Back end, thrusters etc...
 

Well, time for another update. I have now completed the exterior of the back compartment. This includes detailing of the back end and the working doors on the top.

Nothing has been done inside of the tank yet, but there will be seats, gun etc... back there at some point.

I guess I will have to move onto the front now, but have been avoiding doing the top jaw part because I'm not entirely sure how to go about it, but I guess it is all a learning experience.

I had a quick go at putting the thundercats' logo on the top of the main body, it has to split in half, so is essentially two half logos, but I really know nothing about texturing, so any tips or pointers towards good tutorials etc... would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help and comments.

Problem with top jaw
 

I have begun modelling the top jaw of the tank and have run into a problem.

Obviously, being a Thundertank, it has to have the ability to open it's mouth and eat things, like baddies! I have the lower jaw rigged to move up and down already, but when I rotate the top jaw shape it deforms.

The pictures below should show what I mean. Can anyone help? If you have any ideas as to why it is doing this please let me know.

Cheers

Fine
 

Okay like this

Deformed
 

Mis-shapen

do you have any deformers attached to the top jaw? Or did you create it using a curve? If so deleting your history should help.
Cheers,
Penguin

Irritating top jaw
 

It was created using a poly torus. I scaled it to roughly the right shape and cut it in half, then edited from there.

Was this a silly way to do it? I wasn't sure what the best option would be.

I tried deleting the history and this didn't help at all unfortunately.

Thanks for your help though, any more advise would be great.

If it's a seperate piece of geometry you should just parent it to the joints, that way there will be no deformation when you move it around.

Thundercats rule! Unfortunately it was never a huge success in Denmark (or I'm simply not old enough :) ), but the local video rental store had the pilot (first 3 edisodes I think) which a watched something like a million times with some friends :)

I downloaded some of the episodes (shame on me) a while back, and really wanted to make some 3D models of them, but unfortunately I never got started. Oh, and the guy with the whip was the coolest! :D

Thank you for all your help
 

Cheers for all the help and comments people. I feel the tank is coming along quite nicely now.

I ended up re-doing the mouth with curves and lofted surfaces and it is working fine. I have now set up the limit information and set driven keys so that the mouth (both upper and lower jaws) open as I want.

I have added two chairs and the beginnings of a dashboard. There is going to be loads of fine detailing to do.

Below are my latest images. Next, the tracks at the back.

And to all of you that are leaving messages about how wonderful Thundercats was, I salute you. It was Tigra who had a whip by the way blomkaal.

Keep the feedback coming.

More pics
 

Seats, screen and dashboard

Looking forward to seeing this completed

Are you going to make more things from Thundercats?

More Thundercats models
 

I would love to continue to make more Thundercats models after this, there are so many vehicles, buildings and characters to do. But I am going travelling for 4 months in a few weeks so wont be doing anything for a while. I have every intention of carrying on with it when I return though. I just really want to get this tank finished before I leave. Now time to get on with it!

Hi....this is starting to come together :) Nostalgia rocks!

Tank tracks
 

Hello,

My latest issue is how to create the tank tracks. I think I need help here. As you can see in the picture below I have created the wheels the tracks are to go around already.

I have just been following a tutorial to create tracks that run along a motion path. I did this and they run round it fine (i only did one track segment), but only in one direction because they follow the curve in the direction it was drawn! I want tracks that can go in either direction.

I'm also not sure if this is the best way to create and animate the curves, I was thinking of doing them with a set driven key, i.e parent the tracks to the wheels, and use set driven keys to turn the lot as I move the body of the tank. Which is the best way? One of these? None of the above? Any help would be great.

Thanks

Tracks done
 

Well I managed to find another tutorial on tank tracks that made much more sense and allows them to be fully animatable both forwards and in reverse, so I am very happy now.

There isn't much major modelling left to do now, mainly it is just the detailing of the back compartment and dashboard.

Please leave me comments, criticisms etc... any feedback is good.

Till later.

I think its great (having been a big thundercats fan too).
A couple more shots of the front and some wires would be nice to see.

Anyone fancy doing some low poly thundercat characters? ;)