Jedi Starfighter

# 1 26-08-2006 , 11:37 PM

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Hey guys,

I'm done with the Jedi Fighter model. Below are some mentalray renders.

I'm aware there are some issues with wing thickness, seams etc. but its time to move on. user added image

I've learn many things doing this project:

modeling (techinque)
texturing (techinque)
Subdivision Surface Approximation (Approixmation Editor)
Diffuse mapping
Mental Ray (few new things)

I'll be finishing up a simple animation soon, and will post it.

Looking forward to learning some organic modeling next. user added image

EDIT: Fixed the wings, fixed cockpit, reflection map applied to cockpit & a few other tweaks.

user added image

higher resolution image

user added image

higher resolution image

comments & critiques are welcome...
Fess

Trini For Life

Last edited by Fess; 24-09-2006 at 04:34 AM.

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# 2 28-08-2006 , 05:56 AM

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Veri Nice render! user added image

Yeah the wings are a bit too thick. and the edges need to be rounded. They should not be flat. Too bad you decided against fixing that. It's an easy fix.

Here is the part of the wing I'm talking about.

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# 3 28-08-2006 , 04:00 PM

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THX,

Thanks for the input my friend... user added image

I actually fixed the wing this morning. Really bothered me, no aerodynamics of any aircraft has such thick wings, plus it really reduced the appeal of the model.

Goal wasn't make a exact replica of the movie starfighter, I just used this model to learn new things.

Will post when its completed.

Thanks
Fess

Trini For Life

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# 4 24-09-2006 , 04:44 AM

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Finished up a simple fly-by animation with the starfighter.

I wanted to experiment with learning about motion blur (2d) & the cmd prompt etc.

Also learned about the samplerInfo node for the planet atmosphere.

Stars are paintFX.

Sound done in SoundForge.

fly-by animation (best view by right-clicking & "Save Target As..")

C&C are welcome!
Fess

Trini For Life

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# 5 21-10-2006 , 11:27 AM

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That looks superb fess. V good model and a exellent job on the animation.

A great job all round.:bow: :bow:

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# 6 21-10-2006 , 12:16 PM

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leonlabyk......

Thanks for the feedback. user added image

Great job on the tumbler you working on.
How did you do the threading on the tires, displacment map?

Regards
Fess

Trini For Life

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# 7 21-10-2006 , 05:36 PM

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Cheers for finnishing up on the Jedi Starfighter. It looks awsome! user added image

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# 8 23-10-2006 , 02:26 AM

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this is great i like it user added image

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# 9 23-10-2006 , 04:57 AM

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Good job on the model.
The animation could be better.

Did you use a compositing program?
If not I suggest you do , after Effects or Shake. (But if you can do the following IN Maya, it's fine too. user added image

The amination itself is reallly ok, just the camera movement when the shuttle passes by, is the part I'm having trouble with.
Since he's passing real close to the cam, I would make a heat ripple effect, like the ones you see on the back of a plane or chopper engine. That not only looks cool, it is far more believable (imho) than your camera shake. If you DO choose to go for the shake, make it shake, and not wobble, like it does now.
Also in the second frame after the fighter comes into the image, the blue engine beam jumps "out" of where the motors are (for 1 frame)
Thought I'd let you know.

I really liked your earth material though... how big is the planet in your composition? Must be huge?

Gr.
M

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Always up for a chat !

Last edited by cut_the_krab; 23-10-2006 at 05:00 AM.

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# 10 23-10-2006 , 05:01 AM

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Here it is...

too_tough_to_die@mac.com (AIM)
Always up for a chat !

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# 11 23-10-2006 , 05:02 AM

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oops

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too_tough_to_die@mac.com (AIM)
Always up for a chat !

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# 12 24-10-2006 , 05:37 AM

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THX1138, Nightz........thanks for the feedback.

krab...

that avatar had me laughing for a good 40 seconds :lmao:......good one!

Yeah, I agree that the animation is lacking... but again, it was a "learning" experience.

The camera shake was just some set keys with the path in the graph editor set to "flat" keys. I could have used a camera shake script but didn't......

I agree the "heat ripple" (engine exhaust distortion) would have been cool, but in space heat from a engine is very quick.
Also the ship moves to fast to merit that work. I was real busy at the time, but I'll keep it in mind for my next project.
Would have to figure out some workaround to do that in aftereffects I think unless there is a filter like in fusion.

LOL, yeah I know the engine flame jumps. But I didn't have time to re-render it so just left it....

I rendered the following separately:
Ship flyby
Engine Exhaust
Planet (the planet is actually slightly larger than the ship, it just looks massive because its close to the camera & placed as the back plate of the AfterEffects composition. No point is making a huge mother planet to weigh the scene down)

Then I comped in After Effects.

Regards
Fess

Trini For Life

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