Got bored....redid my build of the TMP Klingon battlecruiser...

[martok2112]

For anyone who's interested, I got bored and decided to try and redo my K't'inga class Klingon battlecruiser that I first built in Blender, then assembled in iClone. Since I've gotten a little better at using UV maps in iClone, I wanted to try my hand at retexturing the battlecruiser from ST:TMP. (I also wanted to try and reduce the greebles where I could, and still maintain the appearance of a pretty convincing looking ship).

These first couple of shots are from my original build using rather generic textures



continued.....

[martok2112]

And these are from my redux: Still not motion picture perfect, but a far cry better than what I did before.

[Titon]

Looks good Steve...

I know texturing is something to get a handle on. I for one am still not very good at it.

[martok2112]

Don, good to see you again.

Thank you for the kind words. Yeah, texturing can be tedious. I did this using UV map stills, and sometimes, those can be mind boggling if you use too complicated a shape. (which is why I did the rebuild largely using "planar" components instead of reshaped primitives...but I was amazed at how the bowl section turned out...that was surprising! The power deck at the upper rear of the ship, and the warp pylons and warp engines are all taken from my original build). I used Photoshop to put the textures on...and at that, it was an older version...as in, a version long before Adobe decided to give PhotoShop direct paint capabilities to .obj files. (In the new version of PS, you can paint directly onto a 3D object as one would paint a physical model...I soooo want that version!)

Thanks again, my friend.

UPDATE: As of the last hour, my K't'inga montage images have gotten several faves already over at Deviantart.com . (Hell, one fave came within 2 minutes of my posting them. Feelin' a lit-tle proud. )

[Titon]

You should....never be surprised that someone likes what you do. No matter how it looks to others it only matters what you think but I am glad other's recognize your work. It's the best feeling for an artist to have someone like his work.

Keep it up!

[martok2112]

Especially when such admiration comes from those whose experience is far greater.

I'm going to do another rebuild of the K't'inga, but it should be a fast process. I basically want to get the secondary hull looking more correct in terms of angles.

[martok2112]

Well, I think I finally got 'er. Here's the final build of my redone K't'inga. The secondary hull looks MUCH better now, angled properly.
Model: Klingon K't'inga Class Battlecruiser
Source of Inspiration: Star Trek The Motion Picture (1979)
Model builder: Martok2112 (Genchang2112 at deviantart)
Tools used: Blender for component build
Adobe Photoshop for UV map texturing
Reallusion 3DEXCHANGE for conversion to iClone format
Reallusion iClone 5.5 PRO for final assembly, rendering, and animation

[martok2112]

Here's a quick test video of my redone K't'inga in action...better vids to follow, with hopefully better torpedo effects

[Matador]

Nice... Very nice.

[martok2112]

Thank you so much. Given your level of expertise, and the likes of Don and Dave, Taranis, and Thunderstruck, I feel like I'm in good company!

nice work, I can hear the music as they approach the v'ger cloud :-)

[martok2112]

Thanks, Andromeda.

[mikala]

Sorry if I'm too late to the party.
I only have one niggle.
I see your original model had nice sharp edges to the greebles but they are really rounded now. Can you lower the amount of smoothing in iClone so your mesh does not look like it has what we call smoothing errors in Lightwave.
If that is the look you are going for all the power to you but I'm partial to the more aggressive sharp edged look.

[martok2112]

Hi, Mikala,

I'm glad you liked it overall, and yeah, the smooth edges do kinda bug me a little bit too.

Even though I thought this was going to be my final build, I might just give 'er another go...and tryt to sharpen up those edges a bit.

I can say though that even in this state, these babies look good in motion.

Thanks for the con-crit. I'll try to see what I can do in a rebuild.

[martok2112]

Ok....working up my absolute final build of the K't'inga. I've added as much greebling as I figure would be necessary to give her a more realistic look....also tried to lower the curve on the forward edge of the command crown. Smoothed the bowl in the right places. If all goes well, this ought to be one damn good looking battlecruiser.

[mikala]

Look forward to seeing the new version!

[martok2112]

This is an evolution of my K't'inga builds. The model on the left in the first pic is my first build, using very generic textures...but it has the hull plating on the command boom and secondary hull. The middle model is the one you've seen most recent until now...dropping the hull plating for good photographic UV textures. The model on the right, I've tried to correct the upper part of the command boom (and it's still a little too rounded, but I'm too burned out to try further). Also reused the hull plating from the first model.

[martok2112]

LOL! I guess a build is never really truly as final as one might like to think it to be. Managed to restore the forward crown lighting back to what I originally had, added on the disruptor cannons, gave the upper spine nav light a blink. I'm sure there'll be something else that'll crop up eventually.

[Senmut]

Q'PlaH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[martok2112]

Maj!!!

[Punisher454]

I've always loved the look of those Klingon battlecruiser's. This is looking real good. Of course you know that as soon as you think its done, you'll look back and realize that you'd now do something different and naturally need to build a better one. It never ends, and thats a good thing.

[martok2112]

Thanks, Punisher.

Honestly, I would love to be able to add every single itty bitty bit of greebling to these cruisers that there are in the real movie, but I don't want to bog down my computer to where I can't even preview properly.

BTW, I've just finished the first half of my Klingons Attack V'ger sequence. It's not movie perfect, but it do look good, if I do say so meself...especially the photon torpedo firing sequence.

[martok2112]

PROGRESS REPORT: KLINGONS ATTACKING V'GER REMAKE

My remake continues apace. I already have over half the footage shot, and am now at the point where V'ger retaliates.

There are already a couple of good TMP opening sequence remakes out there on YouTube....I know mine can't compete with them, but I do think it'll make for worthy viewing when I release it. I took a couple of liberties with some shots to compensate for the lack of internal set shooting. Also had to adjust and rearrange Jerry Goldsmith's majestic score to suit the scene.

[BST]

Steve,

I've been just sitting back, watching, and enjoying the hell out of your work. I hope that it's bringing you as much enjoyment as it's bringing us, as we watch you hone your craft.

[martok2112]

Thanks, Pete.
It was getting frustrating at one point, but then I got a few things figured out, connected the dots, and now it's gettin' fun again.

Now, I'm trying to figure out how to get a convincing lens flare effect for the V'ger weapons.

[Dawg]

Ooooo..... lens flare! Can't have enough lens flare!





I am
Dawg

[martok2112]

Fire tomaton torpedoes!