(Hopefully) CGI level Galaxy

[limey BSc.]

I've been wanting to do something CGI level for quite a while now, but never though I had enough knowledge of Max to do it even remotely properly. With some other techniques I've been looking at recently, I decided to give it a shot. I chose the Galaxy because its one of my favourite ship designs and should provide a challenge. It is very unlikely this will be put in BC simply because of the poly count. I'm almost finished with the saucer and its almost 35k That is with a meshsmooth with interation of 2 though, so if an iteration of 1 is smooth enough, it may yet be ported to BC, doubt it though.

EDIT: Oops, uploaded one twice and forgot one :lol:

[Kirk]

Will you be modeling all of the little details into her, or normal/bump mapping?

[Villain]

Frack! Cookie'd instantly.

[WileyCoyote]

Awesome start!  Don't get me started on one .  The neck will be tricky to model.  What version will you be doing - whatever you want(combination of both), 3 footer, or 6 footer?

[limey BSc.]

Will you be modeling all of the little details into her, or normal/bump mapping?

I was gonna model everything on (which only really includes the windows since the escape pods are perfectly flush), but without using boolean, I couldn't find a decent method to inset them.
I should probably point out, I haven't once used boolean on this. It may not sound like much, but for those that know my modelling methods will know its a huge step for me!

What version will you be doing - whatever you want(combination of both), 3 footer, or 6 footer?

I'm using a set of blueprints off the net, so whichever they follow

[MarkyD]

very nice start mate 

[DJ Curtis]

which only really includes the windows since the escape pods are perfectly flush

only on the original 6 foot model that was used in seasons 1 and 2.  from season 3 onward, and the cgi version all had slightly extruded escape hatches.

[limey BSc.]

only on the original 6 foot model that was used in seasons 1 and 2.  from season 3 onward, and the cgi version all had slightly extruded escape hatches.

Then the 6-foot had new, extruded escape hatches when it was redressed for Generations right?

Mines just gonna be a random collaboration of elements from the different versions.

[DJ Curtis]

yer half right.  they were redressed, but not extruded in generations.  there's some great screenies at trekcore you could check out that shows them up close.

[ACES_HIGH]

yeah they just made them a different color so they stood out more.

[DJ Curtis]

the only reason they dragged out the 6ft for the movie was because the 4ft, which was vastly more detailed, had been modified with all the AGT crap, and the movie was being shot right away.  They basically painted up the flat hull of the 6ft to try and make it look as detailed.

personally, i'd extrude the escape hatches softly.

[limey BSc.]

the only reason they dragged out the 6ft for the movie was because the 4ft, which was vastly more detailed, had been modified with all the AGT crap, and the movie was being shot right away.  They basically painted up the flat hull of the 6ft to try and make it look as detailed.

Ahh, that hideous monstrosity (the AGT Gal that is). There's actually some quite interesting pics on st-bilder of all the bits they added on.

personally, i'd extrude the escape hatches softly.

Trouble with that is, after several hours of experimenting, I've yet to find a method that produces decent results while keeping the mesh somewhere near clean. Normally I would use boolean, but I'm trying to go without it for the entire model.
Looking at the comparison pic on EAS gave me (what I think is) a good idea. Once the entire saucer is finished with the MeshSmooth applied, I'm gonna apply a greeble modifer. It's designed for making city scenes, so extrudes faces to different heights. If it's done subtly enough, and on the right faces, I think it could reproduce the bumpiness seen quite well.

[DJ Curtis]

to be honest limey, you could get good looking windows and escape pods using a high res bump map.  it would save you tons of time.

[MarkyD]

I agree, if this is CGI Based as you have said you should use everything you have to make it purdy .. bumped windows would look really nice on this. and as Dj said save you time, and keep the mesh super smooth as it is now.

good luck mate.

[limey BSc.]

to be honest limey, you could get good looking windows and escape pods using a high res bump map.  it would save you tons of time.

The windows definately are gonna be bump mapped. It's probably a little early to be thinking about such fine details. I need to finish off the main details (inset windows, inside the seperated bit) first.

EDIT: Based on the recommendation of some people over at Sci-Fi Meshes, I have made the phaser banks smaller.

[MarkyD]

i was gonna say they looked to chunky, but did not have time to look it up.. either way..  it looks great, and they where spot on mate.

Good stuff  8)