Zeppelin type airship - Page 3 - Simply Maya User Community

# 31 30-08-2006 , 09:52 PM

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OK, time for an update! I decided to take a break from character animation and do the engines on the airship. As you can tell, it wasn't exactly a cakewalk! The picture I posted above was the ONLY close-up photo of the unique outrigger engines on the USS Akron/Macon I could find.

I obviously had to make concessions mainly because I wasn't exactly sure of WHAT detail existed in the photo, but IMO the final engine is "close enough for government work"! :-)

The engines were the most difficult part thus far; other than the UV mapping and texturing, it ought to be downhill from here! Here then are a couple of pictures. The first shows portside engines in succession. As always, comments and crits welcome (again, it isn't textured yet, and I haven't even played with the lighting, but suggestions are welcome)

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# 32 30-08-2006 , 09:53 PM

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One more picture: A close up of one of the engines. Thanks again to all who have visited this thread!

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# 33 31-08-2006 , 05:44 PM

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Next up are the windows in the hull along the double keel. This is turning out to be quite tedious indeed! Each window has to be done individually. To get the window geometry, I used the "cut faces" tool to add faces and then extruded them individually. Because the windows are at an angle, extruding isn't just a matter of point n' click!

After extruding a window on one side, I managed to "eyeball" a symmetrical window on the other using "x-ray".

After extruding the windows into the hull, I beveled them. As tedious as it is, the addition of windows gives the model a nearly "finished" effect! Pictures will be up soon. I expect to find the time to finish this in a week or two!

BTW if anyone knows of an easier way to do windows on such a model, let me know! I tried Booleans, the "make a hole" tool, &c &c before settling for the good ol' tedious "extrude face". Surely there must be a quicker way! :-)

Carry on...

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# 34 31-08-2006 , 07:43 PM

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I guess the windows didn't take that long after all! (I turned off the "keep faces together" option, and I got ALL of my windows in one pass!)

Here are two pictures. PLEASE excuse the half-baked lighting, I haven't even begun to work on it yet! :-)

The first shows the airship with the hull windows in place. It already looks "finished" from a distance!

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# 35 31-08-2006 , 07:45 PM

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The second picture shows the windows closer up. I do have a few small details to add so that it more closely resembles the photo I posted earlier in this thread.

Up next, the "small details", the "skyhook" trapeze mechanism (and the hull hatch), and...we're done! :-) (Oh, yes...texturing, &c)...

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# 36 31-08-2006 , 11:38 PM

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Hey Jim, looking good mate especially the last image showing the detail you've put into the rotor mounts.

Is this a modeling exersize for the reel or do you have plans to animate it etc?

Cheers

Jaime.

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# 37 01-09-2006 , 12:28 AM

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This is really coming along nicely!

Good work!

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# 38 01-09-2006 , 09:05 AM

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Thanks, gster & Jamie! A bit of both, really. It will be on my reel, but probably as an animated object (I guess it will be pretty obvious I modelled it, too! :-) )

I just finished the tail details (this calss of airship had auxilliary control surfaces mounted to the elevators & rudders). Now I have to do bracing wire and those assorted little protrusions, rings, &c. I'm also working on the hangar bay hatch (which would be underneath the ship).

Here's a pic of the tail. Overall, construction is going more quickly than I thought, but texturing is going to take some time!

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# 39 01-09-2006 , 09:12 AM

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WOW!

Now this is a cool piece of engine!! keep going on it looks fantastic, can't wait to see the finished version of it

Mark R.

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# 40 01-09-2006 , 03:05 PM

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OK, other than a few VERY minor details (which I can add any ol' time), the airship is basically finished! When it's textured, I will post it in "Finished Work".

The final updates include the gas vents along the top of the ship, some wire bracing, and (THIS was the FUN part) the hangar hatch/trapeze mechanism.

The hatch automatically opens (via blend shape), and the trapeze unfolds into position (SDK) to launch and/or recover aircraft. There will be cables added to the trapeze at some point, but right now I'm leaving it until everything's textured. I slapped a cheesy sky background and tweaked the lights I had up (again, nowhere near how I'd light a scene, but OK for now) and took a few more snapshots!

Thanks for letting me share this fun side-project with you, and enjoy your flight!

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