Contribution: Acrotatus

Link · Post by **Link** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:21 am

I haven't textured her yet (mainly because I suck at texturing), but here she is anyway: the Acrotatus.

Since it's a civilian transport ship, I imagine it having a powerful engine for optimal speed. Stabilisation wings are mounted to permit atmospheric flight, though the Aera design is still visible, especially in the hammerhead and curved wings.

Normal view

Wireframe

Links below are orthogonal axis-views.
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... h_%2Bx.png
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... rth_-y.png
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... h_%2By.png
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... rth_-z.png
http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... h_%2Bz.png

Statistics:
912 polygons, 1824 edges, 914 vertices.

If you wish to have a crack at texturing this beast, or are otherwise interested in the model, the wings-file is here.

//Link - My first attempt at an "official" ship, so go easy on me please

.

Post by **loki1950** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:17 am

Claen lines

Post by **chuck_starchaser** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:53 am

External lines, yes; but not a clean mesh; though. That kind of random vertex distribution, and mix of tris and quads is unmaintainable. A mesh for a ship like this (the "flying dick" type) should be made like parallel slices on x,y ("rib"), transversal planes; and meridian-like lines in the z direction, from the nose to the back. Mostly all quads; tris only along edges and seams. Messy things to support some local weirdness of shape should be very localized.
Not bad at all for a first model, though.

Link · Post by **Link** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:29 am

The messiness can be explained by one main factor: Wings's smoothing algorithm. My original model is much cleaner, though it's far from being smooth. I've made some ships before, but never according to The List, as you could call it.

I usually work in a triangular pattern, keeping few quads. I also usually make only half the model, then mirror it, creating a rib along the z axis.

Either way, without redoing the entire model, I cleaned up the smoothed one quite a bit. You can find it here.
Managed to scrape it down to 744 polygons, 1430 edges and 704 vertices.

Also, just for kicks, this is the original model. It's cleaner, yes, but too bloody hard-angled.
EDIT: Sorry, no screenies this time. Too lazy for that

.

//Link - Okay, so I'm no modelling expert, but I thought it looked alright

.

chrisdn · Post by **chrisdn** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:47 am

I like the design myself...very sleek and as some people know I like ships to look good as opposed to being of solely functional design.

I had a similar design in mind for a fighter or atmospheric shuttle for Atlantia. Would you mind if I based something on the design? It'll be alot smaller (50m max width, 75m max length).

Good work and if you're frustrated with Wings then try AC3D.

Link · Post by **Link** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:06 pm

I'm not exactly sure how VS handles Wings-based size, but I doubt the Acrotatus is much bigger than 50m*75m in real life. I just like to use a lot of grid space for my models so I can add detail more easily - there's always the scale-feature when you're done.

Feel free to use the design. Credit would be very much appreciated, though

.

AC3D huh? too bad it's only a two-week trial.

//Link - Hmm. Perhaps I should look into Blender too.

chrisdn · Post by **chrisdn** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 12:21 pm

Of course I'd give you full credit. If you want then send me the file as *.3ds or post it here and I'll put some rough textures to it and send it back to you to see if you like it. If you do I'll post it on the Atlantia board as the atmopspheric shuttle design. Atlantia is 4609m long so she has room for a couple of auxilliary vessels- 100+ fighters and a number of atmospheric and non atmospheric shuttles and scouts.

Link · Post by **Link** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:58 pm

Here's a 3ds of the cleaned version: http://www.filelodge.com/files/room11/2 ... leaned.3ds

//Link - AC3D sure is something different compared to Wings

.

chrisdn · Post by **chrisdn** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:58 pm

Just added a very quick texture and an engine pod to her for you.

I'll have to do some greebling to the hull and clean up the smaller canard style winglets for atmos flight. I have a good texture for ceramic tiles which I will add to the whole underbelly of her.

Post by **pyramid** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:10 am

Though the concept of this model has not yet been reviewed (a word from jackS is appreciated here), Link was so kind as to submit the presented concept model which can be found in masters. Link to Acrotatus wings model

Post by **pyramid** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:32 pm

Via email, jackS was so friendly as to offer his sparse time to comment on the here presented concept. I want to share this authoritative guidance with the artist(s) that would like to take the challenge of further improving the current concept. Authoritative in this context means according to the UTCS (Upon the Coldest Sea) cannon and aligned with manufacturing styles of the faction by which the vessel in question was manufactured.

It's a bit too cylindrical at present for an Aeran ship. Some vertical squishing may help with that. The cockpit should run more in a front-back direction (not so wide). The projections on the front should extend further, be flatter (vertically) and sweep toward the front more than toward the back as they proceed outward from the hull (a reversal of the current direction). The rear wings just seem a bit... odd looking to me in their lines. They don't seem to come out of the rest of the hull at particularly natural angles, and I wonder how much of that is a result of wings3D smoothing attempts vs. intent.