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Local TutorialHow to build the Starship Enterprise in TrueSpace 3

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  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    There was a Sunday deadline? :o
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Self-imposed but yes. I wanted to post an update this weekend and I didn't get it done. I was having trouble installing a front-end for my website. I'm still not done!
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Ahh web site design - that brings back memories :D - or was it nightmares :rolleyes:
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Nightmares ... I assure you, nightmares! ;)
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Yahoo PageBuilder. Drag-and-drop editor. :D

    That's about as fancy as I can make a web site. :flippy:
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Yahoo PageBuilder. Drag-and-drop editor. :D

    That's about as fancy as I can make a web site. :flippy:

    Damn I used to do it manually - nice and old fashioned - Text Editor and HTML, there is no other way ;)
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    Eric, this is turning out to be an extremely thorough tutorial!

    Once you have the tutorial complete (for the whole ship), I'd be more than ahppy to lend a hand with getting it into a single downloadable document format.

    I'm just wondering, how many of these methods would be applicable to the TMP Connie Refit? The saucer shape is mostly the same, but there are obviously major changes to the bridge, the lower sensor dome, and the impulse engines, not to mention the fact that the engineering hull and the nacelles were redesigned quite a bit.

    Still, do you think it would be possible for someone to take this tutorial and modify it for a Connie Refit?
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Jedilaw wrote:
    Eric, this is turning out to be an extremely thorough tutorial!

    Once you have the tutorial complete (for the whole ship), I'd be more than ahppy to lend a hand with getting it into a single downloadable document format.

    I'm just wondering, how many of these methods would be applicable to the TMP Connie Refit? The saucer shape is mostly the same, but there are obviously major changes to the bridge, the lower sensor dome, and the impulse engines, not to mention the fact that the engineering hull and the nacelles were redesigned quite a bit.

    Still, do you think it would be possible for someone to take this tutorial and modify it for a Connie Refit?

    I have actually used this tutorial to build my TOS Scout Class and also used it to Overhaul the TMP version, I am pretty sure someone could modify this tutorial to the Movie refit
  • TallguyTallguy350 Posts: 467Member
    I'd say there's much that is applicable. The modeler would have to use some adaptive reasoning for stuff like the saucer. I'd say the TMP impulse deck is easier that the TOS one. And I'd guess that one would pick up most of the basic skills to figure out the stuff that is really different (nacelles). This is why this is such a great ship to learn on.
    Bill "Tallguy" Thomas All I ask is a tall ship...
    Various Work: U.S.S. Constellation - Matt Jefferies Concept Shuttle
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    I do find it interesting that none of the available tutorials for Trek modeling are focused on the TMP Enterprise. IMHO, she's far more lovely than her TOS incarnation. Perhaps the increased difficulty of some of the redesigned features has disuaded people from writing tutorials about her. I'm thinking of some of the known issues near the primary deflector dish (the three rounded protrusions at three, six, and nine o'clock around the rim of the dish) and the new nacelles.

    There are a fair few tuts out there on how to texture in the TMP style, e.g how to create an Aztec texture, but none for the modelling itself.
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Oovebei wrote:
    Damn I used to do it manually - nice and old fashioned - Text Editor and HTML, there is no other way ;)

    I would, but I couldn't write HTML code (or any computer code) to save my life. If it doesn't involve pointing and clicking, I'm screwed when it comes to software unless I have step-by-step instructions. However, I can configure hardware all day long. :devil:

    Now I just need to find a decent programmer and I can get rich. :thumb:
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Jedilaw wrote:
    I do find it interesting that none of the available tutorials for Trek modeling are focused on the TMP Enterprise. IMHO, she's far more lovely than her TOS incarnation. Perhaps the increased difficulty of some of the redesigned features has disuaded people from writing tutorials about her. I'm thinking of some of the known issues near the primary deflector dish (the three rounded protrusions at three, six, and nine o'clock around the rim of the dish) and the new nacelles.

    There are a fair few tuts out there on how to texture in the TMP style, e.g how to create an Aztec texture, but none for the modelling itself.

    The TMP version is a beautiful ship and it is easy to adapt to other ships for the same period - as for some of the issues (i.e. nacelles) they are the sort of thing that tutorials are good for.

    The nacelles in my experience are the worst area to create, and are what stop most people from finisheing their movie era ships, tha would apply to the B/C Deck too :rolleyes:
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Jedilaw wrote:
    Eric, this is turning out to be an extremely thorough tutorial!

    Once you have the tutorial complete (for the whole ship), I'd be more than ahppy to lend a hand with getting it into a single downloadable document format.

    I'm just wondering, how many of these methods would be applicable to the TMP Connie Refit? The saucer shape is mostly the same, but there are obviously major changes to the bridge, the lower sensor dome, and the impulse engines, not to mention the fact that the engineering hull and the nacelles were redesigned quite a bit.

    Still, do you think it would be possible for someone to take this tutorial and modify it for a Connie Refit?
    I appreciate the offer Jedilaw. Don't be surprised if I take you up on it. I want to combine a few things and rearrange them but that would be great.

    Yeah, I think that this could be adapted. I've never built the movie era Enterprise, it would be interesting. I don't find it quite as nice a ship as the original but that's just my taste.

    There is one tutorial I saw a long time ago. It's available on this fellow's website for the motion picture era Enterprise:

    http://jimroyal.com/video/enterprise/

    Now, would you really say that my tutorial is thorough or just long winded? LOL!
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Thorough for sure - thats why so many people are makeing the 'Connie' - that and the quality of the tutorial :)
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    You guys are very kind. I'll be able to do more on Friday. I may post on Saturday but I'll be back to work on this ASAP. I don't want to let it fade away.
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    scifieric wrote:
    I appreciate the offer Jedilaw. Don't be surprised if I take you up on it. I want to combine a few things and rearrange them but that would be great.

    Yeah, I think that this could be adapted. I've never built the movie era Enterprise, it would be interesting. I don't find it quite as nice a ship as the original but that's just my taste.

    There is one tutorial I saw a long time ago. It's available on this fellow's website for the motion picture era Enterprise:

    http://jimroyal.com/video/enterprise/

    Now, would you really say that my tutorial is thorough or just long winded? LOL!

    Hey I'm a lawyer who gets paid by the hour, which is almost like being paid by the word (I mostly write). There's no such thing as long-winded!:thumb:
  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    Hey, Jedilaw, if you're thinking of doing a tut for the movie-era Connie, I can think of at least one person who would be interested. :D

    The thought of figuring out how to do those nacelles and that area around the deflecor dish are what have kept me from doing that model. Everything else I'm sure I can muddle through. :devil:

    Although my main ulterior motive for wanting to do a movie-era Connie is so I can kitbash it into a Constellation-class like they did to make the Stargazer, but I need the movie-era Connie first.
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    Well, I would hardly be the one with the chops to write a TMP-Connie tut, not in comparison to, say, Alain (al3d) or Dennis Bailey. Well, not from scratch, at least.

    But I might, and I put a lot of stress on might, be able to help figure out how to adapt the TOS tut for a TMP tut. It may depend on how good of a job Eric does with the Secondary Hull, since that has a tricky area common to both TOS and TMP: the "fantail" at the rear of the Secondary Hull (not to mention the curved indentation immediately below it). The method should be the same for either ship, even though the shape of the TMP-era Secondary Hull is slightly different.

    Assuming that our man Eric is as brilliant with the Seconday Hull as he has been with the Primary Hull and Bridge, the only areas of the TMP-Connie that would need new lessons because they are truly unique would be the Photon Torpedo Bay (and shuttle airlock), the Nacelles, the B/C Deck, the Sensor Dome, and the whatever-that-is protrusions around the edge of the Primary Deflector Dish. Everything else is a modified shape from the TOS ship (even the Impulse Drive), albeit with more details added.

    One of the more experienced Trek modellers (read: one of the Trek modellers, since I've never modelled Trek) would probably be needed to pitch in with some of the unique areas (especially the nacelles). I should be able to figure out the B/C Deck, Sensor Dome, and Photon Torpedo Bay. I hope. :eek:
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    :lol: Oh my! I'll never be able to live up to that! Jedilaw, you're the greatest.

    I can't wait to get back on this. I'm able to turn out a little at a time.
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    Nightmare - I am away for a week :( , but on the upside I will have a bit of work to do to catch up eh :D
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Good luck Oovebei! I will try to have something worth your while when you get back.
  • OovebeiOovebei171 Posts: 0Member
    I could not ask for anything more :D - but equally I am willing to wait too :thumb:
  • chronochrono0 Posts: 1Member
    Jedilaw wrote:
    One of the more experienced Trek modellers (read: one of the Trek modellers, since I've never modelled Trek) would probably be needed to pitch in with some of the unique areas (especially the nacelles). I should be able to figure out the B/C Deck, Sensor Dome, and Photon Torpedo Bay. I hope. :eek:
    SeanR had one of the simplest ways of making those nacelles too....
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    chrono wrote:
    SeanR had one of the simplest ways of making those nacelles too....

    AHA! I knew one of our members had posted a thread on the subject, but couldn't remember who. Thanks for the reminder!
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    There are a few more details remaining to round out on the saucer section:

    Triangles
    Impulse engine housing
    Port holes (windows)
    Upper Saucer Rectangular Lights
    Signage
    Registry

    The rectangles of light on the top of the saucer are easily accomplished via Boolean subtraction and the rectangles in the upper hull appear perfectly angular in AlanA’s plans but in real life, nothing is perfectly angular. I intend to round all the corners slightly.

    There are no pre-made primitives with the rounded edges we want. We should be able to make one easy enough.

    Choose the Regular Polygon icon and pick the number of points you want for smoothness of corners. Keep in mind that only one fourth of them will survive to our new primitive. I turned on the Grid mode and created a round polygon that was two grids wide and high.



    regularpolygon1.jpg
    Regular Polygon Tool



    regularpolygon2.jpg



    We could do this any number of ways but one quick method is to call up three Add Plane primitives.




    planes2.jpg



    [FONT=&quot]Position them around your regular polygon circle. Choose the Object Union tool and glue them together to form an object, a square polygon with one rounded edge. You can now duplicate this object and perform object unions until you form a square with rounded edges. If you find it difficult to line up these objects, choose the Axis tools and then choose Move axes to center of object tool. Choose the Move up in hierarchy tool and then create your duplicate objects.
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot][/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]regularpolygon3a.jpg
    [/FONT]
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Once you have the resulting object, you need to create two versions of different scales. You will want to use the Point Edit Vertices tool to move selected points instead of the resize tool. This way you can maintain the curve without skewing the object.

    [FONT=&quot]Choose the Point Edit Vertices tool and left click one point. Hold down the Control Key and left click each of the other points until all you require are selected (say two corners) then you can move the points in unison. I had extra points that were hidden and deleted them one at a time as I found them.

    pointeditmove01.jpg

    pointeditmove02.jpg

    pointeditmove03.jpg

    [/FONT] If you cannot find your points to edit, choose the Point Edit Faces tool first and then choose the Object Selection tool and then the Point Edit Vertices tool. You should find that the points are still visible and you should be able to select each of them in turn.

    The correct ratios should be 21 x 16 for the larger rectangle and 21 x 12 for the smaller rectangle.

    Later versions of TrueSpace have the ability to select multiple points for editing, making this easier. The same effect can be achieved by assembling low resolution globe, cylinder and cube primitives.

    [FONT=&quot]pointeditmove04.jpg
    [/FONT]
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    Once we have our objects in the correct sizes, we will bevel them once and then sweep the resulting bevel.


    pointeditmove05.jpg



    bevel01.jpg



    I choose the bevel tool and modified the angle to -45 degrees, then I beveled the first of the two objects and then I swept the face to make a full object. Repeat with the other object. Save the objects. I called them retanglesm and rectanglelrg to remember which is small and which is large. We can now subtract these objects from our saucer.
    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT] Load either your saucer scene or a new scene with your saucer object. I modified a top-down view from Alan SinclairA’s plans and kept the ratio correct by only keeping 1280x1024 of the image pixels. I loaded that into my new scene.

    saucertop01.jpg
    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]I then loaded my saucer top mesh and both of the 3D rectangles. I normalized the location and rotation of the axes of each of the rectangles and positioned them along the hull and glued them together. Then I subtracted them from the upper hull.

    pointeditmove06.jpg
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    pointeditmove07.jpg

    saucertop02a.jpg


    TrueSpace 3 had a rough time with such a complex set of shapes for a Boolean subtraction so I had to lower the A“identityA” by right-mouse clicking the Object Subtraction icon. Later versions of TrueSpace seem to have a slightly better time performing this function. After the subtraction, there were extra edges that I deleted along the bottom of the saucer edge and leading from each of the cutouts on the upper hull. I selected any one group of edges by holding down the shift key and left mouse clicking on each line in a group and then I selected the Erase Vertices button.

    I have painted each of these panels a lighter shade to make them stand out in these images. Finally, I have loaded the upper saucer back into my scene for final renders.


    saucertop03a.jpg

    uppersquare1.jpg
  • scifiericscifieric1122 Posts: 1,497Member
    tutorialsaucer08.jpg

    tutorialsaucer10.jpg


    tutorialsaucer09.jpg

    Next we will tackle the Bermuda Triangles A… uh, I mean the triangle shapes on the bottom of the saucer!
  • JedilawJedilaw0 Posts: 0Member
    Keep 'em coming, man! Just so you know: we're all expecting a concise explanation of how to make a perfect set of Bussard Collectors, with exactly the right glow and everything.

    So, no pressure or anything. :devil:
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