My progress over the last two years from iClone to Blender and back...

[martok2112]

Howdy folks,

Well, I know it's been a while since I've said anything about my Galactica YouTube series, so I just wanted to show a little history about how far I've come in just the couple of yahrens I've been working with iClone, and the considerably short time I've been working with Blender. I know you've seen some of these images before. I thought it'd be a nice trip down memory lane. So, here's a history of my improvements in model/prop/character making:

So here's the way my virtual actors USED to look for my Galactica YouTube series project:





And here's the principal cast in improved uniforms, and with improved accessories.

From left to right:
Lt. Shaen (new pilot, Starbuck's protegee), Captain Starbuck, Lt. Athena, Col. Apollo, Captain Sheba, and Captain Boomer.

And the bad guys:

[martok2112]

And my ships:
Viper
My first attempt in iClone--

My first Cylon Raider attempt in iClone--

My improved Colonial Viper and Cylon Raider ported in from Blender--

[martok2112]

And my capital ships--
The Galactica
iClone build, first attempt, largely just thrown together shapes, and the texturing was hand-drawn in Photoshop...not very well either...looked very cartoony:

iClone build, second attempt, again built from general shapes. The nose section is actually an elongated and retextured cockpit from the Starship Construction Pack for iClone. All the details on this ship are photo textures, and thus that's why some details appear so blurry at certain angles:

Improved Galactica, fabricated in Blender, and assembled in iClone:
This is my real deal. All greebles for detailing. My most realistic looking battlestar yet. And it was the first model I ever built with an advanced modeling app. iClone is NOT a modeling app, but Blender is very powerful for a free modeling application. I'm very proud of this build. Many of my friends who also do this stuff have said: "You tackled THAT for your first model?! WOW!" It took me five days to build (which also amazed them), and most models I build now only take about two days at most.


The Cylon Basestar
Again, done with general shapes in iClone, and the textures were hand drawn in Photoshop.

Same deal with my second build in iClone, having used photographed textures:

And my Blender build...the second model I ever fabricated in Blender, then assembling in iClone. Took me only two days. As with the Blender Galactica, I'm very proud of this model.

[martok2112]

Also, here's some other ships and vehicles I've fabricated in Blender and assembled in iClone:

The Colonial Shuttle and the Colonial Landram--
These are done to scale with the virtual actors, so the models are big. I fabricated them by components in Blender, and then assembled in iClone, then made a few scales of each model to suit my shooting needs.

Inside the Landram...Starbuck and Boomer in their first iClone costumes:


A view from inside the Landram, looking out the main windshield:


The Landram:


The Shuttle and the Landram:

[martok2112]

Here's another test shot....Colonial Warriors on Desert Planet. This time, as you'll notice, they're sporting blaster rifles. (All I did was elongate the barrel detail and enlarge slightly the back detail of the Colonial Blaster Pistol, and add a scope and bullpup mag slot). The rifles are designed to have removable bullpup styled magazines, and the electronic scope on the rifle will have a surface on the eyepiece side which can display video of the target.
This could be a shot from an upcoming episode, but for now, I just thought it was the ideal place to show off an exploratory team sporting heavier firepower.

I think I'll try to also modify my landram so it actually has a full swivel turret. (As it should)

[martok2112]

And now, here's another quickie test video (with sound effects) testing out the swivel turret and laser effects on a moving landram. It's Starbuck and Athena. Oh, noes....they are being attacked by Cylons.
This video will also demonstrate that the shadows do not work so perfectly. I hope this is something iClone can rectify in a future update/version.

[Aussie Warrior]

Now that is a cool video, nicely done

[martok2112]

Many thanks.

[gmd3d]

leaps and bounds stave. Leaps and bounds ....

your work has improved enormously

[martok2112]

Most kind, thank you.

[gmd3d]

its a pleasure to see your work.

thinking back to when we where both working out how to use a free program ... must be 5 years ago.
I think now you have a tool that will give you greater control.
these are your early steeps .. in a years time. WOW..

you will look back on this thread and will need to start a new thread. guaranteed.


I would put money on it , if I had any

[martok2112]

Yeah, we were both figuring out how to use Anim8or. Back then, I probably could not have even been bothered to try and figure out Blender. But iClone got me hooked on 3D animation and attempting to model. And thanks to the introductory interface video by Karan Shah, I've learned how to do a lot with Blender, and then make it, 3DEXChange, and iClone work together.

In a year's time from now....I don't know where I'll be with this. But, you've also got a major head start on me in the 3D art realm, so it'll be interesting to see where YOU are in a year's time.

[Apolloisall]

Excellent works!

[gmd3d]

Originally Posted by martok2112

Yeah, we were both figuring out how to use Anim8or. Back then, I probably could not have even been bothered to try and figure out Blender. But iClone got me hooked on 3D animation and attempting to model. And thanks to the introductory interface video by Karan Shah, I've learned how to do a lot with Blender, and then make it, 3DEXChange, and iClone work together.

In a year's time from now....I don't know where I'll be with this. But, you've also got a major head start on me in the 3D art realm, so it'll be interesting to see where YOU are in a year's time.

yeah ... for a story teller like you. these programs have proved to be valuable-

and for my skills "or lack thereof" (sorry could not help it)

but we will see this year if this Galactica project can be done

[martok2112]

I'm bustin' tail to try and make mine a reality.
And thanks, Apolloisall.