Author Topic: Sovereign Class Enterprise E Now Available at BCFiles (Read 45176 times)

eclipse74569 · « **Reply #80 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:21:28 AM »

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you for making this look so easy?

LOL

Gorgeous work DJ as always

I only HOPE to be as great as you some day!

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #81 on:** February 06, 2011, 01:27:40 PM »

Glad you guys like it. The secret is: practice.

Actually, it's not a secret. Having the good schematics of the actual cgi ship that were released last year has helped a lot. In fact, that's what makes this possible for me. Also, Trekcore.com's screencaps area is very helpful. Sometimes you need that kind of picture to help judge depth. I spent more than seven hours on those nacelles. I can model a whole ship of my own design in that time. Most of the challenge comes in the form of tedium with a project like this. When you're working with thousands of vertexes, and you've placed them one by one to try and get it right.

When the model's all finished, I'll get you guys to give it a thorough criticizing for areas that need to be adjusted.

As for phasers and torpedo launchers, I've added a few, but yeah I'll be adding them as I go. I need to put one under the aft shuttlebay and arrays along the pylons.

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #82 on:** February 06, 2011, 02:47:23 PM »

Ok. I connected the engines to the pylons. It's tricky, but I think it's pretty close.

aaron067 · « **Reply #83 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:12:40 PM »

I know it's just a matter of experience and practice, but I'm still stunned at how quickly you've been able to put together such an incredibly accurate model.

Did you make the base form with spline caging and then use poly editing/cutting/extruding/beveling for the details?

metalnick · « **Reply #84 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:27:56 PM »

Absolutely Stunning. I'm guessing the UV Unwrap is gonna be a pain though lol.

Shadowknight1 · « **Reply #85 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:48:04 PM »

Just took a quick glance up at my Art Asylum Enterprise-E, and that looks close enough to me too DJ.

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #86 on:** February 06, 2011, 03:53:15 PM »

I do the mapping as I make the textures, so it shouldn't be significantly more complex that anything else I've done, but due to accuracy requirements etc. it will be more work overall.

Aaron067--> I don't actually shape the whole thing out at oce and then detail, rather, I build small parts and build out. So with the nacelles, the construction process went in this order....

Vortex · « **Reply #87 on:** February 06, 2011, 04:17:19 PM »

Oooo!! A paint by numbers Enterprise. :p

The detail on this is amazing. Have a cookie.

Lionus · « **Reply #88 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:19:06 PM »

I just hope it won't be as heavy to run as JLS Nemesis Enterprise..

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #89 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:48:35 PM »

Nope. I promise this will run as smooth as can be.

Nihilus · « **Reply #90 on:** February 06, 2011, 05:48:43 PM »

Did you bend the Nacelle pylons? I've noticed on the HD pics of the CGI model that they have a very slight bend as they go outward, instead of just sticking straight out like on the TOS/TMP Connie. It's barely noticeable in other angles but can be seen in the aft shot and to a lesser extent, the fore shot.

eclipse74569 · « **Reply #91 on:** February 06, 2011, 06:06:47 PM »

Quote from: Nihilus on February 06, 2011, 05:48:43 PM

Did you bend the Nacelle pylons? I've noticed on the HD pics of the CGI model that they have a very slight bend as they go outward, instead of just sticking straight out like on the TOS/TMP Connie. It's barely noticeable in other angles but can be seen in the aft shot and to a lesser extent, the fore shot.

Check Page 3 Nihilus, there's a good shot of the aft nacelle pylons

Captain_D · « **Reply #92 on:** February 06, 2011, 06:33:23 PM »

Man, This project just blows me away.

Very exceptional work on detail that you have put on this model so far, beautiful.

Have a well earned cookie, though it deserves no less than a cookie jar.

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #93 on:** February 06, 2011, 06:38:46 PM »

Thanks Captain_D.

As for the pylons, there is a slight bend near the base. Yes, it's there.

aaron067 · « **Reply #94 on:** February 06, 2011, 07:01:16 PM »

Fascinating. I do all of my base modeling with spline cages, but it's on a more simplistic level. In my Norway refit I caged out the entire ship, then used modifiers for details, indentations, and whatnot. I'd certainly never thought of doing it piece by piece before. Is that nacelle process the same thing you did with the underside of the saucer, too?

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #95 on:** February 06, 2011, 07:46:34 PM »

Essentially, yes. I started with the deflector housing and built outwards, following the major hull lines on the schematic. Then I built the torpedo launcher, started on the hull behind the deflector, and then did the impulse engines. I sort of build things in an order where I can see that I'll be able to build connecting areas between them. That's what I'm doing with the dorsal saucer here. I'm building it in one layer at a time, and before I get to the top, I'm going to build the bridge area. Then I'll fill in the remaining hull between.

aaron067 · « **Reply #96 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:19:11 PM »

After reading your various posts, I think I'm going to try modeling my re-imagined Prometheus using your method. I'm assuming you're using curved splines for much of this; if so, how many subdivisions do you use when you add the surface modifier, and will the wire frame of each mesh object connect with the lines of the wire frame of the adjacent objects?

Sorry about all the questions, but I'm definitely into researching things before I start. Thanks for all the info so far!

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #97 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:33:12 PM »

Actually, when I want a curve, I often use the arc tool, however I then trace over it with a regular line, ensuring that each vertex is a corner type. This give me better control over exactly how the mesh will shape up. I suppose this wouldn't be practical if I was doing 100,000+ polygon models or something, but for this stuff it works fine.

Aeries · « **Reply #98 on:** February 06, 2011, 08:54:45 PM »

It may be a little early to be asking this, but will you be releasing the Enterprise E with a blank texture set? Reason I ask is I would LOVE to see a sovereign class USS Columbia... sort of a homage to 'Enterprise'.

DJ Curtis · « **Reply #99 on:** February 06, 2011, 09:10:55 PM »

Releasing a blank texture set will be easy. Just remind me when it's time.

Almost there...

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Author Topic: Sovereign Class Enterprise E Now Available at BCFiles (Read 45176 times)