virtual model kits

spaceagent-9

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i'm totally ignorant of any kind of 3d model kits for free. it sounds like a great hobby, I have fooled around in google sketch and metasequoia, but was unable to save anything I drew. I loved making plastic models and paper models and would like to pass some time piecing together 3d rotatable virtual assembly free kits. can some expert on this start me out and maybe pass on a few pointers? some others here might be interested too.
thanks!
jim
 

zathros

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I'm lost, isn't that what paper models are? Maybe you could post some picture examples?
 

spaceagent-9

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I don't have any, I was hoping someone would know. I don't want to draw them up in metasequoia or google sketch up because every time I try to save, it just warps all over the place. I was hoping for a simple pass the minutes now and then easy clean E-hobby to play with.
 

bigpetr

Designer/Master Modeler
Maybe I do not understand corectly what you are asking, but I dont know about premade 3d virtual assembly kits. If you want to make 3d model you have to completely model it in metasequoia or sketchup or any other 3d software. For that you need to gather as much reference as you can - blueprints, photos, plans etc.

Only idea I have to make 3d virtual assembly, you can take paper model template, trace contours of all its parts manualy in 3d software and then assembly it like you would with paper (but rounded parts can be more chalenging to assemble this way). Is this what you mean?
 

zathros

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Every model I posted in "Renders and Illustrations" is a 3D model. Are you thinking of models to be sent somewhere to have them reproduced in 3 dimensions>
 

spaceagent-9

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Only idea I have to make 3d virtual assembly, you can take paper model template, trace contours of all its parts manualy in 3d software and then assembly it like you would with paper (but rounded parts can be more chalenging to assemble this way). Is this what you mean?

yes like this, kind of like model parts that you would click and drag together, when assembled you could paint it, add chrome-etc... and then spin it around up and down, sort of like in pepakura.
 

daishi

Well-Known Member
So basically you want to do is to scan in a template already printed, virtually cut them out of the scanned image and reassemble the 3D model that you can virtually paint in 3D mode? (ZBrush comes to mind for the painting part)
 

spaceagent-9

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yes that is what I was hoping for, or to re-say it, a e-d jigsaw puzzle you can turn about, assemble, and paint, say of a starship or dinosaur?
 

zathros

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That's what I do in Rhino, it's called cad. You group the sections (layering), makes them easier to work with, and turn on and off layers. Weathering is actually a separate part that when viewed from above, looks like one piece, but if viewed in the Perspective windows, well, some models look like little cities. With certain models, you make the model in sections, the put them together using the adjacent control points to make their seams seamless. Any other method would be something extremely virtual that you could do nothing with when done. I can't see how something like this would be economically viable as it takes a lot of CPU and Ram, and Video Ram, and a really good video card, on board will be taxed out soon. to flip around a detailed model. think that's why you don't see anything like that. If you downloaded the trial version of Rhino you could do that, and when it expired, you could still make models, you just couldn't save them, you could capture the image with PRT SCN, but you would have to rebuild every time, and that's the hard part. In a sense, Minecraft works like that, though I am not sure how much you can flip an object, though I imagine pretty much.
 

spaceagent-9

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owell it just seems like something that should be there. its too bad it would be opening up the world of virtual modeling to millions if it were.
 

zathros

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I think that's what Minecraft is trying to do, I've seen some pretty awesome stuff made with it.

Check out this link, the guy made a spaceship, and it has a full interior. He used Sketchup as an overlay, I don't know how you did it, I imagine it takes much knowledge of both programs. ;)

Link = http://www.planetminecraft.com/project/uss-courageous/
 

spaceagent-9

Right Hand Man and Confidant
Moderator
I just read an article about SNAPCHAT doing something like im talking about but not using model parts to build a virtual model. facial recognition or something, and you can turn it about.
 
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