"Star Trek" Enterprise Saucer

[scifieric]

Ah, excellent suggestion. May I include that in my tutorial Tallguy?

[Four Mad Men]

Originally Posted by scifieric

You've been rendering with your finger? Use Blender! LOL!

Oh Yeah! Thanks for the tip. Who'd a thunk it?

Originally Posted by Tallguy

Eeeeexcellent. Any chance of seeing those domes animated anytime soon? And you simply MUST let me have that recipie. Any new Blender stuff used in it, or is it just a great use of the same ol' same ol'?

One suggestion, anytime you try a new nacelle dome method, render from the SIDE too.

You sir shall be one of the first to get it. No new Blender stuff used here just normal tools in new ways. I have rendered a few side views but they are not as impressive as the front view. I'm sure I can sort that out just as soon as I finalize the light patterns. It's not as bad as it probably sounds but I'm striving for something extra special here.

Animation? We don't need to sti... oh, wait... here's one: Engine Test (302KB, DivX)

There are lamps that flash on and off at various rates and the main ones stay on the whole time but pulse. I think perhaps the fade down on those could go lower. Thoughts?

[Four Mad Men]

Originally Posted by Eoraptor

could you render bigger shots.. on my massive 1440x990 monitor they are pretty small pwease

Before this is done I'll be rendering my customary 5000px wide images. So stay tuned.

[number_six]

Originally Posted by Four Mad Men

Animation? We don't need to sti... oh, wait... here's one: Engine Test (302KB, DivX)

Waaahhh! I've been trying to accomplish this effect under
Maya....... Needless to say.....

I have thus far failed miserably....

[nyrath]

Much as I would like to feel smug that freeware Blender has accomplished an effect that Maya cannot, I'm sure that would be over-reaching on my part.

But it would seem that the Enterprise engine light effects are easier to create with Blender.

[scifieric]

Perhaps ... for someone who knows Blender well. 4MM certainly knows his stuff!

[number_six]

Originally Posted by scifieric

Perhaps ... for someone who knows Blender well. 4MM certainly knows his stuff!

Yes, true, he certainly does!
The effect is done well done 4MM.

I think the effect is another one of those "there be madness" situations,
along with others mentioned before.

Easy to obtain with an actual physical model,
tough to do in cg. 4MM has done a pretty darn
decent job here.

[Four Mad Men]

Originally Posted by number_six

Waaahhh! I've been trying to accomplish this effect under
Maya....... Needless to say.....

I have thus far failed miserably....

Well keep trying, my first attempt at this was many years ago and failed as well. I've learned a few things since then which I guess have helped make it better this time around.

Originally Posted by nyrath

Much as I would like to feel smug that freeware Blender has accomplished an effect that Maya cannot, I'm sure that would be over-reaching on my part.

But it would seem that the Enterprise engine light effects are easier to create with Blender.

I'm sure Maya is more than capable of making nacelle domes, and I would say it's easier with Blender. One reason is that I've never used Maya and another is the method I'm using should be available in most any 3D application worth it's hard drive space.

Originally Posted by scifieric

Perhaps ... for someone who knows Blender well. 4MM certainly knows his stuff!

Originally Posted by number_six

Yes, true, he certainly does!
The effect is done well done 4MM.

I think the effect is another one of those "there be madness" situations,
along with others mentioned before.

Easy to obtain with an actual physical model,
tough to do in cg. 4MM has done a pretty darn
decent job here.

Yeah, just take a little experience, a little luck, and a LOT of trial and error.

I've finished rigging the saucer light timings and have combined the best parts of the dome tests. Here is the result...


Engine, light, motion, and sound (902KB, DivX)

[Four Mad Men]

OK, Material changes only (specifically shader algorithms). No changes to lamps, textures or texture settings...

[scifieric]

Oh wow! Much better! The surface textures are almost perfect!