Fighterplane-thing

Incomitatum

For going on three years now I have been pretty inactive in 3D, doing mostly GUI work. My passion is to be a modeler, or I tell myself; but it must be a lie because most of my projects get about 1/3 the way done.

Lately I am fascinated by being able to paint in Mubox.

So here it is, my concept for a cool Fighterplane-thing.


Here is my current work so far:


I think I am doing alright on the topology for now. The devil will be in the details as I am not sure how do to the radiator bit around the propeller and may just opt for an enclosed system like this one:



I am gonna take this into Mubox to add details. And back into Mudbox after I have the normal maps to do the texture painting.

Any comments along the way are appreciated.

downarmy

u need better flow in ur wireframe it will help the shape better

ZacD

Mudbox/zBrush are not very good for hard surface modeling, learn sub-division modeling.

Incomitatum

I am pretty confident about Sub-D modeling, as it is essentially adding extra loops to account for hard seams.

If you could show me where/how I have flow issues I am more than open to suggestions.

*I am seeing a few edges I could delete or connect differently. In the meantime, I feel it is going well. More Pics soon.

Incomitatum

Today I have greatly improved the Topology; and after rewatching the 'CG Chain Fundamental' videos, am felling pretty good about how this is turning out. Going to model the engine soon.

Incomitatum

I've made much more progress. I am wondering how best to add the vertical grill slats. I may float them as I don't want to divide up the geometry of the body to hell and back just to get them in there. :S

griffinax

Oo, sweet.. but the thing you're producing is not very aerodynamic.. kinda odd concept :P

Those propellers are way too thin to lift of such an aircraft

Are you going to model the insides of the radiator too? That would be awesome, I did a Le Rhone once, never finished it :P

-1 for sculpting though, what are you going to sculpt in this? :P

Edit: I shouldnt have included the link, sorry.

odium

Its a flying car with rocket boosters stuck on the side and a propeller on the back...

I think its safe to assume that aerodynamics are not an important goal here and looking "cool" is.

griffinax

odium wrote: »

Its a flying car with rocket boosters stuck on the side and a propeller on the back...

I think its safe to assume that aerodynamics are not an important goal here and looking "cool" is.

Okay.

JohnnySix

You're doing a similar style to one of my favourite watched artists on DevArt - 600v

He designs stuff in a similar style - would suggest you can put in a lot more curves and a lot more detail into the body, the boosters could be a lot more rounded/styled without detracting from their function, and the propeller could be dispensed with as the jets on the wings should be more than enough to float it.

Also have a think maybe about how it'd sit when stationary, would wheels come out like an undercarriage, or would it float like the star wars pod-racer in the ref sheet?













These were all built in Google Sketch-up.

Jeremy Lindstrom

for soem reason this reminds me of homer's car..

dv8ix

Jeremy Lindstrom wrote: »

for soem reason this reminds me of homer's car..

HAHAHA

Incomitatum

JohnnySix

Those concepts are bitchin'. Problem is I have gone nuts just doing -this- much SubD work, I'm not really any good at it, but I guess the best way is to practice.

Last night I lamented how the side engines were not connected to the body; so I connected them. I also put the whole thing against he proportions of the side-view in my concept to make it look like I wanted to begin with.

If any of you know any good work-flows or tutorials for SubD on Complex things like this, lemme know. I need to get loads better.

AnimeAngel

Looking pretty kewl, I like the designs. Look forward to seeing them painted.

ZacD wrote: »

Mudbox/zBrush are not very good for hard surface modeling, learn sub-division modeling.

I don't know about mudbox but, The newest release of Zbrush actually has some really neat new tools specifically geared toward hard surface modeling and is on its way to tackling this issue. I would prolly still start in max or maya first, but only because I am not fully comfortable with zbrush's new tools. I'm sure that with some practice you could do some really amazing hard surface with it.

Incomitatum

AnimeAngel

Last time I tried to use ZBrush it intimidated the hell out of me, that is why I prefer Mudbox, however, I would be willing to look into it. Do you know what some of those tools/features are called so I have an easier time looking them up on Google or The Area?

JohnnySix

I'd say don't trying make it all one contiguous mesh - can make more work for yourself trying to line up or terminate loops - and especially with sub-d, try keep everything in quads if you can to keep smoothing even and the mesh clean.

Check out the FAQ: How u model dem shapes? Hands-on mini-tuts for mechanical sub-d
thread for some excellent hands on stuff on how to create all kinds of stuff in sub-d.

The biggest thing I learned was how to control hard/soft edges on things with edge-loop distribution.

oobersli

you're killing yourself right now trying to make it out of one mesh. Break it up into individual elements.

also you have a lot of elements that clash. Why have a prop when u have side engines? Why have two sets of wings sooo close to each other? As long as it looks cool issues like that might not matter, but I think you could implement them into the design better. Also the cockpit sorta doesn't work well with the body shape either. Square it up some.