Speculative Traders

[Andrew Boulton]

Thanks!

"What are you lighting that with? A hand-made light dome or a realistic, radiosity, light tracer doohickey?"

It's just a hemispherical array of a few dozen lights. Renders much faster than using radiosity.

"I'm telling you, If you don't texture this baby properly and do it justice, I'll never forgive you."

So no pressure then

"PM or E-Mail me if you want any advice."

I may. Texturing isn't my strong point.

Anybody want to suggest a colour scheme?

"PS - I still think the head needs to flow into the shoulders more smoothly."

I'll have a go, but the head is just a squashed sphere! I don't think it looks as bad now that the shoulders are built up more.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Tweaked the head and added the scoops:

 

[Scarecrow]

That looks better. It'd be better being modelled into the main body. It's still go those razor sharp clipping lines but I think you'll get away with it like that.

Crow

 

[TheEngineer]

Hi !

Andrew, this model really is just to beautyful to be a trader. Perhaps a diplomatic craft ?
And You dont like texturing.
Well I dont really like modelling (it consumes too much time, when you've got two children around that gets difficult)

Anyway I striped quite a few things. The overall line may be a bit plain now, but I will try an technocratic approach, meaning no external feature without a purpose...

I am somehow satisfied with the texture now (except the bridge windows of course..) and will start with external features like the chin laser and the turrets now.
How the hell does a sandcaster look like ?
I am playing Traveller for 20 years now, but never thought about that !

Regards,

Mert

 

[Falkayn]

Great stuff both of you!

I think we're seeing the lower tech, border built Petal (Mert's), perhaps after a few years of upgrades/maintenance, and the brand new, latest Imperial tech version done by Andrew.

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
Anybody want to suggest a colour scheme?

I like the way Ted Lindsey colours his Traveller starships.

The grey/sun-yellow he uses on his Archduke Marcus Aaron Erechs livery would be both appropriate for the Gateway region, and nice to see.

Alternatively, I would also like to see something for the All Domain Spice & Liquor company, which is the Solar Spice & Liquor (Nicholas Van Rijn's company) equivalent IMTU, in the Gateway region. I imagine ADSL having something a bit garish, perhaps a lime green with orange base with black and hot-pink detailing?

 

[Scarecrow]

Mert,

The texture and the lighting are looking really nice. I assume that's a much higher res texture? Or at least it's a higher res bump map - it looks it. The yellowy main light is nice too. The only thing I'd suggest is killing the intensity of the green nav light. It's a bit too eye-watering at the moment. Otherwise it's looking great!

As for sandcaster. I don't know why but I've always had this idea that they are like skeet launchers!! =)

Also, I agree: Ted and especially Jesse DeGraffe really capture the Traveller feel in their ship colour schemes. I tend to go more for the grease-streaked vanilla Star Wars look.

Crow

 

[TheEngineer]

Little time, new turn....

Guess I will integrate the turrets a bit more into the main hull...
Angus, windows or no windows ?

regards,

mert

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Looking good, Mert! Not sure why the turrets are glowing, though...

What do people think of these engines? I know they are totally wrong, but I rather like them.

 

[mike wightman]

What's wrong with them? I like them too

By the way, great work everyone!

 

[Andrew Boulton]

They don't match the deckplans.

 

[mike wightman]

Ah, but the deck plans only show internal components of the maneuver drives
The thrust plates could be more spread out as you show.

 

[TheEngineer]

Hi !

Andrew, I like the drives that way, too.
Perhaps You might adjust their shape to the curved elegance of the other parts of the ship ?
I have not done anything regarding the drives until now, but I guess I will get some inspirations here....
As my ship is a kind of "oldtimer" I perhaps will try (after a couple of work-steps SDS meshes are quite nasty...) alter the design in subsequent releases step by step approaching yours, if I may ?

Crow, thanks again for all these hints.
The texture is now 2000*1500 and a bit smoothed. Works much better indeed.
As You might see I dimmed the green light.
Right now I wonder, if the blue light is too weak now ?
But next step is surely to model a real bridge with a bit interior and a transparent window...

Regards,

Mert

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
What do people think of these engines? I know they are totally wrong, but I rather like them.

I like them too, like Crow says, we expect large ships to have large engines like this - perhaps it's a Star Wars influence or something.

To be closer to the deckplans the angled bit at the rear should have a flat back (and not be indented) and the thruster plates should be on the outside of that bit - as to what they look like? Well ... that depends a lot on how you interpret Traveller tech, but I'd assume something vaguely impressive looking.

 

[Falkayn]

Originally posted by TheEngineer:
Guess I will integrate the turrets a bit more into the main hull...
Angus, windows or no windows ?

Mert,

Very nice! The turrets don't have windows (you should be shooting at things you can't see with the naked eye!), but the mining laser might.

Remember that the popup turrets should be able to be retracted so they are not externally visible. I like the way you've done them, simple yet effective looking. Perhaps they should be less 'domed' and have a lower profile? (see the deckplans for an idea of what I mean)

Keep up the good work!

 

[Malenfant]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
What do people think of these engines? I know they are totally wrong, but I rather like them.

I really like the engines. Though I'm not sure about the little triangular fins sticking out the rear-top of the ship above them. They just look like they're superimposed on the ship rather than properly integrated (though that might be because it's still in a rough stage?).

 

[Scarecrow]

Originally posted by Andrew Boulton:
What do people think of these engines? I know they are totally wrong, but I rather like them.

For me 'I rather like them.' wins every time! Keep them. They're much more interesting than the usual standard jet-fighter cylinder. One thing that's bugging me is the angular surround box. It looks great but the way it's corners touch the curve of the back end of the craft is a little visually jarring. Could you keep the inner part of the box angular to sit nicely around the engines but slightly curve the outer edge to complement the curve of the ship?
I like the fins on the top. They only look like they're floating (as Malenfant said) because the shadows around their base are not very strong.

Mert, I like the way you're going with the paint scheme. If anything the blue light is not weak enough. You want strong yellowy light from one side - which currently looks fine. don't adjust it. - and you want very dim blue/grey light from the other side. Just enough to pick out shapes and nothing more. At present, whilst it's much dimmer than the main yellowy light, it's still bright enough to make the model look evenly lit and kill any sense of it's shape. Obviously this might obscure large parts of your hard modelling work. If so, turn the ship to face towards the left, so most of it is lit yellow instead of being mostly lit by the blue/grey fill light, as it presently is. - or move the lights. Make sure it's lit from the sides though as lighting from the viepoint or behind the model won't work (unless you want it to look totally flat or silhouetted) =)

Chiaro-Scuro - strong light and shade is the way forward, as my old art teacher used to say.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread. In fact it's the most interesting one I've ever been party to on this board. Keep it up guys, you're doing great stuff.

Regards

Crow

 

[Malenfant]

Maybe we should have a Traveller 3D board here

 

[TheEngineer]

Good morning !

Mal, a own board surely would be nice.
Perhaps for both Traveller3D/Art and deckplans ?

Crow, good to hear that You enjoy this thread, with all those 3D rookies asking silly questions..
Perhaps I did not get it right, but do you think the blue fill light is still to bright or not ?

Regards,

Mert

 

[Malenfant]

Might be interesting to build a few Traveller systems using Celestia too, if people are interested...