VF-1A 3D WIP

[Lapis]

Hi

I recently joined Macross World nice to meet you all

I've been working on making a short 1 minute or so 3D show reel for the pass 2 months so I haven't done much but i need some help.

I'm just wondering if anyone has like scans of the sticker instructions or markers because I've lost mine and i want to try and make my VF-1A close to the original.

This is what i have so far

I only intend to do a replica of the Playstation 1 Game intro where Hikaru takes of from a Nimitz(i think) classed carrier and that's it. So my VF-1A will not be transformer or anything. Perhaps one day in the future it will.

Sorry for just being a new comer and just asking for help just like that.

Thank you

[Horatio Positronic]

Hey, nice job so far. I'm actually looking for the same reference scans for a VF-1S I'm working on. Hopefully somebody can help out both of our projects.

[boinger]

Here you go!

Wow, nice vf1a!

[Lapis]

Thanks boinger i needed that. This should help me quite a lot and hopefully Horatio Positronic

[Vinnie]

Your texture mapping is quite awesome!

[Lapis]

Update it's taking longer than i would like.

I still need to make the aircraft carrier

I'm trying to go for the semi real look that's kind of why it doesn't look white.

[SchizophrenicMC]

Hot damn! That's good.

As for the carrier, it was a Prometheus-class, a fictional type of carrier. Nimitz looks lame, in comparison. Looks like your arms are no-drawed. It might be a play of light, but there's a checker pattern on them.

[Lapis]

Oh i was going to model the nimitz class since i found a reference. But it won't be too detailed since my focus is on the VF-1A.

About the checker patterns, i just finished unwrapping the uv's so they don't have a texture on them. The checker pattern is just like a place holder for the time being same with the engine end bit and the head of the VF-1A

[SchizophrenicMC]

Oh i was going to model the nimitz class since i found a reference. But it won't be too detailed since my focus is on the VF-1A.

About the checker patterns, i just finished unwrapping the uv's so they don't have a texture on them. The checker pattern is just like a place holder for the time being same with the engine end bit and the head of the VF-1A

Yeah, a No-Draw. It holds the place of the texture, but appears black or grey in a read-only application, such as a game.

[pegasus]

nice job! I want to be able to make one too

[Sakura Shinguji]

Wow... I am blown away...

[Vinnie]

I think you might want to try a 1980s US Navy Light Gull Grey rather than the more modern low-Viz grey it looks like you're using. The idea of what the skull squadron scheme looks like is deeply ingrained in the psyche of Macross fans. Because of that, the darker tones you've chosen create an optical illusion that makes it look like the scene isn't well lit. I think you'll notice this even more when you start including carrier deck scenes as the background. The 80s Light Gull Grey (or any lighter matte grey) should give you that balance of what looks real and what looks right.

Other than that, I'll just echo my earlier statement of nice texture work. It makes a great model look amazing.

[chillyche]

I just wanted to add my complimentary two cents. Nothing constructive even, just a plain, "this is pretty awesome, can't wait to see more."

[SchizophrenicMC]

I agree about the matte grey color. It'd add realism. However, they were white in the anime. Unless they were cannon fodders. I made a pic (in paint) of a matte grey VF-1A. Here it is:

[Lapis]

pegasus: thanks if you know any 3d programs just give it a go. Even if you don't have a 3D program just do a 2D drawing anything is better than nothing, plus you'll enjoy it.

Sakura Shinguji: thanks well hopefully i can actually finish this

Vinnie: I was actually thinking about that like a day after i posted. i tried a lighter colour(sorry New Zealander) and it still seemed a little dark so i took the lighting up and it looks better in my opinion. I'll post some pics

chillyche: haha thanks anything is better than something...........I think

SchizophrenicMC: thanks for the pics, I'm actually going more with the Movies colour theme instead. Well i got a few reference pictures and my 1/48 model to follow but thanks a lot i might do some in that scheme to be like just random valkyries waiting on the carrier.

thanks everyone

[SchizophrenicMC]

It's your model. No one's tellin' you what to do. I know where you're coming from. I always liked how the VF-1 looked in light gray. It just fits.

[Lapis]

SchizophrenicMC: yeah i know, but i was always thinking hmmm more white or not more white or not.........so i was kind of on the fence.

i got a small update

I made it more white again

I've done some colouring on the Gunpod, still need to add a specular map on to it though

I've done the ends of the exhaust thingy?(feet?) but still need to add specular to it. I might redo this part again though i don't really like how it looks. I also decided to do the insides of the legs of the jet.

I also recommend going to see Horatio Positronics VF-1S he's got a good start there.

Edited November 3, 2008 by Lapis

[Horatio Positronic]

I like the lighter white. It's tough to decide between it and a neutral grey since most real world fighter jets are closer to the grey we normally see on low-viz valks, but if you're going for Hikaru's VF-1A the white is pretty important.

I agree with what you said in my VF-1S thread about the missiles. The designs in the show/movie were really kinda chunky. My main reference for missile scale has been the image below.

[Philly]

Amazing!! Very detailed work, and I'm very jealous of your texturing!!

[Mr March]

If you're looking for good reference to build 3D models of the Macross valkyries, my website has some of the best scans on the net. I have a nice scan of the VF-1 missiles found in the VF-1A Valkyrie Profile on the Macross Mecha Manual. I've attached that specific picture to this post as an example. If you need any help or are looking for more drawings, I will certainly try to help.

[Lapis]

Horatio Positronic: Yeah i think i'll go with the white. I decided to buff up my missiles a little.

Philly: Thanks, if you need any tips or help with texture you can ask anytime.

Mr March: thanks a lot i've already been using a lot from your website. Great site by the way.

Small update:

Buffed up the missles

Done some templates for the cockpit(can't see in images)

Done the draft drawings of wings and tail wings (dorsal?)

Done the exhaust nozzles

Still need to drag the skull and bones and add dirt and scratches

After will do the landing gears then i'm all done.........well i still have to model the Prometheus and Hikaru...........damn

Thanks for everyone's comments

Edited November 6, 2008 by Lapis

[Horatio Positronic]

Good progress so far! Here's the skull I'm using. Hopefully it'll help. I originally made it for my avatar and am using it on my VF-1S as well.

(If the thumbnail is showing up as all black it's because the skull is black and the background is transparent)

Edited November 6, 2008 by Horatio Positronic

[Lapis]

Horatio Positronic: thanks, i wish i saw your post before i drew it. thanks though

Well i've pretty much finished the wings now

Next the cockpit then the landing gears

[Mr March]

Mr March: thanks a lot i've already been using a lot from your website. Great site by the way.

Thanks. I'm glad I could help. Your model is looking good.

[SchizophrenicMC]

Best. VF-1. EVER. You're doing an Epic job on this. Keep it up, and you'll get sued for it having too great a likeness to a copyrighted object.

[Dante74]

Check the last couple of pages of this thread. Jay's been working on this, on and off, for years, maybe you can get some pointers for the cockpit.

Great model btw. I'm hoping I'll be able to do something like this in a couple of years.

[Lapis]

Mr March: Thanks took me a while to get here and quite a lot of trail and error

SchizophrenicMC: haha thanks well i hope i don't get sued, i won't be making money of this anyway

Dante74: thanks yeah i saw that thread a while ago. I probably won't be going nearly as detailed as that since i don't think there is really a shot of the inside anyway

Update:

all there is left to do is some small tweaks in textures

still need to animate and make everything else

the cockpit is actually really low res since won't be going close to it. Forgot to make the mirrors reflective

I did a really quick job on the missiles and the gears since i was so close to finishing i kind of cut some corners, well same with the cockpit actually

Back view

[SchizophrenicMC]

As I said before, Best. VF-1. EVER.

[SeminNV]

As I said before, Best. VF-1. EVER.

1. You obviously did not see Jaw Ley work.

http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=19810

2. It is a very good MEDIUM POLY vf, that is in my opinion absolutely useless.

I want to advise the author either do very good low poly (For games, mods), or very good high poly. MEDIUM POLY, that u have now does not look very realistic/impressive.

From a low poly one does expect much. If the texture is more or less OK, everybody takes it as it is, since low poly models are usually in games. It is a trade off in gamebusiness, because poly count is limited.

High poly should make one wondering: "where did the author take that photo?". It must be inbelievably realistic. You know that it has been modeled, but you cannot resist the impression that it is a photo of a real thing.

No doubt, medium poly looks much better than low poly, but if you look a bit close and pay attention to details - it is still a cg model.

In other words - you cannot use it in games, poly count is already high. And you cannot use it in renders - level of details too low.

So, use 400k polys instead of 40k.

Edited November 11, 2008 by SeminNV

[Dermeister]

Hey guys i have a request for the skinmakers for those VFS....all i see on those tails is the SKull Squadron logo... cant you invent your own squadrons?? and make versions of the skin for 2 or 3 diferant squadron than skull.Yes skull looks cool but its always always the same old skull squadron logo it gets boring.What about the grim reapers? or i dont know The crazy eights? or Zeus squadron you know theyrs alot of room for originality for tail art...

[SchizophrenicMC]

Make your own squadron logo? What is this, Robotech: Crystal Dreams?

And I'm offended that you would say such things. Your VF-1's nowhere near as good as this! Given, that's a good VF-1 you showed us, but it's lacking in certain elements. For example, it's got way too many curves. I don't rememember the VF-1 having a rounded fuselage! Or a blocky head! And it's got too many polys. It'd take forever to make a video animation with it, due to that, and that's what Lapis is trying to do. Hell, this could probably fit into a high-quality game like Ace Combat 6, and serve no problem. Those planes were running like 50K on the more fancy ones.

Moving on, I say it's the Best. VF-1. Ever. I say. Your VF-1 model is ELP. Extremely Low Polygon count. This is Medium Poly. The attached picture is of a VF-1S made for MS Flight Sim 2004. It's pretty good, and it's a Medium Poly.*

I made the texture, myself. That's why it's not textured well...

VF_1S_Koenig_1.BMP

[Dermeister]

Make your own squadron logo? What is this, Robotech: Crystal Dreams?

No but does it mean just because its macross it has to be always skull squadron? in the anime its verry focused around skull only place idont rember seing the skull squadron is in macross plus.

How ever because i dont rember seign it in there dosent mean its not.All i am sayign is it wouled be cool to see a custom tail Logo for a squadron other than the skulls wich was based of a real life F-14 squadron The jolly rogers wich now the f14 is retired from the us Navy.

it was just a sugestion of what i wouled personaly like to see on a VF hopefully your not offended because its not meant to critisise or offend your work i think its an awsome model.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Dermeister

[Lapis]

hmmm how do i start this

SeminNV: Well you are right that it is a meduim Poly i only have about 92,000 polys when smoothed and 28,000 polys not smoothed. I would have liked to make a high poly one but i wanted to try and make this fast because i want to make this as a demo reel and find a job with it.

I'm not very experienced at 3D but i modeled it to how detailed i thought it would need to be according to my reference video. Also SchizophrenicMC was right about having too high a poly model, i'm not sure how much my laptop can handle and i don't want to push it too far.

But i do take your advise into consideration though. Maybe sometime in the future i can revisit this

Dermeister: I know what you mean, I have seen a lot of skull squadron's VFs on here too. I think what you are suggesting is a good idea but, i'm just currently trying to mimic the Intro for the Macross game but like i said maybe sometime in the future i can revisit this and make my own squad.

SchizophrenicMC: Thanks, i still have a ways to go. I've finish the main shape of Hikaru's Head but right now i think it looks really really really really fugly so i won't be showing it ^-^' (sorry). I'm going to try and model his suit and the Prometheus at the same time so best of luck to me.

oh nice model what engine is it in?

[Chronocidal]

Hate to break this to you SeminNV, but games are using MUCH more detailed models now. A 50k poly model is NOT useless by any means, that's the standard range in MS Flight Sim now for high end models. I've put a 120k model in FSX with no problems. More action oriented games use between 5-20k I think, since you have more planes visible on screen, but calling this model useless is just plain rude.

As for squadron markings, I'd actually tend to agree. You see so many copies of Skull Squadron that it gets old. They weren't by any means the only VF-1 squadron. Hasegawa has taken this approach to heart with their kits, they probably have 10 different sets of markings available, most of them derived from old Navy squadrons.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Chronocidal

[Lapis]

Well I have a small update on my Hikaru he's still pretty damn fugly. Luckily i quickly made a helmet to cover up like 80% of his face.

Started him yesterday and still have a long way to go

Edited November 12, 2008 by Lapis