"Jalopy" armed and armored dodge charger '69

elykk

Hi Polycounters !

I'm new here and I'm french, so please excuse my poor english and modeling skills. (I only had three hours/week of 3DS lessons during a semester)

So, let the show begin, I love Half Life and espacially the wrecked dodge charger in Half Life 2, so I was going to model it, so I started to model a stock charger 69', here it is :




(dafuq happened ? where is the rear windshield ?)



Maybe to much pics ? Sorry.

So, once I had finished this, I thought the charger was badass, so I decided to equip it like in Death Race, so if I have some answer, I'll post my progress.

elykk

Nobody likes me

But, I don't mind, here is some progress :


I visibly have inverted the normal map on the side plate, how can I re-invert it ?
edit : Nah, I find it.

waldo

You should go over the shapes one more time, some of them doesn't match the Chargers to 100%.

The roof (by the rear window) is quite sharp and strange. Take a look at this picture and see if you can match it better. Also the rear window should be wider.


The sideview has some flow errors as well, take a look at this picture and I'm sure you'll see them. The roof line is not that sharp for example.


You should add the cuts for the doors as well, just looks naked without them. Also take a look at the front of the doors they have somewhat of a bevel that is iconic for the Charger.

Good luck with this, always makes me happy to see someone working on a Charger since I have one in the garage :P

elykk

You lucky bastard

I won't make the cut of the doors because some armor plates will cover them and I've planned to make them only on the normal map (same for the front hood)
And like for the cut, the iconics bevels won't be visible on the finished charger, and I'm a bit lazy, so...

I'll re work that roof a bit, thanks for your help.

edit :

Is the shape better like this ? :

And I follow your advice, I made the cuts for the doors, and now they can be opened, I'll maybe make the inside of the car :

Shrike

Yea, really love the front view. Maybe the left and right lights and the chrome bumper grill could be a little bit larger, that would make it look more intense and give more of a face with the lights as grim eyes.

How are you modeling ? Low poly only ?

Snader

Are you following blueprints? It feels kinda tall, long and narrow.

elykk

The left and right lights, whiwh ones ? On th bumper or under the hood ? (because the second ones are as large as the real ones and I don't want change the basic aspect of the car)
I have started in low poly, but I have too many poly to call it low poly now. But I'm not using mesh smooth/turbo smooth.

And yes, I have blue prints of the car, maybe not at the right scale. But this car is very massive and long, it's why I like it.

sjuskadur

Starting to look really good! Try taking a othrographic shot of your model and try to transpose it over any images you have of the reference, it might help see where your shapes are off (Photoshop, lower the opacity)

Keep going

waldo

Much better now! You also have some cuts for the deck lid. Those could be made with nDo or something later though.

A few minor flows that could be improved still, the strange edge that flows from the rear fender over the door could be lower on your car. Also where the roof meets the rear fender, that is kinda smoothed out on the charger.

The rear sails as they call them (where the roof goes out in a V shape before going back into the rear window) should be shorter and more together. Check the picture with the black charger and compare to your picture thats in the same angle.

This is going to look bitchin', looking forward to see it with some gritty textures

elykk

Sjuskadur > Done, maybe my references are the problem.
Waldo > I modified what you've suggested, well, I think. English isn't my native language so I had to search on google image to identify what pieces you were talking of.
On the other hand, don't expect too much about the textures, it will be my first time.

Added some d

Stormie

Without

elykk

Done. Now, let's learn texturing.

dfinlay

Looks pretty cool, but the rear tire could stand to be a tiny bit larger/bulkier. And possibly add some rails protecting the rear wheels? Right now it looks like someone could slam into the side of the car with a VW beetle and put your car outta commission.

Nice progress though. Keep going!

Shrike

Maybe add some really badass exhausts or something, that would fit the style
The back part looks strange tho, not so convinced with that one

elykk

I can't cover the rear wheels because it'll fuck up the entire line of the car, but I can try to make heavier tires.
I'd like to see a Beetle trying to take out a 2.5 tons Charger

I like the pipes the way they are, looks like made from scratch, will it be better with a second pair of pipes in symetry on the other side ?

I'm not convinced either with the rear armor, but I don't know how to make a fatass but good looking armor plate because it have to be massive to stop the bazillions bullets fired up to your arse by all the fuckers who will only see the rear of your car all along the race

If someone have a better desing for the rear plate, don't hesitate.