I would realy like to see your tutorials. In fact it was your thread that guided me through the remodelling process, so I guess every tutorial coming from you would be helpfull. Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with this whole forum-and-social-network-thing and never find anything in here if I'm looking for. So maybe you could guide me to this via link, if you don't mind?
Nice work Wibble.Where is that console detail situated? Is that on the outer hull somewhere? An access panel to operate the loading ramp or something? Don't remember it from the game, but it has been so long since I played it. It's a nice detail either way.
With regards to McC's tutorials, the links are in his sig at the bottom of his posts in blue.
With regards to McC's tutorials, the links are in his sig at the bottom of his posts in blue.
Well silly me! Please do me a favour and forget that I asked!
That console is indeed located on the outer hull. It's a control panel for the Airlock which isn't in the game. If I'm ready with remodelling the Airlock (once again) I will post an Image where you can see the exact location. Although its one of that details which are so small that you barely see them if you don't make close-ups. But its good to know they are there.
And once again the Airlock. Still not ready but for now I will leave it this way. Considering the fact that the main body still isn't complete yet, I have wasted too much time with this minor details. So, going back to the bigger parts will be the next step, I guess.
An orthographic of the current state of progress. First time I tried ambient occlusion. Although it isn't perfect I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with the result.
I know, I know, me too! And I can't even tell you why.
The fact that it is such a low poly mesh in the game may have to do something with it. This leaves more space for imagination. But I have to say that it loses a lot of that with my version. I'm already thinking about doing a second version, closer to the original and less detaild. Well if I'm ready with this one so maybe in ten years or somthing like that
Oh and I also have some questions.
The first is about how to improve my renders. Maybe a bit soon to ask this because I only do WIP-renders at the moment but it can't harm to know. As you can see the Ortho is a bit overexposed. Of course I didn't cara much about the settings at this time. I played around a bit since then and it is already getting better. But maybe someone can give me a tip which settings are the best. Also I have always to take down the gamme in postwork and I wonder if this is a necessary evil or if there is a way to render it orderly in the first place.
The second is about the original model. I have read somewhere that it is possible to extrude it from the game. That of course would help a lot to get the size and proportions right for a second version. Does somebody know how to do that and how to convert it to blender? Or does someone even have it allready and want it to share with me?
I have read somewhere that it is possible to extrude it from the game. That of course would help a lot to get the size and proportions right for a second version. Does somebody know how to do that and how to convert it to blender?
I've extracted head models from KotOR and played with them so I imagine getting the ships model "should" be possible. It's been a few years (I see date stamps on my files from 2009). The process is roughly;
- extract the model (.mdl/.mdx Aurora game format.) from the games archives
- convert the extracted binary file to ascii
- load the ascii file into gmax/3dsmax with an external importer
gmax is a crippled version of an old version of 3dsmax and has very limited export options. You're probably going to have to use 3dsmax to get a format that blender can import.
If you're still interested I suggest you wander over to Holowan Labs on Lucan Forums and look around the tutorials section. Links to the tools you'll need and instructions on how to use them are there. Perhaps someone has already extracted the model and will share it with you. It's generally a fairly friendly forum (and well moderated).
What program did you use to convert it from the game format to the format Max can use? I've extracted the model using the KOTOR tool, but I could never find a program that would load it to convert it.
I had to dig through the forums to find the names of the various tools. nwmax is the name of the plugin to import the file once converted. mdlops is used to convert the binary to ascii.
The link at Lucas Forums for nwmax is dead, but a quick search turned up this page;
Wow this appears to be more work than I expected. But still: thank you so much for your reply. Ascii code, binary code ... totally new territory for me but I will see If I get through this.
I had to dig through the forums to find the names of the various tools. nwmax is the name of the plugin to import the file once converted. mdlops is used to convert the binary to ascii.
The link at Lucas Forums for nwmax is dead, but a quick search turned up this page;
Although I'm extremely thankful for your help joededman, I have to admit that I just found it in the web.
I hope I'm not breaking any serious copyrights with posting this.
Anyway, a quick size comparison shows that I ... well ... overdid it a little.
Yes, I also had always the feeling that it is too small. Thats why I wanted mine to be bigger. So I was aware of that it probably would look a bit oversized beside the original but I didn't expectet that much. To actually see it did blew me away a bit.
Hm, I always thought they used the same models, just modified slightly. Though, that's not to say they didn't mess up the scale somewhere.
Should have been more specific. When you're inside the ship the KotOR version seems slightly larger than in KotOR2. Yea to look at them from the outside they seem very similar.
@wibble Looking at the low poly model from the game and then looking at yours, I think I like yours better.
Should have been more specific. When you're inside the ship the KotOR version seems slightly larger than in KotOR2. Yea to look at them from the outside they seem very similar.
I knew what you meant, but I haven't played the games in a while, especially KOTOR2, so I don't remember a size difference on the interiors. I was thinking they used the same interior models from the first game. And they could have, but they also could have screwed something up to where it is smaller. After all, they rushed that game out after the success of the first one.
Maybe Revan made some alterations to the ship in the five years between the games.
Posts
I would realy like to see your tutorials. In fact it was your thread that guided me through the remodelling process, so I guess every tutorial coming from you would be helpfull. Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with this whole forum-and-social-network-thing and never find anything in here if I'm looking for. So maybe you could guide me to this via link, if you don't mind?
With regards to McC's tutorials, the links are in his sig at the bottom of his posts in blue.
Well silly me! Please do me a favour and forget that I asked!
That console is indeed located on the outer hull. It's a control panel for the Airlock which isn't in the game. If I'm ready with remodelling the Airlock (once again) I will post an Image where you can see the exact location. Although its one of that details which are so small that you barely see them if you don't make close-ups. But its good to know they are there.
...
And a few other details.
...
As usual, critic and suggestions are welcome.
...
...
The fact that it is such a low poly mesh in the game may have to do something with it. This leaves more space for imagination. But I have to say that it loses a lot of that with my version. I'm already thinking about doing a second version, closer to the original and less detaild. Well if I'm ready with this one so maybe in ten years or somthing like that
The first is about how to improve my renders. Maybe a bit soon to ask this because I only do WIP-renders at the moment but it can't harm to know. As you can see the Ortho is a bit overexposed. Of course I didn't cara much about the settings at this time. I played around a bit since then and it is already getting better. But maybe someone can give me a tip which settings are the best. Also I have always to take down the gamme in postwork and I wonder if this is a necessary evil or if there is a way to render it orderly in the first place.
The second is about the original model. I have read somewhere that it is possible to extrude it from the game. That of course would help a lot to get the size and proportions right for a second version. Does somebody know how to do that and how to convert it to blender? Or does someone even have it allready and want it to share with me?
...
I've extracted head models from KotOR and played with them so I imagine getting the ships model "should" be possible. It's been a few years (I see date stamps on my files from 2009). The process is roughly;
- extract the model (.mdl/.mdx Aurora game format.) from the games archives
- convert the extracted binary file to ascii
- load the ascii file into gmax/3dsmax with an external importer
gmax is a crippled version of an old version of 3dsmax and has very limited export options. You're probably going to have to use 3dsmax to get a format that blender can import.
If you're still interested I suggest you wander over to Holowan Labs on Lucan Forums and look around the tutorials section. Links to the tools you'll need and instructions on how to use them are there. Perhaps someone has already extracted the model and will share it with you. It's generally a fairly friendly forum (and well moderated).
Holowan Labs on Lucas Forums
Lotsa luck,
joe
The link at Lucas Forums for nwmax is dead, but a quick search turned up this page;
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=other.Detail&id=626
First link worked for me. Have a look at the comments. Seems there are issues working with newer versions of Max.
mdlops is here;
http://www.starwarsknights.com/tools.php
hth,
joe
Ah, it was a Max plugin. Crap. I'm a Lightwave user. Thanks for the info, though.
The Original.jpg The Original - 002.jpg
Although I'm extremely thankful for your help joededman, I have to admit that I just found it in the web.
I hope I'm not breaking any serious copyrights with posting this.
Anyway, a quick size comparison shows that I ... well ... overdid it a little.
Comparison.jpg
Well, it wouldn't be the first time in Star Wars that two ships have the same shape but very different sizes… :P
joe
Anyway, according to wookieepedia there are two different measurements for the Ebon Hawk. I scaled it to the highest one which is 25.5 m in length. But If I put Mr. Size Reference in it:
The Original - 003.jpg
You see that there is no way that this would fit in it:
Knights Of The Old Republic - Screenshot 0793.jpg
typical case of bigger on the inside, I guess.
Ah yes! It wouldn't be Sci-Fi anymore if we wouldn't have some scaling issues, right?
So I will have to scale this up as well, I guess. Probably not as much as my version but still.
Hm, I always thought they used the same models, just modified slightly. Though, that's not to say they didn't mess up the scale somewhere.
Better now?
Yep, I can see them now. Boy, that shot from KOTOR2 is bringing back some fond memories. I may have to install and play those games.
Should have been more specific. When you're inside the ship the KotOR version seems slightly larger than in KotOR2. Yea to look at them from the outside they seem very similar.
@wibble Looking at the low poly model from the game and then looking at yours, I think I like yours better.
joe
I knew what you meant, but I haven't played the games in a while, especially KOTOR2, so I don't remember a size difference on the interiors. I was thinking they used the same interior models from the first game. And they could have, but they also could have screwed something up to where it is smaller. After all, they rushed that game out after the success of the first one.
Maybe Revan made some alterations to the ship in the five years between the games.