please take a look at something i made

[LordDante]

this is just a simple texture, the final texture will probably be much better and with mode details instead of a simple splash of colour... if the model gets a green light that is

there are others and they will be uploaded soon...

[LordDante]

[LordDante]

theese would be the last ones for today
there are a few more but.. they are not ready to be shown yet

something big

a diplomatic ship

[pd]

Sorry to say this, but it's pretty much useless, at least for in-game usage.

I notice that you didn't really develop the form/design. I recommend to take a pencil and paper and start sketching(even if you think, you can't draw, just do it). Play with different form languages. Change proportions and so on. Draw one page after another. If it sucks, turn the page.

By doing this, you will select parts that you like and keep them(or even improve them). Parts that you don't like will be changed. In the end you will find a nice shape/form/design.

From your renderings it's pretty obvious, that you simply used what the software has to offer(starting with a basic shape, pushing some vertices or extruding some polys, and finally sub divide(smoothing)). This is a very bad approach.

Nevertheless, keep practising!

[noelte]

Sorry to say this, but it's pretty much useless, at least for in-game usage.

Hard words and no explaination...... OK, the models are quite basic at the moment, but i guess LordDante will keep working on them.

[pd]

Okay, let me explain:

First of, the poly count is way too high(since it's sub divided).

Second, the overall shape. I wouldn't know, that these are space ships, if it wasn't been posted here. The designs don't give a hint for any function. They are just plain fleckless. Ideally you should be able to say: 'Well, this looks like a engine, or cockpit, or whatever' just by looking at it. An industrial designer would call those things 'Quatschformen'(sorry, no english translation). It's just form, without any indication of function. And we all know - form follows function -, even if we are dealing with space ships for computer games here.

Thirdly, the designs don't have any character. There is no variation, everything is evenly cambered and this is boring to the human eye. You could come in with a second form language and mix both, or simply add some sharp edges, to guide the eye, etc.

All these things can be avoided by not beeing a slave of the software. Think(and draw) before opening the 3d soft of your choice.

[guiguibaah]

Hmm. In my opinion, the second-to-last one looks pretty interesting. Don't forget, we're dealing with alien ships that run into space.

I think one of the coolest ships I've ever seen in science fiction was the Borg Cube (from Star Trek) - and it makes sense. Space has no friction, so you need not have aerodynamically-designed models or whatnot. And if the alien race was a collective of being (a hive mind) you don't need a cockpit / bridge / point of command, because the crew remains in every section of the ship...


It's a bit like what people who lived in the 18th century might think of our cars. Why are our cars so smooth and flashy? Why are they so hard to push forward? Where is the horse harness, or the buggy driver, or the horse whip? Why do they get stuck so easily in snow?


Although the high-poly count issue is a concern.

[pd]

Hmm. In my opinion, the second-to-last one looks pretty interesting. Don't forget, we're dealing with alien ships that run into space.

I didn't, really. My point is the following:

We are not creating any abstract art here. We are actually designing functional things - spaceships, which are supposed to transport people(aliens if you want), fly around and sometimes shoot laser beams. Those functions should be communicated by the design. The eye wants to see something. Meaningless form is worthless.

Thanks for mentioning the borg cubes. The reason why those look interesting is basicly because they are so totaly different from any other space ships we know(variety!). Also, since we don't get any information about function they seam superior to us(those guys must have magic powers!).
But, on the other hand, if all races would have borg like ships - without any indication of function - it would be boring again.

[utilae]

I think that some of the ships look good, but only if some kind of detail was added, eg textures showing tiny components, lines and detail. Some of the ships (the second to last one) do not look good at all. The first few are questionable, but it cold be improved. So really, just add detail such as cockpts, egines, vents, windows, hangers, weapon mounts, sensor arrays, etc. This will avoid the random piece of artwork/ornament look of you ships.

[Geoff the Medio]

pd: What about shadow vessels from Babylon 5?

I think you could make a case for at least (but not many more than) one race having biological or amorphous ships that lack much in the way of obvious external features... or perhaps to use such a model for an amoeba-like space monster. Such a ship monsters might be made more interesting to look at by animating it so that its weird blobblish shapes ripples and change and extend and retract pseudopods as they move about or attack...

[pd]

I think you could make a case for at least (but not many more than) one race having biological or amorphous ships that lack much in the way of obvious external features.

Yes, definitely! However, i would prefer something more - well - professional looking then *shrunk*

[Skaro]

I once had a great collection of Shadow inspired vessels, but most of them got lost when I didn't back them up properly

However, I still have these early designs (they're a tad crappy when compared to the lost ships):

Stealth frigate

Refuted Assault frigate, it's pretty crap

A early bomber/gunship design


I'm most sad about the Dreadnaught I lost, it had high detail pointdefense and fighterbays