Projects to date...

Just had the evening to myself to find out how far along my current projects have progressed. So far I have the current projects in 'live' status.

• Project <Blank> - 1 out of 4 models complete. Texturing in progress on that first 3D model. Two other 3D models will be adaptions of the first 3D model. Interior model complete, but needs to go through a polygon reduction process. The forth model is a different 3D model and that is a work in progress. No interior model required for the time being.
• Shuttle project - External model complete and textured. Payload now being modelled with configurable options. Flight deck almost complete and awaiting the UV map to be created for the textures. Both the old (CRT) and new (MEDS) cockpit configurations will be done. Mid-deck model and textures completed. The 3D models for the External Tanks and SRBs complete. Creating the UV maps for Texturing has started.
• International Space Station - Halfway through 3D modelling the modules. One third complete on the Truss sections. Not started on the textures.
• SCA - very basic 3D model completed. Will add details to it later.
• Kennedy Space Center - VAB fully complete. LC-39 drawings and information obtained, and modelling to start soon(ish). Crawler and MLP started, but at a very basic phase. All these models will be low polygon 3D models.

Projects on indefinite hold:

• F-35 A, B and C - On hold due to lack of information, mainly good reference drawings. Also Project <blank>, Shuttle and ISS projects have taken priority.
• WASP Carrier - Project <blank>, Shuttle and ISS projects have taken priority.
• Alien dropship UD-4L - sadly left in a neglected state. Interior needs to be modelled, but there is no good reference drawings to get a 'good' model of the cockpit and APC bay. No textures created, but I aim to create various camouflage types.
• Aliens APC - As with all movies models, I find that the interior rarely fits in the exterior. So placed on the project on hold.

Projects complete:

• Low polygon version of the Orbiter for F-Sim Space Shuttle.
• Mir Space Station.

 

Version 1 complete

The basic version 1 is complete. There will be add-ons and improvements in the near future, as I'll be increasing the polygon count by added little features that will just blow the 17,000 polycount right out of the window.



But before version 1.1, short a break :)

Internal Airlock Hatch...

Update on the update... Internal Hatch complete, if only the instructions were clear ;)

On-Orbit Configuration

Just a quick post, showing Seats & Escape Pole stowed, plus the completed Floor Storage Pallets


...and I'm running out of day :(

Escape Pole Complete...

Just a couple pictures of the completed escape pole, which I'll be doing a minor colour modification to the end section.



With only a couple of panels to do, thankfully these have only a few switches, the panel texturing process should be completed with the hour. The images below shows completed panels that took a little longer to do than normal (half a day, each), as the UV map of the model I had completely messed up:



Right enough of typing, more texturing...

Middeck so far...

Special Edition Bonus Movie :)

Escape Pole and Rear Middeck

After many hours of hair ripping sections, screaming new found swear words at the computer and an expensive session with my psychologist, I have finally finished modelling the Escape Pole. Thank God. I'm so glad I've got to a point where I can just get on with texturing it.






As a bonus I've also completed (for now, upgrades later) modelling the rear section, complete with floor storage and lighting. I've going to tweak the textures a bit, and add 'on-orbit' configuration, model stored seats, laptops with graphics, etc.

Rear Middeck

I had a spare hour or two today, which gave me sometime to do a little research on the rear section of the middeck. The rear most wall of the middeck never looked right, It was either too far back or too far forward. This morning (Sunday), I came across a few images that allowed me to make 'best guess' , which I'm pleased with the results. However, I ran out of time to complete the texture for the rear middeck, but the 'base-texture' is down, just need to refine it a little.

I've also added more details on the rear wall, which originally where going to be 'textured', but having them in 3D looks better.

The storage bags model need to be re-created, as they had far too many ploygons. I'll have an image of the 'default storage bag in the next few days.

Celling Complete? no...

I was hoping today to have the celling complete, alas, as Douglas Adams once said "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." Two Reasons why it's been delayed by almost three days. I've had to 'study' for my new job, which I'm playing catch up on the the latest CAD systems (CATIA), and secondly, I lost all the celling and wall panels, so I've spent the last day or so recreating them... Upside to recreating them is they look better then what I originally did.

Celling textures

Celling is being worked on in Sub-zero temperatures. I'm staring drawing the on panels that are in the celling. Next I'll start celling/lighting itself.



Brr it's cold.

Draft Texture complete :) Port and Starboard Walls

Draft Texturing process complete. I say draft as I might come back to the port and starboard walls at a later date (maybe sooner) just to had more details and shadows. On the Starboard wall I've left the sleeping bags out, as I've always had trouble doing fabric textures



Working on the celling now. Hopefully I'll have some screen shots later today/tomorrow.

Texturing Port and Starboard walls

Today, I've started to texture the Starboard wall of the middeck. What I'm doing is quite simple, create a generic wall consisting of the pattern you see above. Then take away any parts of the pattern that are not needed. Finally, add additional graphics/parts.

Galley progress

Just a quick one about the Galley, it's almost textured :) I did want to complete it today, but I've run out of time. It will be a few days before I can get back to working on it. Hopefully, during the weekend I'll get an hour or two to finish it.

The Big Picture

I've been asked what does it look like so far, with all parts in the same screenshot. Well, always happy to oblige :)This is a view from near the Side Hatch. As you can see the Escape Pole is not textured. In the near future, I'll be making alterations to the 'Hook-ups' on the left, as they take up too many polygons. I'm not sure whether to combine them, or keep them separate. The release mechanism is finished at long last. After the 'Hook-ups' are modelled, I'll be adding the brackets, which I've just got some data this morning, which shows the size and locations of all the brackets, both for the stowed and Launch/landing positions.

Good side view above. I have started texturing the galley, starting of the RHC. The Galley should take another day or so. I'm also experimenting with a low Polygon Switch on the galley model. The base of the switch will be a textured to the main model (galley) and the switch and guards with be very low polygon model. The rest of the panels will be 100% textures for now, but I'll look at upgrading them later.


After the Galley, I'll be looking at texturing the Left and Right Sides of the Mid-deck walls. However, I'll be leaving the actual panels textures to last.

Side Hatch Complete, for now...

Side Hatch completed, well kind of. I've got a temporary solution by colouring in the sides of the side hatch in shaded grey, as i'm not sure what is actually there.

Space Shuttle Middeck - Escape Pole 3 & Middeck Locker, Centre Position

The basic shape of the Escape Pole is final, however, I'll be revisiting hookup end. Two additional jobs to do before the Escape Pole is complete:

1. Brackets for both un-stowed and stowed locations of the escape pole
   
2. Release mechanism, which I'll look at next week.

Centre Lockers complete. It may need a tweak or two when texturing. Not too sure if to have more 3D detail on them or let the textures take care of them problem.

Space Shuttle Middeck - Escape Pole 2

Quick update: Re-created the Escape pole housing, as it was warped. This should now reflect the shape correctly. The Pole and 'End' to be modelled next.

Space Shuttle Middeck - Escape Pole

Bit of a difficult object to model, as I have only one 'good' diagram of the Escape Pole, a view from the front. Another view from above would of been great, as I could easily work out the path the Escape Pole takes. I have also found the patent for the Escape Pole, which details the components.

Space Shuttle Middeck

The First entry is the Middeck Model of the Space shuttle I'm creating. So far I have a basic model, which is as close I can get to the real thing, without the use of scaled technical diagrams. It has been created from various pictures from NASA's web site and various books I have. The model is based on the basic current layout of the Real Space Shuttle, which does not have the internal airlock now, as that is now part of the ODS assembly.

The Story so far.....

• Main 'Body/Shape' of the Middeck created, not textured. The celling is being worked on.
• Many Panels still missing and research is in progress to get accurate images/diagrams (SCOM.pdf).
• Seats created and textured.
• Side Hatch Created, not textured. Having difficulty with modelling the mechanism around the hatch, it's three distinct bulges.
• Internal Hatch created, not textured. It will need 'tweaking'.
• Ladder created, not textured. It might need 'tweaking'.
• Middeck Lockers, front texture, rear untextured.
• 50% handrails included with the model, not textured.
• Galley Created, needs more tweaking. (ML85E above with draft texture)
• Waste Collection System, lots of work to be done, no real info about size or shape.