Grand Space Opera 3D Entry: Johan Hiemstra

[Mike Nuts]

My first sketch for the CG challenge XVI. It looked much better in my head ;) I'll try to create better ones later...

[2d sketch replaced]

The concept just came to me when I was reading the contest introduction, it is not based on anything in particular. That thing on the left in the sketch, is the space ship for the good guys (it'll look mucho better then in the sketch, which has no depth...). The planet on the right is the home planet of the good guys (will probably be earth) which is about to be taken over by a hostile civilization. The two good guys in the space ship are about to make a last stand to prevent the human race from being exterminated, and of course, they are going to win. Even though they are facing the largest enemy fleet anyone has ever seen...

[Mike Nuts]

I'm sorry about the awful sketch. It's night time here and couldn't get the lighting right for a digital photo ;)

Anyway, I'm looking forward to spend a lot of time on this contest. :buttrock:

[Mike Nuts]

... (removed linked image)

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100573517_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100573517_large.jpg)

These are the 'connectors' of the back burners of the good guys' spacehip.

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100573626_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100573626_large.jpg)

Here's some progress to hopefully get some of the idea across :)

[HieSpike]

nice start, but could you share a bit about what the picture depicts?

thanks and good luck

[Mike Nuts]

Hi and thanks :)

Could you share a bit about what the picture depicts?Yeah certainly, I was hoping to 'get my story straight first'.

The concept just came to me when I was reading the contest introduction, it is not based on anything in particular. That thing on the left in the sketch, is the space ship for the good guys (it'll look mucho better then in the sketch, which has no depth...). The planet on the right is the home planet of the good guys (will probably be earth) which is about to be taken over by a hostile civilization. The two good guys in the space ship are about to make a last stand to prevent the human race from being exterminated, and of course, they are going to win. Even though they are facing the largest enemy fleet anyone has ever seen...

I'm going to add several subtle details to depict a message...

Thanks again and good luck to you too (I was already subscribed to your thread :) )

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100581085_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100581085_large.jpg)

Not much further with the first ship yet, just wanted to show off a wireframe :)

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100652020_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100652020_large.jpg)

Wow, some of you guys are really fast!

I decided to start over almost entirely. No change in the concept, just went to fast (for my doing ;)).

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100652193_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100652193_large.jpg)

here's another quick render of the other side. I want to add some more detail before I move on.

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100701753_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100701753_large.jpg)

After seeing so many great 2d sketches of other challengers, I felt bad for putting more time in one myself so I replaced my initial sketch with a better one. Still not a piece of art, but the final image will look very much like it.

Be gentle, I'm really terrible at drawing.

[Nikus]

Great modeling!
just a few suggestions: The composition of the image is too symetrical...you know, one planet in one corner...the other in the opposite corner, one spaceship in the other corner, and the same with the other.
Perhaps you would like to try other camera angles, showing more action rather than static images...
Ill be cheking your progress!

[Mike Nuts]

Thanks Nikus! I appreaciate your suggestions :)

I had a hard time adding some perspective/depth to the 2d sketch. Right now it looks really flat indeed, as if the camera is above the scene looking down on it. That will not be the case in the final image. The camera will be a bit behind the main space ship, kinda like watching over the shoulder of the space ship that is bravely heading for a massive enemy fleet. You'll see mainly the front of the enemy ships.

The planet on the bottom right is planet earth, the other one in the left top corner is the moon, which are both severly damaged. I don't have a definit name for the image yet, but I'm thinking of "Between earth and moon" or "Between Gaya and Luna". I'm still working on writing out the story.

Anyway, I'm having a blast with the challenge. I keep learning new things, mainly improving modeling effiency. It's a lot of fun trying out different type of details on the space ship. I noticed already that I will probably need a faster computer to render the final image as I'm pushing the poly-limit ;)

I'll have an update of the main space ship very soon.

[Mike Nuts]

http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100738358_medium.jpg (http://www.cgnetworks.com/challenge/entries/7/5235/5235_1100738358_large.jpg)

Here's the front of my main 'human' space ship. It still needs a lot of detail, especially the lower half of the cockpit. I'll also add some sort of wings and lots of guns later. The entire ship, including the engines will be a single mesh.

I'll post some more info including wireframes and some images of the modeling process when this ship is finished. Also, it looks brand new with these basic materials assigned to it, but with textures it will look very different.

The textures will also add a lot of little details. Although I'd like to model all the details, my PC doesn't ;)

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