the Cat's did you use a stracthed out UV Sphere to start off with?
Thanks Lenneir I forgot they where on John blog. They should be very helpful.
Thanks for the pic's Nutsy, they will also be a great help.
When you where modelling the Cat's did you use a stracthed out UV Sphere to start off with?
I would start out trying a subsurfaced sphere and/or a sub surfaced box. I can only imagine what a pain trying to get that exact shape must be. If it were me, I know I would have to try from the start about a dozen times before I would start getting results close to what I wanted.
It's been a while since I looked at that blender model. I remember not understanding what i was looking at. It's that bad, eh?
@ Polaris, I decied to go with a UV Sphire stratched out. I then shaped the outter side. (just working on the saucer bit.)
Then duplicate the object and put it on another layer. I then deleted the inner section that are not needed.
I am now about to start work on the inner section using the duplicate object. and shape out the inner section. (again just the saucer. once finished I'll put the two toghter. This should work.
After all of that I will start on the back bit. I also keep a "spaire" duplicate of any object I am working on, so if I make a mistake and can't fix it, I don't have to start over again. As the "spaire" has got all the shaping done. (of course I renew this ever time I am happy with something and it does not need to be touched again.)
As for that model, it really really bad. I would not even atempt to clean it up. it so bad, you would have to start over again.
The Catamarans are a real head-banger to model.
I have lost count on how many times I had to do it. This was attempt number 3.
After a few more attempts, I was still not getting it right. So I took Sphere stretched it along the Y axis so it was the almost the full length of the catamarans. I then shaped it on the outer side along the X axis. Once this was done, I duplicated the object and put on another layer. I then started to shape the inner side along the X axis.
Once completed, I removed both sections that I did not want from both objects. I then joined both objects together to get the final shape.
At the moment, its just a rough shape. I don’t want to start to add details until I have started work on the saucer witch I have. Going by the blue prints I am using as reference, I am going to have use the same process to get the shape.
Anyway, here is how it looks.
In the first picture I have add a plan where saucer would cut the cat’s, the section below this will be removed later.
I have also include a few pictures of the wire frame of the Cat’s from different angles.
Those look really good. They sure made some nice meshes. It's hard to tell if you have some smoothing issues toward the rear middle where the shape starts to flatten out. It doesn't show up from the top, but the 3/4 shot has something there. If so, I don't think it will show once you add detail and texture.
Here's what I came up with, using a subsurfaced box. I only worked on it about 15 minutes, but I was curious to see what I would do if I were modeling this hull:
Yours are way more proficient and sophisticated, but I still thought you'd like to see another's approach.
You really should use nurbs or spline surface shapes for the cats. Its the only real way to get the right shape. Poly box modeling might be able to do it but its a real challenge
Well the catamarans look good but they seem to be a bit too smooth when compared to the overall looks of the other vessels of that era (in the movies of course). Here's what I did with the catamarans for the NX01, which are pretty much the same :
Well the catamarans look good but they seem to be a bit too smooth when compared to the overall looks of the other vessels of that era (in the movies of course). Here's what I did with the catamarans for the NX01, which are pretty much the same :
Thanks, I've curently got the object set to smooth. I'll remove that once I started to add, details to it.
@ Polaris, Thanks.
I am trying not to use the subd tool in this build. I use to use it alot, but it kiiled the laptop I was working off. So I stopped using it.
it also gives me more freedom to get the shape that after when not using it. though there are times, when I have no choice but to use it.
So far I used the Subd once on this model and that was on the nascell, on the inner section detail.
@ Nutsy, yeah I know, but my skill with the nurbs curve, is very limted in Blender. This is why I have boxed modelled it, it was a right pain, but I got there. I take it you also used the nurbs or spline for the saucer as well? Looking at the ref and film model, it got lots of different curves to it.
@ Nutsy, yeah I know, but my skill with the nurbs curve, is very limted in Blender. This is why I have boxed modelled it, it was a right pain, but I got there. I take it you also used the nurbs or spline for the saucer as well? Looking at the ref and film model, it got lots of different curves to it.
Hey, is there a tutorial of some sort that you can point me to to show me how this sort of technique works? I only have a vague Idea of what you are even talking about,and it sounds like I'm missing out on quite a lot..
I gotta say I respect the patience it must have taken to box model those things. Yeesh.
@ Polairs, I have not really found a tut for blender for nurbd curve, all the ones I have found are for bezier curves. Though they act simular.
If you have not checked out Blender Guru have a look, there a lot of good tuts on there. It mainly geared to the current version of Blender, which is very helpful, with the new interface.
I still using 02.49.2 myslef for the modelling (I mostly use a A5 laptop and the new interface dose not suit the screen size.)
But I have been using the latest version for doing those Tut's (this is on my home PC), they really helpped me get back up to speed, as well as use the compositer, which I have not used up till now.
Does anyone know what the deck count is for this ship?
I got size as 498.8 meters (length) by 352.9 meters (width) This is taken from John Eaves ship scales for Frist Contact.
23 looks like a good number. It seems to fit and the Bill Morris MSDs are well designed, which is where I got the deck count. Granted it's not exactly "canon", but, eh...
Not much of an update, I have just been working on just shaping out the saucer and "secondary hull"
I was having some issue with the saucer as the shape is a litte odd, until I relaised that this was due to the way the Cat's sat on top of the hull. once I realsied this it was very easy to shape out.
I did start to work on the impluse engines, but I not sure what to go with. The concept version or the film model. The concept has a strip while the film model has "slots" there about ten "slots" in total.
I might model both and go with the one that looks best.
I have also modelled the "secondary hull" (though it part of the saucer.) I though I was going to have problems but it manage to get the basic shape in a few hours.
Here are some pic of what the ship looks like at the moment.
Posts
Might be some time untill the next update. Have some issue with getting the Cat's shape. I have tried box modelling and by point, neiter has worked.
So I got to figuer it out.
I think there is a low ploy version of the ship on Star Trek Blender. I might DL to see how they did it.
Well I DL the low polly version form Star Trek Blender. The model is bad, I mean it's really bad! No help what so ever.
However I think I know how to do just need to test it out.
It was build on a mix of officialish blueprints and the wireframe view of the real model...
Nutsy
Thanks for the pic's Nutsy, they will also be a great help.
When you where modelling the Cat's did you use a stracthed out UV Sphere to start off with?
I would start out trying a subsurfaced sphere and/or a sub surfaced box. I can only imagine what a pain trying to get that exact shape must be. If it were me, I know I would have to try from the start about a dozen times before I would start getting results close to what I wanted.
It's been a while since I looked at that blender model. I remember not understanding what i was looking at. It's that bad, eh?
@ Polaris, I decied to go with a UV Sphire stratched out. I then shaped the outter side. (just working on the saucer bit.)
Then duplicate the object and put it on another layer. I then deleted the inner section that are not needed.
I am now about to start work on the inner section using the duplicate object. and shape out the inner section. (again just the saucer. once finished I'll put the two toghter. This should work.
After all of that I will start on the back bit. I also keep a "spaire" duplicate of any object I am working on, so if I make a mistake and can't fix it, I don't have to start over again. As the "spaire" has got all the shaping done. (of course I renew this ever time I am happy with something and it does not need to be touched again.)
As for that model, it really really bad. I would not even atempt to clean it up. it so bad, you would have to start over again.
I'll post a pic of the fornt section with a wire as soon as I have finished.
I have lost count on how many times I had to do it. This was attempt number 3.
After a few more attempts, I was still not getting it right. So I took Sphere stretched it along the Y axis so it was the almost the full length of the catamarans. I then shaped it on the outer side along the X axis. Once this was done, I duplicated the object and put on another layer. I then started to shape the inner side along the X axis.
Once completed, I removed both sections that I did not want from both objects. I then joined both objects together to get the final shape.
At the moment, its just a rough shape. I don’t want to start to add details until I have started work on the saucer witch I have. Going by the blue prints I am using as reference, I am going to have use the same process to get the shape.
Anyway, here is how it looks.
In the first picture I have add a plan where saucer would cut the cat’s, the section below this will be removed later.
I have also include a few pictures of the wire frame of the Cat’s from different angles.
Here's what I came up with, using a subsurfaced box. I only worked on it about 15 minutes, but I was curious to see what I would do if I were modeling this hull:
Yours are way more proficient and sophisticated, but I still thought you'd like to see another's approach.
No worries, I won't use them in the future
Thanks, I've curently got the object set to smooth. I'll remove that once I started to add, details to it.
@ Polaris, Thanks.
I am trying not to use the subd tool in this build. I use to use it alot, but it kiiled the laptop I was working off. So I stopped using it.
it also gives me more freedom to get the shape that after when not using it. though there are times, when I have no choice but to use it.
So far I used the Subd once on this model and that was on the nascell, on the inner section detail.
@ Nutsy, yeah I know, but my skill with the nurbs curve, is very limted in Blender. This is why I have boxed modelled it, it was a right pain, but I got there. I take it you also used the nurbs or spline for the saucer as well? Looking at the ref and film model, it got lots of different curves to it.
Hey, is there a tutorial of some sort that you can point me to to show me how this sort of technique works? I only have a vague Idea of what you are even talking about,and it sounds like I'm missing out on quite a lot..
I gotta say I respect the patience it must have taken to box model those things. Yeesh.
If you have not checked out Blender Guru have a look, there a lot of good tuts on there. It mainly geared to the current version of Blender, which is very helpful, with the new interface.
I haven't "Newed up" yet. I really like knowing where everything is, and am a little reluctant to move up from 249.2. Would you recommend it?
But I have been using the latest version for doing those Tut's (this is on my home PC), they really helpped me get back up to speed, as well as use the compositer, which I have not used up till now.
I got size as 498.8 meters (length) by 352.9 meters (width) This is taken from John Eaves ship scales for Frist Contact.
So it between 18 and 23 decks.
I was having some issue with the saucer as the shape is a litte odd, until I relaised that this was due to the way the Cat's sat on top of the hull. once I realsied this it was very easy to shape out.
I did start to work on the impluse engines, but I not sure what to go with. The concept version or the film model. The concept has a strip while the film model has "slots" there about ten "slots" in total.
I might model both and go with the one that looks best.
I have also modelled the "secondary hull" (though it part of the saucer.) I though I was going to have problems but it manage to get the basic shape in a few hours.
Here are some pic of what the ship looks like at the moment.