Ooh, another suggestion. One thing that helped me immensly was getting a front/rear/side view of whatever I wanted to work on since I didnt want to start out with "imaginery" modeling. Preferably blueprint style. Then set these up at backgrounds in the viewports. It helps you to keep the true shape of the object, etc. Once I got the shape down I would pull up true photo's of the object and begin adding more details.
<!--QuoteBegin--Jim+Jun 8 2003, 11:48 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jim @ Jun 8 2003, 11:48 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> the slices default is 12, the stack is definitely 6. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Ok I got mistaked there then <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
My suggestions for the gun are: 1. Slant the handle 2. Add a larger nire substantial clip that you could hold 3. Go out of the ordinary. Most of the first weapon model attempts i see look exactly like this. Look at what a real gun looks like, observe it, and try to make it more like a gun.
Awww I was gonna post my first model too <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
My suggestions:
-Bevel the model to give depth (extrude and scale down on both sides and top, as many times as you need)
-Shape the handgrip instead of just having it a rectangle. Isolate the grip for now, then select the bottom face and extrude down as many times as you need. Once you have it shaped nice in the side view, go to front view and shape it there too so it's not just flat but haves some contours
-Don't be afraid. You look at it and ask yourself whats missing- why does my model not look like X gun in real life? Now fix it. If you can't or screw up, well there's always the undo command. If such a thing is very risky (taking lots of actions so you can't undo all of them) save it first.
-You usually don't need to go more than 8 sided cylinders if your doing it for halflife, but in the end, if you don't have many polys you can increase the sides if you want. 12 is about the max you should need to go to keep polys at a reasonable level.
-Finally, at the end, you can say "wow, now it's actually shaped like the gun I want" and then if you have polys left over, you can decide which small details to model in <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> thats the fun part
Take as long as you need on each step, and if you get frustrated just save and come back to it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
The Abrams tank shown on this thread is fairly basic if you break it apart and look at each shape. There's nothing complex about it-
Look at the major features. 1 The overall shape. 2 The ejection port is indented in the side 3 The grip has a rectangular central shape (to make room for the magazine) that can easily be seen, with a front and back extrusion 4 The forward grip looks round, but on the sides it's flattened
Such features do not look very special, but adding them to your model can make people think "Hey, a tmp!" even if the model is not very detailed otherwise.
After about 15 minutes, I came up with this. It's very crude, but it illustrates the example. The body is just extruded boxes. 3 deep (in order to "indent" one side) 3 tall, with extruded rail. The grip is also essientially extruded boxes. You'll be able to eventually tell what you need to begin with by looking at the major features on the weapon.
The magazine is also extruded as the ends are beveled as seen in the picture.
It's certainly not game quality, as some of the features are exaggerated, (and some I never added like rear sight or further bevelling) but it should show at least how to make a recognizeable gun.
cut it up in your mind to determine how many boxes you need. The main part of the gun, like I mentioned, started with one box that was extruded to be 3 wide, and 3 tall. Here's an example.
The main part is one box group (one box to start with, then extruded to fit the plan), the grip is a seperate box group as well, as is the magazine, trigger and trigger guard. The foregrip and barrel are both cylinders. Then I just bumped them all up together after each peice was completed.
So pretty much, don't give up, plan ahead, and don't be scared to try stuff, you can always go back <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm gonna shut up now, lol, I'm probably sounding like an annoying instructor. If you have any technical questions we'll still answer them.
Yeah, modeling is tuff. I just started myself, and the best I could come up with is <a href='http://www.geocities.com/starwarcj/index.htm' target='_blank'>this</a>. :-\
Well, it looks like you're sort of in the same state I am, though I'm using 3dSM5, not Milkshape. *shrug* Do the two work about the same?
-Don't be afraid to spend a few hours modelling. -Don't worry about poly counts for you first few models seeing how it is rare that your first few models get used for something. -If you get frustrated at any point, save a NEW file and walk away for a little bit and do some venting. -When using milkshape keep it on flatshaded, it helps alot more then you would think. -Milkshape's website has a few tutorials that will give you the basics. -Music, Music is a must, chances are it will make you sit longer and enjoy what your doing and do it better.- -Avoid being distracted by going to talk to people and other things, though over time you can talk and model more. -Drinks are always nice thing to have at your side also. -Concept, picture, whatever as long as your not basing it off just a thought in your head, draw it if needed. -The more pictures the better, though a bunch of the same angle aren't really a big help. -If your modelling a gun try to make sure that you don't grab a picture of variation of the gun so you don't get confused. -Find a more experienced modeller and talk to him/her showing pictures and asking for advice on things that you do. -Save often and save different files, it quiet annoying to redo something or undo something if you do it manually.
Alot of them are really just keeping you in your seat longer, it speeds up the process and makes sure you don't fall off track midway. Also best of luck.
My first modle was a Domokun with more pollys than an entire marine team... i was going to make it a hostage in CS for the hell of it... but i realized i dont know how to skin, or mesh or animate or draw.
thats hardly ur first and i dunno y it would be in the ns forums cos its clearly a thompson. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> ? y is this thread so popular? lol
here is my new little model I'm working on. Check'r out. This is pretty much my first, that knife didnt count <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--Darxide21+Jun 9 2003, 12:26 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Darxide21 @ Jun 9 2003, 12:26 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> here is my new little model I'm working on. Check'r out. This is pretty much my first, that knife didnt count <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> this isnt thread for YOUR first models,its for Silent Murderers,he wanted comments not your showcase.
silent urs needs work, lots. but if u did that just tinkering with ms3d than u have "limitless potential", keep going the 1 thing we need is pistol mdls.
p.s show off ur own work on ur own thread not silents
p.p.s silent the key 2 low poly is 9 sided 1 stack cylynders and lots of lathing <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--Red Wizard+Jun 9 2003, 03:11 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Red Wizard @ Jun 9 2003, 03:11 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Yeah, modeling is tuff. I just started myself, and the best I could come up with is <a href='http://www.geocities.com/starwarcj/index.htm' target='_blank'>this</a>. :-\
Well, it looks like you're sort of in the same state I am, though I'm using 3dSM5, not Milkshape. *shrug* Do the two work about the same? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Hehe... I HAVE 3DSMax... Although, i don't understand crap of it :/
Edit: Thanks Lt.S.Owen. When i've gotten some experience i probably only will work on Pistols and Knifes..... Until i get REALLY REALLY Good <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Flip out? He's right. But i don't mind <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
Ok I got mistaked there then <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
1. Slant the handle
2. Add a larger nire substantial clip that you could hold
3. Go out of the ordinary. Most of the first weapon model attempts i see look exactly like this. Look at what a real gun looks like, observe it, and try to make it more like a gun.
My suggestions:
-Bevel the model to give depth (extrude and scale down on both sides and top, as many times as you need)
-Shape the handgrip instead of just having it a rectangle. Isolate the grip for now, then select the bottom face and extrude down as many times as you need. Once you have it shaped nice in the side view, go to front view and shape it there too so it's not just flat but haves some contours
-Don't be afraid. You look at it and ask yourself whats missing- why does my model not look like X gun in real life? Now fix it. If you can't or screw up, well there's always the undo command. If such a thing is very risky (taking lots of actions so you can't undo all of them) save it first.
-You usually don't need to go more than 8 sided cylinders if your doing it for halflife, but in the end, if you don't have many polys you can increase the sides if you want. 12 is about the max you should need to go to keep polys at a reasonable level.
-Finally, at the end, you can say "wow, now it's actually shaped like the gun I want" and then if you have polys left over, you can decide which small details to model in <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> thats the fun part
Take as long as you need on each step, and if you get frustrated just save and come back to it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
The Abrams tank shown on this thread is fairly basic if you break it apart and look at each shape. There's nothing complex about it-
I did a search on TMP and came up with a nice side view.
<a href='http://stebetojas.hypermart.net/steyrtmp.gif' target='_blank'>http://stebetojas.hypermart.net/steyrtmp.gif</a>
Look at the major features.
1 The overall shape.
2 The ejection port is indented in the side
3 The grip has a rectangular central shape (to make room for the magazine) that can easily be seen, with a front and back extrusion
4 The forward grip looks round, but on the sides it's flattened
Such features do not look very special, but adding them to your model can make people think "Hey, a tmp!" even if the model is not very detailed otherwise.
After about 15 minutes, I came up with this. It's very crude, but it illustrates the example. The body is just extruded boxes. 3 deep (in order to "indent" one side) 3 tall, with extruded rail. The grip is also essientially extruded boxes. You'll be able to eventually tell what you need to begin with by looking at the major features on the weapon.
It's certainly not game quality, as some of the features are exaggerated, (and some I never added like rear sight or further bevelling) but it should show at least how to make a recognizeable gun.
In this picture, the ejector port is open.
The main part is one box group (one box to start with, then extruded to fit the plan), the grip is a seperate box group as well, as is the magazine, trigger and trigger guard. The foregrip and barrel are both cylinders. Then I just bumped them all up together after each peice was completed.
So pretty much, don't give up, plan ahead, and don't be scared to try stuff, you can always go back <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm gonna shut up now, lol, I'm probably sounding like an annoying instructor. If you have any technical questions we'll still answer them.
Well, it looks like you're sort of in the same state I am, though I'm using 3dSM5, not Milkshape. *shrug* Do the two work about the same?
-Don't be afraid to spend a few hours modelling.
-Don't worry about poly counts for you first few models seeing how it is rare that your first few models get used for something.
-If you get frustrated at any point, save a NEW file and walk away for a little bit and do some venting.
-When using milkshape keep it on flatshaded, it helps alot more then you would think.
-Milkshape's website has a few tutorials that will give you the basics.
-Music, Music is a must, chances are it will make you sit longer and enjoy what your doing and do it better.-
-Avoid being distracted by going to talk to people and other things, though over time you can talk and model more.
-Drinks are always nice thing to have at your side also.
-Concept, picture, whatever as long as your not basing it off just a thought in your head, draw it if needed.
-The more pictures the better, though a bunch of the same angle aren't really a big help.
-If your modelling a gun try to make sure that you don't grab a picture of variation of the gun so you don't get confused.
-Find a more experienced modeller and talk to him/her showing pictures and asking for advice on things that you do.
-Save often and save different files, it quiet annoying to redo something or undo something if you do it manually.
Alot of them are really just keeping you in your seat longer, it speeds up the process and makes sure you don't fall off track midway. Also best of luck.
this isnt thread for YOUR first models,its for Silent Murderers,he wanted comments not your showcase.
p.s show off ur own work on ur own thread not silents
p.p.s silent the key 2 low poly is 9 sided 1 stack cylynders and lots of lathing <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Well, it looks like you're sort of in the same state I am, though I'm using 3dSM5, not Milkshape. *shrug* Do the two work about the same? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hehe... I HAVE 3DSMax... Although, i don't understand crap of it :/
Edit: Thanks Lt.S.Owen. When i've gotten some experience i probably only will work on Pistols and Knifes..... Until i get REALLY REALLY Good <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
But again... I'm allways Mr. "nice guy" hehe...