Halo Frigate IAC

[Rich-M]

I've started creating a Frigate to go with the Halo 3 Pelican Dropship I'm currently working on.
(http://forums.3dtotal.com/showthread.php?t=77592)

http://a.imageshack.us/img5/2804/frigatetemplate9.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img810/227/frigatetemplate40.jpg

http://a.imageshack.us/img191/4782/frigatetemplate62b.jpg

The original design was based on the Halo 2 version, but I've since updated it to the one seen in Reach.

C&Cs welcome, thanks :)

[tillaart36]

Looks very cool :D

Seems you started quite low poly and started adding in detail from there. Im always amazed with how ppl add details like that.

Your textured version is also impressive but Im guessing it will be better since it looks like just a 'test'....

Keep it up :D

[Rich-M]

Thanks, the original low poly model hasn't been touched for a while, all the the panels and details are simply modelled on top of it, this allows changes to the design to be made quickly and easily.

http://a.imageshack.us/img812/1138/frigateworkflow.jpg

I should have added a disclaimer, the two textured versions are in-game screenshots to show the design I'm working off and the style of the detail and armour plating I'm building on top of it.

[Tempest1295]

Oh wow, this is a nice find. Your model is coming along nicely so far. Can't wait to see some textures added to this as well. I'll be watching this one for sure.

[Rich-M]

Cheers Tempest1295, I'll be back to modelling this soon, the Dropship I'm also making is almost finished for the moment so I'll have some more free time.

[Rich-M]

Lots of changes since my last update, I've adapted the Frigate to resemble the one seen in Reach:

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/7156/frigatetemplate240.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/372/frigate13.jpg

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/918/frigateengines1.jpg

[Rich-M]

Now I'm unwrapping the model and texturing as I go along-

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7687/enginecomp1.jpg

I'm unsure whether the interior fins should be matte or shiny, so if you have a preference, let me know. Thanks!

[sean_rodrigues]

Good Lord! This is great! Can you post the reference so we can see what your modeling from?

Sean

[Rich-M]

Good Lord! This is great! Can you post the reference so we can see what your modeling from?

Sean

Cheers sean_rodrigues, I blocked the shape out referencing in-game shots I got from google (just typed in "Halo Reach Frigate") and refined the shapes further once I came across the concept art (small image below) and most recently came across this thread on polycount (http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=76873) where the original game asset artist posted some high res stills from different views. Theres another image somewhere where theres a of closeup of the engines but I can't find the link, sorry. None of the actual game refs have the sort of material finish I'm going for though, I'm just looking a pics of afterburners and military aircraft to get a good dea for the finish.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070712183724/halo/images/4/48/H3_Frigate_Concept_art.jpg

[brain_damage]

Hi! That's some nice detailed model you have there! Really good work on the textures too. I prefer the second one, looks a bit more blended in with the rest of the model.

[Edwiersma]

I love that last engine render! Keep it up!

I find your workflow very interesting as well, I might give it a try some day.

[Rich-M]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts- I've stuck with the matte finish.

Heres the first major texture WIP sheet, I've ony really started adding detail to the hatches, turrets, armour near the front and on the decorated armour near the back but theres a bit of noise and some dirt I created with some procedural texturing for the rest.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2115/frigatetexture1.jpg

[Edwiersma]

Could you post some close-up's of some of the texturing? Awesome project.

[Rich-M]

Thanks Edwiersma, here are some closeups of the top area.

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2449/frigatetextop1.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/7073/dockingringtex1.jpg

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/6088/bridgetex1.jpg

The textures still need some work form this distance so I'm going to concentrate on them next.

And the latest full body shots

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9382/frigatetexture2.jpg

I've held back on wearing the textures, especially the edges - my references so far have mainly consisted of modern battleships, which look quite clean overall and because of the scale of this model you wouldn't really see them at a distance anyway.

But since this is meant to be a spaceship I'm feeling that I should go a lot further with the damage (see shuttle below)- more paint scratches, subtle dents in the armour and scorch marks mainly. I'm probably going to add some rivets and adjust the bump maps to split the armour plates up into smaller sections.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2366/2181445427_4d70759aa7.jpg

[Edwiersma]

Simply amazing. You made those textures yourself?

[Rich-M]

Thanks Edwiersma, I created a few drip textures by hand and used a lot of textures sourced from photos I took myself. Its simply a case of layering about 7 maps on top of each other in Photoshop, making sure to space them out so any repeats aren't too obvious. The time consuming part is placing them all along the indivdual panals!

[Segreto]

Looking sweet! I agree with pushing the damage and wear a bit more. Try to focus it in certain areas to grab some interest.

[Raul]

looking pretty awesome!

[Rich-M]

I've added some secondary and tertiary panelling to the surface to improve the look and scale- the red circle is outlining a human figure 1.8m tall. I've also got round to making actual windows with interiors (these need to be finished)

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7562/middle6.jpg

[wester]

This is seriously beautiful! I love it! You sir have inspired me to do something halo next.

Very inspirational

[Edwiersma]

For some reason it all looks a little like it's made of concrete, now I don't know much about Halo but I don't think this ship was actually made of concrete right? I'am not yet sure what's causing the effect though.

[JoeLaFrite007]

+1 with you Edwiersma.

I think there are some reflection & bump missingon these beautiful panels. They should probably arrive soon :)

[Rich-M]

+1 with you Edwiersma.

I think there are some reflection & bump missingon these beautiful panels. They should probably arrive soon :)

For some reason it all looks a little like it's made of concrete, now I don't know much about Halo but I don't think this ship was actually made of concrete right? I'am not yet sure what's causing the effect though.

Thanks for the comments, the concrete look is probably because of the high diffuse roughness value I'm using (I'm trying to go for a matte finish) but your right- it needs some more reflectivity- I'll up the strength for the next update.

The bumps I've kept low because simply because the current strength looks about right in close ups, I'll tweak them with the new reflection strength to see if it looks any better.

[NoBody8830]

Wow, great job its looking awesome.

Even though I'm training to be a modeler, I still find it difficult to add detail like that. You posted earlier that you have barely touched the low poly mesh, and just put separate geometry on top of it.

Is that also how you made the seams as well (the recessed areas), by just putting on geometry?

Could you post a break down model, or one with separate colors for different polygon cages? Also, are you using any smoothing functions, or is it just straight polygons?

I'm not much of texture artist. How are you approaching it with this model (mainly for maintaining texture density with such a large model)?

Keep up the great work.

[Edwiersma]

No more updates? I'd love to see how this thing ends.

[hulahuga]

Frigging awesome project, really dig both the effort and the outcome :)

[Rich-M]

Wow, great job its looking awesome.

Even though I'm training to be a modeler, I still find it difficult to add detail like that. You posted earlier that you have barely touched the low poly mesh, and just put separate geometry on top of it.

Is that also how you made the seams as well (the recessed areas), by just putting on geometry?

Could you post a break down model, or one with separate colors for different polygon cages? Also, are you using any smoothing functions, or is it just straight polygons?

I'm not much of texture artist. How are you approaching it with this model (mainly for maintaining texture density with such a large model)?

Keep up the great work.

I avoided cutting into anything, pretty much every single panal is just modelled on top of the base. Some areas like the docking ring on the bridge and the larger hatches have smoothing just for closeup renders as the base meshes describe the shapes quite well from a distance.

For textures, I'm using 8K maps for the body which is split up into about 5 UV tiles and smaller 4K maps for the turrets, hatches, missile pods, engines and hangar doors which share a few tiles between them- I try to keep density higher on these smaller areas.

To add extra detail I tiled a tile pattern over the hull which hopeful hides the blurriness of the texture beneath for closeups.


No more updates? I'd love to see how this thing ends.

Heres a grading test I just finished;

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5153/frigatermcomp2.png



Frigging awesome project, really dig both the effort and the outcome :)

Thanks!

[Fynn]

i think yours is better ;)

[Neil_F01]

this is a cool thread.. love the detail..

[paulius-st]

impressive :) . it is reare to see when someone up's a original model and you are one of those rare people. congrats on this and good luck :) . will ceep an eye on it

[Edwiersma]

Yes, very cool!