Interested.
DaveP's Luke RotJ V2 Research/Development Thread 2021
- Thread starter DaveP
- Start date
Looking really nice! Especially that pommel damage!**Update**
Hi everyone. I had a few days downtime last week, but I just wanted to give a quick update. I've spent the past couple of days finishing off the CAD drawings and getting them sent off for quotation.
I've now sent all of the drawings for the current parts, but they're still very much open to changes. I can use the prices that come back as a basis for the run going forward though and I'll get the official interest thread posted as soon as those come in.
I've sent the drawings for my vice jig too (for recreating the accurate dents in the emitter plate).
I'm just in the process of rendering some artwork to post with the run and to help explain some of the options that will be available as part of the kit. Here's a sneak peek:
Here's a shot of the current bent emitter:
View attachment 1483716
As I'll be adding the dents myself, both the straight ANH version and the bent ROTJ versions will be available. The bent version will be slightly more expensive to cover the cost of the jig obviously.
I've also done a quick study of the damage on the Pommel. The standard Kit will come "as machined" but will include a self adhesive guide for adding the damage to the bottom of the pommel. Or, like the Emitter, a slightly more expensive pre-dented version will be available as an option.
View attachment 1483717
As with everything else, these are still a work in progress, and are likely to change prior to the run going ahead.
My next job is to finish the stencils which should hopefully be done in time for the quotes coming in.
Thanks again for all of your comments and suggestions on this. Really looking forward to getting the ball rolling!
All the best and MTFBWY,
Dave
Looks Incredible! Can't wait for more updates!
Srycantthnkof1
New Member
**Update**
Just a quick update to say that the Interest thread is now live. It's against community guidelines to link directly to project runs here, but I just wanted to mention it in order to clarify that THIS thread will continue to be the place where I discuss any changes to the models for this project, as well as being where I post updates on ongoing work and new additions.
The next update will be to show the finished paint stencils (these are very nearly finished).
I've been busy creating artwork to showcase the latest models, including a new Cutaway render:
These are still using a very basic clamp model which I'd like to replace at some point (just for my own sanity). Getting the stencils finished is now my first priority though.
I'll also be adding a similar cutaway soon to demonstrate my solution for the motorised stunt and blade setup. I have some thoughts on that that I'd like to share. I'll be dedicating a post on this thread to this specifically in the coming weeks as there's quite a bit to go through.
In the end I chose not to use most of the above images in the interest thread as I didn't want it to get too image heavy. I opted for this turntable video instead:
Again, the basic stand-in clamp model is annoying me, so I do plan to get a more detailed clamp added to this, along with the paintwork. I'd like to get a more complex animation rendered that shows how everything fits together too. I'll do this once the parts are textured with the finished stencils, and I have the new and improved clamp.
Plenty of time for all that though!
Thanks for looking! This is still the thread where ALL the research and development for this project will happen. The interest thread will be reserved solely for gauging interest and keeping track of orders, etc.
Time for bed here in the UK!
Good night and MTFBWY,
Dave
Just a quick update to say that the Interest thread is now live. It's against community guidelines to link directly to project runs here, but I just wanted to mention it in order to clarify that THIS thread will continue to be the place where I discuss any changes to the models for this project, as well as being where I post updates on ongoing work and new additions.
The next update will be to show the finished paint stencils (these are very nearly finished).
I've been busy creating artwork to showcase the latest models, including a new Cutaway render:
These are still using a very basic clamp model which I'd like to replace at some point (just for my own sanity). Getting the stencils finished is now my first priority though.
I'll also be adding a similar cutaway soon to demonstrate my solution for the motorised stunt and blade setup. I have some thoughts on that that I'd like to share. I'll be dedicating a post on this thread to this specifically in the coming weeks as there's quite a bit to go through.
In the end I chose not to use most of the above images in the interest thread as I didn't want it to get too image heavy. I opted for this turntable video instead:
Again, the basic stand-in clamp model is annoying me, so I do plan to get a more detailed clamp added to this, along with the paintwork. I'd like to get a more complex animation rendered that shows how everything fits together too. I'll do this once the parts are textured with the finished stencils, and I have the new and improved clamp.
Plenty of time for all that though!
Thanks for looking! This is still the thread where ALL the research and development for this project will happen. The interest thread will be reserved solely for gauging interest and keeping track of orders, etc.
Time for bed here in the UK!
Good night and MTFBWY,
Dave
enrico
Well-Known Member
Amazing!!!**Update**
Just a quick update to say that the Interest thread is now live. It's against community guidelines to link directly to project runs here, but I just wanted to mention it in order to clarify that THIS thread will continue to be the place where I discuss any changes to the models for this project, as well as being where I post updates on ongoing work and new additions.
The next update will be to show the finished paint stencils (these are very nearly finished).
I've been busy creating artwork to showcase the latest models, including a new Cutaway render:
View attachment 1485617
View attachment 1485618
View attachment 1485619
View attachment 1485620
View attachment 1485621
These are still using a very basic clamp model which I'd like to replace at some point (just for my own sanity). Getting the stencils finished is now my first priority though.
I'll also be adding a similar cutaway soon to demonstrate my solution for the motorised stunt and blade setup. I have some thoughts on that that I'd like to share. I'll be dedicating a post on this thread to this specifically in the coming weeks as there's quite a bit to go through.
In the end I chose not to use most of the above images in the interest thread as I didn't want it to get too image heavy. I opted for this turntable video instead:
View attachment 1485625
Again, the basic stand-in clamp model is annoying me, so I do plan to get a more detailed clamp added to this, along with the paintwork. I'd like to get a more complex animation rendered that shows how everything fits together too. I'll do this once the parts are textured with the finished stencils, and I have the new and improved clamp.
Plenty of time for all that though!
Thanks for looking! This is still the thread where ALL the research and development for this project will happen. The interest thread will be reserved solely for gauging interest and keeping track of orders, etc.
Time for bed here in the UK!
Good night and MTFBWY,
Dave
**Update**
Hi Everyone. This was going to be a much bigger update discussing some changes I'm making to the internal design (based on some new findings) but it's taken me all day to get the stencils applied to the preview models and to make the artwork to show them off.
The stencils are now finished! Or the first pass at least, which I’m very happy with. There's still plenty of time to tweak these before the run goes ahead.
*The basic/simplified Graflex clamp is now more obvious than ever! I will get round to updating this soon, as well as adding the gaffers tape!
These took longer than I expected, as it turned out to be quite an arduous process taking the various references (some of which were clearer than others) and matching them all up to get a full picture of the prop.
Some references had to be straightened out and have distortion/perspective removed, as they themselves were photographs of convention screens. Then each section had to be isolated, aligned, and then cylindrical distortion removed. They could then be matched up with other references of the same section until all areas were accounted for.
I’m pleased to say that all areas have been covered, with every mark having been made based on one or several references.
I've invested in my own vinyl cutter this time around, so I'll be trying that out this week to see how they turn out. I'm hoping they're going to fit a Starkiller V2 kit that I have, so that I can test them out. I can always adjust them to fit in order to try them if needs be, but I don't think it's going to be necessary.
I'll post another update to let you know how they turn out.
I did want to go over some other stuff today, but time has run away with me and I need to step away from the computer for today! There are some subtle (but important) design changes/improvements, but ideally I'd like to have some new cross section images/artwork to help me explain....
So I guess that'll be the subject of the next update.
I hope you like the look of the stencils. Can't wait to try them out!
Another update coming soon.
All the best, and MTFBWY,
Dave
Hi Everyone. This was going to be a much bigger update discussing some changes I'm making to the internal design (based on some new findings) but it's taken me all day to get the stencils applied to the preview models and to make the artwork to show them off.
The stencils are now finished! Or the first pass at least, which I’m very happy with. There's still plenty of time to tweak these before the run goes ahead.
*The basic/simplified Graflex clamp is now more obvious than ever! I will get round to updating this soon, as well as adding the gaffers tape!
These took longer than I expected, as it turned out to be quite an arduous process taking the various references (some of which were clearer than others) and matching them all up to get a full picture of the prop.
Some references had to be straightened out and have distortion/perspective removed, as they themselves were photographs of convention screens. Then each section had to be isolated, aligned, and then cylindrical distortion removed. They could then be matched up with other references of the same section until all areas were accounted for.
I’m pleased to say that all areas have been covered, with every mark having been made based on one or several references.
I've invested in my own vinyl cutter this time around, so I'll be trying that out this week to see how they turn out. I'm hoping they're going to fit a Starkiller V2 kit that I have, so that I can test them out. I can always adjust them to fit in order to try them if needs be, but I don't think it's going to be necessary.
I'll post another update to let you know how they turn out.
I did want to go over some other stuff today, but time has run away with me and I need to step away from the computer for today!
There are some subtle (but important) design changes/improvements, but ideally I'd like to have some new cross section images/artwork to help me explain....So I guess that'll be the subject of the next update.
I hope you like the look of the stencils. Can't wait to try them out!
Another update coming soon.
All the best, and MTFBWY,
Dave
Filandrius
Sr Member
This is INSANELY promising. Absolutely can’t wait.
Your photo matching work here is incredible! If you were to post some tips about how you go about this I'd be gratified, but no intention to derail your thread.
For anyone that hasn't tried this, I'll tell you right now, it's not easy! Congrats DaveP , this is amazing!
Thanks Pedro! Not derailing at all.Your photo matching work here is incredible! If you were to post some tips about how you go about this I'd be gratified, but no intention to derail your thread.
I went over it briefly at the start of the thread, but didn't go in to much detail. You're right. It's not easy! The trickiest part is getting your camera set up to match the scene. I'm a freelance games artist by trade, so I have licences for 3DS Max and ZBrush out of necessity. I'm sure many (if not all) of the tools available to me in Max can be found in Blender though (which is free).I start by applying a side profile of the object to a material and then applying that material to a plane in the left orthogonal viewport.
I then divide the plane up along horizontal and vertical reference points. Trying to cut through the centres of any ellipses. The edges on this plane can then be snapped to in the orthogonal view to build a rough profile of the object.
Now the tricky (and most important) part... I scale the rough model to the correct scale and then move to a perspective/camera view. I then rotate the camera around the model to replicate the angle of the camera that took the original reference photo and adjust the field of view accordingly to match the perspective. There are also tools for correcting lens distortion.
Once the angle of the camera is locked in, you can then switch between orthogonal views (or have different views open on different screens) and adjust the rough model to match the reference perfectly. It's best to make any adjustments in the orthogonal viewports whilst watching the model update in real time in the camera view.
For the textures, I build a simple model that only has the areas I want to texture. I then UV unwrap these and flatten the sections out in to UV islands (A bit like you would if you were making a cardboard model). I then make a template from this that can be textured in Photoshop using as many references as possible. It's important to remove any cylindrical or perspective distortion from the references before piecing them all together and then overlaying them on to the texture sheet in the correct place.
The ZBrush model that you see in the previews is based on the models that will be sent to the machinist, but it has been subdivided in to an incredibly dense mesh which can then be sculpted with surface details like a piece of virtual clay. Details from the low poly model (like the stencil detail) can then be projected on to it. If you look closely, even the paint has physical depth on this model. ZBrush is incredibly powerful visual tool, but these models are really just for presentation and would be no use to the machinist.
Anyway, I hope that gives an idea of the process I go through when I'm building these. To get the models as accurate as humanly possible, it's a good idea to repeat the process with multiple references and views, moving back and forth between them, correcting as you go until you arrive at a model that fits with all viewing angles.
Hope that's been of interest anyway. I'm going to be going through all the above again over the next couple of weeks as I put the models through one final round of accuracy checks.
Thanks for looking and all the best,
Dave
