MOdel almost (I think) finished

[CAClark]

http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/pix/2003/06/08-106725_tn.jpg (http://www.firedragon.com/~lwg3d/pix/2003/06/08-106725.jpg)

Test render of a model I want to wrap up soon as it's been sat around a while now.

Any comments etc.... feel free to post!

Cheers

Craig

[starbase1]

My favourite ship from B5 - but I'll need a bigger image to make sensible commnts...

Nick

[CAClark]

Why do people never think to click the image?

Click it already, there's an ample big enough render there!

Cheers

Craig

[starbase1]

OK already! I'll fire up the other contingency brai cell, and give it a go!

:rolleyes:

[CAClark]

:D ;) :p

[Tiletron]

Out of all the races that I like from the B5 series, I'm glad that you feel the same way. I am a little curious about that shimmering effect, though.

Ok, I'm still only a beginner/amateur with LW3D (I don't think anyone can claim they know how to do absolutely everything with a modelling suite), but has the shine been made a texture map and the lighting setup, or a custom-built effect?

[starbase1]

The geometry looks absolutely spot on, very nice work.

I don't like the textures as much though - it looks very sparkly, almost like glitter has been applied to the ship. And the deep blue backlight is a bit strong for my taste too.

Is there some sort of glow / post processing granularity applied here?

Nick

[CAClark]

Hey Nick, yeah, just some cheap photoshoppery, I'll post a less sparkled version a bit later just in case anyone is interested. I wouldn't mind someproper feedback though guys (in addition to what has been provided already, best say that before I look like an ungrateful git).

Cheers!

[Carbon71]

Wow. It looks beautiful. I like the mood of the lighting, but I wish I could see it in better light so I could make out more detail. Looks like great work though!

[starbase1]

I really hate the sparkly look, and would find it easier to judge a simpler render...

But having just watched the first episode of the second series on DVD (go on, treat yourself!!), there are a couple of things I noticed about the shape.

The extreme tips top and bottom look a bit too pointy to me, too sharp.

Also the row of bevelled blocks , rising up the main fins behind the 'window lights' are too simple. On the show they had kind of very stubby vanes projecting from them. Trying to judge by eye, I'd say take the top half of each quad in the row, and extend it out by about 1.5 times the current bevel distance, slightly upward, and coming to a ridge.

I said that judging by eye, but some stills on the web do look very like yours. In some images that row even looks a bit recessed. I suspect this may be one of those designs where they made refinements as the series went on?

See: http://members.optushome.com.au/bobm5/b5/html/pics/minbari.html

I really like the colouring on the ones at:
http://www.tp2b.de/minbari_cruiser.html

Nick

[Tiletron]

I'm already a great fan of Minbari, EarthForce and Vorlon ships, and it looks like you've done a great job on it. The shimmering effect does make the model slighty 'blurry', which I think takes away some of the technological side of the vessel's design, but not by very much.

The one thing I'm mostly unsure of is the blue light being emitted towards the front of the ship. It doesn't seem as if it needs to be there, and it makes the model itself appear as one of those model kits on show, like the ones you can get from a hobbyist's store. If you ever decide re-do this image, I think that light should go.

I'll give the whole picture a 6-7 out of 10.

[CAClark]

http://www.f-nine.co.uk/xfer/sharlin_poster_tn.jpg (http://www.f-nine.co.uk/xfer/sharlin_poster.jpg)

I have lost the extra blooming from the image, and I think the grain is toned down a bit too. I have also adjusted the colour balance, as the textures currently lean to much toward blue/indigo. This is done purely post at the moment, will do the actual textures though I think.

I looked at thos eblocks, i think my blocks aren't actually wrong in the complete sense, they just have a steeper inward bevel thank I do, so I can fix that without too much bother.

I have also got longer bottom fins than the show model, I wanted to make the shape and proportions more balanced, so mine is inaccurate in that way too.

Tiletron, lighting is very subjective, and I quite like the blue, but I have toned the blue down a lot in this image to make it more even in tone. It should be noted that the actual render isn't the primary focus, but more the model.

Cheers

Craig