Home 3D Art Showcase & Critiques

m4 WIP thread

Hey all. I know this has been modeled to death but I am new to modeling and wanna stretch my abilities a little bit.

I'm working on a cqb version M4 with rails and an acog scope.
Here's my progress on day 1. I had ALOT of trouble with just the handle, which is embarrassing to admit, but I'm not used to making shapes like this and I've learned alot with the help of you guys :)
So that's pretty much why not alot has been finished today. Im sure more problems will arise as I've never been more focused to details on a model before.

Here's what I have so far for the grip and lower receiver (I'm making the upper/lower receivers two separate meshes for the highpoly model, Im assuming that's how it's done.)
30i7qle.jpg


My next issue is, I cannot use a symmetry modifier on the lower receiver anymore because the magazine well has slightly different features on each side.
How would I go about modeling these parts?
Would they be floating geometry? or should I cut them into the mesh of the lower receiver? (if so, how would I add/terminate supporting edges?)

2q80w2e.jpg

2qd1uop.jpg

Replies

  • Amsterdam Hilton Hotel
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Amsterdam Hilton Hotel insane polycounter
    you're right that separate parts should generally be separate on the HP. i wonder though - this is day one, are you just starting right in on the HP? have you done a blockout to define all the shapes and ensure the result will be accurate and proportional?
  • Pedro Amorim
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    You should'nt really start making those pieces into hipoly parts until you have everything blocked out.

    Start by blocking out everything. WHat I mean, whith this is, get the forms and shpes right, dont worry about how things look. Use tris, use quads, use ngons. Whatever it takes.
    When you are done with the blockout, and are ahappy with the porportions of everything, then you start tackling the hipoly parts. adding geometry where needed or adding control edges. You will see it is more nice to work this way.
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Thanks for the tip guys. Here's some blockouts if you could crit.

    I've noted some problem areas for me.

    The delta ring scale looks off to me, not sure.
    The buffer tube looks too small (fixing this as we speak)
    The magazine isnt finalized at all.
    The front sight will be a challenge.
    The flash hider will be a challenge.
    Not sure what to do with the stock yet.
    Havent decided if I want a rear iron sight or a scope of some sort.


    mmwjh2.jpg




    Also, in this picture, Im having difficulties matching the scale of the buffer tube attachment to the lower receiver..

    2mfma7a.jpg
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    any suggestions as of now? Im having trouble modeling the parts around the magazine release and these parts in general. Any suggestions?


    2rq2jgy.jpg

    2lnu6hi.jpg

    should I carve into the model or use floating geometry for these parts?
  • This_Is_Icarus
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    This_Is_Icarus polycounter lvl 4
    nice models and i like how its looking. as to your question i would put them into the model as some of the shapes would come out funny with floating geo. you said you are new to modelling, how new? is the one of your first models? as i would advise looking at some tutorials on gun modelling and high poly modelling which would give you some help with the trouble areas you are talking about also i would check into the technical talk/how you model dem shapes.. thread as this is great for stuff like this and has A LOT of info and visual aids into the shapes circled as well as gun modelling info.

    one last thing before i bore you to death with my long paragraphs if you are going for CQB do not put a ACOG site on there i would use and eotech holo site or reddot. and also on the CQB front use a shorter barrel and add a grip like this
    http://team-eva-airsoft.e-monsite.com/medias/images/m4-cqb.jpg
    or just google cqb m4 as they would not use the stock components for close quarters being a rifle and all :P
    i hope this helped
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    nice models and i like how its looking. as to your question i would put them into the model as some of the shapes would come out funny with floating geo. you said you are new to modelling, how new? is the one of your first models? as i would advise looking at some tutorials on gun modelling and high poly modelling which would give you some help with the trouble areas you are talking about also i would check into the technical talk/how you model dem shapes.. thread as this is great for stuff like this and has A LOT of info and visual aids into the shapes circled as well as gun modelling info.

    one last thing before i bore you to death with my long paragraphs if you are going for CQB do not put a ACOG site on there i would use and eotech holo site or reddot. and also on the CQB front use a shorter barrel and add a grip like this
    http://team-eva-airsoft.e-monsite.com/medias/images/m4-cqb.jpg
    or just google cqb m4 as they would not use the stock components for close quarters being a rifle and all :P
    i hope this helped

    Thanks! :)
    I started modeling in 2011 and learned the highpoly to lowpoly procedures starting in december 2012 (before that I made really crappy low polygon models lol) So like...6 months? I wanted a challenge I guess haha


    Ive done a few tutorials here and there and I have checked out that thread, I'll look through it deeper to see if I find anything :thumbup:
  • VeeJayZee
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    You have to weld that in since you're in Hi-Res phase. I'm working in Maya so I have to do the broken Boolean thing, and if that doesn't work I brute force it on the topology and bear the pain of cleaning it up.

    That thing on the back of the lower receiver (where the buffer tube's gonna be) should also be welded.

    Oh before anything else, some of the edges are sharp, especially on the magwell mouth, try softening it up a bit more to make it more tactile once you bake it down to lowres.

    On reference picture. You won't get a great, perfectly flat image even on hires images. Chances are 99% of the gun refs have a lens perspective on it. It won't perfectly line up in any ortho views so you have to trust you eyeballing skills.
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    VeeJayZee wrote: »
    You have to weld that in since you're in Hi-Res phase. I'm working in Maya so I have to do the broken Boolean thing, and if that doesn't work I brute force it on the topology and bear the pain of cleaning it up.

    That thing on the back of the lower receiver (where the buffer tube's gonna be) should also be welded.

    Oh before anything else, some of the edges are sharp, especially on the magwell mouth, try softening it up a bit more to make it more tactile once you bake it down to lowres.

    On reference picture. You won't get a great, perfectly flat image even on hires images. Chances are 99% of the gun refs have a lens perspective on it. It won't perfectly line up in any ortho views so you have to trust you eyeballing skills.


    Awesome! Thanks!
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    here's some slow progress. (I'm reading through the "how u model dem shapes" thread on this site for some pointers)


    Here's the wires
    2i8x4yq.jpg

    should I have done those screws/bolts as floating geo or modelled them in?

    2m5mfc1.jpg

    My next things to do:
    1. Block out the rails on the upper receiver
    2. Create the charging handle/ forward assist
    3. everything else.. lol



    Also having a ton of problems getting the ejection port and dust cover areas done..

    the area where the cylindrical shape meets the ejection port is really hard to get supporting geo in there without pinching
  • woot
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot polycounter lvl 5
    i just ended up doing an AR15 and didn't model the screws into the receiver. i got a few crits and that was a major criticism, so i definitely suggest modelling them into the receiver. other then that, doesnt look bad.
  • dblanco1796
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    dblanco1796 polycounter lvl 4
    What are you using to model? 3ds or Maya?
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot wrote: »
    i just ended up doing an AR15 and didn't model the screws into the receiver. i got a few crits and that was a major criticism, so i definitely suggest modelling them into the receiver. other then that, doesnt look bad.

    yikes, that'll take some work haha. Thank you though!
    Can I see yours? :)
  • Dazz3r
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Dazz3r polycounter lvl 12
    @woot When you say "model them into the receiver", you mean make them part of the same geometry / not separate objects? I would have made extra cylinders poking out, this is good info to know, sorry if I sound a dumbass :/
  • woot
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot polycounter lvl 5
    sure, its not great as it was the first full gun i ever went for, and i really screwed up with the renders and stuff. but id be happy to show you if it helps!

    http://imgur.com/bmvPUxS,mGsBtHZ,yoxG843#2

    told you they weren't good renders :P

    it had some issues with pinching and stuff, and ive moved onto other things. but i hope you and some others can learn from my mistakes in order to get good looking models!
    Dazz3r wrote: »
    @woot When you say "model them into the receiver", you mean make them part of the same geometry / not separate objects? I would have made extra cylinders poking out, this is good info to know, sorry if I sound a dumbass :/

    yeah, i mean make them in the same geometry. just incase someone here hasnt seen it (that would be suprising) http://vimeo.com/10941211 this video explains it well.
  • Dazz3r
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Dazz3r polycounter lvl 12
    Yeah I saw that vid a while back, I thought your m16 looked pretty flawless, but then I'm only just graduating uni so have a ton to still learn.
  • woot
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot polycounter lvl 5
    Dazz3r wrote: »
    Yeah I saw that vid a while back, I thought your m16 looked pretty flawless, but then I'm only just graduating uni so have a ton to still learn.

    ah, well you havent seen the wires!
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Wires!! :D

    cool m-16, looks like the vietnam era version!
  • woot
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot polycounter lvl 5
    tonyd927 wrote: »
    Wires!! :D

    cool m-16, looks like the vietnam era version!

    maybe later, i was going for the M16A1 vietnam version. those are older renders as well, so it looks a bit different at the moment. ive sort of stopped working on it now anyway.
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    woot wrote: »
    maybe later, i was going for the M16A1 vietnam version. those are older renders as well, so it looks a bit different at the moment. ive sort of stopped working on it now anyway.

    if you can, it's no big deal if you can or cant bud. Thank you for the help tho! :)
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    Just a little update:

    [IMG][/img]6hui2u.png

    Not sure if I wanna start on the stock or the barrel..

    I know the front iron sight is going to give me loads of trouble.
  • tonyd927
    Options
    Offline / Send Message
    where oh where do I begin with this part..


    ready to scrap this whole project and hide under a rock.

    Im having extensive amounts of difficulty adding the forward assist into the upper receiver

    so7j3d.jpg
Sign In or Register to comment.