The Rodger Young

[Gearz]

Disclaimer

Without a doubt we all have a model wish list. Most of the SF modellers would probably have the ''Rodger Young', from the movie Starship Troopers, on their list somewhere
= #1 <> # 237.

I've been working on several worthy subjects for a while, so I thought it might be of interest to some of you, to follow along with this project from the very start. My methods are bog basic and rather time consuming (fiddler) ~ although, it is interesting to see how the other guy does it. ~ I'll try to update the progress as regularly as time permits with stage reports, however it IS going to be a long term project, so it'll be quite a while before a model will be available ( from me anyway).

There are many ways to develop a card model, I use the CAD avenue ~ Find a 3D model and reverse engineer it, or dismantle it, then re build it, so it can be develpoed in Pepakura ~ the mesh 'un-folding' program.

Of course.. There's a wealth of info on the Rodger Young out there, if anyone would like to post any tech info, background history, original model info, ideas, suggestions, reference material, links of interest....'anything related' Please do! I'm sure we'd all like to read it, and any input to the project would be welcome.

Tools
MetasequoiaLE V2.1

Pepakura Designer V1 ~ V2

Paint shop Pro V4
Photoshop V4
(any bitmap editor)

The Rodger Young

First look ~ From a card model development point of view, this Rodger Young 3D model, by Gerard Dolan & Marc-Laurent "Magma" Magnier ( available HERE ), Is a good starting point, although it will require considerable re-working to prepare it for development. Why use such a complex Model? If I could build a simpler 3D model myself, I would! If anyone knows of a simplified 3d model for the RY, please let us know.

OK.. most modellers would do the sensible thing and spend time researching the subject, before starting such an ambitious project. ~ I prefer just to dive in and repent later. So this is where your opinions and suggestions will save my bacon.

I'll aim for something in between a detailed 100 page monster, and a simplified 'Boxes' version.
So ~ (Taking the time factor into consideration) What would you like to see on the model ?

lol.. finally

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ?

[72BMWR75/5]

Oh, man. Love Heinlein.

[ekuth]

I think with the Rodger Young as with the Galactica, most of the more complex details can be simulated successfully with texturing.

That said, I say go with as much detail as we can squeeze out of it without getting insane.

One of these days I'm going to sit down and force myself to learn MetaSequoia... I have the full version, but I just cant seem to find a SIMPLE easy to follow tutorial. (You know, like: This is how we make a square, make it hollow, turn it into a house, join the vertexes, texture it...)

[Stev0]

Awww crap ... I have a movie magazine thats all about Starship Troopers. I have to go dig it out. Can't remember what is exactly in it but I do remember doing a biopsy on the movie for a CG course project.

ps. That CG model is quite innacurate.

pps. This should keep ya tied over for now... http://www.lwg3d.org/v3/meshes.php?cat=29

[Gearz]

Heinlein ~ I think SST was one of, if not the first SF novel I ever read, or was it The Forever War ? mmmm...... Funny, as usually the case, I didn't picture the Young anything like the movie version, but its certainly grown on me.

Yep.. think that's a pretty good target ekuth. It has to be a FUN model to build. Its probably not the best subject to use for Meta Methods ~ I'll try to add a much as I can from the 3D stages ~ How I did that etc. Its going to be rough, hopefully it will have something of use for you (and anyone interested).

Movie Magazine! WooHoo ~ head down - arse up man! ~ it must be in one of those boxes somewhere!.. Where do you guys find that sort of great stuff ? I never get to see anything remotely interesting like that.. Well there are a few publications worth flipping through.... occasionally .
A biopsy!, I love that sort of thing.. to long ago ? would be interesting to read.

NYC Irish, has an un-built IFactory kit of the RY ( lucky man!) and offered his assistance with ref pics, dimensions etc, = GOLD, So that combined with any other refmat the project picks up, will help work past any mesh accuracy problems..

So far ~
Just consulting with the Sky Marshall on how best to present the project, so its of interest/ useful. ~ Coherent steps. (So it'll probably be a disaster right from the start)

[Sticky Fingers]

Oh, they've got no time for glory in the Infantry.
Oh, they've got no use for praises loudly sung.
But in every soldier's heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.

(Shines the name, Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry.
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.)

Caught in ambush lay a company of riflemen
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom.
Caught in ambush till this one of twenty riflemen
Volunteered, volunteered to meet his doom.

Volunteered, Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting annals of the Infantry
Glows the last deed of Private Rodger Young.

(It was he who drew the fire of the enemy
That a company of men might live to fight.
And before the deadly fire of the enemy
Stood the man, stood the man we hail tonight.)

On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell.
That beneath the silent coral of the Solomons
Sleeps a man, sleeps a man remembered well.

Sleeps a man, Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting spirit of the Infantry
Breathes the spirit of Private Rodger Young.

No, they've got no time for glory in the Infantry.
No, they've got no use for praises loudly sung.
But in every soldier's heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.

Shines the name, Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.

This page should prove useful, I found this image there; http://www.ap3d.com/ws/cruiser/

Scott K.

Now that I compared the previous image compared to the ones above, I see that the ship I posted is not the same as the RY. One of her sisters, I assume, since I've seen different variants in the movie. Still intersting, though.

Scott K.

[Gearz]

Excellent.. some interesting material posted already!

Scott ~ It may only be a sister ship, but BOY that's a beautiful set of textures! there's plenty of hurdles to overcome, at least that's one we can scratch off the list ~ you've given her a nice coat of paint already ! Thank you

[ekuth]

Not only that Gearz, but if you poke around on the site SDK gives above, you find this:

http://www.ap3d.uklinux.net/cruiser/cruiser772kzip.htm

Which convienently open in Meta and Papakura...

I'm no expert, but this could give a light-year jump on the model! Take a look and see what you think.

[w.holzinger]

Hi everybody,

because I'm also working on a model of the "Rodger Yount" I was electrified reading this thread. Mainly the 3D models were most interesting. I compared the material I collected until now with the new facts and came to the following results (may be they're interesting):

A blueprint I found on the net, composed with gimp:

[w.holzinger]

Even this blueprint is not totally correct: Compare the front section of the hull against screenshots from the DVD and you'll see what I mean. But it is definitely the best starting point I've seen at the moment.

Then I checked the 3D model from Gerard Dolan & Marc-Laurent "Magma" Magnier found by Gearz: First a 3D view, then a comparison to the blueprints a finally a view directly from the front (all done in Blender):

[w.holzinger]

At a first glance the model is absolutely great: Good details and a great overall outlook!
But then you can see some differences: The rear section with the engines and their assembly is wrong and the overall proportions are not correct, too. The fuselage is too narrow and the engines are too far apart.

Then I looked at the 3D cruiser-model from Kier Darby found by Scott. Again you can see in from the same positions like the first 3D model:

[w.holzinger]

Well, a good 3D modellers work, but it has nothing to do with the "Rodger Young". OK, you can see elements of this ship, but that's it IMHO. Also in the whole film I can't see any ship looking like this cruiser, and therefore I doubt whether this model would be a good starting point. I would suggest first to simplify the 3D model from Gerard Dolan & Marc-Laurent "Magma" Magnier and then to correct the mistakes and the proportions. Finally may be it would be a good idea to check the resulting 3D model against some snapshots of the film before doing the unfolding and texturing.

What do you think???

[Gearz]

Hey thanks ekuth & Scott K. I didn't see the rest of the site ( I should dig under the rocks a little more) That simplified mesh is certainly going to be of assistance.. Don't think we'll use it solely at this stage, probably a combination of the two meshes


Hi w.holzinger

May be there interesting YES! ~ very much so! thanks for sharing your info! I like that blueprint, totally agree, it would make a great reference basis. As I mentioned a few posts back, NYC Irish has generously offered to provide a bunch of pix and measurements from an unbuilt Ifactory kit THIS ONE So with that, the blueprint you posted and reference to the DVD.. It will give us the best chance of Hammering a mesh into shape.

I'm tending to lean toward your thoughts in regard to which mesh to use, both meshes would require work, although those textures on the Darby meshes are gorgeous ! so their a go for me. As soon as get the IFactory kit dimensions I'll post them.

Btb Dumb question W. ~ are you just building a 3D model of the Young, or card model?

Thanks for the input!