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November MMC Challenge - Power Supply
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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.
November MMC Challenge - Power Supply // Monthly Modeling Contest
Post by jamesmc // Nov 6, 2007, 12:59pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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I like your approach to making the threads there james. Nice!
Froo
Thanks. I just know when I view a thread, I like to know how something is done. That way I can figure out if I can do it or I need to ask more questions or perhaps I would do it differently.
3D objects springing out of nothingness always annoyed me if I don't know how they were done. :)
If I can't explain it, then it is not worth me to display it. Besides, I would rather someone look at my work and learn something or perhaps teach me a better method of doing it, than to leave doubt why I did it.
Phew! That was windy and rather ambiguous.
Not what I meant to say, but I think it said what I meant. :D |
Post by frootee // Nov 6, 2007, 1:22pm
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frootee
Total Posts: 2667
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Yep! Got it!
I tried following a tutorial way back when on making screw threads. It didn't work out. It ended up looking like a Rorsasch (spelling?) test. :) |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 13, 2007, 12:19am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Circuit board in progress.
Testing out bump map, not all of it is bumped yet (the flat portions are not :D)
Still hand drawing the board in a Vector drawing program. As they say, a work in progress. |
Post by Nez // Nov 13, 2007, 12:44am
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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I admire that you're 'building' your circuit board texture 'manually' rather than using a photograph - not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just impreesed to see you're doing it the hard way...
Keep up the great work! :) |
Post by rjeff // Nov 13, 2007, 5:31am
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rjeff
Total Posts: 1260
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Yeah I was going to attempt that until I saw how much I would of had to do. A video card board is a tough one. Looks good James. Have you tried to scan the board and just convert it to black and white and get your bump that way? |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 13, 2007, 6:10am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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I didn't want to go the photograph route or the eps route. I figure I might as well make it a pure modeling experience. Although, some of the modeling is done in 2D vector and exported as a PNG. :)
It's not that hard actually, just repetitive rectangles, circles, some paths and of course text. It also gives me an idea of what works and what doesn't when apply bump in semi-detailed work.
For instance I have to have two versions of the same PNG because text doesn't react nicely to bump and gets "bumped up" and somewhat distorted.
So, the bump map has all text excluded. |
Post by 3dfrog // Nov 13, 2007, 7:18am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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That's looking really good james. That's an awesome Idea to use vector shapes to make your circuit board. Your projects are always so creative. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Nov 13, 2007, 6:29pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Wow, that's a lot of work drawing out a circuit board by hand! :eek:
It'll be very interesting to see this develop! :) |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 14, 2007, 2:17am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Having never been up close and personal with a power supply circuit board, this is what I came up with.
It needs a lot of improve, but since this is my first attempt at making a circuit board, it's not too bad. heh
Anyway, only one component of the supply and I have to finish the back other plate of the power supply, which includes more plugs, a wrapped cable and etc.
Front and back view. It looks different in different lighting. This one has shadows, so semi-funky. :D |
Post by Nez // Nov 14, 2007, 2:35am
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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I think that looks pretty cool, specially since you just made it up!
Nice one! How much of it are you actually going to be see in the final product though?! |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 14, 2007, 2:53am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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I think that looks pretty cool, specially since you just made it up!
Nice one! How much of it are you actually going to be see in the final product though?!
Thanks, it was a journey of puzzlement. :D
Well, probably won't see much of it, unless I do an exploded view like they have in magazines or product manuals.
However, I don't care if it wins or not, the importance here for me is learning the way to do stuff.
Also, with all the component parts I made, I have made myself a stock of items I can reuse and some techniques I can further improve. |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 14, 2007, 3:53am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Another freebie, the circuit board objects if anyone wants to play around with it.
The background needs improving, so didn't upload it.
I used a Shader from Shader Lab for the entire board and used fresnel attributes. |
Post by 3dfrog // Nov 14, 2007, 5:46am
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3dfrog
Total Posts: 1225
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Awesome work James. Your technique on this is quite admirable and good results. Thanks for sharing how you did this. |
Post by frootee // Nov 14, 2007, 5:58am
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frootee
Total Posts: 2667
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Holy Cow James! That looks real! Wicked Good Job there!
I'll give you not one, but Two bananas!
:banana::banana:
Froo |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 14, 2007, 6:07am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Thanks all. :)
I tested these same maps in another 3D software program and I can tell you that trueSpace handles bump maps much much better.
I still need a lot of work on lighting, my nemesis, however I'm slowly getting it. :D |
Post by prodigy // Nov 14, 2007, 7:45am
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prodigy
Total Posts: 3029
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Very nice work here James.. i just have a comment about your bumpmap..
Can do me a favor?? if you are using (for example 0.5) on your bump map? use -0.5. negative.. or invert the colors of your bumpmap.. and tellme how it looks. ;)
Keep the good work here! |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 14, 2007, 9:31am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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aha! That lowering of the bump amplitude made the map come out much smoother and more bump appears to show through
Thanks prodigy! |
Post by prodigy // Nov 14, 2007, 10:33am
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prodigy
Total Posts: 3029
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i like to use bumpmap with very very sutil levels.. like 0.05 or 0.03 that make a more realistic effect..
Good work! |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 15, 2007, 12:02pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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My very crowded workspace of the the semi-final assembly (non rendered)
I'm a layer nut, so I can turn off everything including lights. I even put different types of lights on layers.
Still some work to do, back plate being worked on and Labels need to be applied on other plates. :)
Mind your head! There's not much room in here! :D |
Post by frootee // Nov 15, 2007, 12:12pm
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frootee
Total Posts: 2667
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That looks really good there james.
Layers are your friend!
Froo |
Post by Steinie // Nov 15, 2007, 12:36pm
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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I agree, both your projects came out looking nice! Can't wait to see the finished piece. |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 15, 2007, 1:01pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Running out of memory in tS as the scene is getting poly heavy. So, I have saved some files - the rest of the work by be photoshop assisted. :D
Here's some screenshots of the semi-final product. Not sure what the final scene will entail
I learned a lot doing this project. I think I've graduated from beginner to novice assistant flunky. :D
Still much to learn though. :) |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 16, 2007, 3:34am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Some more screen shots. :) |
Post by Dragneye // Nov 16, 2007, 9:45pm
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Dragneye
Total Posts: 602
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First, Beautiful work jamesmc
I was wonderin... at what round about poly count does tS start to get difficult at?
I recently looked at another app, and was just wondering. Poly count is a 'avoid' for me, but never have tested it. Presently still using 6.6 |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 17, 2007, 1:45am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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First, Beautiful work jamesmc
I was wonderin... at what round about poly count does tS start to get difficult at?
I recently looked at another app, and was just wondering. Poly count is a 'avoid' for me, but never have tested it. Presently still using 6.6
It varies on what kind of memory/processor/graphics card/operating system you use.
On my system where tS is loaded (model side), I start getting bogged down about 400k polys and comes to a crawl at 500k polys.
The high poly count is actually my fault because I went for "speed" rather than taking the time to properly model everything. That is extracting out polys as I need them.
The saving grace though is that I can manipulate through post processing Geometry levels what I want to display or not to display. Saves painful waiting times on rendering. :) |
Post by Dragneye // Nov 17, 2007, 10:41am
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Dragneye
Total Posts: 602
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Thanx for the info. I may soon get to see what my set-up will handle; thats why I was asking, wondering if tS has any limitations, or is it just the puters setup. |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 17, 2007, 12:01pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Thanx for the info. I may soon get to see what my set-up will handle; thats why I was asking, wondering if tS has any limitations, or is it just the puters setup.
The system I'm running currently is:
AMD 3800 dual core, 2 gig ram, 512mb 7950 Graphics Card, Windows XP.
I modeled this on the Modeler side (which is basically tS66) but had the bridge enabled to use some advanced features of the Workspace side.
One of these days, one of the faster systems I build I will actually get to keep for myself. :D
I've built 2 systems faster than this this year and both were claimed by relatives. heh
Starting the third computer build now - hopefully the 'puter elvs won't squeal on me and I'll get to keep it for my own. :) |
Post by rjeff // Nov 23, 2007, 12:29pm
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rjeff
Total Posts: 1260
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ah don't sell yourself short James. I think yours looks nice. All the entrys are good. We all have stiff competition...especially if any of you are dead. |
Post by jamesmc // Nov 26, 2007, 3:38pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Another project completed and we all know what that means. :D |
Post by Nez // Nov 26, 2007, 11:00pm
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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Yep - another wacky animation! :D
Was this using particles? Where did all the red bits come from?! ;)
Good fun... |
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