40K Source

I'll be posting stuff I'm working on in this thread to keep myself motivated as well as to have some fresh pairs of eyes on the models I'm doing(it's easy to become blind to your own mistakes).

I started working on this weapons/ammunition crate this evening. Here's what the high polygon object looks like now:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imperial_ammo_box_hi_wip.jpg)

It's roughly based on this (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/acatalog/closedammo.jpg). Comments and critique are both welcome.  ;D

Looking good MG.  The re-inforcing border around the front looks kind of odd only bordering 3 sides of the face.  Would it break it up too much to scale down the eagle slightly and add a border edge along the top too?

It's not on the reference, but I think a similar (shallower?) re-inforcing border around the other sides might make it look more rugged.  Just an idea.

I did the changes, you suggested ChromeAngel and I think it looks better now.

(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_box_turnaround.gif)

If nothing else needs changing I'll probably start on the lowpoly.  ;D

Wow that looks great, much better with the changes Chrome requested though!   ;D

any chance of 2 versions of it? one open and one closed.

I see no reason why not. I've modeled empty insides for the highpoly, so it's just a matter of putting something in and opening it up. Perhaps battery packs or something.

if you leave the open one empty mappers can fill it with props.  I imagine we could make the lid ragdoll, so one prop could be open or closed.

That looks awesome  ;D

Some signs of life:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_crate_wip_update_18022009.jpg)

I made low poly models for the LODs and baked AO and normals. I'll still have to check out if I can get everything reasonably visible on  512x512 maps, since 1024x1024 feels somewhat heavy for a simple prop like this.

Very nice work.

There isn't a better way to spend an evening than trying to cobble together somewhat useful texture with almost non-existent skills. :-[

Anyways here's current progress, texture maps are still 1024x1024:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_crate_wip_texture_update_18022009.jpg)

There are some differences between the LODs in terms of texture, so it's still a WIP. Also once again there's no specular map yet, so everything's just as shiny as the next texel.

Coming along well, I like the worn edges effect.  Can you do us some colour variations to fit in with existing EX props?  I'm trying to colour code the teams, tyranid red, imperial blue.  We've got some oil drums in Olive green (#686D5F) and most of the imperial equipment is blue (#184A7E).

The gold on the eagle looks a bit out of place, it might look better with less yellow/orange saturation.  It might even be better in silver.  In fact can you do us an un-painted version of the whole box, so it is just bare metal too?

cheers

Blue:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_crate_blue_gold_eagle_19022009.jpg)

Olive green(much more suitable than the original "jungle" green):
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_crate_olive_green_silver_eagle_19022009.jpg)

Different eagles on both as well(both might require some tweaking, I only did some quick changes in some color layers). I'll see what I can do about that un-painted version(I'm not sure if my base metal will be good enough alone for that or will it require some additional work). Again these are viewport grabs, so the in engine version will look different(and they're still missing specular maps).

Fast work MG :D

I think I prefer the olive one.  What do you think?

Do the hi-res bolts all share the same UV mapping?  it looks a bit odd that the bolts sheltered in the inset front and side panels are as worn as the exposed bolts on the back.

Just got an inspiration that's all. :D

I like them both. ;D But I think the olive one fits in better. The blue one could work in some spaceship environment, but perhaps not on ground battles. Yes, all the bolts use the same UV space, but there's extra space in the texture maps, so I guess I could separate the ones on the side(the ones on the front pop out more,so I guess they'd still get some damage). I think with some rude copy pasting I'd get the normals to work with those as well.

BTW: Does Source support object space normal maps?

Some seriously great work there Machinegoat!  ;D

I love the olive ones but as you said the blue would go great with a ship or something of that enviorenment!

Sorry, no idea.  Is it something we can try?

Just asking out of curiosity. After all they have severe limitations, such as no overlapping UVs(all UV space unique) and no deforming of meshes, but they still have uses in situations where you're making a static object and don't want to add extra geometry to get tangent space maps to bake right. :D

Anyways, I'll be going for a holiday for a week. I'll work on the crate, if I have the time.

I made two models that both use the same two skins, but the closed one has very simplified collision mesh, while the open one has more complex one that allows stuff to be put in.

Weirdly enough this time around normals and speculars worked in HLMV, but this is from Hammer where normals and speculars don't seem to work. ;D
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_crates_in_hammer.jpg)

I'll just check if the size is about right and if I can make the textures smaller and still retain enough quality(1024x1024 is quite big for a box) and then send the compiled files forward.  :)

Cheers MG these are looking really good. 

:D

Great work Goat, i like the blue boxes a bit more since it fits more with the ultramarines, the olive-drab seems more likely with a Cadien regement to me.

I've been busy with school as of late, so I haven't had much time for modeling. Anyways since my webspace is down for maintenance, I'll have to use imageshack and other crap like that to show my work.

(http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/1075/impultracrapbanner.jpg)

It's my first try on an Ultramarines banner. I found similar looking logo by googling and then I traced it and made a simple highpoly for it to get something to work with. I think my lack of skill with 2D really shines through with times one. ;D Any suggestions as to make it look less like something a 5-year old scribbled to an edge of an paper are highly appreciated. :-[

As for the box Chrome asked me to do some changes, but I haven't gotten around to them just yet.

Nice Banner for a 1st try.... I would like to try to make a banner yet i dont know how to make "Thin" objects (I.E paper/Cloth)....

if you want to do banner that is EX specific please use the logo on this image ( http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/george4.jpg ), it's the logo of the "local" IG regiment for one of the maps.

I think generally the symbols would look better if they were completely flat and symbolic and a bit transparent, so they are slightly blue tinted.  I've used the transparency for decals on the marine models, it works.

If you want 40k symbols I have been toying with font making recently, you might be able to use this http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/Exterminatus/Exterminatus.ttf

There is even a skull in an ultramarine U :P

Another idea for the banner is to make it look a bit worn.  This banner ( http://www.chromeangel.co.uk/rspecies/Orky/GoffBanner.jpg ) uses alpha transparency in the model skin to give a ragged effect to the edges.

Okay, here's the result of my second try for a banner prop:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_base_banner_WIP_05032009.jpg)
156 tris
256x512 color map
256x512 alpha map

Any thoughts? The logo is almost direct copy & paste as I do not have enough talent to make a better one. :-[

If the image doesn't show, it is possible that the DNS updates haven't reached your ISP yet.

Better :)

Copy & pasting the logo was what I was after.   Nitpicking the color map, can you reduce the saturation of the gold bar (it looks to unnaturally yellow) and de-saturate the blue of the banner, so it looks like its a bit sun faded, washed out.  Some scorching around the bullet holes might look good.  Some lengthwise ripples would make it look like fabric.

There's actually some black around the holes, but I'll increase it to make it more apparent. De-saturation and ripples coming up.

De-saturation delivered all around, more burn added around the bulle/laz0r holes and I actually went as far as to create a cloth simulation with a bit of wind in Blender and bake AO from that said highpoly simulation to get "realistic" wavyness. ;D
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/imp_base_banner_WIP_05032009_v2.jpg)

Bloody awesome....

only thing i would add is damage arround the bullet/las holes in the form of burnt edges.

although i cant understand why do you have a goat with wings instead of UM logo...

and uh, the holes they go in a diagonal pattern from top left to bottom right across the goat logo.... kinda seems wrong.... its usually 3-6 holes in random places.... or maybe in small groups..... i dont know doesnt seem random... cause i imagine that the bullet holes wouldnt be intentional on the banner (probably from stray fire), so they would have to random, and if IT WAS on purpose, the flag would be totally destroyed....

Because the planet is not a Ultramarines world, and that symbol is the flag of said planet. the same badge appears on the PDF troopers shoulders. Theres a fluff article written somewhere about it but the world were tryign to set the main maps on is Heller IV, with its capital being Lycantim in its various incarnations.

Gives us the freedom of doing our own thing, or tryign to anyway.

I see the stray fire as a fallen fighters gun going off as it falls, creating a trail.

One thing, and i know this is annoying, we probably could use a "clean" version of the banner with the only damage being at the bottom where its frayed, as its liable to be copied in many places and if every one had bullet holes in the same place, its gonna look slightly odd.

Absolutely brilliant MachineGoat... ;D

Did the no holes version:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/no_holes_in_mah_banner.jpg)

And at some point I'll probably try doing something like this(the generator): http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/perdef.htm (http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/perdef.htm)

But before that I'll need to finish changes on the crate. :o

groovy.

I once looked at modeling those pylons, but the poly count was astronomical.

Yeh i had a pop at them too, still have the models lying about. They were a real pain to try and get right.

(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/generatorthingy_wip.png)
Since it has been way too quiet on this forum I decided to steal away some time for a bit of modeling. This will eventually become a highpoly model of that generator a couple of posts up and ultimately some day a generator prop model for mappers to use. ;D Now if only I'd find the rest of my files... I might even try and have a go for the pylons as well. There's an alpha plane trick they used to use for wheels in old games that might work with some of that detail, but that's a model for another time.

Nice generator, glad to see progress hasn't stopped entirely.  Perhaps we could make different LOD models of the pylons, so we can actually have the high poly ones (when you're up close)?

Is it me or does it look like that energy generator from DoW? The one from the Imperial Guard?

Either way it looks awesome.... i have models ready too, but chrome is still busy with his crib, so i have no idea how they are, or what to do with them....

Few questions tho, whats that LOD thing you guys keep talking about? and whats the current tri count?

Level Of Detail, models can have more than one model, each one is progressivly less detailed and only seen the further you are away from it. So when you get up close you see this really nice, detailed model but when your far away the computer is not wasting its time rendering stuff  you cant see.

Tri's are the number of Triangles the model is made of.

Oh, i get it. But does it apply to your video settings? I.E model detail low = low LoD?


I know what Tri's are, im asking the CURRENT tri COUNT for the GENERATOR.

Yes, a couple of close up LoD levels could work. I'll look into that once I get this generator finished or close to being finished.

Farseer: As I wrote before this model is going to be the highpoly where I'm going to bake the normals to the lowpoly, so the tri-count isn't actually an issue as of yet(but it's around 2700ish). :)

cool cool, good to have you back again...

I managed to put a bit of time aside to work on this one again:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/generatorium.png)

Mostly posting to keep myself focused. ;D

Nice generator, looking better... keep at it...

Wow, that is looking better.

That cylindrical structure looks a lot like an ale barrel to me though.  :D  Unless of course, that is how they make their power.  :o

 ;D The beer keg is probably for Promethium or whatever it was that they use to fuel things in WH40k universe. There are two exhaust pipes that I haven't modeled in yet. Check last page for the link to my reference images. :)

Anyways here's to nights progress:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/generatorium2.png)

Good job on the fiddly bits!  ;D

They can be a bugger!

Been a bit busy with life and other things, but here's the current version of the high poly(around 120k tris):

Still missing bits and pieces, but slowly getting there.  ;D

ohhh :)

Looks smoother than the earlier renders.  Is it the rendering or changes to the model?

It looks smoother because there's more than 10x the amount of polygons than before. I used subsurfs and edge creasing to get some smoothness in there, it's going to be helpful once I start fighting with the whole baking process again. I'll have to see how low I can go with the lowpoly, but I'm hoping to get the closest LOD level to somewhere between 3000 and 5000 tris.

Looking very smooth Machine Goat!  ;D

Oooh, shiny! Really, very nice. Where you using hammer to make the model?

You can't model prop models with Hammer, you can only make BSP brushes and displacement surfaces(and of course place entities). I'm using Blender 3D (http://www.blender.org) to model my stuff, but others use different programs like Milkshape 3D, 3D Studio Max, Maya, Lightwave, XSI, etc.

I could actually use this model in a map... Is it skinned?

It's been a while and I'm busier than ever, but I managed to squeeze in a bit of modeling practice to get back into game.

So here's my heavily work in progress plasma pistol highpoly after three hours of modeling:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/plasma_pistols_high.png)

Mirroring is on, so some stuff is on both sides that's supposed to be only visible on the other, I'll fix this later.

Some extra detail thrown in, still mirrored:
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/plasma_pistol_high_v2.png)

OOoh Nice!   All those curves really swallow up the polies.

by the emperor! this is brilliant dude ! though you could maybe slim the sides of the pistol it looks a little fat from the side but otherwise its godlike !

i wonder if you could make a storm bolter which is even more sexy than this masterpiece ;)

Stahlhagel: I don't know if you realized, but that's not the realtime model. That's my 160 000+ polygon model that I'm going to use for normal map baking(which I'm still practicing).

Seems like cutting down the low poly to 2k tris is not quite possible without losing too much of the silhouette. What I have now is a bit over 3k tris(3020 tris, but I'm still working on it), which I guess is a bit high. I could lose the vents on the sides and let the normal map deal with those, but I don't know if it will look good or not(I already removed all the greebles from the right side of the gun). I'll experiment a little and see what I can come up with. :P

Edit: If I'll leave the vents in the front to the normal map the tri count for the low poly comes down to 2560 tris.

not sure if i understood correctly what ya talked about but i like it ;) btw that generator is smoking hot ! maybe you could add some plasma rods like in dawn of war but i dont know if thats in line with the lore... looks realy imperial, i see you know what imperial engineering has to look like... maybe adding some cables, cooling pipes and mechanicus symbols would make it even more appealing than it already is

for the plasma gun- you could texture in some rivets and additional detail like a glowing plasma acceleration chamber, skulls, small purity seals, but this babe looks pretty finished to me, i LOVE IT MAN I LOVE IT :D

Here are the results for the first bake test. Quite a bit of small errors on both normal and ambient occlusion maps, I guess I'll have to add some geometry to the lowpoly just for the bake to get rid of those smoothing errors(as well as some color bleeding at UV edges, but that can be easily remedied later on).
(http://machineminded.kasikirja.net/misc/plasma_pistol_first_bake_test_normal_and_ao.png)

beatiful cant wait to see it ingame O_O wonder if the texture will also be godlike as the model. keep it up !