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3DLizzy's WIPs

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  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Global environemnt render using one of about 40+ HDR files. Just like to remember which one i used because I like the look. Also still working out the fleshy textures with some subsurface scattering shaders. I'm thinking I need to tone down the gloss. If not remove it completely and go for a more matte color. Probably should up the displacement a bit, too. Get some more definition out of the skin textures. Maybe even make the mouth center a bit darker. It's the exact same material as the two sensory organs.

    Right now my biggest hurdle is making realistic looking glass that works properly. It's just a tube! Glass tubes shouldn't be so hard! Either the distortion is too high, or the shadow cast by the object is too dark, or there's no shadow, or the edges disappear and it doesn't look like glass at all and... GRAH!

    **sighs**

    If I figure this out, I am definitely going with a forcefield for the labratory containment chamber. I know how to do forcefields at least.

    Anyway. Space monster pic.
    7erPUqo.jpg
    Starrigger
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Hmmm, I feel like the SSS effect isn't strong enough. Also, the transparent part looks like a thin glass instead of a membrane that holds liquid. Usually, when doing transparent materials, you have the option of having it be thing, or simulate a solid.

    The glossiness should be a problem. Once you get the SSS right, it'll just make it look like it's wet.
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    I think getting a migraine is the brain's way of telling me to pack it in and move on. Or at least take a break.

    Anyway messed around with the materials once again. Hollowed out the shell and reworked the shape, and did a bunch of other tweaks. Though I think most of my time was trying to get vray and 3delite to work. For some reason vray just gave me a blank screen, while 3delite didn't render textures.

    No idea how to correct either and both render engines stopped supporting trueSpace years ago. So switched over to VirtuaLight engine (TS7 native renderer is LightWorks). I think it looks better, but this single frame also took well over an hour to render out. Switched from a "studio Lights" HDR with a yellowish tint to one with more blue-white light.

    And I still don't have a proper glass tube to stick it in yet. I have a feeling THAT will cause more problems when I build the cannister.

    To say this has been a learning experience is an understatement!

    JuOST2y.jpg
    ashleytingerStarrigger
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ashleytingerashleytinger1998 Central OhioPosts: 1,233Member
    edited April 2019 #185
    Well it's making me nauseous just looking at it over and over again so I think you've hit something right. LOL

    Something always bugged me about these little buggers in Metroid. Very THING like... ewww..
    Post edited by ashleytinger on
    Lizzy777
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Lizzy777 wrote: »
    Anyway messed around with the materials once again. Hollowed out the shell and reworked the shape, and did a bunch of other tweaks. Though I think most of my time was trying to get vray and 3delite to work. For some reason vray just gave me a blank screen, while 3delite didn't render textures.

    No idea how to correct either and both render engines stopped supporting trueSpace years ago. So switched over to VirtuaLight engine (TS7 native renderer is LightWorks). I think it looks better, but this single frame also took well over an hour to render out. Switched from a "studio Lights" HDR with a yellowish tint to one with more blue-white light.

    And I still don't have a proper glass tube to stick it in yet. I have a feeling THAT will cause more problems when I build the cannister.

    To say this has been a learning experience is an understatement!

    Yeah, it seems to me that you are being hindered by the renderer more than anything. If you aren't keen on learning an entire new 3d package, take a look at a 3rd party renderer. Marmoset Toolbag isn't very expensive and it's realtime as well, so very fast. Another option is to just use Unreal. It can do some amazing things these days.
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Well it's making me nauseous just looking at it over and over again so I think you've hit something right. LOL

    Something always bugged me about these little buggers in Metroid. Very THING like... ewww..

    I've seen a lot of renditions that made the metroid look all cute and cuddly. Especially baby metroid and Samus pics!

    I figured I'd go in the exact other direction. Make it look as gross and alien as I can. Looks like I'm succeeding! LOL
    Viper wrote: »

    Yeah, it seems to me that you are being hindered by the renderer more than anything. If you aren't keen on learning an entire new 3d package, take a look at a 3rd party renderer. Marmoset Toolbag isn't very expensive and it's realtime as well, so very fast. Another option is to just use Unreal. It can do some amazing things these days.

    Oh, I'm very keen on learning something new and up to date. I've just had problems doing the whole learning bit. I tried Blender again after it's (2.8?) update which supposedly changed a lot of stuff. But I still can't seem to wrap my head around it.

    I might check out ZBrush again. That was fairly intuitive and the interface isn't all that different from Photoshop. I just don't know what its render engine is like now. I've also seen Daz3D pop up now and again and a lot of people seem to like it.

    Unreal? Now there's a program that I hadn't considered. I have seen some amazing machinma videos come out that used it. IIRC it also has a free license or something like that.
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • StarriggerStarrigger475 Posts: 698Member
    edited April 2019 #188
    One Vote for Daz, that's what I have been using of late, and it adds the option to include fairly nice looking people. (requires 64bit OS for Iray)

    tent01.jpg
    Post edited by Starrigger on
    Lizzy777
    Come on over to my place CGI Worlds
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Lizzy777 wrote: »
    Oh, I'm very keen on learning something new and up to date. I've just had problems doing the whole learning bit. I tried Blender again after it's (2.8?) update which supposedly changed a lot of stuff. But I still can't seem to wrap my head around it.

    I might check out ZBrush again. That was fairly intuitive and the interface isn't all that different from Photoshop. I just don't know what its render engine is like now. I've also seen Daz3D pop up now and again and a lot of people seem to like it.

    Unreal? Now there's a program that I hadn't considered. I have seen some amazing machinma videos come out that used it. IIRC it also has a free license or something like that.

    Eh, Zbrush isn't great for rendering. IT can do artsy stuff well enough, but if you need something a bit more photorealistic it's a no go. Also, for modelling it's quite a big departure from what you are used to. Apart from Blender, I would suggest maybe Modo as well if you are on a tight budget. There's always the big players though, 3ds max, maya etc. Oh, how could I forget, Houdini is fantastic. But it's also a big change in the way you model, though they have been introducing more traditional poly tools lately and it has a personal learning edition.

    Unreal is free all the way up until you are making 100K a year with it I think, at which point you have to give them a percentage. Not high though.

    Daz3d uses Iray now, which is pretty good. Those renders with yellow textures I posted on my thread are done with Iray inside Substance Painter.
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    I kept getting an "Out of Memory Error" when trying to export my Metroid to 3ds format. I've narrowed it down to the tentacles, but not sure how to fix it just yet. It might be the multitude of teeth I added. Which I simply added by cloning the mandible object and fitting them in place.

    The solution is probably as simple as making new, less complex teeth. Anyway, I moved back to my GIANT ROBOT!

    So I've completed the waist section. I'll work out the shoulder sockets when I have something to socket into it.

    8TXSlPV.jpg

    As for the rear, I feel like I need a bit more detail to the blank spot just below the shoulder line. Not sure what I want to add there just yet. Probably some techie looking bit and a few antennae sticking out. Or maybe something simpler like cut-outs to break up the area. I'll figure out something, or get inspired and do...whatever inspires me.

    Ko4B7Ea.jpg

    Brandenberg
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Maybe just some extra plating will work :)
    Lizzy777
  • GuerrillaGuerrilla789 HelsinkiPosts: 2,865Administrator
    Lizzy777 wrote: »
    I kept getting an "Out of Memory Error" when trying to export my Metroid to 3ds format.

    3DS has a hard limit on vertex count per mesh, so some other format like OBJ or FBX might work better.
    Lizzy777
    Comco: i entered it manually in the back end
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  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Viper wrote: »
    Maybe just some extra plating will work :)

    Maybe! We'll see where my mood takes me when I get back to it.
    Guerrilla wrote: »
    3DS has a hard limit on vertex count per mesh, so some other format like OBJ or FBX might work better.

    LUUV plugin for Truespace can export to OBJ. I've used it for my 3D printables since that's what I use for importing meshes into Netfabb. Though when I tried it with the Metroid, the entire program just hangs on the same part. I may just have to rebuild that single bit so I can finally convert it and import it to Daz3D for some proper renders.
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Torso is pretty much done. I didn't have much of a plan for that blank space. So I just added details without thought to function. And best of all, the parts I wanted to weld together did so cleanly! None of those boolean errors that tend to plague complex shapes! WOO!

    I'll work out the arms next.

    UnrgoLx.jpg
    Brandenberg
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    What do you do when you have insomnia? Probably take some pills or whatever so you can sleep. I on the other hand dive into a project that's previously frustrated me and get into a moment of zen.

    So I made a canister. I rebuilt a couple of greebles I had from a collection I downloaded in...Ghods 2004 or sometime around then. Then I stuck an alien creature inside of it. Right now it's poorly lit and I slapped on a stock metal texture. As for the Metroid itself, I remade the bits that were giving me trouble, imported them into DAZ3D, and realized that I have no idea how to manipulate the surface map features to get the effects that I want before going back to the software that I know.

    I also reworked the colors on the Metroid. Went from a sickly yellow color to a sickly green color. I think the color change looks better and a little closer to the game design.

    c3wMU0w.jpg

    8dqPUCs.jpg

    Not too happy with how the canister looks right now. I might completely rebuild it. Also the glass seems too dark. Lots of work to figure out yet, I guess.
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Canister: take two.

    I dunno. Just detailed and added stuff. Deleted a previous attempt. Then did this. Maybe the top or bottom end cap to my containment can. I figured some sort of bolt attachment thingy would be suitable for what's seen as one of the galaxy's more dangerous creatures. Maybe I'll figure out some sort of techie looking locking system for the other end cap. It's an idea at least!

    2BIgDSD.jpg
    ashleytingerViperBrandenberg
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Yeah, I'm liking the new one quite a bit. The idea of some big ass screws to close it down is great as well, heh.
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    A little more progress on the can. The Metroid was taking too long to render each time I did a test, so I've replaced it with something else for the interim.

    Not quite the look I have in my head just yet. But I'm getting close!

    dc2NWnx.jpg
    Brandenberg
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    edited May 2019 #199
    Closing in on the finish! At least for the build part of the can. I have an idea for the top end cap as I'm going to rework the details. Still going to keep it as is for the bottom though.

    Trying out Vray render engine with Vray materials and lights for this test render (which means I got it to work! WOO!). It certianly drew out faster than Lightworks engine. I'll do a proper unwrap and texture later on to get the look that I want.

    It has been knocked around the depths of Zebes by Samus after all. Gotta look like it in the end! I'll save the clean and shiny mats for the lab equipment.

    qwi3Xul.jpg
    Post edited by Lizzy777 on
    Starrigger
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • StarriggerStarrigger475 Posts: 698Member
    Very nice!
    Lizzy777
    Come on over to my place CGI Worlds
  • ViperViper1678 Posts: 717Administrator
    Looks awesome with the metallic shader!
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Been feeling kinda blah for the past two weeks. Just no artistic mojo to be had. Though I did manage to complete the cannister as well as started playing with vray shaders. I haven't properly unwrapped the can just yet. So that's next on my list.

    5TLeBDE.jpg

    As for those vray shaders, trying out SSS and Fresnel for the Metroid. Same lighting as the can so I'm not sure how well it shows off. I think the shell needs a bit more transparency to it. Other than that I'm liking how it looks.

    UAlCthd.jpg

    As always, I'll keep picking at it until I'm satisfied, or I reach "Meh...Good enough..." and decide to move onto the Containment lab modeling.
    ashleytinger
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • Lee80Lee80193 Posts: 458Member
    I like the shaders. Should interesting to what eles you come up with
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Unwrapped part of the can and kept messing with the shaders for the metroid. I'm also trying to remember how to do layered materials. Some blue tinted metal with worn edges. I want a little more reflection to the edges than the base material. I'm close but not quite where I want to be just yet.

    I figure when I get this part down, I can apply the technique to the rest of the model.

    Switched out the skin tone SSS shader for one labled for an orange on the base of the Metroid. It looks a lot better for some strange reason. Much more translucent for sure. So I'll stuck with that. Also reworked the fresnel on the gooey dome with a different water shader.

    DgAAc9e.jpg
    ashleytinger
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ashleytingerashleytinger1998 Central OhioPosts: 1,233Member
    Please put that thing in the container ... soon. LOL

    That's looking fantastic.
    Lizzy777
  • Lee80Lee80193 Posts: 458Member
    Which modeling program are you using Lizzy?
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    Please put that thing in the container ... soon. LOL

    That's looking fantastic.

    I'm trying! The little booger keeps getting out somehow!
    Lee80 wrote: »
    Which modeling program are you using Lizzy?

    For the modeling work I'm using TureSpace 7.6b (user made updates), and for the textures it's Photoshop CS5.
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • BrandenbergBrandenberg1655 CaliforniaPosts: 1,937Member
    I've been looking at your thread. Man you've got a lot of projects going on. Nice work.
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    I've been looking at your thread. Man you've got a lot of projects going on. Nice work.

    Just two active art projects at the moment. My Metroid scene, and a mech that'll be printed for tabletop games. Right now I'm working out the cannister because it's what is fresh in my mind. The trick will be to work it out before I lose my motivation and become bored and/or frustrated with my progress.

    Speaking of the cannister, another part mapped out and textured. Though I think I'll keep working on the skin itself since I'm not liking the polished metal center piece. Might try the same blue paint as the larger section below.

    saIycFI.jpg
    ashleytingerBrandenberg
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
  • ashleytingerashleytinger1998 Central OhioPosts: 1,233Member
    You're getting that worn painted metal look down.
    Lizzy777
  • Lizzy777Lizzy7771249 PNWPosts: 754Member
    You're getting that worn painted metal look down.

    I went back to some project files from a model I completed about five years ago where I had a similar effect. The trick was remembering what I did and how I did it so I can replicate it here.

    Turns out some of the effects I used was to add Drop Shadow and Outer Glow to the paint layer in photoshop. That made a nice contrasting effect over the metalic base layer. It's also a little bit of a cheat just in case my lighting doesn't catch the look I want when I render the scene.

    Then I desaturated the paint layer into a greyscale displacement map and applied that to the model. I then inverted the displacement map and adjusted the levels to create a transparency map for the specularity settings. That gave me the contrast between the matte paint and the reflective metal.

    As I move forward, I just need to read my unwrapped wireframes properly so I know which parts are best for applying weathering effects. It's amazing how much of my traditional skills have translated over into the 3D realm! Though I can't apply paste over a base coat as a way to make worn edges like I can on a prop model. Also I still think it's easier to dry brush silver paint across an edge of a plastic model than it is trying to get a similar effect with brushes on a texture map in photoshop.
    "Cry 'Havoc!,' and let slip the corgies of war!"
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