Bridge Commander Central

BC Forums => BC Modding => Topic started by: CJLarkin on June 06, 2008, 08:05:32 PM

Title: Modelling
Post by: CJLarkin on June 06, 2008, 08:05:32 PM
I'm not sure if i'm allowed, but i'd like to enquire as to the possibility of a modelling tutorial. You know, the basics, to get people started. I myself am someone with some "interesting" ideas, but can't think how to apply them to a model.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: limey BSc. on June 06, 2008, 09:22:38 PM
Everyone has different methods though. Probably the best way to learn is simply trial and error. Try stuff. If it fails, erase if from existance, but you'll learn stuff.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: lint on June 06, 2008, 09:27:24 PM
there are HEAPS of tutorials out there,
Just Google for them.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: DJ Curtis on June 07, 2008, 12:58:30 AM
I still think BCC needs a specific tutorial forum.  I would guarantee myself as a contributer.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: Centurus on June 07, 2008, 02:44:30 AM
I still think BCC needs a specific tutorial forum.  I would guarantee myself as a contributer.

If there was a bowing emoticon, I'd use that.  *bows to DJ*

Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: Aeries on June 07, 2008, 02:46:40 AM
I still think BCC needs a specific tutorial forum.

DARN RIGHT!!! >:[

I would guarantee myself as a contributer.

And I would guarantee myself as a reader. :D
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: MLeo on June 07, 2008, 08:35:53 AM
The problem with a tutoral forum would be that after a time it would become empty of contributers, since the field of BC is rather limited when it comes to tutorials, and we can't really create tutorials for scripting since that's real programming, and there are entire schools for that. Which leaves say, 5, tutorials? Well, with subtutorials.

HPing, projectile making, System making, planet/star making, ship plugin making and maybe the shipfile making.

Plus a couple of really minor stuff, like soundpack making.

For all other things better and more specialized stuff is "out there" (on the internet).
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: lint on June 07, 2008, 08:37:10 AM
Perhaps a modeling tutorial section for the Graphics section?
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: MLeo on June 07, 2008, 08:38:14 AM
Perhaps a modeling tutorial section for the Graphics section?
That's part of the "better and more specialized stuff is "out there" (on the internet)" section.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: Centurus on June 07, 2008, 07:48:26 PM
The problem with tutorials out on the internet is that most of them never really work for most people.

I know most of the tutorials out there don't work for me, and I've been trying for 4 years, nearly 5 now.

I'm sure alot of people would really benefit from a truly dedicated ship modeling tutorial.

Over on the D.net forums, up until FoaS made his saucer tutorial, I couldn't even begin to understand how to make a saucer, even with the various tutorials I've read over the years.  There are others that were the same way.

Now I can make a decent saucer and phaser arrays.  And thanks to TUS, I can make spline phasers now too.

You never know, even a dedicated thread here in the modding area of BC-Central for the sole purpose of modding and modeling tutorials might benefit a great deal of people.

The same could go for making textures. 
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: CJLarkin on June 07, 2008, 08:07:22 PM
I completely agree. It can help many people. The problem is that it's talented modellers/textures giving up their good time to write the tuts. So it's up to you guys.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: lint on June 07, 2008, 08:13:15 PM
Well, i would contribute, As would DJ.
Thats 2 so far!
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: CJLarkin on June 07, 2008, 08:27:22 PM
Well, i would contribute, As would DJ.
Thats 2 so far!
Woo! XD
No, seriously, this is very encouraging. 2 of the best modelers out there, offering their own advice. "As far as i'm concerned that already says a ton about your character" (lol, it's a quote, but still relevent)
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: cordanilus on June 07, 2008, 09:32:15 PM
Well, I pretty much can't do anything better then Lint and DJ except with nifskope.

You can export (pretty much) in any version of max into nif but the node structure has to be organized to bc (nif) format before it can be used properly ingame.  I've fixed many models that have been released and discovdered new ways the nif format can be used.

Count me in. :D
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: lint on June 07, 2008, 09:41:41 PM
indeed,
cord is a nifskope master,
No one would have the B'rel or the K'vort without his Nifskope skills.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: Phoenix Bondi on June 07, 2008, 10:28:00 PM
Hey if theres ever anything i could add to it, i sure would, its something which i think many people would benifit from.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: laguardia528 on June 07, 2008, 11:22:18 PM
I too would be glad to add to that. I've gotten pretty good with texture mapping.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: MLeo on June 08, 2008, 06:41:53 AM
Well, not every tutorial works for everyone, for example, the saucer tutorial mentioned doesn't work for me.

But I could be a special case. :P

[EDIT] And neither do the phaser strip tutorials.
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: Centurus on June 08, 2008, 08:50:33 AM
Well, not every tutorial works for everyone, for example, the saucer tutorial mentioned doesn't work for me.

But I could be a special case. :P

[EDIT] And neither do the phaser strip tutorials.

Not everyone can grasp every tutorial.  Some tuts work for some, but not everyone.

However, if this place did have a tutorial forum, or a dedicated modeling tutorial thread, anyone could post their own particular methods of how to make something.  One person's method may not be something someone could understand or even follow, but another person's tutorial might just be what the doctor ordered.

Also, after a while, when you become somewhat proficient with making models on your own, and understand more and more what tools can do what, there may come a day where that tutorial you didn't understand starts making sense.

And, as mentioned, there are already 2 very skilled meshers that would be willing to post tutorials on how to do what they do.  Possibly more would post. 
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: MLeo on June 08, 2008, 09:00:39 AM
Well, whatever tutorial, they never work for me.

The thing is, I know how, it just never turns out right.


Anyway, we are getting slightly offtopic.

My argument was, that for some things, like modeling and scripting, you can't really make a proper tutorial, since they are far to broad to fit on a single post, even if that post is several pages long. I mean, we have schools for those, don't we?
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: limey BSc. on June 08, 2008, 09:37:30 AM
My argument was, that for some things, like modeling and scripting, you can't really make a proper tutorial, since they are far to broad to fit on a single post, even if that post is several pages long. I mean, we have schools for those, don't we?

For those, you could cover the bases of different areas of the topic. For example, have a box modelling tutorial, a spline modelling tutorial, UVW mapping etc.

I quite like the idea of a tutorial section personally. I've started trying to branch out into new areas recently (thanks to Lint and LJ and their help ;)).
Title: Re: Modelling
Post by: El on June 08, 2008, 11:03:29 AM
The best way to learn to model as has been said many times, is to do it yourself.
That's why tutorials don't work for everyone because everyone is different.

Learn the basics yourself, and then use the tutorials stickied here to learn the specifics for BC.

If any one wants to create a tutorial that covers any BC specific elements that aren't covered in the existing stickies then please pm them to me for review, and I'll discuss with Mark if we should post them.

Thanks

El.