Mech Rider

[iconik]

I've never done a mechanoid before... But they've always impressed the hell out of me... So I figure it's about time to take the plunge... Should keep me busy for a month or so...

Still in its concept phase at the moment... Hope to get some initial framework done over the weekend.

I'm keen to get this as plausable as possible 'cause I plan to rig it and animate it when I'm done... So I've got about 40mb of reference images of motorcycles, wildcats, hydraulic systems and robots...

I'll be posting both drafts and CG as I go... So I'd appreciate any advice and considerations that any experienced mech-modellers can give me...

Here's the blueprint of the basic proportions... and a plan of the hind legs...

[Aleg8r]

looks like a great start. nice work with the legs and body covers, the only thing i would say i maybe move the seat to the front legs as when it runs sitting on the hind legs would mean you would be going up and down a load.



also see this animation how the back legs and but move a lot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvtA17Ctpe8

like a horse on and around the front legs.

[ClassicGamer-3DT]

Great idea, wonderful blueprints and drawings, very stylised and looks very cool.

I wish you all the best with the project

Kind Regards

Classic Gamer

[iconik]

Aleg8r - Thanks for the reference pics! Excellent...

I kinda had the feeling it would be a bit rough riding on the back end... Which sucks, cause it'd look cool... But I agree with you - and it works pretty well up on the shoulders too - so I'll go with that.

Makes more sense in terms of rider visibility too...

ClassicGamer - Cheers for the good wishes... I'm looking forward to seeing where I can take this.

And for what it's worth... I got half-way through modelling a leg frame before realising I was using the wrong program for the job... So I've attached my false start too...

[Reb0rn]

what kind of mech will it be in the end, the one with wires everywhere or the real stylish futuristic ones, like, industrymade?

very nice research indeed
best of luck

[madm4tt]

Interesting project, subscribed.
Keep to post.

Bye

[iconik]

Quick update...

I've had a slight change of heart - where-by, I'm going to give up my dreams of animating this one in order to continue the modelling in FormZ... It'll still make for some cool still shots in the end.

I've still got a lot to learn about max... so I think I'll get my head around robots first...

In the meantime - Has anybody got any ideas/refs for a chunky but stylish linkage system for the spine? What I've sketched is gonna be pretty rigid as far as side-to-side movement goes...

Reb0rn - I'm thinkin I'm going to go somewhere between the two... I want some cabling for the hydraulic systems and mainframe but I'm going to make believe that the power and data to the limbs will all be wireless...

I'm going to move on from the hind legs for now... There's a few things need attention but I need to feel like this is going somewhere before I focus on the fine details...

And not to be counter-offensive - but the casing's just a draft - I'm going to do all the shell work contoured properly when the skeleton's finished... next year perhaps...

[Steamtrooper]

Very prety, love your 2d work, youll have to let me know what your using as it looks v nice.

Spine wise Id add a vew vertebre in there maybe, perhaps 2 more, the overall lenght looks good to me so Id shorten the existing ones a tad and slip one or two more in. Also along the same lines, think about maybe continuing the spine up through the front legs and into a neck. If this is going to be as dynamic as its looking the neck and extra flexibility will make it look more balanced overall.

Not knowing your exact system for hydraulics/pneumatics I dont want to make too much of a point of it (you might already have this sorted), but Id have a look at your Pistons and think about how the mechanoid will come to 'rest'. ie. what is its most relaxed/neutral position and then make sure you have the pneumatics/muscles positioned accordingly. It may well be that you plan on a dual system of 'sping loaded/tension and pneumatics' which would suit this felinopede well in my opinion.

Kind of makes me think of the steads they ride in the book 'Diamond Age'.

Lovely keep it up.

[iconik]

Thanks for the advice Steamtrooper... I've added one more link to the spine for now which looks better... and I will continue something similar for the neck...

The whole spring/tension mechanism sounds intriguing - do you have any examples you could link me to? I'd like to find out more about it and how I might utilise it.

And I'm using CorelDraw for the 2d... Nothing flash... Just applying gradient meshes and a few transparancies livens it up a bit.

Here's the revised profile with some different extremes... In the full kneel, the cylinders in the legs came unstuck which is why I've gone for telescopic cylinders in the 3d model... Gives me an extra 40% of reach overall...

I'm not going to get much time to progress on the 3D today... but the plans are developing at least...