[WIP] Starcraft Vulture

PatoGrande

At my last job I somehow ended up making 3 different cycle props, so I'm continuing that tradition here with Starcraft's take on the hover bike. Starting my high poly, this will have a low poly bake too.

Update: Final texture
Marmoset viewer on my artstation.





UPDATE -- Unwrap + Normal + AO bake ---


Update --
Did some beauty renders ahead of having to retopo/unwrap.



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first post:
So far I've got the engine and the beginning of the tailpipe.

Super low res blockin.

Style reference.

PatoGrande

Getting there, fleshing out more. A lot is still getting blocked in, so I'm remembering a lot of past work on motorbikes and how those props dealt with similar issues I'm having -- feet placement, pedals, bars, cool silhouettes. I'm not 100% happy with the seat yet, it's still in carry-on luggage territory. On the plus side, you can fit it in the overhead bin.

Jarran

Hey this is looking pretty sweet so far. I'd suggest getting a character in there to get the issues you mentioned sorted easily.

PatoGrande

Thanks Jarran, I've been thinking of getting a Scaleman in there or play with a Biped rig, and yeah I think it'll be a must soon.

lotet

it kinda looks like the engines are just bolted directly to the seat.

aclund3

lotet said:

it kinda looks like the engines are just bolted directly to the seat.

Not sure how realistic you want to go here, but I would suggest inventing a heavy duty structure to secure the engines to the frame of the hoverbike.  The style references don't really show what's going on there, but if those engines are putting out as much thrust as it looks like they would, then I'd expect to see a pretty heavy structure connecting everything together to put up with the heavy acceleration.  Anyways... maybe way too technical.  Looking good so far!  Get a scale figure in there

PatoGrande

@aclund3 and @lotet yeah that's definitely up there. I'm still sizing up the proportions of this thing but making sure it's all secure and actually *part* of the machine and making sense is a big deal to me. Like, Phantom Menace's podracing gets a pass only because the electro cable thing between the engines looks hella tight.

edit: I wish I could get a better view of the HOTS model but I guess it was a promo model that I missed out on. In the meantime I'll keep looking at sidecars, airplanes, retrofits and the like.

aclund3

You could get away with something podracerish, but it wouldn't be very real world at that point... and don't get me wrong, podracing and those podracer designs are the best part of the prequel trilogy, but we all know there's some magic hodgepodgery going on there.  I think its a great approach to took at real world ref for homemade retrofits for flying things.

Brian "Panda" Choi

WTH DANIEL.

Fooreal though, how are you thinking the grenade launcher looks?

PatoGrande

yeah for as much scifi and out there as Starcraft is, Star Wars is definitely a cut above with their space wizardry. I'm not going the power coupling route -- it could work fine for Protoss but not Terran. I'll post images again soon, it's going more of the shock absorber route.

Lol panda -- it's a beefy gun, but these are beefy dudes out in Koprulu sector so he'll be doing it Terminator style. I'll build out a mount to holster it to the vulture body (like cops) once the main bike is done.

PatoGrande

I started working the front end a little bit and then sized out the seat/handlebar situation with 3dsmax's biped rig and had to take it way the heck in, modeling for a 6 foot guy, so not really Tychus.
After that I went in and went nuts on the engine mount. I consulted images of kit cars and stuff that might have wheel mounts exposed. I understand these aren't wheels but the visual language works.

I'm excited to have it make sense, next up, getting the mounts on the center body, making sure that stuff all fits together, then time to work the vanes out front!

PatoGrande

Where I'm at now -- High poly mostly there, cleaning up now.

PatoGrande

Every time I think I'm posting too much, I remind myself how little I post in general. Previous post was in marmoset, these are in mental ray. Next up, retopo + UV so I wanted some fun first.

lotet

The engine attachments are making this a lot better.
sweet renders as well.

have you tried putting a character on it?

PatoGrande

@lotet I don't have a spare character on me except the biped rig. I used him to get proportions working but he doesn't really help the presentation -- 

JordanN

Totally optional, but if you're looking for an idea, I would have the character holding up a spider mine. Getting ready to throw one.  

lotet

PatoGrande said:

@lotet I don't have a spare character on me except the biped rig. I used him to get proportions working but he doesn't really help the presentation

I think it helps a lot actually, even if its just a mannequin. maybe take some inspiration from the unreal 4 base character and mod the biped to look like some sort of robot or something.

PatoGrande

Came back after some weeks, had to shelve this for a little while. Unwrapped, w/TSN and AO bakes here --- 

PatoGrande

I'm calling this one done, but I'm still open to crit and feedback, to keep in mind for my next piece. I've got a marmoset viewer over on my artstation too.

lotet

nice work, congrats!
I like the texture work, looks like a nice mix between Heroes of the storm and Starcraft.

Nuclear Angel

Congrats on finishing the piece! It turned out really well. 
My only crit would be to work on the presentation, the complete black background and the simple lighting is not pushing it as far as it deserves.