Started a new modeling project last week. An attempt to a purely original starship class for Trek. Combines some elements of an Oberth class with a smidge of Akira mixed in. The basic thrust of this new model is, after seeing a lot of really great work from Viper and some others, trying to cut panel lines into the mesh directly instead of relying on Normal maps and displacement to do it for me. This is still very early in the process for this one with a lot of the basic geometry blocked out, but I'm going to try to focus on doing small greeble level details for this one. Seeing some folks ship building efforts on here has shown me I need to up my game on the details. Because after all, details are what sell the realism of the model (assuming you can accept the premise of a "realistic" imaginary spaceship in the future, but I digress...).
I will keep uploading pics as I am working through portions of this one. Any and all feedback is welcome, as long as you're not a putz about it.
I think so? After you responded, i realized that's a mish-mash of a few eras. I think I'm going to shoot for TMP era. I'm redoing the nacelles to be a little more period correct. But the deflector cutout at the front of the saucer (from the ENT era), is still a bit up in the air.....
Made some updates over the last few days. I redid the saucer and nacelles, as well as some adjustments to the catamaran hulls, which are mission-specific science modules. The saucer is modelled after the Oberth class, and the nacelles are based on the Excelsior's. After Count23's comment, I figured I should hone in on the TMP vibe so the design didn't seem to mish-mashy. I also ditched my previous nacelle pylons, but I have no idea what I'm going to do for them now, hence why the nacelles are free-floating in space.
I'm also attempting a new aztech approach, pluggin it into the Metallic socket on Blender's BDSF Principle Shader and then using a color-ramp to make adjustments. I feel like it's a fairly sucessful approach, but will still need tweaking.
Besides the pylons, I still need to do most of the small detail work, plus windows and decals, but I'm feeling really good about this one so far. I feel like it's really starting to come together. Again, any and all critiques are welcome!
Did some more updates and kicked out this full render with post-processing. I'm overall happy with it, but I'm not super thrilled with the windows. I'm following scifieric's approach, for the cut-out process which works fine. But I'm seeing some folks do mini-dioramas or something behind the windows the great interior spaces. Does anybody have any pointers on how to do that?
wow, that seems incredibly manual to pull off, do you place _every_ room box by hand behind the windows or just the super important ones and have a wizarding trick to copy the boxes around unimportant windows?
@count23 Yeah that would be incredibly tedious to do a box for every window bank. I do longer boxes for lengths of windows on the same deck. Still lots of work, but ultimately doable.
@count23 Yeah that would be incredibly tedious to do a box for every window bank. I do longer boxes for lengths of windows on the same deck. Still lots of work, but ultimately doable.
Holy crap, that's brilliant! Thanks for the tip! I was actually thinking the same thing, re: longer boxes for sections of windows. Seems like you beat me to the punch.
Did some work over the last few days. Decided to ditch the catamaran-style twin hulls and go with modules that are loosely based off of the Franz Joseph designs. The idea being that the two modules can be swapped out with other versions for specific missions. Still a lot of work detailing work left to do on the main hull, but I'm slowly inching my way towards it being finished! I'm including a quick render I kicked out with some post-processing.
Also, shout out to @count23 for the lightbox tip for on interiors for the windows. Working out really well so far!
The render you have in post #9 is really nice and fits right into TMP era. However, I like what you originally had. The only thing I would change is the Ent. era deflector to a deflector that fits in the edge of the saucer for a sleek look, only wider. It could be a Next Gen ship.
Just my 2¢.
Posts
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
I think so? After you responded, i realized that's a mish-mash of a few eras. I think I'm going to shoot for TMP era. I'm redoing the nacelles to be a little more period correct. But the deflector cutout at the front of the saucer (from the ENT era), is still a bit up in the air.....
I'm also attempting a new aztech approach, pluggin it into the Metallic socket on Blender's BDSF Principle Shader and then using a color-ramp to make adjustments. I feel like it's a fairly sucessful approach, but will still need tweaking.
Besides the pylons, I still need to do most of the small detail work, plus windows and decals, but I'm feeling really good about this one so far. I feel like it's really starting to come together. Again, any and all critiques are welcome!
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRhLEHgwgTKxsalM5YznYQ
Formerly furswift
wow, that seems incredibly manual to pull off, do you place _every_ room box by hand behind the windows or just the super important ones and have a wizarding trick to copy the boxes around unimportant windows?
Current Projects:
Ambassador Class
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqRhLEHgwgTKxsalM5YznYQ
Formerly furswift
Holy crap, that's brilliant! Thanks for the tip! I was actually thinking the same thing, re: longer boxes for sections of windows. Seems like you beat me to the punch.
Also, shout out to @count23 for the lightbox tip for on interiors for the windows. Working out really well so far!
Just my 2¢.