Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 106 01-01-2009 , 02:46 AM
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Love it!

Love it!

I really like the added rivets and trim panels! The only thing I don't like are the missiles and the stubby carrier wings. It makes the whole speeder look cartoon'ish, big body - small wings, even though they aren't wings. I'd say loose the wings completely, and mount the missles on brackets on the body, one above the other...

Otherwise fantastic! Happy texturing! :p

-Jacques


Poly-pushing on a '96 SGI O2
# 107 01-01-2009 , 02:50 AM
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perhaps some sort of box-like extrusion on the sides to launch the missiles or that the missiles are mounted on

or a tank-like turrent, something that isn't thin and jutting out but rather blends in?
like how you have the little lights on the side




that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

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# 108 01-01-2009 , 03:27 AM
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Thanks for the feed back guys.

I am just playing with different ideas.

I kind of like the winglets. I was never sure of the hard points and missile looking things. I was considering leaving the wings and just taking off the hard points and missiles or leaving the hard points but having nothing on them just to suggest things could be added there.

They are of course not there for any kind of lift but simply to support the mounts for various devices. This is similar to what is seen on attack helicopters.

The missile shaped thingies I added simply to put something on the hard points. In the final I was thinking something more along the lines of sensor type gizmo and probably just one and maybe something different on each side for more asymmetry.

I'll rethink them maybe in the end I'll have two versions. It will be a simple matter to put them on a render layer and just switch them on and off.

Here is a render with nothing on the hard points....

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Last edited by ctbram; 08-01-2009 at 05:51 AM.
# 109 01-01-2009 , 02:03 PM
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that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

Computer skills I should have:
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Maya, XSI, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Motion, Illustrator, Flash, Swift3D
# 110 01-01-2009 , 02:11 PM
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another view of the winglets...

I was thinking of maybe a camera/flir pod with a ball socket like on the apache and something else on the other side so it has an asymmetrical Silhouette?

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Last edited by ctbram; 04-01-2009 at 04:57 AM.
# 111 06-01-2009 , 03:40 PM
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My brain is still working on things guys. I am having a bit of a creative block on the paint scheme and some minor technical stuff.

I have all the UV's laid out, but I am having some trouble deciding how best to create the UV texture map(s). One big one with everything, or break it up into several smaller ones.


Last edited by ctbram; 08-01-2009 at 05:59 AM.
# 112 07-01-2009 , 07:50 PM
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Fantastic work mate.

I really like the added details you have added to the model,

WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR TUTORIAL DISKS user added image lol

i am have just got to the point of the UV mapping in the tutorial, biggest problem i am having at the moment is getting the smoothing right on the body, Jay said he didnt want to use subdiv on the model so i am trying not to although most of the other stuff i have done have all been subdic'd (option 3 on kb in 2009)

thanks Mithandra

# 113 08-01-2009 , 08:39 AM
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Thank you M. There is really not a lot more that I have done then Jay demonstrates in the tutorial.

I added a tad more detail to some of the bits. Jay's engine greebling is outstanding and after more then a week of on and off work on the texturing I cannot even come close to the quality of Jay's. His weathering of the texture painting and other maps really makes his renders POP!

All mine are still looking flat and so I have not felt them worthy of even uploading. But I am working on it.

I checked your WIP and your work is progressing nicely. As Jay said it's good to see folks adding their own creative touches to the model.

==========================
"If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulder of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675


Last edited by ctbram; 08-01-2009 at 08:49 AM.
# 114 08-01-2009 , 02:13 PM
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Ctbram

you are too kind sir! many thanks.

upload the textured version, get some crit....

also you can help weathering the textures by baking out ambient occlusion maps and add it to the color textures, it will help darken the little nooks and crannies on the model. You can adjust the opacity of the map in PS to suit. Its just practice, get references and go for it, its not difficult.

regards
Jay

# 115 25-09-2009 , 12:53 PM
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moving forward...

I have been away for a while and decided to get back into things by picking up this project again.

I added some new geometry. I added more detail to the engine in the form of some pressure vessel. I borrowed the idea from macsrevenge's version at:

https://srv01.simply3dworld.com/showt...highlight=sand

I have to set up the UV's for the new bits, then start back in on texturing.

I really want to texture this but I have not seen a GOOD maya hard surface texturing tutorial. I have spent a good deal of money searching. There was one from gnomon in the behind the scenes series although this one was for maya I was very disappointed as the instructor kept glossing over all the details. It amounted to him showing the initial untextured model, some basic prep work, and then a couple brush strokes and finally jumping to the finished beautifully textured model with zero useful instructions on how to get there!

The best I found was one from Gnomon by Neil Blevins but it was for 3ds max and I found almost nothing that I could figure out how to apply to maya.

I sure wish someone would make a detailed hard surface texture painting tutorial for maya and photo shop. The real issue is using the painting tools - Photoshop, illustrator, bodypaint, zbrush, mudbox..., figuring out how to use these without any training is hard. Also, I could use a full on photoshop painting techniques tutorial showing how to paint panel lines, raised and sunken panel details, grunge, drips, scratches, chips, etc. I am not a painter and have not used photoshop much so every time I fire PS up I get frustrated and quit.

Anyway, here is the finished model with the new details (I still need to do the UV layout on the new bits before I can start texture painting).

1 of 3: full view

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 17-10-2009 at 03:53 PM.
# 116 25-09-2009 , 12:54 PM
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2 of 3: engine view

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675
# 117 25-09-2009 , 12:55 PM
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3 of 3: engine tight shot

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675
# 118 25-09-2009 , 11:17 PM
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angle from the top...

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675
# 119 17-10-2009 , 06:59 AM
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Sorry the texturing is taking forever. I am having to learn how to use photoshop pretty much from scratch. So I have been watching and reading all the photoshop tutorials I can lay my hands on.

So that I can get some kind of forward motion on this I decided to do some paint overs to help me with the texturing starting with rivets, panel lines, access hatches, and latches. I was hoping to be able to project the details onto the model using one of my 3d paint applications.

Please let me know what you think of the layout?

I am a nub when it comes to painting and using photoshop so I have to figure out how to paint all the details like panel lines, latches, hatches, rivets, hinges which I guess I will need to use color and bump maps.

To do:

1. Do some paint scheme paint overs

2. Figure out how to get the paint over stuff from photoshop onto the model.

3. Continue to learn to paint in photoshop. Need to learn techniques for painting panel lines, hatches (raised and sunken), latches, rivets.

4. color maps, add decals, add grunge, bumps, specs...

What is the difference between a bump map and a normal map? I know that a displacement map actually tessellates at render time and that a bump map simply gives the appearance of depth by playing tricks with light, but I don't know how normal a map differs?

Here is my paint over for the panel lines, rivets, hatches, and latches details. Please let me know what you all think?

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 06-11-2009 at 10:32 PM.
# 120 17-10-2009 , 07:00 AM
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Here is just the rivet, panel line, hatch, and latch layers...

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"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

Last edited by ctbram; 17-10-2009 at 01:57 PM.
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