LoL... Doc I can relate to that on more levels than you would imagine!! It'll slow down the process down a bit, but I'm not one to walk past a fellow "poor peasant". A new model would be great, a new developer would be even better! So I've put the original mesh on the back burner for the moment and dusted off a very basic version I found, I'll post the basic stages with associated files, If you want you can work/practice/dev along with the posted files. The Galactic isn't the best subject to start off with, but hey you never know where it might lead,
sjsquirrel this may help a bit.
DISCLAIMER I'm certainly not the best person to give advice, plus I don't want to turn this thread into a tut, cause there are much better ones out there. In all probability some of my methods/steps will raise a few eyebrows. Its just how I taught myself to develop, Its definitely a novices approach. If anyone can suggest a 'better' technique or provide tips / better explanations/ elaborations or CORRECTIONS, jump right in!
Episode ONE The plot so far.....
I have a rough idea of where you are on the map Doc, but If I start monologing on bits you have already have a handle on, don't be afraid to use a 'whacking stick' Just as a point of reference, here's a short explanation of the software and intro to the basic dev methods that I use (with slight variation from model to model).
3D Exploration / DEEP Exploration A must have for conversion work, Take no prisoners! GO GET A COPY!
MILKSHAPE 3D Vx Good modelling program, I use it mostly for converting game formats into usable files. (opinion) META is far superior for modelling.
MetasequoiaLE R2.1 ( Meta ) I prefer the first version. The Only major draw back for basic dev work, is its lack of texture control. Strictly speaking all your textures should be sorted way before this stage, a good bitmap editor can work around this easily.
point to consider Meta hates file locations over 25 characters so try to keep your working files as close as you can to the root directory i.e.. if your model and tex files are in C:\[cardmodels] [amazing spaceships] [science fiction TV shows] [battlestar Galactica] [The Galactica] [ Version I'm working on now].............. AND your model has a texture with the file name "BattleStarGalacticaPortSideLowerRearEngineIntake.bmp" Meta won't be able to place it on your mesh.. Plus I have problems with textures, if all the files aren't located on C:\ drive, might just be my pc?
Pepakura Needs to be reg'd $, but if your serious about Developing its a must have and worth every cent (dime)
Paintshop Pro V4 Yep its a dinosaur, any bitmap editor will do for basic stuff.. .
EPISODE 1
Nightmare # 1
Conversion... its all in the format! Ok you've got a bunch of meshes in whatever format. What do you do with it now!
META and
PEP can import several different formats. Though.. as you've no doubt worked out, they all have strengths and weaknesses. This is where 3Dex/ Deep can be your plastic pal that's fun to be with (your best friend!) My preference is conversion into Truespace .cob format, from my experience its the only format that behaves its self consistently when importing into Meta. If your model loads up in 3Dex with the textures missing etc , its usually just a texture location/address problem. You can correct this in the [
object list] ~ [
material properties].
Basically If you can export your model from
3Dex/Deep into .cob format, with the bmp/jpg textures doin all the right things, in all the right places, your ready to wake up from nightmare # 1
Nightmare #2
(
META) Grooming..... this is the BIG one, it can be a real time consumer, directly proportional to model complexity! . As said, most meshes are rarely suitable for unfolding. In a nut shell you have to be able to DIS-assemble a mesh Then RE-assemble AND rename the parts in the order you want it. It will be daunting/frustrating, though master this and there won't be a mesh that you cant develop into a card model! = Its a make or break at the Unfolding end. Just think MODULES.. we want patterns not jigsaws! For the Galactica the bridge/nose can be one module etc.. The upper hull of that section can easily be made with three shapes = Good. Depending on complexity, most meshes will make that section with dozens of Vertices (V) and Faces (F) = Bad!
SO.... The first 3D concept you need to strangle is
OBJECTS, understanding it will save a bunch of grief and TIME. A mesh builder can designate any number of (V) and (F) into any number of
OBJECTS, from just a few to LOTS! Unfortunately they are invariably named really descriptive titles like "tube' 'Box' 'axis' or 'obj_36523' which makes slicing a mesh into 'modules' nearly imposable.. (Clear as mud so far????)
To work around this prob, there are few menus in Meta you have to have well and truly by the short and curlies. The most important is the [
OBJECT PANEL] Since we are working on a vanilla basic model we'll just stick to this first up!
The first pic, is an example of the Galactica mesh I started to Dev, Its the extreme end of how Unsuitable/Time consuming RE-assembling a mesh can be. It will make a great model when its done +++++ Time. It has (V) 53000 (F) 67352 that's a lot of little bits that would choke
PEP! Take note of the 2 menus circled and in particular the
OBJECT named 'hullDet' (
Light Blue parts) of the model, its an
OBJECT that has way to many small parts, not to mention scattered ALL over the model = bad for developing!
FIGe1a
Ok heres our Gal in the basic version, similar to many game meshes (V) 1726 (F) 2454 much smaller, BUT we can still reduce that a bit, as well as reorganise/ renames the objects so it just glides through PEP. It won't be spectacular but it'll be easy the assemble = trade offs.. NOTE here, the [
OBJECT] names, in particular the highlighted '
HULL.TOP ' (
light blue) nearly the entire top section of the vessel! = Bad. As we progress that's has to be Renamed and Reorganised.
FIGe1b
Although it doesn't happen that often, this is worth showing, its one of the conversion 'NASTIES' you'll come a cross, notice most of the lower surfaces seems to be missing! They have just been inverted during conversion. They are there, just facing "inside' Selecting them and using the [
SELECTED] menu and [
INVERT] will do the trick and make the little buggers face the right way.
FIGe1c
MMM... and I said I wasn't going to monologue!.. Its not easy to keep it short and basic..
Ok so that's a very basic "how do I start" .. here's the original/Start mesh
Gal00.mqo load it up and inspect it close up.
Practice turning ON and OFF individual OBJECTS (
clicking the little eye on the [
OBJECT PANEL] and see what bits disappear.
Practice Selecting / Deselecting individual parts from the [
COMMAND] ~ [
SELECT] ~ [
JOINED FACE] menu.
Practice Selecting the 'inverted /missing' parts on the bottom of the mesh and "inverting' them to the right way. DON'T forget to DEselect each section (click on it again) after each Invert, or you'll end up inverting the bit you just did!.
NEXT... Episode 1 / Nightmare #2 continues... "where the bloody hell did that part go?"
Had enough ? :cry:
OR
Would you like to know more? :grin: