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3DIrishman's Sci-fi Blender Thread

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  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Today is a render of a question of choice I have.

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2018.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    The image above shows the question I have about preferred practice. The impulse engine inset looks nearly-black in all the studio shots I've seen, like how I've depicted the block in this image. At first, I was going to use the block to boolean the impulse deck itself, creating a bit of an inset.

    The problem I have is I'm concerned with creating mesh problems by using the boolean modifier here, as I've done a lot of pixel pushing to get the deck looking good. As a plan b, I thought about using the block to just push into the deck, leave it in place, and change the colors of the block to match the geometry. When I face select the backward-facing face and hit Y, it does separate that face from the rest of the block, but it doesn't let me assign it its own different color or material.

    As a plan C, maybe I could shift-D the separated face, move it slightly outside the original face, and change the color then?

    Or would it be simpler to just create a new block, delete all but the face I want, then assign it the color I want and maneuver it slightly outside the original block?

    Thoughts?
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Another thing you can do is keep the block there but select the deck. Switch to Edit mode. There's a tool for drawing straight lines into a mesh, something like a Knife tool. (that's what it's called in Lightwave, I forget what it is in Blender) Anyway, using the block as a guide, use that to put in the lines for the impulse vent. Then select your newly created square polygon and do the inset. To get it a different material, simply separate it, change the material and then re-join it to the deck. Anywho, that's just a thought.

    You're correct in thinking that the booleans modifier will likely cause errors. I found when using Blender that it won't put the points for the cutout on the same plane as the other points, they'll be slightly off. That will make the face not a flat plane, causing smoothing errors when you render. :mad:
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Another thing you can do is keep the block there but select the deck. Switch to Edit mode. There's a tool for drawing straight lines into a mesh, something like a Knife tool. (that's what it's called in Lightwave, I forget what it is in Blender) Anyway, using the block as a guide, use that to put in the lines for the impulse vent. Then select your newly created square polygon and do the inset. To get it a different material, simply separate it, change the material and then re-join it to the deck. Anywho, that's just a thought.

    There is a similar tool in Blender. Two, in fact: one called Knife, and one called Knife Project. I'm in the process of picking which one applies best to this situation. I'll let you know. (I'm preliminarily thinking Knife Project might work better here because I can use a primitive to create the precise geometry I want for the cut).
  • psCargilepsCargile417 Posts: 620Member
    I would use Ctr-R to insert subdiving lines where needed to make the box shape, then inset that face that's to be the engine, extruded it, and then scale it to size. There is also Bisect to try.

    Faces with different materials are assigned while in edit mode.

    And place your Boolean modifiers above the subdivide modifier for better results.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    psCargile wrote: »
    I would use Ctr-R to insert subdiving lines where needed to make the box shape, then inset that face that's to be the engine, extruded it, and then scale it to size. There is also Bisect to try.

    Faces with different materials are assigned while in edit mode.

    And place your Boolean modifiers above the subdivide modifier for better results.

    Oooooh, I really like the idea of doing that with loop cuts. Good call, man!! :) Talk about quick and easy! (I can foresee this method being simple for creating windows in models in general).

    About assigning different materials in edit mode - that's what I've been trying, to no avail. Now, there could be presets I haven't checked, and whatnot. I also hit Y to separate the face I wanted to change. Should I not have, I wonder?
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    [Irishman] wrote: »
    There is a similar tool in Blender. Two, in fact: one called Knife, and one called Knife Project. I'm in the process of picking which one applies best to this situation. I'll let you know. (I'm preliminarily thinking Knife Project might work better here because I can use a primitive to create the precise geometry I want for the cut).

    I my experience, limited as it is in Blender, Knife Project has the same issues as Booleans when it comes to "cutting" faces into objects. It will also result in a non flat plane. :rolleyes: The Knife tool is what I was thinking of. I just couldn't remember if that was what it's called.

    Loop cuts are something I also thought of, after the fact. Loop cut and slide is one of my favorite Blender tools. :)
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    This time, I'm taking little modeling break to play around with a new material for the secondary hull. You can see the difference between it and the other parts of the ship, which remain unchanged from their diffuse material.

    BTW, I'm not trying to be slavish to replicating the studio model. I'm entertaining ideas of what a "real" Enterprise could look like.

    Thoughts?

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/NewEnterprise%20WIP%20%2019.png.html?sort=3&o=1

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/NewEnterprise%20WIP%20%2020.png.html?sort=3&o=0
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    No opinions on the finish?
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    I'll have to take a look at it at home. My phone still doesn't like Photobucket.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    The material looks good. It's hard to say for certain, but I'm guessing it's a bit shinier than the default material.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    It is. I'm liking the idea of a more complex material for the hull because it conveys (to me) a realism to it.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Yeah, I usually try to give mine a metallic sheen. While it's not true to the original flat paint job, it is more realistic to me.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Yeah, I usually try to give mine a metallic sheen. While it's not true to the original flat paint job, it is more realistic to me.

    I get it. :)

    I really like the Anisotropic shader for things like bare metals. I'm playing around with it for the quad lasers on the Millennium Falcon I'm doing.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    As a follow-up question, since I was thinking about my Falcon project. Boy, it's getting complex enough that manipulating it in the viewport is getting choppy as hell!

    Would offloading objects that I'm not working with into a new layer help make it easier to work with?

    Yes, I'm using one layer.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Putting stuff you're not currently working with in another layer would most definitely help. The choppiness is caused by your GPU trying to keep up and display in real time all of those 3D objects. The less you have visible, the better it will do.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Any pro tips for using layers?
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    I'm not a pro anything. :lol:

    When using layers, I tend to group stuff by area or function. IE: greebles together, or stuff for the forward hull together, things like that. Though, I haven't done a Star Wars ship (yet.) One cool thing about Blender is, when it's render time, you just have to select the layers with everything you want to render and not select the ones with stuff you don't want to render. It's handy. :)
  • MaxxRushMaxxRush180 Posts: 168Member
    I'm not a pro anything. :lol:

    When using layers, I tend to group stuff by area or function. IE: greebles together, or stuff for the forward hull together, things like that. Though, I haven't done a Star Wars ship (yet.) One cool thing about Blender is, when it's render time, you just have to select the layers with everything you want to render and not select the ones with stuff you don't want to render. It's handy. :)

    This. So much this. I put my camera and scene lighting on the very last layer for everything I do. First layer is just the basic hull with no details other than those required to be cut into the hull. Second, third, fourth layers are usually surface mount stuff, depending on how much there is, and what the details are, and "glass" panel for windows and such. Last layer in the first row is for a complete, all-up mesh with everything joined into a single mesh. I rarely use that for anything, but it sometimes comes in handy.

    Next to last layer (bottom row) is for anything extra needed for cutting openings, checking internal dimensions and how they fit with previously-built stuff. First layer in the second row is for parasite craft that are needed for renders and for fitting into boat bays. Next after that is the hangar bay stuff - docking arms, maintenance equipment, etc. Third layer in second row is for ship lights.

    The rest of the unused layers are for miscellaneous things that don't necessarily fit into those categories, or for imported objects needed to check how things fit, such as missiles and their attendant loading/storage/launching equipment. The other use is when I do renders with multiple ships. It helps a lot to have each ship, or no more than two on a single layer, and you can flip layers on and off to check spacing, or whatever. The most important thing is to figure out a system and use it the same way for everything you model.

    Edit: Forgot to mention that almost everything I've modeled has weapons/crew hatches that are supposed to move, and I'll put stuff like that on its own layer.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    This update is playing around with materials on my Millennium Falcon quad-laser turret. this render shows my test of a mix shader of a diffuse/glossy with an IOR of 1.45 (the default, I think) compared to the diffuse shader.

    The mix shader is on the left barrel. Everything else is default.

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Falcon30.png.html?sort=3&o=1

    The next image is an anisotropic shader applied to the quad assembly. I think I prefer it.

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Falcon31.png.html?sort=3&o=0
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Today, some updates to my Enterprise. First the updated impulse deck with the added detail of the exhaust:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2022.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    Secondly, I've changed the upper and lower primary hull domes from straight-up emission shaders to something more dimensional:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2021.png.html?sort=3&o=1

    And more of a beauty shot showing the upgraded ventral dome:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2023.png.html?sort=3&o=1

    Finally, the upgraded mix shader I've been testing on the secondary hull applied to the primary saucer:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2024.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    More coming later....:)
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    At the request of many, I'm starting to create a Deviant Art album, to make it easier on people viewing on mobile devices with tiny screens.

    How do I make sure that my album is private? In other words, in Photobucket, I share an image by selecting the URL and pasting into a forum post here. But, people can't view all of the rest of my artwork that I haven't chosen to share. I'm assuming that DA has similar features, but I'm not sure how to enable it.

    Suggestions?
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    MaxxRush wrote: »
    This. So much this. I put my camera and scene lighting on the very last layer for everything I do. First layer is just the basic hull with no details other than those required to be cut into the hull. Second, third, fourth layers are usually surface mount stuff, depending on how much there is, and what the details are, and "glass" panel for windows and such. Last layer in the first row is for a complete, all-up mesh with everything joined into a single mesh. I rarely use that for anything, but it sometimes comes in handy.

    Next to last layer (bottom row) is for anything extra needed for cutting openings, checking internal dimensions and how they fit with previously-built stuff. First layer in the second row is for parasite craft that are needed for renders and for fitting into boat bays. Next after that is the hangar bay stuff - docking arms, maintenance equipment, etc. Third layer in second row is for ship lights.

    The rest of the unused layers are for miscellaneous things that don't necessarily fit into those categories, or for imported objects needed to check how things fit, such as missiles and their attendant loading/storage/launching equipment. The other use is when I do renders with multiple ships. It helps a lot to have each ship, or no more than two on a single layer, and you can flip layers on and off to check spacing, or whatever. The most important thing is to figure out a system and use it the same way for everything you model.

    Edit: Forgot to mention that almost everything I've modeled has weapons/crew hatches that are supposed to move, and I'll put stuff like that on its own layer.


    Thanks guys, so much for the layer advice. :)

    I'll be using it as best practices going forward.
  • xiaorobearxiaorobear682 Posts: 171Member
    [Irishman] wrote: »
    At the request of many, I'm starting to create a Deviant Art album, to make it easier on people viewing on mobile devices with tiny screens.

    How do I make sure that my album is private? In other words, in Photobucket, I share an image by selecting the URL and pasting into a forum post here. But, people can't view all of the rest of my artwork that I haven't chosen to share. I'm assuming that DA has similar features, but I'm not sure how to enable it.

    Suggestions?

    Deviantart has Stash, If you go to Sta.sh you can upload whatever you want and then have the option to submit it to your deviantart gallery later, but you can send the individual image's stash link to whoever you want ahead of time.

    But I don't see any way to make and share a whole album until after you've made the images public and sorted them in your normal deviantart gallery. So unless I'm missing something you'd have to keep posting individual links each time you made a private update. :/
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Looking great, Irishman. I really like your shader for the sensor. :thumb:
    [Irishman] wrote: »
    At the request of many, I'm starting to create a Deviant Art album, to make it easier on people viewing on mobile devices with tiny screens.

    YAY! That will be great. It's not like I love looking at artwork on my tiny phone, it's just that I need something to do on the bus to and from work. Photobucket makes it nearly impossible to see your images because of all of their ad crap. It's too bad, I remember when that was a great site. DeviantArt is much better.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    I've been working on some finer detailed elements of my TOS Enterprise, and I've shared some of those teasers in the "From Where do Phasers Emit?" thread at TrekBBS. Back on topic to sharing some updates to my overall Enterprise, I've made some changes to her finish. Specifically, I've toned down the amount of glossiness to the hull.

    I think this finish looks not so crazy. :) How about you?

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/New%20Enterprise%20WIP%2032.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    Here is the first teaser image:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Teaser3.png.html?sort=3&o=5

    And:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Teaser5.png.html?sort=3&o=4

    And, some more still, with some changed materials:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Teaser6.png.html?sort=3&o=3

    Another shot of the version 6 image above, with another angle I'm testing:

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Teaser7.png.html?sort=3&o=2
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Looking good. I'm guessing the "teaser" is a phaser internal component.

    As for where the phasers come from, heh. Be prepared for a multitude of answers to that one all backed up by on screen evidence. ;) In truth, the FX team back in the '60s just did whatever they felt like from episode to episode. Plus, different effects shots got reused from time to time, sometimes to show different weapons. (IE: the phaser effects from "Balance of Terror" were later used as photon torpedoes)
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Looking good. I'm guessing the "teaser" is a phaser internal component.

    Mebbe..:)
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    So, I've taken a break from phaser emitters to take on one of the most iconic Star Trek original series spaceships - EVER! (you can kind of say that about so many spacecraft from TOS, so I'm becoming redundant, even to myself).

    I decided that my Enterprise needs a companion to fly around with, so I'm modeling the Botany Bay. It's a manageable model, I'm finding, even when you're trying to be reasonably faithful to the original studio model. It has details and greeblies, for sure, and those are what has kept me silent while working them out. As with the TOS Enterprise, there are precious few photos of the studio model, so the most helpful resources have been photos taken in later decades.

    Here is where I stand with her as of this morning.

    Tell me what you think.

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Botany%20Bay1.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Irishman/media/Botany%20Bay2.png.html?sort=3&o=0

    I'm still working out the nose cone transition, and the solar panels at the rear. The nose cone transition resembles nothing more than a sharpened no. 2 pencil, which I'm still finagling into something that's passable. Right now, it looks like exactly what it is - two different objects, one rounded and smoothed, and one octagon.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Very nice. Great work so far. The hardest part of this model is definitely the "sharpened pencil" part.
  • [Irishman][Irishman]177 Posts: 117Member
    Very nice. Great work so far. The hardest part of this model is definitely the "sharpened pencil" part.

    Yup.

    If I can get to the point where I'm happy with the transition, I'm hoping to alt-M merge verts to center (if the verts even remotely align for me). Baby steps.

    With that said, the octagon part definitely needs to be sharper looking in its forward-most segments, as well as starting back under the prow of the conning tower.
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