My first model

[Majestic]

Well I made this thing ages ago. I thought I would get this section going by reposting it. I am slowly (when I find the time) learning to model so I can do some game models as well as being able to help others out as the gaming community (especially Armada 2 community) doesn't have enough modellers.

The below model attempt was done using Milkshape 3D.

I found a copy of GMax version 1.2 the other day and I am thinking of giving that program a go.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

A good start with MS3d. Try a TOS ship first, these are pretty good for beginners (my first ship was one, too... the old days)

I did not used GMAX yet, but I can really promote Milkshape 3d! When you into it, you can do wonders...

A piece of advise from me.
I saw that the saucer section of the ships is done with the default cylinder settings. Don't know, if you have seen it already, but under the control panel for the objects is showing up another menu, specific to the object you want to place:

It is quite helpful when doing larger cylinders (and for the sphere there is this option, too).
Try 24 or 36 slices when doing a saucer section...

What also is good to build a model is to use a 3 perspectve view as background image. Split it into every perspective and then use it as background. Helps alot! (Building a MiG-31 currently and without this it would a hell of a job!)
I think CaptSyf and me can both help you with ms3d quite well.
Good luck with further models and this one!!

(Note the screenshot is taken from V.1.7.7a)

 

[Majestic]

Thanks Intrepid.

 

[Syf]

I found a copy of GMax version 1.2 the other day and I am thinking of giving that program a go.

The only problem with that is there is no support for GMax. It's a stripped down version of 3D Max, but then the backing fell out underneath it. No Exporters or importers, nothing supports the GMax format.

 

[Majestic]

I took your advice Intrepid, first I regestered MilkShape. I have version 1.7.8, its the latest one out.

Next I started on a TOS ship. The Star Trek Deadalus Class from the early 22nd century. I played around with it a little such as using 36 slices for the sphere.

Well this is what I have so far.







Its a little rough, but its not too bad I think, especially for someone on his L's.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Not bad! Was my first ship, too

 

[Majestic]

Not bad! Was my first ship, too

Thanks.

I have done a little more work on it. I discovered the duplication tool so it has made life easier for me.

 

[Majestic]

I replaced the saucer with a better one that is more round.



Does anyone know how to check how many pollies are in a model with Milkshape 3D?

 

[Cylon]

click tools then show model statistics
it give u a list of statistics, polies are called triangles by milkshape

 

[Majestic]

click tools then show model statistics
it give u a list of statistics, polies are called triangles by milkshape

Thanks Cylon. I have a lot of pollies for this model. I have 4056.

But there are heaps of hidden pollies that I need to remove. Just trying to find a tutorial to help me through that.

 

[Cylon]

were lots of them in the sphere?

 

[Majestic]

There are a few, as I put a new sphere in and now its 3600 pollies.

 

[Majestic]

I have decided to wait till CaptSyf tutorial comes available here. So I have been playing around to try and learn by trial and error.

Here a are few models I have been doing over the last few days, nothing fancy here just trying to get used to Milkshape.












Nothing amazing here, just try to teach myself how to model.

 

[TM150]

A friend toll me that modelling in not the hard this if not the texture.... at least I have experience whit the modeling but whit texturex.. even the less idea.

Good work Majest!! I think you re better than me now.

 

[Syf]

Your doing great Maj. When my tutorial is ready, you'll get lots of technique experience under your belt. The Tutorial is coming. Things realated to my move are getting finalized, and my attention is begining to get back to modeling. Soon my friend, soon.

 

[Majestic]

Thanks. I am having trouble trying to keep the pollies down as well as working with shaping the geometric shapes to what I want with them.

I still am not too sure on how many pollies are considered high and low for Armada.

 

[TM150]

If im not in mistake is 1000 to 1500 no Syf?

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

The mesh with the highest polycount had about 11,000 (EA Nova II from efni.org), now reduced to 8000.

If you want to have a model for real mass production keep it around 500 (eg. fighters), a ship for mass production about 1000 - 2000.
Up to 6000 is okay for a fleet ship, I think. A special ship could have some more, as it is presumably only one unit in the game.

 

[Majestic]

The mesh with the highest polycount had about 11,000 (EA Nova II from efni.org), now reduced to 8000.

If you want to have a model for real mass production keep it around 500 (eg. fighters), a ship for mass production about 1000 - 2000.
Up to 6000 is okay for a fleet ship, I think. A special ship could have some more, as it is presumably only one unit in the game.

Thanks Intrepid, thats exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

I looked through my meshes and those of the stock Armada 2 game for the polycounts:

Hyperion - 3626
Nova - 5376
Artemis - 2952
Olympus - 2292
Warlock - 2688
Tillman (Civil War refit) - 5616
Nova II - 5458
--
stock trek ships:
Sovereign - 1140
Akira - 852
Defiant - 772
Galaxy - 759
--
CVN-12 Enterprise - 3564
Lenin BB - 2700

You see that the stock ships do not really look good. they look okay but not really good. (Doesn't mean that a ship with a low polycount has to be ugly, but usually a higher polycount indicates more details.)
This is like the thing with the sphere of the Daedalus. The lower poly version does not look as good as the higher poly version.

 

[Syf]

For Armada 2, I try to keep the mobile/ mass production models down as low as possible. If it's a quick build unit, you want it under 1,000 if possible. For a heavy craft that is hard to produce (not going to have too many ingame), then under 4,000 is fine. A heavy Starbase can be 5,000 or more, and will be fine. The main thing to consider is the A2 engine combined with a good PC hardware setup can handle 1-2 million polies per frame. If the models are "clean" then the render time is fast. If it's a sloppy model with hidden faces and such, then it adds several extra calculations per clock cycle (CPU usage per model) On an older system (1.0ghz or something like that) would only handle about 400,000 polies per frame. So in the end, when you make a model, you have to design it with a target system in mind. If you go for low end system use in mind, then keep all models under 2,000 polies. If you only intend for use or you personal system, and just share it with the world for the fun of it, then do what makes you happy. Just remember, the higher the polie count, then less you want it ingame (many copies, like a fleet).

One little tip of good news, is when you render test you model in the Sod Viewer for A2, it shows you how many polies are actually "on-screen". Also, the viewer has a shadowing feature that allows you to see how well the model will bend shadows and smoothened groups will look ingame.

 

[Majestic]

Okay thats guys, that helps, I haven't in the past been all too sure about this polly count issue.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

How is your modelling going?

 

[Majestic]

Its not, I can't get the shapes I want. Just finding it too difficult as there are no tutorials that help you with those issues, they only help with hardpoints, nodes etc.

 

[TM150]

Now try to give it a texture I even understand the guide or manual wathever...

 

[Syf]

With any luck, you'll get your tutorial soon.

 

[TM150]

ok cool