Modelling cars (simple models)...any tips for me?

[VWTornado]

I am in the process of designing a 2D racing game and I'm going to model and render out 3D images to use for the sprites in the game. The game will be a remake of the old Nintendo Classic "RC Pro AM".

Here's a screenshot of the original game:

http://vwtornado.baked.net/PICs/rcproam_game.gif

I need some help on how to go about modelling cars for the game. They will be relatively simple, but I still wanna have some nice detail so the game looks good. I will be doing updated graphics for the tracks and other parts of the game also. I just have no clue how to begin modeling the cars for the game.

Here is a pic of the car i want to model:



http://vwtornado.baked.net/PICs/Bunny_Front_Best.jpg http://vwtornado.baked.net/PICs/Bunny_Side.jpg

any help is MUCH appreciated. :cool:

[VWTornado]

i can't believe someone can't give me some simple pointers on how to model a car. its not gonna be some super realistic rendering, just a nice looking model for my video game. im not gonna model every nut and bolt on the car, just the body with windows, and the wheels. someone please help me...all i need is a starting point on how to do this..i can figure out the rest.

[Hiraghm]

Well, if it were me, and you're not interested in super realistic detail, I'd go with the box modelling method. Btw, there are tutorials on modelling cars on Flay.com, I'm pretty sure.

take your picture. Make it a backdrop in modeller. Scale up your grid ("zoom in/out" so to speak) until the car image looks to be the right size. Make a box. Shape the box to match the shape of the car. Make the surfaces as appropriate. The wheels can be texture mapped cylinders, since you're not going for realism.

As R/C stands for radio controlled, I assume you're looking more for the look of a "toy" vehicle than a full sized commercial one. You might consider buying a toy model of the car and taking photos of it from various angles to use for your backdrop windows.

[VWTornado]

honestly i guess im going for a little more realism than toys. I want it to look like the real car...just doesn't have to be crazy detailed. i guess ill just have to play around and see what I can come up with. maybe ill have to model every part on the car seperate...like hood, fenders, etc...

[Hiraghm]

In that case, use the backdrop picture, and make splines for all the edges of the parts of the object, and convert the splines to a mesh. The details of how-to can be found in the manual, I believe. Also check Flay.com for those tutorials I mentioned.

I'd offer more advice, but I'm still working on my first car model (using splines) and am having a rough go of it myself.

[joschy]

look here:

http://www.suurland.com/

the blueprints is what you need


or here:
http://www.onnovanbraam.com/index.php?main=home&group=update

there are some hints. It´s for max but it can also done with LW....


hope that helps

[banshee]

All you need... http://www.lwg3d.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=4936
or... for $27.50 http://www.lwg3d.org/v3/store.php?cat=33
from "the man" http://www.lewis.tomsoft.hr/

[VWTornado]

Originally posted by joschy
look here:

http://www.suurland.com/

the blueprints is what you need

hope that helps

wow! those blueprints are an awesome start for modelling the cars. THANKS! Now I just gotta figure out HOW to model them. ;)

[VWTornado]

Originally posted by banshee
All you need... http://www.lwg3d.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=4936

Thanks banshee, looks like splines are the way to go for car modelling. That tutorial is gonna take me forever to get through! :) hehehe

[VWTornado]

Well I bit the bullet and ordered Lewis' car modelling tutorial. Hope it helps me make some kicka$$ VW models!! :D

[Danner]

If it's a model for a game I would use metanurbs to make the shape of the car, then freeze, reduce polygons with qeemlos or similar, adjust, refine and then texture the grid, lights, tail lights and maybe even the windows and door handles using UV image maps. I have gotten away with this method for rendered animations on cars that were not close to the camera (except I didn't freeze them) but made several other maps, for things like transparency, reflectivity, bump. All based on the model's foot prints.

[banshee]

Well, if you need some reassurance on how helpful Lewis' tutorial is, here are my very first LW models
http://vbulletin.newtek.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3519
http://vbulletin.newtek.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2230

Although I did not follow and model the Mustang, I learned a whole lot about LW's modeling and LW in general. I really was a total "newb" when I started, fresh off of modeling boxes and spheres :) Good luck and don't forget to post your progress.

[VWTornado]

Danner, see when i say its for a game, I dont mean a 3D game...so polygon count doesn't matter in the least bit. I am rendering all the views I need as 2D images and using them as "sprites" for a 2D racing game. I want these models to look good...real good if I can do it. :)

banshee, I can't wait to get Lewis' tuturial on CD at my house so I can start modeling my VWs! If they come out like your models I will be completely happy with that...great work on your Eclipse and Nascar models. :cool: