After burning myself out from December into February trying to get the general hull shape down, I have only been picking at this mesh here and there. It's a huge commitment, and I suppose I will be working on it all summer. But so far I think she's working out. Can't emphasize how much better this verson of Blender has gotten. My workflow is much easier cutting Boolleans...
Question to anyone who might know: I have somehow developed a weird shimmery effect on the sides of my pylons, where they become perpendicular and meet up with the bottoms of the nacelles. It's like the effect you get when you have a flat plane meeting another flat plane, and they share a line of vertices. Ordinarily, I would separate the flat area from the rest of the mesh by duplicating the shared vertices... but that does not seem to help in this case. I have a feeling there's an easy fix, but danged if I can figure it out.
It's looking great. This ship is definitely a huge commitment. The shapes alone are enough to drive one insane. But, it looks like you've got the hardest part done.
Can you post an example of the shimmery effect you're seeing on the pylons? As you say, it sounds like doubled vertices/doubled faces, but it could be something else.
Can you post an example of the shimmery effect you're seeing on the pylons? As you say, it sounds like doubled vertices/doubled faces, but it could be something else.
I turned up the lights to help show the problems. Look at the pylons right below the nacelles.
I can't get that flickering to go away. I detached the sides of the pylon platform all the way around, and that did not help. I made sure there were no duplicated verts or faces. I capped the end of the pylons, tried that both with and without sharing the end verts. Then uncapped them again. I put in extra loops in the pylons, took loops out... I did everything I can think of. It does not seem to be caused by any specific lighting factor. I just don't know what's going on.
I turned up the lights to help show the problems. Look at the pylons right below the nacelles.
I can't get that flickering to go away. I detached the sides of the pylon platform all the way around, and that did not help. I made sure there were no duplicated verts or faces. I capped the end of the pylons, tried that both with and without sharing the end verts. Then uncapped them again. I put in extra loops in the pylons, took loops out... I did everything I can think of. It does not seem to be caused by any specific lighting factor. I just don't know what's going on.
IRML, radiosity is part-and-parcel of any true raytracer, which Cycles is. I don't think what you're seeing is sampling noise, though.
I have Ambient Occulsion set on approximate rather than true ray-tracing. I think I have most ray tracing turned off, at the moment, in order to increase render times.
looks like interpolated blotches to me, if rad is on then that's what it is, if rad is off then it's something else
That's not how Cycles works. Cycles is a full-on, non-interpolated, pixel-sampled raytraced renderer. The closest you can come to turning it "off" while still rendering with the Cycles engine is to shut off the light bounces entirely.
It doesn't do interpolation, though, the way radiosity simulations do. This can result in grainy/noisy renders, but not blotchy ones.
I have Ambient Occulsion set on approximate rather than true ray-tracing. I think I have most ray tracing turned off, at the moment, in order to increase render times.
So, wait, are you rendering in Cycles or Blender Internal?
Internal definitely has radiosity simulation and could exhibit the issues IRML is talking about.
I'm using the Blender render; I've just never found a reason to experiment with anything else. I will switch over and see what happens.
Well, it seems like the flicker is not there when I render it with cycles. I guess I should learn more about it; I know it's supposed to be very superior to the internal render engine.
Well, I'm going away on vacation for a few days, so I thought I would share the status of this mesh before I left.
As you can see, I got most of the saucer grid chopped in, and I straightened out the problems with the main deflector dish... It's more accurate now. I'm really pleased with the rate of my progress, although I think I have gone a little too fast in some places. Still, It's by far the best quality of work I have ever done.
I have a few complaints:
1. This ship is a royal PITA to model. That's cause its an awesome ship. Look what you've done in two months - patience and perseverance pay off. I have little of both Don't be hard on yourself.
2. It's not done yet
I've kept on this mesh pretty steadily, and am pleased with the progress I am making. There's still a bit of odds and ends in the basic mesh, but mostly what i have left is the texturing, the Windows and the life boats. The windows alone could take me months to do. The pics:
The shield grids are 98% done, and I am very pleased with how they turned out. Best grids I ever cut, by far. Learned some new techniques, and the work time on them was not too bad, considering I cut some of them 2 or three times. (It was hard for me to keep them small enough to appear very fine, but still large enough to show up from a distance. I kept wanting to make their width too big.)
I find myself becoming more and more reliant on the good ol' ST:TNG Tech manual for reference and inspiration. The maneuvering thrusters and grid Layout come from there.
Posts
Nice work!
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Question to anyone who might know: I have somehow developed a weird shimmery effect on the sides of my pylons, where they become perpendicular and meet up with the bottoms of the nacelles. It's like the effect you get when you have a flat plane meeting another flat plane, and they share a line of vertices. Ordinarily, I would separate the flat area from the rest of the mesh by duplicating the shared vertices... but that does not seem to help in this case. I have a feeling there's an easy fix, but danged if I can figure it out.
Can you post an example of the shimmery effect you're seeing on the pylons? As you say, it sounds like doubled vertices/doubled faces, but it could be something else.
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Here's a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i2-QsiX2y4&feature=youtu.be
I turned up the lights to help show the problems. Look at the pylons right below the nacelles.
I can't get that flickering to go away. I detached the sides of the pylon platform all the way around, and that did not help. I made sure there were no duplicated verts or faces. I capped the end of the pylons, tried that both with and without sharing the end verts. Then uncapped them again. I put in extra loops in the pylons, took loops out... I did everything I can think of. It does not seem to be caused by any specific lighting factor. I just don't know what's going on.
Do you want to send me the .blend file to have a look at?
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Yes!@ That would be great. I'll PM you.
Ummmmmmm... not sure. Where is the panel for that?
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
looks like interpolated blotches to me, if rad is on then that's what it is, if rad is off then it's something else
I have Ambient Occulsion set on approximate rather than true ray-tracing. I think I have most ray tracing turned off, at the moment, in order to increase render times.
It doesn't do interpolation, though, the way radiosity simulations do. This can result in grainy/noisy renders, but not blotchy ones.
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Internal definitely has radiosity simulation and could exhibit the issues IRML is talking about.
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
I'm using the Blender render; I've just never found a reason to experiment with anything else. I will switch over and see what happens.
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Well, it seems like the flicker is not there when I render it with cycles. I guess I should learn more about it; I know it's supposed to be very superior to the internal render engine.
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
Perfect. Thank you!
I'd love to have a copy of the model, when it's done!
-Ricky
As you can see, I got most of the saucer grid chopped in, and I straightened out the problems with the main deflector dish... It's more accurate now. I'm really pleased with the rate of my progress, although I think I have gone a little too fast in some places. Still, It's by far the best quality of work I have ever done.
Should have more in a few weeks...
Books: [ Ashes of Alour-Tan | Embers of Alour-Tan ] | Blender Tutorials | Blog
1. This ship is a royal PITA to model. That's cause its an awesome ship. Look what you've done in two months - patience and perseverance pay off. I have little of both
2. It's not done yet
Great job.
The shield grids are 98% done, and I am very pleased with how they turned out. Best grids I ever cut, by far. Learned some new techniques, and the work time on them was not too bad, considering I cut some of them 2 or three times. (It was hard for me to keep them small enough to appear very fine, but still large enough to show up from a distance. I kept wanting to make their width too big.)
I find myself becoming more and more reliant on the good ol' ST:TNG Tech manual for reference and inspiration. The maneuvering thrusters and grid Layout come from there.
That's about it for now.