Puddle Jumper project

[Anubisone]

Hi guys, I am new here, but I spend some time to learn and start 3D modelling under Blender for Linux. It took me alot of time and effort to collect data like screens, meshes etc. and finally puddle jumper has it's first look shape:



Truly, there are some artists that were doing the exact modell too and they are more experienced that I am.

Anyway, I wish someone wil give me some guidance to continue the project.

Here it is the first look of the "gate ship" like McKay once said:


Ps. Sorry for the lights and shadows etc. They will be added as the project progress.

[dboy-2007]

Firstly, welcome to GW Anubisone

You seem to be making great progress with what you have so far especially for a beginner my one critique would be that the window seems slightly out of proportion. If you are just getting started with using 3D modelling I would highly advise a few models of original design. This would give you much more freedom to explore the modelling software you are using and gain the understanding of the program you need to complete your project. For example try making a completely original gate ship of your own design. This is only my own opinion so you may already have your own approach but I would advise getting used to the software you are using before taking on a project like this. Also check out the Original Starship Design Thread for some inspiration and help from other modelers.

[Anubisone]

Thanks for good advices. I noticed many errors in my previous model. Especially the window is as U said out of proportion and the angles weren't good, exact. My puddle jumper was based on schematics from Ebay, which created many problems after I learned it is faulty. Needed to redesign many things and start almost from the beginning. You may look for the outcome, as it is now after 20 hours of work from 2 days ago, especially with tiny dots everywhere xD.

So, here it is:



Ps. My previous big experience was with 3D Studio Max, fortunately for me Blender is quicker and similar to it, so I just needed a tiny experience to understand the position of modificators etc. to get started.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

^ Here's one I made earlier

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...umperguide.jpg

^ You might find this useful..

It's not complete.. I have the rest of it somewhere..

If you're using Blender you could use environment lighting in the world settings. It would prevent any dark shadows appearing. Set it to 0.5 or so to see how it looks. Setting it too high will make your model look flat..

When you're finished and setting up the lighting to render it properly, turn the environmental lighting down so it's just bright enough so you don't lose detail in the shadows.

[Anubisone]

Looks beautiful. Unfortunately I'm stuck with making those shapes on the cylinder which is the shell of my Puddie in Blender. I was trying to cut these line by scaled boxes, without good effect.

Do U know any good tutorial how to I dont know, draw shape on the cylinder's wall and extrude it somehow in the deep?

Thanks alot.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

Scaled boxes to line up your cuts? I've done that before

..Save the image I posted and load it as a background image. That will give you something to work from. To make all the pieces of the puddle jumper shell I would make each piece a separate object. Start with one solid cylinder as a base layer, then duplicate it to keep everything the same shape. Pick out one of the middle layer pieces and select the faces of the cylinder that best cover it. Divide the mesh using loop cuts (Ctrl+r) and move the new vertices along the length of the cylinder to match the shape on the image (It's so much easier to have an image to work from, it's a lot like tracing) Once you have the shape drawn out on the mesh select the faces you want to keep and delete the rest (Ctrl+i, then delete) ...select the faces again and press "e" to extrude. Repeat for all pieces of the model.

I don't know how clear that was.. Probably not very.. I don't really think about what I'm doing when I make models, I just do it

But using separate objects for each part of the design makes things a lot easier. Just keep duplicating that original cylinder and cutting the pieces you need out of it. Trying to do it all as one object just gets complicated really quickly, it gets harder to unwrap for texturing and if you make a mistake you could ruin the whole model.

[Anubisone]

Pretty simple explained, but xD

As U know even when I have simple cylinder and I want to "extrude deep" those fancy shape that split into 2 lines from one line, I give up hope.

Even with BG pictures it is impossible because the are not straight, but bended.

Any ideas?

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

You could try an unwrapped version of the puddle jumper shell. Here's one I made earlier:

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps03477930.jpg

But it's not impossible.You just need to use top and side views to measure where you're placing the vertices.. It will take time, but it can be done. That's how I made the real one I posted ^^.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...psa08815e2.jpg

^ This one combined with the side view should have all the information you need to build the shell of a Puddle Jumper. They took me a week to make.. using only screenshots from the first season of SGA..

[Anubisone]

As U showed me already many times and I apreciate it, I drawed some loops around the cylinder, positioned the vertices in places along every side of the shape, so that I was able to select faces on both sides. Then I stuck on some another difficulty. As you know, extracting goes along x,y or z axis and it's useless in case of centrified cylinder. I decided to extract all selected faces separatedly after selecting them all. In the effect I got now too many vertices and some parts of the faces extruded downside are intersecting. Merging them all seems to be possible, but there must be a better way of extruding even if I merge near vertices before extruding. What do U think?

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

If you select the faces you want to extrude, with the "select option" set to face select, they should extrude along the normal... If some are going the wrong way you need to select all the faces and press Ctrl+N to get them all in the same direction.

I think your cylinder might have too many faces. It's better to start with fewer faces and then add more as you need them.

[Anubisone]

Let's see .... "need some engines please, Radek" McKay



I'm eager for your opinion.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

Looking good so far ..Although the lines you've cut into the side look a little deep..

Can you take a screenshot in edit mode so I can see the mesh?

[Anubisone]

Looking good so far ..Although the lines you've cut into the side look a little deep..

Can you take a screenshot in edit mode so I can see the mesh?

My mesh is looking like mess, but don't worry, I replace bad objects with new one when I learn how to made it simplier, more accurate. As for now, I was thinking myself that someone in there future asks me about Puddie made of some marble or with some Graffiti or just with the holes in another color ust like in Homeworld game, so I did some changes to make it more quickier.



Currently that is today I position some simple cubics to be sure all seats and the console too, are in the right place. Especially those is the back and U know, it is working fine and I love it too.



Ps. Did U noticed in internet and I think in the movie also, that there are 2 types of Puddle Jumper? One is splitted in twice in the middle and is much longer, has about 16 seats like in original sketches I saw:




and another one is much shorter, has only about 6 seats behind and 2 near console and the wall that splits the ship compartments is not vertical in any way oO. I don't know. I do the shorter version.



I love the desert style of rendering I made. It makes the look so SG-1 attractive u know? Who knows if Amanda Carter and McKay () will seat there too. Looking now for some models to reedit and done it too. I think I buy some similar to those two ;D

Look at those examples I found at Google "everywhere". Maybe I am wrong, that would be not the first time.



Yeah, and I do concentrate on the shorter version with a little artistic accent of my.

As for the design, it is not made only for 3d printing or some wallpaper. Someone who will take this model from me, could easily build his own modell at home in the garden or maybe someone will find a way to flight too. Someone who is "crazy" enough in a good way, reative one hehe.

Ps2. And don't worry about the vertices on the back. I do it manually for fun ;P Everything will be alright I think. For me it's like LEGO. I don't like those new ones U can buy. I prefer to do circle from scratches myself. After that all vertices will be merged and exterminated. No vertice will stay alone in here! xD

Ps3 (not for games ;P). Do you have some idea to smooth the shell that U see in the back view on the screen? I cannot smooth it normally by using Subs etc because I will smooth the endings that belong to those cuttings along the side.

[Pharaoh Hamenthotep]

By smoothing it, do you mean get rid of the flat faces? On the "Object Tools" panel on the left side of the screen there are the "shading options" Select the mesh you want to smooth, and press the "Smooth" button.

[Anubisone]

It is okey. I make it at the end of my modelling work. You may look at the recent Puddle Jumper - lighting - update:

http://i47.tinypic.com/2yxrvbt.png

I can say I love making all those tiny and bigger adjustments. Even if it is very time consuming and sometimes I forget to eat fo many hours, only Cola, nothin' more