Very Nice, I am a big Eagle fan and I like the updates, very functional and lines flow very nicely. I can't wait to see more. I posted a link over at Eagletransporter, I hope you don't mind, I know most will enjoy it.
Uses the Cult3D plug in, and apparently only works in Internet Explorer...
I've gone ahead and started modeling the interior of the command module... yow. It's at this point in a model when I wonder if I'm either too worried about details or I've bitten off way more than I can chew...
Wont be the first or last time for that!
That structure in the center is actually an airlock for the egress ramp. Hopefully.
In order to help move the interior along, I need something for the pilot to sit in, so a quick chair, with support frame I had hoped to articulate, but in the interest of saving time, I kinda did an extrude cheat for that. At least it has the rails to slot for the horizontal slide to flight position.
This is really coming along nicely. I'm a big fan of the Eagle. It was one of my favorite toys as a kid. Your updated version is great.
I do think the suspension needs a tweak though. The arrangement you've got now will put a lot of stress on the joints and the "pods" won't stay flat and square with the ground. They'll bend upwards and toward the hull. If you add a couple more fixed length links to make it a parallelogram, it'll be more realistic.
The suspension is actually composed of three actuators that are also shock absorbing.
The one in the center controls pod roll, the two outer ones control the vertical axis and absorb most of the landing impact, the center one keeps the pod oriented perpendicular to whatever surface the pad rests on. This should make for more flexible landing site options.
The pads themselves will also feature shock absorption, and they'll be retractable to fit flush with the pod shell when in flight.
I'll eventually make a video the depicts all the feature of this Eagle design that will include the pod suspension and actuation function. A long way off at this point...
I might lose the airlock, its a real space hog... so to speak.
Hopefully I'll be able to put in a space suit locker, so in the event the CM has to be depressurised for some reason, no one will have to hold their breath.
Maybe you could change the to a smaller idea like a drop down ladder or something similar. That way you can keep the ingress point but save on space.
Although granted it's a less useful for loading or unloading larger objects, but then how much big cargo would need to be loaded into the CM anyway.
Depending on the height of the deck in the CM a reasonable amount of the an air lock could be below the deck height of the pilots, which means in can be moved forward as well.
Third: Every update of this thread is cooler than the previous one. You're coming up with some amzing ideas for the Eagle here. Honestly, if they ever decide to update/reboot/reinvent the show, your designs should be right there on top of the "Ship Concepts" stack.
Fourth: When you are finished with this build, if you don't make a verison for MAX users (specifically MAX 8.0) available to play with, there will be a lot of very sad CGI artists here. I can tell you that for certain.
That said, however, two function vs. form questions.
1) Considering that the command module already has a pocket-door airlock, why the need for a larger point of egress? Especially since it's unlikely they'd be loading cargo into the Eagle thru the nose-hatch. Right now, it looks like there's plenty of "excess room" in the command module--but since the CM has to do the life-support, avionics, etc. for both itself AND the Eagle as a whole, I expect a lot of that "spare space" would be used up by electronics.
2) Where's the laser cannon go?
Seriously, according to the canon of the episodes, there's a laser mounted at the dorsal apex of the command module. They never WYSIWYG'd it (never made a bit on the model), but every time an Eagle fired a laser, it came from the very bottom tip of the CM. You've put the ramp there--specifically the hinge mechanism / flex joint where the ramp attaches to the CM.
Those questions aside, I'm REALLY liking this thing. It gives a good sense of the scale. That, unfortunately, is one thing the show lacked. Like Battlestar Galactica (the original), Space: 1999 had a, erm, rather flexible relationship with scale.
Keep it up. Whatever you decide to do, I'm gonna love the visuals! :thumb:
This Eagle will be armed, somehow, but there will be a space superiority fighter module for the CM to attach to in the future, also a heavy firepower module that will fit into the transport interface for this traditional configuration, including a missile rack and bombay. The moon and Alpha city will be well defended against outside threats.
The CM itself will not likely have a laser projector in this version, I had considered putting gimbaled turrets on the landing pods... or maybe twin cannons that pop up from either side of the forward service module.
I'd like something that can target threats in more than a 180 degree hemisphere from he top of the ship, controlled by one of the pilots who would switch their console to gunner mode in the event of threat repulsion.
I'm nowhere near that bridge yet, but I'll cross it soon, with the help of the great feedback I'm getting, I'm sure it will be something agreeable, thanks!
The ramp is going to be more narrow, I've found a solution for an airlock inside, too.
It is for situations such as: no module in the transport interface, the need for and EVA in the event of no transport module equipped with an airlock, or if the CM is connected to a body that does not have any feature like that. Space superior fighter, for instance, would be all engine and gunnery.
Yeah, 1st season was practically the fourth season of Star Trek, to me. The one with Tony & Maya... not so great... a fine example of what happens when the Suits start calling the shots creatively... they always ruin the good stuff.
It also shows what happens when you get major budget cuts.
Also sharp eyes might have notice the large amount of James Bond sets and props used in the first season.
Okay, once this is out of the way, I can begin working on control boards and other structures inside the CM....
Are there any tips for moving a camera around inside a structure without everything looking so cramped and claustrophobic? I've increased the size of all the geometry more than 2x, but still, the camera seems way too big for the scene...
Are there any tips for moving a camera around inside a structure without everything looking so cramped and claustrophobic? I've increased the size of all the geometry more than 2x, but still, the camera seems way too big for the scene...
I'm using C4Dv11, thanks.
The only way I've found is to drop the camera's Field of View (FOV). I use MAX and the default for cameras is 43.5mm or something like that. I usually drop it to 35mm, like a typical SLR camera. For interior spaces, though, I'll drop it down to 28mm or even 20mm if necessary. Doing this distorts the rendered image, making objects close to the camera seem REALLY big and those farther away look REALLY small, but you can see more of the overall interior space.
I've never found any other way to get decent interior shots. If someone here has another fix for this, I'd love to hear it, too.
There is a reason why stages are built the way they are. :-)
I don't know about C4D, but in a real set they remove walls etc, to get the cameras "in".
That is the camera can sit back a bit outside the real set's space but only show the inside of the set.
Well, I suppose I'll worry about that when I actually have a camera in the scene, and set it accordingly... in Max there is an easy way to change the editing view's d.o.f, thought C4D might have something similar, I'll look for it later.
I try to set up my models like a stage set, and I'm able to turn off "walls" and other elements for shooting... aybe I'm getting ahead of myself...
I thought a composite of interface surfaces might be an interesting direction...
I might ditch the slide into position thing, and use an elevate to position pilot seat, I wanted to use the space behind the pilots for a mission specialist station and an equipment locker...
I think this is as far as I'm going to develop the cockpit for now, I kneew if I started that, it would sidetrack me from the rest of the ship...
I wonder if the supporting truss for the Eagle could be longitudinally extendable, to accommodate modules of different length?
Maybe a later version of this will have that feature... for now, getting the coupling and enough space for the TM together, and thinking about the main thruster quad... which should also be modular for swap-outs.
Maybe even reverse thruster ports for velocity reduction, if you're going fast in one direction, you need an equal force in the opposite direction to slow down and stop...
I am trying to find a way for the twin hatches to do what they did in the show, which is, extend from the module for ship to ship docking, and also drop a boarding ramp when the ship is on the ground, and also accept a docking gangway from a landing platform.
I like the cockpit arrangement, and the idea of the pilot seat moving up into place works for me. It also allows for an over head console or display.
Getting the TM to do everything in the show might be hard. Given the different ways of getting on and off. However you might be able to have a set of Port side options and a set of Starboard options. If the TM was equal fore and aft, these could be reversed by mounting the unit backwards.
I plan on the cockpit being a little more busy, with more panel displays and conduits, etc... I wonder if there is room for a loo?
The connecting pod module will also have equipment lockers, the rear module will have a nuclear reactor and reactant for propulsion.
The transport mod will have a comm/information center, seating/bunks, a galley, loo & shower.
In the series the Eagle looked like it was used as the shuttle between the moon and Earth, or between the moon and whatever space stations that might have been in orbit around Earth. The TM must have been able to accommodate passengers for at least a 2 day trip.
On planetary excursions the TM would serve as a field ops base for a landing team.
Anyway, I think I have the extending dock thing sussed, have a look...
This model looks better with every post. The technical thought you're putting into it really shows. I love it! The cockpit set up (once a few more details are added) will look great. The way it's set up reminds me more of a helicopter cockpit than an airplane or shuttle. I think you should let that idea guide your decisions on what kind of details to add.
Posts
I'm glad I'm getting such good feedback on this, when you mess around with an iconic favorite, it can go either way.
I cant find your Starbird, post a link, your models rock.
Okay, decided to go with a more traditional pocket door, but mostly clear material, will be reinforced by some groovy hexagonal mesh.
Heres a link:
Space:1999 Eagle Transporter One
Uses the Cult3D plug in, and apparently only works in Internet Explorer...
I've gone ahead and started modeling the interior of the command module... yow. It's at this point in a model when I wonder if I'm either too worried about details or I've bitten off way more than I can chew...
Wont be the first or last time for that!
That structure in the center is actually an airlock for the egress ramp. Hopefully.
Thanks man!
Should be good enough for now.
I do think the suspension needs a tweak though. The arrangement you've got now will put a lot of stress on the joints and the "pods" won't stay flat and square with the ground. They'll bend upwards and toward the hull. If you add a couple more fixed length links to make it a parallelogram, it'll be more realistic.
The suspension is actually composed of three actuators that are also shock absorbing.
The one in the center controls pod roll, the two outer ones control the vertical axis and absorb most of the landing impact, the center one keeps the pod oriented perpendicular to whatever surface the pad rests on. This should make for more flexible landing site options.
The pads themselves will also feature shock absorption, and they'll be retractable to fit flush with the pod shell when in flight.
I'll eventually make a video the depicts all the feature of this Eagle design that will include the pod suspension and actuation function. A long way off at this point...
Thanks again man! I really dig the feedback!
Hopefully I'll be able to put in a space suit locker, so in the event the CM has to be depressurised for some reason, no one will have to hold their breath.
Although granted it's a less useful for loading or unloading larger objects, but then how much big cargo would need to be loaded into the CM anyway.
Depending on the height of the deck in the CM a reasonable amount of the an air lock could be below the deck height of the pilots, which means in can be moved forward as well.
Anyway, got the CM shell chunked up, can't beat the traditional plating, though it's more pronounced here, a bit.
First: Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you like the models I've uploaded here.
Second: I don't have any pics of the StarBird up here, but there are a few images here:
Space Age Nose Art - Amanda Lee's MySpace Blog |
I've since completely redone the material maps, but the model is the same. You can find videos of it here:
YouTube - buckaroohawk's Channel
Third: Every update of this thread is cooler than the previous one. You're coming up with some amzing ideas for the Eagle here. Honestly, if they ever decide to update/reboot/reinvent the show, your designs should be right there on top of the "Ship Concepts" stack.
Fourth: When you are finished with this build, if you don't make a verison for MAX users (specifically MAX 8.0) available to play with, there will be a lot of very sad CGI artists here. I can tell you that for certain.
That said, however, two function vs. form questions.
1) Considering that the command module already has a pocket-door airlock, why the need for a larger point of egress? Especially since it's unlikely they'd be loading cargo into the Eagle thru the nose-hatch. Right now, it looks like there's plenty of "excess room" in the command module--but since the CM has to do the life-support, avionics, etc. for both itself AND the Eagle as a whole, I expect a lot of that "spare space" would be used up by electronics.
2) Where's the laser cannon go?
Seriously, according to the canon of the episodes, there's a laser mounted at the dorsal apex of the command module. They never WYSIWYG'd it (never made a bit on the model), but every time an Eagle fired a laser, it came from the very bottom tip of the CM. You've put the ramp there--specifically the hinge mechanism / flex joint where the ramp attaches to the CM.
Those questions aside, I'm REALLY liking this thing. It gives a good sense of the scale. That, unfortunately, is one thing the show lacked. Like Battlestar Galactica (the original), Space: 1999 had a, erm, rather flexible relationship with scale.
Keep it up. Whatever you decide to do, I'm gonna love the visuals! :thumb:
This Eagle will be armed, somehow, but there will be a space superiority fighter module for the CM to attach to in the future, also a heavy firepower module that will fit into the transport interface for this traditional configuration, including a missile rack and bombay. The moon and Alpha city will be well defended against outside threats.
The CM itself will not likely have a laser projector in this version, I had considered putting gimbaled turrets on the landing pods... or maybe twin cannons that pop up from either side of the forward service module.
I'd like something that can target threats in more than a 180 degree hemisphere from he top of the ship, controlled by one of the pilots who would switch their console to gunner mode in the event of threat repulsion.
I'm nowhere near that bridge yet, but I'll cross it soon, with the help of the great feedback I'm getting, I'm sure it will be something agreeable, thanks!
Thanks!
The ramp is going to be more narrow, I've found a solution for an airlock inside, too.
It is for situations such as: no module in the transport interface, the need for and EVA in the event of no transport module equipped with an airlock, or if the CM is connected to a body that does not have any feature like that. Space superior fighter, for instance, would be all engine and gunnery.
Those in addition to other unforeseen events.
From the Eagle configuration in the pilot episode Breakaway, you might wonder how the flight crew got into the cockpit...
The cannons? See above post... Any suggestions would be seriously considered.
Here are some pretty cool transport module variations, notice how many of them do not have a docking port or entry ramp...
Pod-U-LikeA? Contest Entries
LOL, never even thought how the pilots would get into the command module without having a center pod!
Al
Yeah, 1st season was practically the fourth season of Star Trek, to me. The one with Tony & Maya... not so great... a fine example of what happens when the Suits start calling the shots creatively... they always ruin the good stuff.
Even the new theme song blew chunks!
Also sharp eyes might have notice the large amount of James Bond sets and props used in the first season.
Are there any tips for moving a camera around inside a structure without everything looking so cramped and claustrophobic? I've increased the size of all the geometry more than 2x, but still, the camera seems way too big for the scene...
I'm using C4Dv11, thanks.
The only way I've found is to drop the camera's Field of View (FOV). I use MAX and the default for cameras is 43.5mm or something like that. I usually drop it to 35mm, like a typical SLR camera. For interior spaces, though, I'll drop it down to 28mm or even 20mm if necessary. Doing this distorts the rendered image, making objects close to the camera seem REALLY big and those farther away look REALLY small, but you can see more of the overall interior space.
I've never found any other way to get decent interior shots. If someone here has another fix for this, I'd love to hear it, too.
I don't know about C4D, but in a real set they remove walls etc, to get the cameras "in".
That is the camera can sit back a bit outside the real set's space but only show the inside of the set.
I try to set up my models like a stage set, and I'm able to turn off "walls" and other elements for shooting... aybe I'm getting ahead of myself...
I might ditch the slide into position thing, and use an elevate to position pilot seat, I wanted to use the space behind the pilots for a mission specialist station and an equipment locker...
I think this is as far as I'm going to develop the cockpit for now, I kneew if I started that, it would sidetrack me from the rest of the ship...
Interior later!
Maybe a later version of this will have that feature... for now, getting the coupling and enough space for the TM together, and thinking about the main thruster quad... which should also be modular for swap-outs.
Maybe even reverse thruster ports for velocity reduction, if you're going fast in one direction, you need an equal force in the opposite direction to slow down and stop...
I am trying to find a way for the twin hatches to do what they did in the show, which is, extend from the module for ship to ship docking, and also drop a boarding ramp when the ship is on the ground, and also accept a docking gangway from a landing platform.
We'll see how that pans out...
Getting the TM to do everything in the show might be hard. Given the different ways of getting on and off. However you might be able to have a set of Port side options and a set of Starboard options. If the TM was equal fore and aft, these could be reversed by mounting the unit backwards.
The connecting pod module will also have equipment lockers, the rear module will have a nuclear reactor and reactant for propulsion.
The transport mod will have a comm/information center, seating/bunks, a galley, loo & shower.
In the series the Eagle looked like it was used as the shuttle between the moon and Earth, or between the moon and whatever space stations that might have been in orbit around Earth. The TM must have been able to accommodate passengers for at least a 2 day trip.
On planetary excursions the TM would serve as a field ops base for a landing team.
Anyway, I think I have the extending dock thing sussed, have a look...