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Armored Personnel Transport
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Armored Personnel Transport // Work in Progress
Post by Tugar // Jun 20, 2007, 9:36am
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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I am making ship proposal for my Star Trek simm. It involves an armored type transport based on the Danube Class runabout innards. So far I have a decent turret and I like the basic shape of the hull. It needs major finishing work and texturing. I don't want to use the standard trek white aluminum as it will be way to visible. It will also have a single set of tracks under each front side and twin duals in the rear. Of course I still have to make a small set of nacelles( cruise at warp 1 and max of warp 3) and the impulse engines. |
Post by Norm // Jun 21, 2007, 4:31am
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Norm
Total Posts: 862
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I bet it will look sharp when decked out with the finishing touches! |
Post by Tugar // Jun 21, 2007, 5:06am
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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I'm hoping so. |
Post by skipper // Jun 21, 2007, 6:50am
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skipper
Total Posts: 113
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I am making ship proposal for my Star Trek simm. It involves an armored type transport based on the Danube Class runabout innards. So far I have a decent turret and I like the basic shape of the hull. It needs major finishing work and texturing. I don't want to use the standard trek white aluminum as it will be way to visible. It will also have a single set of tracks under each front side and twin duals in the rear. Of course I still have to make a small set of nacelles( cruise at warp 1 and max of warp 3) and the impulse engines.
You mean something like this? :D
http://www.penguincomics.net/dvdreviews/dvdrimages/spaceballs5.jpg
Anyway, let's see how it evolves. :) |
Post by Tugar // Jun 21, 2007, 9:55pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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Is that the Aluminum Falcon? lol...Something like that. One of my buddies that is a Transformer's buff suggested I call it Astrotrain. |
Post by 3dvisuals dude // Jun 22, 2007, 12:36am
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3dvisuals dude
Total Posts: 1703
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Tugar,
After looking at this for a while I think it would also be cool to try a dull space-debris-dented cobalt blue metal finish to the hull... might provide that stealth effect you're looking for without sacrificing all the cool details. Could look nice anyway, just a thought.
If you can, tell us more about this "sim" you're doing... sounds intriguing. Are you going to be developing the interior as well?
- 3dvisuals dude |
Post by jayr // Jun 22, 2007, 12:43am
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jayr
Total Posts: 1074
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How about a battle-damaged matt black, like a stealth bomber? |
Post by Tugar // Jun 22, 2007, 7:32pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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I could use all the help I can get. The idea for this came from Star Trek. In DS9, the whole quadrant is plunged into war. What was lacking IMO is the fact that there are no ground vehicles. While this isn't wholly a ground vehicle ( as I have to still make the warp nacelles and other details), it was meant as a kind of Armored Personnel Transport for protection in hot landing zones, for soldier protection, and even aid and planetary relief. What I want was to take the guts out of a Danube class runabout and make a simple combat ( if needed) vehicle. As this is supposed to be for Starfleet Marines it should not be as visible as a starship.
The simm is a role play by email or message board. More of a writing exercise but we enjoy it. Based on Star Trek, we the players take it in other directions. I need the model to make an informed proposal to add this to the list of ships for use in the simm itself.
So far this is what I have. I am less concerned right now with the texture for a few reasons. The biggest is that I have NO idea on how to do it. The second thing is that I wanted to get the model to a reasonable state before doing the paint and texturing. Or is that backwards? I'm still VERY much a newbie and I have so many tutorials to watch but I just can't stay away from the TS interface! The bottom picture is mean to show my ship next to a standard Danube Runabout. Anyone who is interested can read my proposal in the link. The specs are still somewhat in a state of flux but if you read it, the general idea is there. A vehicle that can hang with the troops without being an outright tank.
http://forum.bravofleet.com/showthread.php?t=6234 |
Post by W!ZARD // Jun 22, 2007, 7:57pm
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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I don't know what sort of limits you have as far as poly counts go - I assume the lighter the model the better it would respond in your sim. If your model is more of a reference rather than a working part of a game environment then you have far more leeway and can make it as detailed as you wish.
My feelings about this is that by making it a ground vehicle and a starship you are combining two things that don't need to be combined. A ground vehicle or landing vehicle would probably not need warp drives as it would be carried by a much bigger ship that would remain in orbit. This approach may help you to refine the vehicles design.
Whilst I appreciate that you don't necessarily want it to look like a tank I do recommend using real world ground vehicles to provide design references. Your vehicle so far has a very limited ground clearance and would not be able to do much cross country work without banging it's belly on the ground. Possible solutions are to make it a hovercraft or antigrav vehicle. Otherwise think about real world military vehicles like Hummers and APC's to give you more practical proportions.
Also look at the vehicles depicted by other artists and look for ways to adapt design features for your own vehicle.
Re the textures - this is a matter of personal preference. I almost always do the textures and UVs as I go - Mad Mouse, on the other hand, recognised as a master texturer, does the textures after the modelling is complete.
Re getting the most out of the vast knowledge base represented by the members of these forums - try to ask focused questions as these allow us to provide more focused feedback. Hope this helps.:D |
Post by skipper // Jun 23, 2007, 12:33am
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skipper
Total Posts: 113
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...by making it a ground vehicle and a starship you are combining two things that don't need to be combined. A ground vehicle or landing vehicle would probably not need warp drives as it would be carried by a much bigger ship that would remain in orbit.
I agree, but just for the sake of argument, in some ways Star Trek is a bad example for realism, it's mostly about looks and style. Case in point, the runabout pictured above wouldn't fly because it has the aerodynamics of a brick, so some sort of anti-gravity would be needed to keep it up in the air once it hits a planetary atmosphere.
...Your vehicle so far has a very limited ground clearance and would not be able to do much cross country work without banging it's belly on the ground. Possible solutions are to make it a hovercraft or antigrav vehicle. Otherwise think about real world military vehicles like Hummers and APC's to give you more practical proportions.
I agree, but anti-gravity is the easy way out, IMHO, ok, let's model a box and assume it has anti-gravity to keep it off the ground... done. Next project. :D If you look at modern light all-terrain combat vehicles, you'll notice that most are wheeled vehicles and not threaded. Again, just a suggestion, and modeling tires is quite challenging too.
Re the textures - this is a matter of personal preference. I almost always do the textures and UVs as I go - Mad Mouse, on the other hand, recognized as a master texturer, does the textures after the modeling is complete.
I'd say it depends on the textures, if you go with high-detail textures that need to fit exactly on the model, you better finish the model before you start texturing. If the model is made of one material and most details are modeled, then you can apply the material texture before you are done modeling, at least so I've heard. ;)
Some nice examples of all-terrain vehicles:
Light Armored Vehicle (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=121&t=51941)
Halo Warthog futuristic Mudslinger (does have a touch of Star Trek styling) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=202550)
Syd Mead's SUV (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=208221) :D
Lego Offroader (nice tires) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=211030)
APC Stryker (looks like the real thing) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=211548)
Arctic Offlander (weird... can't put my finger on it though.) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=379832&highlight=vehicle)
German Bigfoot (scroll down, hilarious) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=132&t=214226)
This one's for the W!ZARD (not related to subject, just love the scale, wow!) (http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=121&t=481053) |
Post by Tugar // Jun 23, 2007, 1:20am
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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It is more of a reference guide than anything else. I know the ground clearance isn't all that hot. That is what thrusters and antigrav are for. I might even take out the tracks and go with a landing pads. The body could be ( i know it's not now) a lifting body aka the space shuttle.
like I said my skills are rather basic and I'm making this up as I go. Thanks in advance for whatever help I get though. I really do appreciate it. |
Post by Tugar // Jul 14, 2007, 7:38pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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Small update. I've got the impulse drive more or less finished except for some texturing and paint. I do want to do the tracks of the vehicle along the bottom of the sides like a convential tracked vehicle but mostly hidden. An antigrav will be buried underneath. A little lighting should fix that. Warp nacelles and finishing the turrets weaponry are next. |
Post by Tugar // Sep 30, 2007, 4:41pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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Here is an update. I have more or less finished the nacelles. I added some phaser strips to then nose, and a periscope. I haven't worked on it much as my main PC went down. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Sep 30, 2007, 6:58pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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cool glass look for the shiny parts ;)
Looks like you're almost ready to UV map it for textures. |
Post by butterpaw // Oct 1, 2007, 2:19am
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butterpaw
Total Posts: 831
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Tugar, I think your amored personnel transports is very sleek! nice design sense - look forward to seeing this in final render and many more from you :)
@ All, read every post and followed every link as well - ooh'ed and ah'ed and laughed... and learned new things ...
^_^ |
Post by Tugar // Oct 1, 2007, 4:37pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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Thanks guys. I still haven't delved too deeply into the other tutorials as much as I thought I would have by now. I could use some serious help with that. |
Post by Tugar // Oct 6, 2007, 8:45pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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Not the final render, but I have shaped out most of it. It's finally starting to look like I want it to but I need serious help with the next steps. Any suggestions would be helpful. Mostly the lettering and lighting which i am not good at. |
Post by butterpaw // Oct 7, 2007, 4:13am
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butterpaw
Total Posts: 831
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Others may give you more helpful comments, but I just want to say I really like how this looks... I enjoy seeing the development. :) |
Post by W!ZARD // Oct 8, 2007, 10:45pm
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Not the final render, but I have shaped out most of it. It's finally starting to look like I want it to but I need serious help with the next steps. Any suggestions would be helpful. Mostly the lettering and lighting which i am not good at.
Zippy looking vessel Tugar.
If you are looking for serious help it's usually better to have some specific questions in mind. There are so many different options that it's difficult to know where to start without more specific info about what you are looking for.
It's also helpful for us to know what renderer you are using. Are you using texture images for the hull material or simple colour shaders? This will have an impact on which method is best for the lettering and so on.
One suggestion I can make - start a new tS scene and use either the built in text tools or simply box model your lettering, markings and logos etc. You can then create rendered images of the lettering to use for your Personell Transport model.
Keep trying different methods, refer to your manual and if you run into specific difficulties you can get specific answers from the forums.
Hope This Helps.... |
Post by TheWickedWitchOfTheWeb // Oct 9, 2007, 2:17am
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TheWickedWitchOfTheWeb
Total Posts: 858
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Interesting looking little buggy! Really starting to take shape, keep it up. It reminds me of a television programme of old called Logan's Run, I'm gonna go see if it's available on DVD so thanks for that. |
Post by jamesmc // Oct 9, 2007, 8:42am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Love that!
What material did you use for the shiny black gloss, that is really spiffy. Reminds me of my daughters Pontiac Firebird. |
Post by Tugar // Oct 16, 2007, 9:25am
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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I believe it was the standard aluminum in TS6.6 I adjusted the color to black. |
Post by Tugar // Dec 1, 2007, 8:21pm
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Tugar
Total Posts: 68
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A slight update. All the materials are in TS6.6 I haven't yet learned to do any UV mapping as I find the tutorials so far, vague. A few color shaders that I learned to play with layer a little. Lighting I got lucky. |
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