Fooling around in SketchUp

Frontlines · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject: Fooling around in SketchUp

Just testing out some new techniques in building starships with SketchUp.
Yes, I do know about the textures looking funny, I tossed them on last second and didn't really care.. just had them there so it wasn't so bland.

In noway is this final or complete... Lots of work to go, even if this is just a test. #Tongue

AMF Frigate 2012-04-10 08585400000.png

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Hassan_2030 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:59 pm Post subject:

I looks nice, but more like a missile silo than a starship!

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Frontlines · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:23 pm Post subject:

I can see that... o_o;
Meh.

gufu · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:07 am Post subject:

Those stretched textures make this hovercraft an ugly one.

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Frontlines · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:19 am Post subject:

Those aren't stretched, they're a default texture that I used. They do look stretched, but they're not.

The viewing angle makes it seem like a hovercraft, but it's not.

ViPr · Gauss Rifle Trooper **Joined**: 30 Dec 2004

Doesn't SketchUp have a symmetry feature like in 3dsmax to automatically make the left and right sides of the model perfectly mirrored?

Frontlines · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:49 pm Post subject:

That's what I'm doing. ^

daTS · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:13 pm Post subject:

Have you ever heard of the Nose Theory? It's a construction style that bases how the entire ship will look and it's purpose around it's bow. You'll see mine always have forward weapons, and many others design theirs around a principle. Some are aerodynamic for intra-atmosphere flight... some are designed with comm arrays in mind... and others are forward bridges or cockpits. It's always a great place to start when designing a starship.

Also remember that space has no boundaries, and "flat" ships are inefficient. A tubular design, whether rounded or squared is more space-efficient. you can add more decks without sacrificing hull & frame integrity. A flat ship has the chance of "breaking" or damaging integrity when pulling inertial-intensive moves.

Most importantly, keep the ship's purpose in mind. A missile ship should have lots of space for exhaust gasses to escape, as well as ammunition bays which must be protected. Life support and crew protection is also important.

All in all, I think you need a lot of work. Your ship is too flat, it doesn't look like it suits its purpose, and I see no visible bridge or propulsion system.

Also, your UVW mapping is terrible. Check out some UVW mapping tutorials for work there.

I'm not trying to bash your hard work, we all start somewhere, I'm just giving you (brutally) honest constructive critisism.

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Frontlines · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:26 am Post subject:

In response to your cirticism, in short..

No UVW Mapping.. This was done in Google SketchUp which does't offer UVW mapping. Just a paint tool. Textures are only there to provide something than just white, because when I render it, it's all white.. If anthing, I'll just use plain colors.

This was only testing a technique to create ships, I probably sound like a know-it-all, but I honestly know what you mean. This was really just a proof of concept for the technique rather than an attempt at a real starship.

Nose theory sounds interesting, will look more into that, but for the most part, all my future starships are focused around raw fire power through broadside bombardment, powerful axial guns and missiles/torpedoes bays.

That also being said, this was't what I would consider "hardwork" like the title says, "Fooling around". On top of that, my starships don't have "exposed bridges" all Combat Information Centers and Bridges, are buried near the very core of the warships.