I haven't applied a UV or textures yet, as I am still modelling. I will add a couple more things on there, and then start sculpting it.

So any tips, pointers, suggestions, comments, please... by all means, give me what you have. I am a complete newbie to this, and I am taking it step by step.

These pics are all rendered 1920x1080, so click on them for better detail.

This is not meant to be a Star Trek vehicle at all, and I am going to be making some changes once I figure out what I want out of it.

It looks like an alien teapot.

Yeah.... :blushing:

Here is a change to that...

Nice work.  Modelling is extremely addictive, as I guess you're finding out.  :) 

It's hard to tell what you're doing - right or wrong - from a rendered image.  A wireframe would tell more.  That said, it looks like you have tons of NGons in there and/or lots of unconnected verts and maybe some reversed normals.

Not a bad start, though.  Keep up the good work. 

If I can suggest you something, strat UV mapping, when model has low number of polygons. Later avoid extrude, inset and bevel.

BTW teapot on the front and glasses as an engines remind me old clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEpcjgYHE4U

Quote - Nice work.  Modelling is extremely addictive, as I guess you're finding out.  :) 

It's hard to tell what you're doing - right or wrong - from a rendered image.  A wireframe would tell more.  That said, it looks like you have tons of NGons in there and/or lots of unconnected verts and maybe some reversed normals.

Not a bad start, though.  Keep up the good work. 

Thanks. More than likely this will get scratched and I'll start over. I am still learning how to do things, so I am making a TON of mistakes.

I attempted to UV map it, but got confused... :blushing:

Quote - If I can suggest you something, strat UV mapping, when model has low number of polygons. Later avoid extrude, inset and bevel.

BTW teapot on the front and glasses as an engines remind me old clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEpcjgYHE4U

Thanks, I'll try it and see what happens...

I scrapped it. Going with a totally different idea and approach to that idea...

good start!! :)

nice start ;-) snag now is EVERYTHING you look at, you'll want to work out how to model it lol   have fun

Wings is a kick in the pants compared to Blender. I only wish it was as powerful. I am going to need Blender when I start doing my epic movie... But to learn to model, it can't be beat IMHO...

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

It's a cool feeling isn't it.  The first time you model something.  :)  Looks good.  

Thanks. I scrapped it, but I am working on a new version of it. I am trying to get away from the connection to Star Trek ships, and leaning toward something else. The problem is all the cool looking stuff has already been done, and it's hard not to copy them. I have already scrapped a Star Destroyer looking thing...

 I am trying to come up with a flying fortress type thing. The concept is that it's my hero's sanctuary and base of operations. It's a floating home, basically, and it generates its own clouds to conceal it.

Any suggestions where I can look to find something I can use a  reference? My own drawings aren't cutting it.

Good for you! I am dabbling in Modeling- and it is really fun- and addictive as Sam said!

Reversed normals can give you that inside out "Escher" look. Some of my first models looked like parts were inside out!

Quote - Good for you! I am dabbling in Modeling- and it is really fun- and addictive as Sam said!

Reversed normals can give you that inside out "Escher" look. Some of my first models looked like parts were inside out!

I thought I had them all correct... I didn't reverse any of them on purpose... goes to show, I am still learning...

This one looks like easy to UV map. I found UV mapping most difficult in whole modeling process.

This station can be made with spheres and cylinders. You can UV map them at start (sphere is easier to map with UV mapper, cylinder is easy to map in wings). Remember that bevel, extrude, inset destroy your map, then sometimes it is better to create polygon adding edges, later divide them and joining verticles.

Thank you. I'll keep that in mind when I start. I am leaning toward the space dock, and cutting off the bottom, copying the top, and make it so that it can close down as shields if under attack.

Like the above image. I also noticed that DS9 looks a lot like this dock, with the added arms. I am thinking about doing a variation of this... We will see what happens when  I start the model, which will be in a couple hours.

Quote - This one looks like easy to UV map. I found UV mapping most difficult in whole modeling process.

This station can be made with spheres and cylinders. You can UV map them at start (sphere is easier to map with UV mapper, cylinder is easy to map in wings). Remember that bevel, extrude, inset destroy your map, then sometimes it is better to create polygon adding edges, later divide them and joining verticles.

I can map them easily enough in Wings3D, which is what I am using to model them. I just have to be careful with the model itself and the vertices.

There is a site scifi-meshes.com that might give you some ideas. They had a set of downloads from a lot of the popular movies and tv shows.

You will scrap a lot of models as you find yourself unable to build on what you have aand realize a different method is needed. It happens to everyone.

Realize that especially in Poser you dont need to connect everything nicely. Make a sphere, stick a cylinder into it, add a cone on the end and you have a spaceship sort of thing.  so the sphere, cylinder and cone are not connected, who cares , certainly not poser.

Quote - There is a site scifi-meshes.com that might give you some ideas. They had a set of downloads from a lot of the popular movies and tv shows.

You will scrap a lot of models as you find yourself unable to build on what you have aand realize a different method is needed. It happens to everyone.

Realize that especially in Poser you dont need to connect everything nicely. Make a sphere, stick a cylinder into it, add a cone on the end and you have a spaceship sort of thing.  so the sphere, cylinder and cone are not connected, who cares , certainly not poser.

Thanks for that information. Yeah, I've scrapped a few already. Been using Wings for 4 days....

I am going to check out that site. I am leaning toward that DS9 model, but more ideas couldn't hurt. I want it to look like it is possible to fly this thing, and to hold orbit.

at the risk of upsetting all the poser/wings fans

Blender is ideal for big space scenes and no way as scary as it used to be

Quote - Realize that especially in Poser you dont need to connect everything nicely. Make a sphere, stick a cylinder into it, add a cone on the end and you have a spaceship sort of thing.  so the sphere, cylinder and cone are not connected, who cares , certainly not poser.

Getting my head around that idea was the single biggest revelation in modelling for me. 

Quote - > Quote - Realize that especially in Poser you dont need to connect everything nicely. Make a sphere, stick a cylinder into it, add a cone on the end and you have a spaceship sort of thing.  so the sphere, cylinder and cone are not connected, who cares , certainly not poser.

Getting my head around that idea was the single biggest revelation in modelling for me. 

It's good news for me too. I still have a lot to learn, obviously. I don't expect to be churning out tons of models after less than a week with the program, but I'm enjoying it, and each time I use it, I figure something else out.

How do you connect vertices when they are detached? Or is that a question for the Wings forum?

Just pick another nearby vert and select "Connect".

Quote - Just pick another nearby vert and select "Connect".

doh! I should have known it was that easy....

Any pointers you may have, please let me know.

I see you selected hard edges correct. Maybe you can add only hard edges around front (before front wings)

In Wings:

On the front and back of engines you should create verticle in the center of cylinder and join it with all edges. (thin red lines)

Add few edges to... I know nothing about spaceships and do not know what is the name of this part. Add few edges on the back of ship (red thick lines). It removes shadows artifacts.

Cylinder (blue arrow 1) has too many vertical edges. It does not improve model, but render time. Delete every second edge, later select isolated verticles and delete them as well. Add 1-3 vertical edges in cylinders (it increase render time, but improve model ;) )

Add few edges along X and Z axis on the wings (blue arrow 2). It make them more smooth and removes artifacts.

I think you unchecked "smooth polygons" but did not changed creasing angle - that is the best option IMO.

Quote - Back to Poser :)

I see you selected hard edges correct. Maybe you can add only hard edges around front (before front wings)

In Wings:

On the front and back of engines you should create verticle in the center of cylinder and join it with all edges. (thin red lines)

Add few edges to... I know nothing about spaceships and do not know what is the name of this part. Add few edges on the back of ship (red thick lines). It removes shadows artifacts.

Cylinder (blue arrow 1) has too many vertical edges. It does not improve model, but render time. Delete every second edge, later select isolated verticles and delete them as well. Add 1-3 vertical edges in cylinders (it increase render time, but improve model ;) )

Add few edges along X and Z axis on the wings (blue arrow 2). It make them more smooth and removes artifacts.

I think you unchecked "smooth polygons" but did not changed creasing angle - that is the best option IMO.

Thank you so much! There is a lot to digest there. I appreciate you taking the time to point out my rookie mistakes!

Thats are not misstakes, maybe small improvements ;). I do not know how to write it correct, but I think Wings and Poser read edges angles different way. Wings object create artifacts in Poser very often and I still do not know how to remove them.

Example on picture. Bump map is different on each polygon (see bottom of sofa). They are visible when "smooth polygon" is on and off.

I hope, that within few months you help resolve artifact problem :)

Quote - > Quote - Thank you so much! There is a lot to digest there. I appreciate you taking the time to point out my rookie mistakes!

Thats are not misstakes, maybe small improvements ;). I do not know how to write it correct, but I think Wings and Poser read edges angles different way. Wings object create artifacts in Poser very often and I still do not know how to remove them.

Example on picture. Bump map is different on each polygon (see bottom of sofa). They are visible when "smooth polygon" is on and off.

I hope, that within few months you help resolve artifact problem :)

Yeah, I see what you mean, it's making the molding on th bottom look like it's several different pieces instead of one smooth piece. I don't have enough experience to offer any advice, so I won't.

The back of the ship is labled as the stern sheet. I don't know if I want to divide it up, but I was thinking I might just so I can round it off. I have added another section to the underbelly of the ship, and an aft set of wings. I am not really going to bother with putting vertices on the engines because they will be rendered out in post with exhaust effects. I am also thinking of adding in some thruster engines and windows, once I figure out how to do texture mapping.

Over in the Wings3D forum, LaurieA gave me a link to a video tutorial on UV mapping that  I downloaded and watched a few times. I am going to try that later on and see if I can apply what he is doing to my model.

One problem I seem to be having is the UV mapping not recognizing when I rename the parts. The obj. files are still the default names, and I can't seem to figure out how to change that. So that will be my main focus for the present: learn to use Wings' Uv mapper and figure out how to make the part names transfer to the UV map so it's easier to apply the textures I want.

I am also going to clean up the rear wings and draw them into the stern sheet a little more.

That's where I am after 3 days of messing with it. How does it look so far?