WIP - Circuit Stage Microscope (Van Heurck)

Zodd

Hello everyone,

Here is something i'm working on in my spare time, old time-y microscope with a lots of interesting hard surface pieces and details.
Wanted to hear your opinion, comments & critique on hard surface subd work i did on this, it's still very wip but parts shown are more or less finished (still fighting with the tripod)

EDIT:
Finally finished:


Reference images.


Hi poly Screenshots








Comments and critique highly welcome.
Thanks.

C86G

What´s your goal here? A highpoly model or a normal mapped realtime model as well? If you want to have a realtime version, you should reaaaally soften all of the edges.
Edit: even if this is supposed to be highpoly only I would soften the edges to get some nice specular highlights.

Zodd

Hey, thanks for the reply, and correction.
The goal?... Good question, should've written it in the main post, but forgot...

The model is intended to be realtime portfolio piece, normal maps bakes cages and all of that + pbr.

I was afraid i made some of the edges too sharp, now i have confirmation gonna fix that. I'm aware that some general guide is to make them extra soft so they don't vanish when zoomed out, and because of aliasing. Just need to find the right amount cause there are some areas (like gears) that have tiny details that wont ( or i think they won't?) look good when zoomed out/baked, and others that have a lot of parallel edges next to each other ( area around the gears ) that i was afraid will lose the feeling of being different separate planes. In any case gonna do some test on them as well

Zodd

Hello again,

Did some changes regarding sharp edges on some parts, also changed the screws since they were too sharp and pinched around the edges where the screwdriver goes in, changed mat to blinn so the edges are more highlighted.



Next is the neck thingy that holds the drawtube

Again, comments/critique very welcome

Zodd

Another (way overdue) update.

Made the mechanical parts under the stage that hold the lenses and the mechanism that moves it (lots of slidey things).
Also would be great if someone could comment on the "are edges round enough to catch highlights" subject, since that's the part i'm still struggling with.





And here are the screws that im using all over the model


Any comments & Critique is very welcome.

Zodd

Started low poly,

Added support loops around edges to minimize stretching normals.

Zodd

Started making low poly... generally satisfied with the result, having some doubts about should i add some more edges on the top semi-circular part to get better bake. Also i may end up widening that edge... front of the fork shows almost 0 highlights.


Also the part is baked and mirrored hence the "error" in bake in the middle seam.

Critique welcome

Zodd

Calling this one done,

Here are the screenshots from marmoset:

skycity02

wow, very well done piece. I love the texture and the lighting, but the polycount maybe a little bit high

Zodd

Hey, thanks, and yeah polycount is a "bit" on the high end but i figured its a portfolio piece so i give myself a little more room in that department.
Also, almost every bit on the microscope is some sort of a cylinder so in a way so something had to be done
One thing that bugs me is that i don't know if i went a little overboard with the texture size as well, i mean 3 x 2048 maps...

Forgot to add this script that i cobbled together from various places. It selects every Nth edge (loop, ring, border edge, loop/border) and it also has a input box if you want to select every 3rd 4th etc... edge. There probably is a more versatile version somewhere on the web but if you need a quick solution without robust scripting then by all means feel free to help yourself to this one

Found it useful for dealing with cylinders.
Looks like this:

*L/B is for edge loops and borders
Dropbox Link:  Here