Just a little something to keep this alive... no pics, but I'll post those when I get back home and do more work with this later tonight...
I've almost completely rebuilt the Mithra, once again. Lol. The entire top portion of the saucer section has been re-built and I even built an entirely new saucer rim, complete with the secondary deflector array and the sensor pallet indentations I've been wanting for like... ever. I have also greatly widened the aft section, so it looks far less flimsy. Additionally, the warp nacelles have been completely rebuilt and the pylons have gotten a much-needed overhaul as well. The weapons pod pylons have been re-built, too, but I think I'm going to get rid of the pods entirely and rebuild them... they just don't "flow like water", as Adonis said. I may, in fact, rebuild the entire engineering hull again once the top hull, pylons and pods are all complete. Reason being that I've come a long way with the top hull, and it's SO much cleaner and smoother than the rest of the ship that it actually makes the rest look terrible. As such, I'm going to rebuild the lower hull and lower saucer, as well... as I actually have some really cool ideas I want to try. With any luck, I'll have the old girl put completely back together by morning, fresh as fresh can be... seems my modeling skills have come FAR further than they once were. *beaming ego moment*
The result so far is that the saucer rim, as has been suggested to me many times by now, is FAR smoother than seen in my last update. In fact, I'm almost willing to say that I could make a good comparison between the Mithra and DJ's Century (Scared the crap out of myself when I saw how much better it looks than before.) The ship is far smoother with far fewer errors than what it once had, and it's easier for me to maintain a level of quality with the cleaner mesh. Despite how much intricate detail has been integrated into the new model, it is, in fact, over 600 polys LESS... sitting at roughly 6.1k. Given a little bit of time, I believe I can even reduce that count to somewhere in the high 5k's. I also believe I can rebuild the phasers FAR better now, having much fewer limitations mesh-wise.
In any event, I intend to shock the living hell out of all of you with the new Mithra. I think you'll all (as I am) be SO MUCH happier with the new model. As I stated, I scared myself when I saw the end result of my 8-hour non-stop "productivity campaign". Lol... and no, I'm not exaggerating about the new model. Unfortunately I have no pics, but I should have some for tomorrow morning. Once the model is complete and I've integrated some armored plating via "beveling" (Lint suggested this method, rather than the extruding I've grown used to) then I think she'll finally be ready for textures... Oh, and the newer, fresher model is SO much cleaner that texturing ought to be a breeze... well, mapping at least.
If anybody has further suggestions, despite my lack of current pictures, please post them ASAP before I get off work and start my big-arse "campaign" again. I love feedback and ideas, so don't be afraid to offer them up if you have them.
MANY thanks to all of you.
Sincerely,
~Aeries.
