How to create a CG VF-0 on You Tube

[Shawn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibw53PmkpF8&feature=user

First in a series (you can find the rest from him) of a psuedo tutorial for taking Hasegawa orthogrphic scans and turning them into something 3-D

It looks so easy! (not!)

S

[1 VF-1 2NV]

cool...

[Dante74]

Sure makes it look easy...which it certainly isn't.

Thanks for sharing!

[Mr March]

Not bad! He sure works fast

[Dante74]

I hope he'll finish the project and put the rest of the video's up.

[Darrtallion]

I think that most of the work was done by the Program. I sure would like to have a program like that it would definitely make modeling so much easier for me it had lots of tools I want in the program I currently use.

[Chronocidal]

Looks pretty good, but as fast as he's going, the methods he's using can result in a pretty inefficient model if he isn't careful (lots of excess polygons from divisions, etc). He obviously has great command of the 3ds Max interface, but I'm surprised he isn't using more splines.

No doubt it's pretty though. Looks like he's sticking with a pretty low polygon count, so this might be for a game of some sort.

[Darrtallion]

I thought he was doing a basic layout to get the pattern down then just do a smoothing at the end and do all the touch up work Thats how I would do it. And I think he has the video frame rate increased noticeable when he does some of the micro adjustments. But he is definitely very talented to still be do it so effortlessly.

One of these decades I will have to go out and purchase a real 3d modeling program. No more milkshape.

[Vinnie]

Nice. I prefer spline modelling myself when working with scans like this, but to each his own.

My only complaint is that I don't think Mou Ichido Love You was the best choice for BGM. I mean it's a really low-key, almost melancholy, ballad. It's one of my favorite Macross tracks, but I think one of the more upbeat tunes would have been a better choice. I'd use something to get people excited about the project.

[akt_m]

I wonder if those linearts really do match each view. Once tried to do a VF-11 and the results weren't the best.

[Darrtallion]

I had the same problem with the VF4. The line art was very well very bad lol but I got it done the best I could for a video game and at least you can tell what it is lol. I really should finish the animation and texture work on it though lol.

[Mr March]

Well, this fella isn't using schematic line art, correct? He's using Hasegawa model schematics, so each mode might be accurate to the other modes. I'm not sure if that's the case, but it might work.

[badboy00z]

I wish I can do CAD. I bet in the future, there will be a program that can create models by just thinking of what you want to make. Modeling will be so easy at that point. Lol.

[mechaninac]

I wish I can do CAD. I bet in the future, there will be a program that can create models by just thinking of what you want to make. Modeling will be so easy at that point. Lol.

I can see a day when you'll be able to don 3D goggles and data gloves and create a model by actually manipulating points, curves, surfaces, etc., in virtual space in a similar fashion to what you see in Minority Report, but with actual tactile feedback via the gloves. A thinking cap would be several decades or even longer away. Can you imagine the first impression a lay person would get walking into a design/engineering room and seeing all these computer geeks (I do 3D CAD myself, so I know whereof I speak), with goofy eye pieces on, pawing at empty space... priceless.

Edited April 28, 2008 by mechaninac

[Chronocidal]

Well, this fella isn't using schematic line art, correct? He's using Hasegawa model schematics, so each mode might be accurate to the other modes. I'm not sure if that's the case, but it might work.

I wouldn't necessarily bet that the Hasegawa battroid and fighter kits are exactly the same proportions, but they'd probably very be close. I've used lots of Hasegawa kit instructions before for modeling, Macross and other aircraft alike. Whatever processes they use for making those schematics usually result in near perfect consistency, making the modeling methods shown in these videos work really well (putting the schematics on a box of appropriate size). I'd be willing to bet that Hasegawa designs all their kits by computer now, and the instructions are made with lineart renders of the models themselves.

In terms of the VF-0 though, I'd almost assume that keeping proportions between modes would be a done deal.. since the original model is entirely CG, it would only make sense for Hasegawa to make their molds based on the original computer model. Assuming they didn't use any warping magic with the transformation, that would mean the design itself is completely consistent in all modes... provided Hasegawa used the same model for both kits, it should be possible to make a rough duplicate of the original. Might have to scale a few things here and there, but it's nothing like the inconsistencies that pop up in the VF-1.

[Mr March]

Yeah, I'd agree. After all, the VF-0 was made for CG and thus had to have proportions such that it could transform without the benefit of anime magic. It makes sense that the various modes would have more accurate proportions to each other.

BTW Chronocidal, where did you get that funny picture for your avatar?

[Chronocidal]

Lol.. I kind of half-drew it.... I basically took a pic of Konata, redrew her with KK's clothes/hair, and colored it in. I posted the bigger version early in the Ep4 thread.

Edited April 30, 2008 by Chronocidal

[Mr March]

Ah, I found it. I like it. There's also that sexy fans art of a giant size Klan Klein making the rounds