Sci Fi Arctic Research Base

Zi0

Hello Polycount!

This is the first time I post my work here. Currently I'm working on a sci fi research base.
This is my blockout + current progress.


Its going to be a microbiology lab that can be used on the Arctic and cold planets with a Arctic environment. It has four legs and can lift itself so it wont get stuck in the snow like a real Arctic research base. For the legs I was inspired by terran buildings from star craft.



I started working on the legs first. My progress so far:






Any feedback / ideas are welcome.

Lt_Commander

Those struts are some nice hard surface. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with the rest of the structure.

Zi0

Current Progress:





Lower part of the base and the legs for it to stand on are done. C&C welcome!

Add3r

This is dope. Planning on interior build out as well? Or more of an exterior environment?

skyline5gtr

mmm dat strut

Zi0

I'm going to make the interior as well and have some set dressing around the building with a small environment.

Skumtron

Looking very nice. No floaters whatsoever? Mind showing us some of the wireframe? :P

foreverlost

Coming along nice and clean. Like the idea a lot too. Subbing!

Zi0

@Skumtron, Im modeling all the detail, here are the wires.

Thank you for all the positive reactions people!

Zi0

Started working on the walls, made a little bit of progress:

Zi0

Small update:





Picture of the extended legs



Im adding a cargo area for the roof. C&C is always welcome!

Zaelus

This is amazing... I really admire your talent. The strut you made, that's the exact kind of thing I want to be able to model some day. It feels so difficult to me to create truly realistic/convincing mechanical detail like that.

Would you say that a productive way to practice creating things like that is to just find references of different kinds of machinery and try to model them?

Zi0

Thank you! The struts I made went through a couple of iterations before I was happy with them, so never underestimate the power of the iterative process! Having reference is a must its important to research how mechanical stuff works etc. To create mechanical stuff you need to look at what you want to build and how is it going to move, then compare it to machines we already have and how they do it, how their hydraulics work etc. Believability is important. And of course look at other work for inspiration, polycount and artstation are great for that!

Zi0

Another update, I could not work on this project for a while because of school projects I had, I found some time to work a little on the project.
I was not happy with the radar in the roof on the base so I made a different one.




Feedback is always welcome!

Zi0

Made some more progress:


Made a spotlight prop that will be on top of the structure.


A comparison between the old radar and the new one.

A comparison between the old containers and the new ones, they will be placed on top of the structure.
Feedback is always welcome!

poageboy

I've been following this thread for a while.  I really like how balanced your details are across the models.  High frequency where it should be, and areas of rest in all the right places.  Keep up the good work!

Have you made plans for how you'll texture this?  Tiling textures with masks for wear & tear?  Many 0-1 textures?

Zi0

Thank you! I'm not 100% sure how I will texture it yet, first I'm going to finish the exterior and create the interior. For texturing I'm going to look into PBR, texturing is not my strongest point so I'm going to use this project as a texturing practice as well.

Treece

Hi Zi0

Excellent work mate.  I'm trying to work out the scale of your new radar. (ie: to human size).  The reason why I ask is, you have the handrails/climbing frame on the back of it and I'm trying to work out what the function for this climbing frame is.  To explain....

1. If I climbed up it, where is it helping me get to and to do what?  (I presume it's for engineering purposes?)
2. Once I'm at the top of it, do I have to reach over to the sides?  
3. If no.2 applies how do I get across to the sides??  Do I move one hand off then a foot..... ouch!....  smack straight into the floor!!

Hope that makes sense where I'm coming from.

Zi0

Hi Treece,

Thank you for your feedback you made a good point, I'm going to redesign that part of the radar so that its going to make more sense. I will post a picture of it when its done.

Progress so far:


I'm experimenting with the part on the side that has windows, its not final yet.