Buck Rogers Starfighter

[jampoz]

Damn go on on it 'cause i loved Uncle Buck and i want to see what you can do!
An opinion, don't you think it would be better to focus on texturing once the model is done?
Just want to know your opinion

Explain that Star Wars thing please 'cause i couldn't understand :o(

you know what, i actually can't remember very good the ship you're doing, could you post a reference picture so that we can understand what you're doing and how you're doing it, please?

I spent my youth (damn i'm only 23) playing buck rogers games on the MegaDrive (Sega Genesis), my girlfriend doesn't know i did fall in love for something else before her, ehehehehe

Edit: I think two bigger renderings are more effective than 5 little ones, it the 20k is a limit 'cause you can't upload renderings on your server then post twice, people do that

[Meshweaver]

don't you think it would be better to focus on texturing once the model is done?
There are no textures on this model yet - everything is standard Lightwave surfaces.

Explain that Star Wars thing
Actually that's my Mistake - The Buck Rogers Starfighter was originally a concept for Battlestar Galactica by Ralph MacQuarrie

could you post a reference picture
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/pix/2003/04/30-766443.jpg

I think two bigger renderings are more effective than 5 little ones
Click on each of the images to link to bigger versions in separate Explorer windows.. ;)

[jampoz]

Damn, you are a PRO poster, you even cared about thumbnails, that's so cool, i misunderstimated, sorry

NOW i can see it's not a cheap texture but pure modelling, whoa, great, and in only 2 hours... yeah lightwave is so good for modelling
It's getting real great, really great

You know, that ship looks like a Star Wars ship, the style is the same

[Meshweaver]

Did a bit more tonight - decided to go for the more blocky look of the horizontal outer wing as was common in the show - Going to animate them rear aerilons too ;):
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-811943_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-811943.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-811961_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-811961.jpg)

Also finished off the preliminary Blurbs shape for the lower wing - freezing to come next and then stencilled details after optimisation :)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-812009_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-812009.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-812021_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-812021.jpg)

click all thumbnails for larger versions

[Cynical_Saint]

Heh I was just joking with someone on this forum about doing a Buck Rogers model. :)

Its looking good thus far. Sure brings back memories. :)

[FallenSwordsman]

Hi Fabio!

This is shaping up well. I like the way you've actually taken the time to put in the little ridges and the fine details rather than just use a bump-map (BTW, any particular reason why you did it this way? I've often wondered at what stage people pick bump maps over detail modelling) . Good choice of model. I'll be interested to see how this develops. :) :beer:

[Vash T Stampede]

Bidibidibidi.....You go Buck!

[Meshweaver]

Originally posted by FallenSwordsman
Any particular reason why you did it this way? I've often wondered at what stage people pick bump maps over detail modelling) .

That's a pretty subjective thing for me I guess and it depends on a lot of things. Primarily it would depend where the mesh will eventually be used - for medium distance shots I would probably go for a bump map, but If I intend to go in close (which I am with this); I would model in the details.

On the other hand If I were modelling something like Moya from Farscape I would probably opt for a good high res well defined bump map to do the veining and such on her hull. You could do it with polygonal detail - but it would be immensely time consuming. :)

[Meshweaver]

Here's the latest on it:

Finished the lower wings and started work on the middle fuselage section - there won't be any more now till next week - client work to finish first :)

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851443_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851443.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851467_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851467.jpg)

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851496_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851496.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851518_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/01-851518.jpg)

[Meshweaver]

Someone asked for a wireframe - so here's what the wires look like right now. There's quite a lot of Polygons to come off that figure when I get round to cleaning these sections of the mesh up when it's completely finished.. :)

click on the thumbs for larger images...
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895279.jpg

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895315_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895315.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895344_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895344.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895375_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895375.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895405_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/02-895405.jpg)

[FallenSwordsman]

Cheers for the meshes and the info Fabio - this is coming along great now that you've got the main part of the thing in place. Looking just how I remember it :applause:

[Meshweaver]

Finished my client work last night and was itching to get back to work on this ;)

Here's another 4 hours work - one of the more difficult things to do was suss out from the reference how the rear and underside "meshed" together - but I got it in the end - (thinks he maybe should have bought a model kit of this ship for better reference! ;))

here's the latest

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294317_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294317.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294337_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294337.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294366_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294366.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294392_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/07-294392.jpg)

[randyrives]

Love that show! Your model is looking very good.

[FallenSwordsman]

Looking excellent Fabio - love the way this is turning out - are you going to do interiors as well?

[Meshweaver]

Coming along nicely now :)

Just the cockpit inners to sort out - some minor tweaking all over the body (detailing) and then onto the texturing.

as usual click the thumbs for bigger images :)

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445915_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445915.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445941_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445941.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445962_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445962.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445982_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-445982.jpg)

[qu2k]

comming along great :applause:

how about some wires?

[Meshweaver]

coming up... :)

[hypercube]

Rolling along nicely..it's been so long I forgot the back even opened up like that..should be nice to see this thing fly in more than one direction at a time :D

[Meshweaver]

Here's some wires :)

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447591_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447591.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447623_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447623.jpg)

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447659_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447659.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447694_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/05/08-447694.jpg)

as usual click the thumbs for larger images :)

[MDB101]

Nice man :) just a question, when you model this, Im wondering if you use meshsmooth at all? no? or? and another question, do you model every Object-detail seperatly then just attach it to the ship? I know how you did the beveling and the extruding. what is your basic method of modeling detail ships like this? :)

[FallenSwordsman]

Looking great, Fabio - I love the attention to detail that's gone into this model. Quick question on the wireframe views - are these from the Modeller perspective view with wireframe shade turned on or is there a way of rendering them like that in Lightwave itself? Fantastic work:)

[Meshweaver]

double post see below :)

[Meshweaver]

MDB101: When I model a ship like this the first thing I do is look at the core shape of the individual part I am going to make.

Once I've decided how to make it with either a primitive with deformation or Metanurbs (LW equivalent of Meshesmooth) I will optimise it when frozen for best polygon count tradeoff. When it comes to adding detail I then either stencil the shape onto the base polygon structure or model the seperate object and boolean union/intersect etc it to the main object.

I then use a plugin to carry out filleting on the join and then commence adding more detail in the normal way.

On this mesh I have used Metanurbs a lot to get a handle on the basic shapes then frozen and optimised poly layout.

FallenSwordsman: To get that effect in the renders I go to each objects properties panel in layout - to the Edges tab and activate all edges options - dropping the thickness down to about 0.6 pixels so as not to overcrowd the render with wire edges and make high detail wires a bit more easy on the eye for renders of that approximate size. :)

[FallenSwordsman]

Cheers for the info Fabio - this is a great model. You're a star :thumbsup:

[Meshweaver]

welp - finally managed to get some time to have a go at this mesh again tonight for a few hours - I've started work on the interior of the cockpit now - there's nothing really to go with here reference wise - so I'm sort of making it up as I go along at the moment :)

I'm in the rear bay at the moment about 40% finished in that area :)

as usual click on the thumbnails for large rimages in fresh browser windows:
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681450_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681450.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681470_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681470.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681498_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681498.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681526_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681526.jpg)

[Meshweaver]

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681549_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681549.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681570_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681570.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681591_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681591.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681610_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681610.jpg)

[Meshweaver]

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681634_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681634.jpg) http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681654_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681654.jpg)
http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681674_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/wip/2003/06/03-681674.jpg)

[ApocGFX]

Fabio,

Your modeling work is absolutely incredible. Everything is very neat and organized and can only be an inspiration for me to make more efficiently modeled high poly objects.

I can't wait to see this finished :)

[jampoz]

I absolutely LOVE it BUT do you think a control like that (a common keyboard) will be enough and 'futuristic' enough for such a starfighter?

Maybe make a control with chars: AaBbCcDd and so on, to write texts, eve if i believe they must communicate with computer/other peoples using voice
And more controls for the ship stuff

Would be more useful to push an exact button to do something instead of type a command on the keyboard
Like a MechWarrior deck, you know

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