3D Modelling Tutorial

[melnibonian]

Hello everyone

I would have like to try to build my own ship models but I don't know how. Is there anyone who can give me a quick tutorial ????

Thank you very much

[danlisa]

Before you dive right in to ship modeling, get yourself a 3d Modelling program (3ds Max, Maya (these are expensive) or Wings3d or Gmax (freeware)) and find some interactive tutorials to go with the program of your choice. Try these tut's first to give you an idea of what is involved (I remember the first one I did....create a celtic knife).

What you ask is not easy to explain unless you have the background knowledge of 3d modelling.

[melnibonian]

Originally Posted by danlisa

Before you dive right in to ship modeling, get yourself a 3d Modelling program (3ds Max, Maya (these are expensive) or Wings3d or Gmax (freeware)) and find some interactive tutorials to go with the program of your choice. Try these tut's first to give you an idea of what is involved (I remember the first one I did....create a celtic knife).

What you ask is not easy to explain unless you have the background knowledge of 3d modelling.

OK I see. It is much more difficult than I thought then. I'll give it a shot in one of the 3D programs you're suggesting and I'll take it from there.

Thanks anyway

[U-snafu]

Get wings 3d(free & eay to understand interface)--digest the manual & tutorials thouroghly--then read through The ship modeling thread (and related threads) here--lots of hints and tips there---but once you get the modeling worked out---UV-mapping, texturing, and importing correctly is a whole nother animal (at least for us noobs to 3d modeling)

[Respenus]

Damn! I always wanted to try out 3D modeling and I might even give it a try!

Then I'll import the flying cube from Hell into SH3 with 666 torpedo tube, 666 flack guns, 666 deck guns, and the max air speed of 666 kt!

What do ya think? :p

[danlisa]

@ Res

Are we talking Borg cube, that would be interesting.

WO - "Captain, Cube spotted, bearing 120 long range"

then piped through ships intercom......

"we are the Borg, you will be assimilated, your individuality will be added to our own....."

Captain - "Oh bugger U-Flack's not going help us now. Quick leave Bernard in an lifeboat and prepare to scuttle the ship"

The Borg assimilate Bernard and promptly crash........:rotfl:

(Resistance is futile - esp from Bernard)

[AG124]

A very good idea is to start pretty far back in the "Mod Request for More Ship Types Thread" (as recommended) and read your way through it. A lot of the progress made in shipbuilding originated in that thread, although some was done through PMs. Most of the early information has been rendered obsolete through newer versions of Pack3d, new methods, etc., but you should still read the early posts to get an idea of what to do. But don't start building until you get some newer info. Also, search for older threads (especially those which included discussions by Sergbuto, Iambecomelife, or myself).

And make sure to have Pack3d, of course. I don't think anyone mentioned it here yet.

[Respenus]

Originally Posted by AG124

And make sure to have Pack3d, of course. I don't think anyone mentioned it here yet.

What does it do?

Originally Posted by danlisa

@ Res

Are we talking Borg cube, that would be interesting.

WO - "Captain, Cube spotted, bearing 120 long range"

then piped through ships intercom......

"we are the Borg, you will be assimilated, your individuality will be added to our own....."

Captain - "Oh bugger U-Flack's not going help us now. Quick leave Bernard in an lifeboat and prepare to scuttle the ship"

The Borg assimilate Bernard and promptly crash........

(Resistance is futile - esp from Bernard)

Sure thing. Then you'll be able to put it in my sig! :p

[danlisa]

Originally Posted by Respenus

What does it do?

It extracts all files from the DAT's. I.e The OBJ files which are neaded for 3d editing/modelling.

[AG124]

Take note though, it will give you some errors. First, all versions will ruin your UV Mapping for horizontal surfaces - the surfaces will stop using the separate deck texture and use the main texture instead (although I think the UV coordinates are preserved). Also, the flag node and all equipment nodes with a negative X-axis value will be flipped upside down - this can be fixed by reversing the XY and XZ coordinates and only happens in the newer versions of Pack3d.

Also, sometimes Pack3d will refuse to import some 3d changes which have just been made. It appears that this usually happens when faces are deleted - try to minimize things instead of deleting them.

Still, Pack3d is a lifesaving tool for SHIII - without it, it would be rare to ever see new ships inported into the game as it would take far more work.

[Respenus]

Here's something I have done in around 30 min with playing around with the commands. I have found some nice tutorials, but haven't gone over any onf them.

Please do not laught, I never knew what I was working on and I have no forhand experience! But it did got me thinking!

BTW, this is a product of a sick mind, so don't pay any attention to the shapes you see!

[JU_88]

Originally Posted by melnibonian

Hello everyone

I would have like to try to build my own ship models but I don't know how. Is there anyone who can give me a quick tutorial ????

Thank you very much

Well, its taken me a good 3-4 months to learn how make stuff in 3dsmax like the whitley below,



I can give you a 'quick tutorial' but it wont make any sense for you unless you have grasped the basics, such as:

1) familiarity with the max interface and tools
2) a basic understanding of poly modelling and
working in sub-object mode with an editable mesh
3) using uwv unwrap.
4) decent photoshop or paintshop pro skills.

If you have all of the above then i can help yout

But if not I would have to write an entire book for you. 3d apps such as max and maya are not the type of programs that you can just dive in to and get instant results, it takes time to learn. I been banging away at max since June, and Ive still got a long, long way to go.

And why isnt the above plane in an SH3 mod yet? - because modeling for me is the easy bit, messing about with dat.files, obj.files and pack 3d, and all the rest is the really hard / tedious part!

[melnibonian]

Thanks a lot for all the replies guys. I really appreciate it. I will get one of the free programs and start going through the tutorials. If (actually 'when' to be honest) I have any specific problems I'll post again.

Thanks again

[Corsair]

I have always been admirative for all modders, be it 3D or else... When I have taken off from my day the time I need to earn some money for living, a couple quick meals and the time I spend driving subs or flying various airplanes, plus the time I spend on a couple of forums, I barely have the time left for sleeping a few hours...