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3DRealistic G1 Optimus Prime

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Posts

  • evil_genius_180evil_genius_1804256 Posts: 11,034Member
    DCB wrote: »
    The most hilarious was Prime's trailer. It's one thing where you have small bits and pieces being fudged, but a 12+ metre long trailer magically appearing and disappearing?

    I freakin' love that. Sometimes, it rolled backwards out of frame. Other times, it just flat-out disappeared. I still chuckle over that when I watch the episodes on DVD. :D
  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    The turck is looking great.
    As for your issue with the windows. I say leave them as they are.
    It might not be the right hight in robot mode. But it look more realistic, unless you want to do somehting simular to bayfomer prime.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    I hate to do this, but I'm considering switching the model of truck and effectively starting over.
    I've started modeling the later replacement model 362 truck, which has different style windows. While they don't look any taller than the ones of this existing truck, the slightly different features of the truck have given me some ideas on how I can pull it off that I'd be a lot happier with, that I can't do with the existing truck.
    For now I'm only building it to the point where I can test fit the windows and see whether it will work out, but if I do switch, I can reuse a lot of what I've already made, such as the wheels/tyres and bumper, as they're very similar trucks in many regards. With what I've learned from the first time around, plus the more abundant reference material, things should come along much faster this time around. And the front panels will split a lot nicer for the transformation, and it looks to be an easier truck to build, and I think it looks better anyway.

    Some of you may think I'm silly to start over, but this isn't a decision I'll make lightly after all of the work I've put into this so far. I'm doing this project entirely for the love of the character, so I'd rather take more time to end up with something I'm 100% happy with than spend a few weeks less and end up with something I'm only 90% happy with.
  • DoomspongeDoomsponge0 Posts: 0Member
    Many of the Transformers changed size and proportion of parts when transforming. Parts disappeared and reappeared at will during the transformations.

    Which, of course, is why it's ruddy impossible to find a G1-era Starscream, Thundercracker or Skywarp even remotely intact. When a toy's transformation method basically revolves around taking it apart and then putting half of it back together with a few other parts that aren't even remotely stored inside the altmode, you know a realistic transformation method's going to be a toughie. Although to be fair, they've got some really nice more recent toys for those three.
  • DCBDCB331 Posts: 0Member
    BlobVanDam wrote: »
    Some of you may think I'm silly to start over, but this isn't a decision I'll make lightly after all of the work I've put into this so far. I'm doing this project entirely for the love of the character, so I'd rather take more time to end up with something I'm 100% happy with than spend a few weeks less and end up with something I'm only 90% happy with.
    If you don't have at least one modelling project where you scrap everything and start again at least once, you're just doing it wrong. Pretty much any modelling I do involves at least some element of scrapping and rebuilding, finalising a model through an iterative process. Although in my case not because of any artistic integrity or the like, just because I'm crap. :D
  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    It will be a shame to lose the work you done so far. But if your not happy with it, and what you plan to do make it look better.
    Then go for it.
  • L2KL2K0 Posts: 0Member
    maybe you want to have a look to this serie of dvd from digital tutors :
    http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=679&autoplay=1

    they use 2 different models. one truck and one robot, and they transform into one another only at animation.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    DCB wrote: »
    If you don't have at least one modelling project where you scrap everything and start again at least once, you're just doing it wrong. Pretty much any modelling I do involves at least some element of scrapping and rebuilding, finalising a model through an iterative process.

    True that! I ended up rebuilding my USS Voyager model three times. Ended up taking 3 months, I think. Let's hope this one *only* takes me two shots!
    L2K wrote: »
    maybe you want to have a look to this serie of dvd from digital tutors :
    http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=679&autoplay=1

    they use 2 different models. one truck and one robot, and they transform into one another only at animation.

    I've come across that one before, although I use 3DS Max, and not Maya, so I've never looked into it. Hopefully I can manage it all on my own, but if not, maybe I'll just have to take a look at it and try and adapt it over.
  • L2KL2K0 Posts: 0Member
    i know ;) that's why i pointed you to the animation chapter, which covers the part that is not maya-specific, but rather concept.
    you dont have to be a genius to convert into max those topics ;)
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    It's not much yet, but here is the progress on the new truck from scratch. I'm reusing the wheels, and I'm currently reusing the old bumper, although I will eventually be rebuilding that too.

    I did a test fit of the windows and grill on the Optimus model, and I'm much happier with how it's going to turn out, so I'm glad I switched. The grill is larger, and almost a perfect fit for G1 Optimus, and the windows look much better (I didn't include a render since you can only see it in wireframe at this stage, and not in the render).
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  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    The new truck is looking good.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    I just got back to working on this this week, so minor progress. I'm working on the exhaust pipes right now, and I've added more body details like bolts and door sills that break up the boxy look a bit. I personally can't wait to see how all of those bolts look in Prime's robot mode. :cool:
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  • McCMcC373 Posts: 704Member
    Hooray! So glad to see this continuing!
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    I've got a lot of projects going at once, so sometimes it's a little while before I get back to a particular one (I'm very ADD like that).
    The recent info about Transformers 4 kicked my butt back into gear for this one though. I want this at least done before the next movie comes out! :lol:
  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    This is looking really good.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    I felt like switching projects, so I'm back working on this for a little while.

    I'm test fitting a few pieces of the new truck model to make Optimus Prime, and I'm not sure how I feel about it so far. The grey parts are from my old cartoon model, which I'm using as a basic template to place the new pieces, so that will all eventually go. And keep in mind this is without details like wipers, bolts/rivets etc.

    Thoughts and suggestions welcome, as always.
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  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    A minor update. A few more little details, and a few new ideas on the robot model. I'm still not sure if I like it yet.
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  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    This is coming along very nicely.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    Oh hello there! :D

    No major progress on the robot mode renders, but I've got some more done on the truck.
    It's got a roof wing, which I think makes the truck look a bit cooler, and I've got some ideas on how I'll use that in robot mode. I've also added a cab guard (the bit metal sheet with the lights you see in the rear view), which will form some details of the legs/feet, a new larger bumper, which will form the pelvis, the flatbed tray, which will form the bulk of the blue sections of the legs, and some fenders over the rear tyres, which will also be part of the legs.
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  • TALON_UKTALON_UK2 Posts: 0Member
    Looking good, but why the sun guard thing over the windscreen? Was wondering what that detail was with your earlier robot renders, now I see it in place on the truck mode I see, but why have it? Feel it detracts a little from the look of the robot mode, or did you have a specific reason for adding it? Looking great either way.
  • FreakFreak1088 Posts: 4,361Member
    Look good.
    I'll be intrested to see what you do with that spolier.
  • BlobVanDamBlobVanDam0 Posts: 0Member
    TALON_UK wrote: »
    Looking good, but why the sun guard thing over the windscreen? Was wondering what that detail was with your earlier robot renders, now I see it in place on the truck mode I see, but why have it? Feel it detracts a little from the look of the robot mode, or did you have a specific reason for adding it? Looking great either way.

    The stock truck always has the visor there, although the standard one is smaller and much more subtle. I did go with the bigger one for a particular reason though.

    I've attached two renders. One shows what the current model looks like with the visor removed, so you can see how I'm using the visor to fudge the height of the windows, to give the illusion of them being taller to more closely match the original Optimus Prime dimensions. It also reminds me a bit of the Transformers: Prime design, which has some similar chrome on the upper body too.
    The other attached render shows what the robot would look like adjusted to work without the visor. It doesn't look bad at all, but it feels a bit bare to me.
    I also think it makes the truck mode look pretty bad*ss compared to the stock visor, so that's a bonus.

    This is just my own interpretation of Optimus Prime, so I don't expect people to agree with every decision I make, and that's fine. I appreciate all feedback on the design, and I'm still wide open to changes at this point if someone makes a suggestion. :thumb:
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  • TALON_UKTALON_UK2 Posts: 0Member
    Cool, was just wondering what the thought process was behind that design decision. All good, a decent looking realistic Optimus based on the original truck will blow Lord Bayhem's cinematic one out of the water as far as I'm concerned.

    Keep up the great work.

    :thumb:
  • ArmondikovArmondikov0 Posts: 0Member
    Truck is looking pretty sweet! I wouldn't shy away from doing your own slight twist on Optimus. After all, if you aim for "realistic" then you'll have to definitely do a lot of fudging that's possible for a comic/cartoon but not for an actual transforming truck. You may as well make it intentional!
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