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Yup... here I go again... another half-baked project to maybe-maybe not complete!
Wanting to make a sci-fi video, with a cartoonish simplicity in art-style (sort of like Futurama goes 3D animation).... to go with some music I have in mind - an old ELO album called "Time", for any who know ELO (Electric Lights Orchestra).
Worked out a very basic form for the spaceship, and am detailing it from back to front... The ship style to look somewhat "contemporary" - like our space station, satellites, or even the designs of "near futuristic" sorts such as the now-past-time movie "2001", or "Silent Running" (for those few who may remember that oldie).
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/spaceship4view-1.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/spaceship5.jpg)
The rocket area is pretty much in shape the way I want, and now migrating forward...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/spaceshiprockets-1.jpg)
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Looks like it's getting there. You might pop on some textures.
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Nice work, I like the red n white colour scheme so far, aswell as the shape, great thruster things.
for any who know ELO
Hello? Mr Blue Sky is one of my favourite songs!
lol
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Well then, do you know the album "Time"? And yes, I do like "Mr. Blue Sky"... it's a "peppy little tune".
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nice design. the cylinder part could use a little smoothing along the edge, b/c it doesn't look quite spacey that part. but the engines look really great.
keep it up.
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Yup, as noted... the thing's rough forward of the rocket area... and dernit, I lost the whole ship when my anim8or program kaputted! File corrupted...
But, I did make a test "fly-by" of the unfinished craft, because I wanted to see what it looks like cruising slowly ahead in space...
http://www.[youtube]youtube.com/watch?v=CJ8P1oIAVrc[/youtube]
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Cool! It does have a nicely "Futurama" feel to it, with the red bands around the fuel tanks. I like the angled exhaust nozzles, nice touch! Sorry to hear about the file corruption, it might be worth posting the file here. There are some members very skilled at picking through the file and finding the problem. Otherwise, best of luck with the rebuild!
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Thanks for the advice, Ensoniq!
I'd post the file here but, since I couldn't open it at all, I deleted it.
And while I'm bad about remembering to say it... I do thank you all for your comments!
Ensoniq, I love the space-work you produce as well, always have.
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You were doing a good job on this. Hope you'll be able to get it where it was, and add some details to the front portion.
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Reconstruction underway...
VIDEO CLIP
http://www.[youtube]youtube.com/watch?v=KyZseEbgt_s[/youtube]
STILL SHOT RENDER
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/spaceship%20video/spaceshipREBUILD1.jpg)
4-VIEW SCREENSHOT
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/spaceship%20video/spaceshipREBUILD4-view-1.jpg)
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Test run with planet scene, thank you EricAug!
Rough and very very dark... you might not even see the ship at first, but it passed over the upper right area of the screen. Need some reworking of the rotating ring sequence, etc... and of course the ship is still needing detailed out completely ... but hey, now we're in space!
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everything looks great exept that last video. u can hardly see what ur sposed ot be watching. the enviroment looked good though.
I think if you had the ring around the ship rotation around it would make it look cooler. u have those spoke things attached. i just think it would give ur animations more life.
great job on it though
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Yeah, it's very dark and needs some adjustments with lighting ...
The ring rotates, but it only rotated for the first 4 seconds. Am having problems getting the continued repeat sequences to work smoothely. At each 4 second interval the ring rotates backward before continuing.
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To fix the issue of the ring rotating backwards, make sure that the placement of the ring is the same at the beginning and end of the sequence. That'll keep it nice and smooth.
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Yeah, I've been mucking with it but not getting it straightened out very well. Will likely have to just scrap it and try again.
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What I sometimes use on tires and wheels is a quarter turn approach... from time to time I get that same move backwards then forward again thing with rotations in all the directions (x,y, and z axis). I tried a couple times to look at and modify the placement settings but it didn't work. So when I notice it now I just go in at quater intervals and put it where I want... seems fine then.
Good luck... love the fuel tanks... maybe some communication equipment on the hull? Great later when you wanna light the thing up in dark space.
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Yeah, when I worked on my old " 'Lunch with Led' Zeppelin" (tribute to a radio program I liked), I had a single, spinning propeller that worked with the backspin problem:
I since decided to do 1/4 turn intervals, and that's what the ship wheel rotation has, but for some reason it still back-spins. So, I don't know what else to do - the sequence works fine, but when it gets put into the scene the back-spin shows.
Anyway, I decided I want to rehash the ship completely, and go for a more realistic look after all. With the cool planet and sun effect that EricAug came up with, the comical approach just doesn't cut it.
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Use the Graph Editor in scene mode
CTRL P - make sure it is upper case P
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not sure what you mean, onespirit... but will try it after I finish my rebuild.
And, as for the rebuild... here you can see as I am converting the ship's look completely. Rockets maintain some familiarity with the old, fuel tanks and new tube-structure design is taking place of the old look... and you can see the "old ship" still there at the front of the model... to be replaced as I make more things.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook2.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook1.jpg)
A shaft will run the length of the ship - within the tube-framework, and there will be several structures along the length from the rear to the front. I intend to keep the big rotating ring concept, but it will be more detailed, with all sorts of space-ship doodadderies on it. This serves as a sort of energy field generator for warp-transition. The front will still be a spherical structure as I have always liked that look on ships. A lot more details will be found along flat surfaces as I fill things out. I will likely keep the tanks smooth as an intended contrast to the detailing of the rest.
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Hello Arik
headwax the lurker here..... I am enjoying watching you buildthis up, inteesting how your mind works. Looking forwrad to the doodads and the greebles and maybe a bit of assymetry?
cheezels
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oh sure... I can depend on headwax to want assymetry! (what were those first three letters? just kidding) Yes, this thing is too balanced, so I do have some brainfarting going on about what to do to throw it off a little. Just not way off, or it may not keep to its course! (what ever that is)
Yeah, I did make this a real run-on thread showing my overall progress, regress, etc. But, hey, looks like everyone gets to read "Dear Anim-Diary", at least with regard to this thing.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook3.jpg)
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The details are looking cool. I don't know about assymetry though.
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I'm liking it so far... looks to me like a mix of Disney and Red Dwarf.
IE. Awesome.
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Thanks, Joe... You may be hitting a bit of my old inspiration points there, yup... I always liked the USS Cygnus from "The Black Hole"... I'm also partial to the looks of the old "eagles" of the old sci-fi series "Space: 1999" (which really sucks to watch, but had excellent designs for the ship models), and the ships of "2001-A Space Odyssey," and the old movie "Silent Running".
Here, a little more detailing in the rocket - engine area... detailing the previously plain panels:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook4.jpg)
...and have since added the beginnings of the big "ring thing", shown here:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook5.jpg)
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It's looking fantastic. Those details really add a lot to the model.
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Thank ya Eric! Here's a bit more ring-work... building toward the core from outside inward...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook5-1.jpg)
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I like this ring A LOT better than the other. For different reasons. You have totally moved away from the cartoon feel of the previous design and have lots more detail that is really gonna shine through with lighting later. Cool. Keep up the good work.
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As soon as I saw the rebuilt ship I was gonna make a post about it's design links to such movies and shows as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Space, 1999" and "Silent Running"... and then you went and mentioned them yourself! I love the look of the redesign Arik, really excellent work. The central hexagonal power plant section twixt tanks and nozzles has a nice design link to the Eagle moon lander from the Apollo missions. I love this model Arik, perhaps in part because I love the movies and shows mentioned, but also because I like your own unique design ideas, especially in respect to the finer details.
In regards to assymetry, be careful how assymetric you go. For a space vehicle to work properly the mass should be balanced centrally around the thrust axis, so it accelerates straight without cartwheeling. So long as the vehicle looks like it could stand on end, nozzles down, without tipping over it should be about right I reckon.
When it comes time to rotate the ring, assuming you still plan to, could I suggest using a rotation script? It allows simple speed adjustment and does not suffer from those unexpected backpedalling events that happen with keyframed rotations. Let me know if you're interested and I will post a script that can be easily modified to suit your application.
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Thanks again, guys. I'm having fun slowly piddling through this thing.
Ensoniq5, knowing your work because I pored over it heavily when I first saw you enter in the "Strange Worlds" contest, I had a feeling you and I had a similar bent in Sci-Fi taste, and am not at all surprised you pinpointed the same movies/shows as I had in mind. When I broke away from the original design, I started out with trying to go for a very "current day space style", but have opted to keep a certain "futuristic" element to the ship instead... else I would not have the red and white extremes that I've held over, and a certain look that definitely does not quite fit "realistic" in it. I guess it's basically taken a "realistic contemporary look" and future-ized it. And as for symmetry, I have really tried to think "asymmetrical" for this... but it just doesn't want to go that way... However, I might purposely go and make something completely asymmetrical after this, just because I do feel it would be a great thing to build...
Here are a few of the "inspiration shots" I am gleaning from as I do work it.
This first shot, from a classic little game I played in the 1970s, called "WarpWar"... It is my primary source of inspiration, for reasons that are quite obvious as one compares images... The look just screams out the style of space-stuff I really like:
Original WarpWar Game Art:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/finished.jpg)
Refined and polished up Game Art:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/2712446124_556a429a15.jpg)
When I first got WarpWar it came in a ziplock baggy, and had nothing but basic ink-drawings for art, a hex-sheet for game board, and a bunch little punch-out square playing pieces that had silhouettes of the various ships for the game. But the art (as seen in pic #1) appealed to me heavily, being in the same style as the ships of the movies mentioned previously.
Obviously of the same style and inspiration, the most recognizable model from the old show "Space: 1999" has never lost its luster in my eyes, though to watch the show itself is like watching the worst in sci-fi movie making, just absolutely attrocious all around... But I still feel the "Eagle" really did play hard for "realistic and plausible" as a lunar craft:
Replica model from the show:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/replica-eagle-l.jpg)
3D CG design from who-knows-where:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/persp.jpg)
The Discovery, from "2001: A Space Odyssey":
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/discg.jpg)
The ship, Valley Forge, from "Silent Running" (also, for those not aware, footage of this vessel was used in one episode of the original "Battlestar Galactica"... a tribute to a movie? or just being CHEAP?):
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/17_double.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/SILENT_RUNNING-40_resize.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/SILENT_RUNNING-43_resize.jpg)
....and, being assaulted by the Cylons in "Battlestar Galactica"...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/galactica.jpg)
(don't even get me started on the episode where the USS Enterprise is flying with the fleet...)
Yes, I go on and on... but hey, call it a fat-headed ego trip, because I will gladly agree.
Out of all of these, though, I still have a partiality toward the first image - the ink drawing from WarpWar....
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Someone's got too much time on their hands :P (ya, I know, who am I to talk). It always turns out better when you're passionate about what you're doing, which you obviousky are. It looks great and every time i open this thread it looks even better. Looking forward to seeing the completed project.
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WHAT? WHAT? COMPLETED PROJECT???? Could it be that, after all this time, I might COMPLETE A PROJECT????
...ooooh heaven forbid...
And here, the hardest part for me to decide... how to make the ring... so going slow, thinking too much and doing too little... after this, it'll all come together smoothely. As is, am trying to make the arms. The central core, and then the rest of the ship, I already know pretty well what to do with.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook6.jpg)center]
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wow that is a lot of detail. keep it up.
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Thanks, lizeal... a lot of detail, but a lot due to the wonders of copy and paste! Not much time to work this last weekend - my son graduating from high school, and all the activities around that... but have must finished the ring section...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook8.jpg)
Oh, and based upon what I have decided to do with the "ring thing," I have named the ship the USS Nikola Tesla ... or what ever might be most appropriate in the place of "USS".... (note the change in subject name)
Now I can work on the rest. The ring design was my biggest headache, trying to decide just how the whole thing should look...
EDIT:
I needed a diversion from ship design, so experimenting with rocket flames... Of course, would NEVER have all rockets firing at once here, but...(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/firedup1.jpg)
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I really like the rocket exuast. How did you make it?
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Making Rocket Flames
Create the Materials "Flame Fade" and "Flame Solid:
"Flame-Fade" Material:
- Copy and save this image (a freebee courtesy of GIMP and me)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/black-whiteblur.jpg)
- Settings for Texture
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flamefade1.jpg) (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flamefade2.jpg)
Note where the black-whiteblur.jpg file is applied as a "trans map" in 2nd image above.
"Flame-Solid" Material: Use same settings for the colors, etc., as in the "Flame-Fade", but do not apply trans map texture. Keep it a simple, solid color.
Create Flame Shapes:
- Make two cylinders, as follows
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/outerflame.jpg) (http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/innerflame.jpg)
- Convert both cylinders to mesh
- Apply "Flame-Fade" material to cylinders
- Apply "Flame-Solid" material to the "Start End" of each cylinder as shown:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-materialapplied.jpg)
"Convert to Subdivided" both cylinders:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-subdivided.jpg)
Place the "inner flame" within the "outer flame". There is an undesirable heavy edge at the end of the flames... so I cut it off to make the fade effect complete....
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-endproblem.jpg)
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-cutoffend.jpg)
and there you go!
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-endcut2.jpg)
...and rendered...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-tutrender.jpg)
Something to try... When making the outer flame... Have the "End" measurement be wider then the "Start" measurement, for a fanning out effect...
Also, perhaps make the inner flame's color lighter than the outer?
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Very nice method. I wouldn't have that about that myself. Looking forward to the final result!
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That's looking quite good, Arik.
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Oh, forgot to post this... I did rework the flame by the last suggestion, just to see. I think I like it.
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/flame-altrender.jpg)
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Yep, looks cool. I wonder if you added some randomization into the perfect white-black gradient, how would it look?
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A bit more... adding and detailing the whatzit chamber in front of the fuel-a-mabobs....
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook9.jpg)
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Arik
still going beautifully I see.
Flames are very impressive, I like the method. maybe some noise (in the transmap?) as Eric suggested/.?
How about giving us a render with a distant/collimated light source and an ambient value of zero on the hull? Then adjusting the lights to mimic the small amount of refected light that would occur in this situation? (assuming the jet engines aren't full bore :) )
cheese
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Oh is that a door? That's really cool.
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Thanks for the C&C... especially the crits... I do want crits and suggestions.
Yes, that's a door, Eric!
All these renders are in Object mode so far... but will start thinking on lighting and such pretty soon as I am working toward the final parts of the craft.
And, here I've brought the things to date together...
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d69/aric_001/starship/shipnewlook10.jpg)[\center]
As for the flames, I do want to give them some pulsing, and flaws as commented. I'm just unsure how to effect that for animation. Any ideas would be welcome.
Next things to add will be an area along the girderwork to attach satellite probes, and then the bridge and crew quarters, and that'll do it!
Then to create it's "Space Journey" items... and put this thing to video and music. I'd originally started this with an ELO tune idea, but my music choice has shifted, and continues to mull about. Am sort of lingering on the idea of an old Pink Floyd instrumental called "Interstellar Overdrive"...
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This is looking awesome Arik, keep it up.
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Been busy with life, and mucking around with the Jabberwocky... but still piecing bits together for the space-ship thing.
Here's a render test I did, experimenting with a space backdrop. The ship has a lot of work to be done - obviously the "bridge sphere" is detached from the rest still... but I just like to see it fly :P
&feature=channel_page
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the animation looks cool. great lighting. the only suggestion would be to make the ropcket flames don't light up with a bright enough emmissive value. maybe its the lighting?
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Yes, I agree there. I don't know what to do to light up the flames. I am open to suggestions.
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Aha it does fly :)
I'd drop the ambient down to zero on the spaceship for a start -that will make you consider your lighting in a different light.
For the engine light they look pretty good, maybe some noise and a rapidly changing morph? to add more flicker
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To make it totally white, under any circumstance, set the gradient as the transparency, emissive and ambient textures, and turn ambient and emissive to 1, then turn everything else to 0 (including brilliance and diffuse) and make sure that the " = button is not pushed between ambient and diffuse. This will ensure that the flame doesn't react at all to lighting around it and that what you paint on the texture is what you see on the mesh. It might not looks right in the workspace but it should render fine.
Otherwise, make sure the gradient is mapped on the object so that it goes all the way to the white and that it doesn't end halfway in the gray.
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To quote the Beatles; 'It's getting better all the time'
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Testing Ambience Lighting
No Ambience:
Low Ambience:
Which is better? I know my personal preference, but I want to know what appeals to everyone in general.
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I prefer no ambience, since with the low ambience, you can't really see anything of the ship.
Perhaps for a teaser i'd go for low.
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looks great. the background is awesome. i like the low ambiance b/c you can see some of the ship instead of it just being a black blob flying through space.