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Tutorial Ship Hull modeling tutorial.

Hi BliIx,

then use this one, as i did.
Look for a plan that interests you, for example here or here, set up your 3D Studio and begin. ;)

If you want to show your baby or have questions, you can open a thread about here and show or ask as everyone will be happy to see a new model to set sail.

Thats all i think. And now get going! :dance
 
Hi BliIx,

then use this one, as i did.
Look for a plan that interests you, for example here or here, set up your 3D Studio and begin. ;)

If you want to show your baby or have questions, you can open a thread about here and show or ask as everyone will be happy to see a new model to set sail.

Thats all i think. And now get going! :dance

Hahaha okay thank you :cheers
i alredy have found some blueprints i like bu it will take quite a long time cause i have to figger all this out, i never really did modeling by blueprints, so its really confusing xD :p
 
BLiIx,
here is the tutorial I used to set up a my plans in a 3d studio. if you need it.
http://www.3dsmaxresources.com/tutorial_display.php?id_tut=11
first you will want to make copies of 3 parts of your plans the profile view, the fore/ aft view, and the top view. try to get the # of pixels as close as possible to each other when you cut them ( only in one direction, for example the top and profile views could be 1421 x 425 and 1421x 183 respectively) this way you can just line up the ends of each plane that you make to put the plans on (explained in the tutorial) as for the modelling itself, I should be able to help you with thickening the sides of the ship, making deck fittings like the capstan, bell etc ( I have some standard models that you can use for these if you want as well), and to a certain extent cutting gunports, but if I were you I would follow helldiver's explanation in the tutorial first, his way is cleaner than mine. let me know if you need my help with any of these things, and good luck! :dance
 
BLiIx,
here is the tutorial I used to set up a my plans in a 3d studio. if you need it.
http://www.3dsmaxresources.com/tutorial_display.php?id_tut=11
first you will want to make copies of 3 parts of your plans the profile view, the fore/ aft view, and the top view. try to get the # of pixels as close as possible to each other when you cut them ( only in one direction, for example the top and profile views could be 1421 x 425 and 1421x 183 respectively) this way you can just line up the ends of each plane that you make to put the plans on (explained in the tutorial) as for the modelling itself, I should be able to help you with thickening the sides of the ship, making deck fittings like the capstan, bell etc ( I have some standard models that you can use for these if you want as well), and to a certain extent cutting gunports, but if I were you I would follow helldiver's explanation in the tutorial first, his way is cleaner than mine. let me know if you need my help with any of these things, and good luck! :dance


thanx dude.... :) that helped me :D thank you for all teh support here :D
 
This looks cool. When I have more time I'm gonna try some modelling for myself. I could learn how, we would have a constant modeler in the group.
me.gif
 
If you do start experimenting with models, please try to use Maya 5.0. Pretty please! It makes life soooooooo much easier for exporting. :cheeky
 
Helldiver,

This is the best ship modeling tutorial I have been able to find so far! I am an engineering student and have been modeling for virtual reality simulations for about 4 years in Maya and I am starting to branch out to 3ds Max. Would you be able to post a link to the reference images you utilized for this tutorial as I would like to try to replicate your work for a project I am currently working on (an underwater environment).

Thanks
 
Helldiver apparently hasn't been on here since april 1st 2011, almost exactly a year ago, so I wouldnt expect him to respond. :( It is a great tutorial though! I could never have started building ships without it, and I still use nearly all of his techniques.
 
I might have to give this a try in two months or so- I just came across plans for a perfect small starting project.
 
The vessel I want to start with is from the year 1542 and has to do with Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo. It was not worth any mention, but absolutely priceless. (a hintesque hint if I've ever seen one)

If that turns out well, and nobody else takes it, I'm thinking of trying Pilgrim myself: Pilgrim 30 years ago (a good picture, but not one of mine, from before our sheer line was messed up by hogging)
In theory, the hull shouldn't be too difficult to model, although you would probably know better than I would. The fact that I have every feature of the vessel memorized will also help.
 
ah ok, from what you've mentioned in other threads I might have a hunch ;)

I am sure you would do a great job with the Pilgrim! If those gunports are just painted on that makes it easier too. If you are interested I could upload some standard pieces I use in most of my ships (Such as steps for the side of the hull, anchors, a skylight, a wheel, capstan etc) I use this program to make my hulls(the free version)http://www.delftship.net/ and then import them into another free program called gmax but If you can manage to do it the way this tuturial describes it, the finished ship will likely be more polygon efficient. and getting the model from gmax to Maya (the program needed to get the ship ready fo the game) is a royal pain in the @$%, so I would reccomend using maya or a combination of maya and delftship
 
I might as well give it away, since this kind of vessel doesn't warrant much suspense:
DSCN2349.jpg

DSCN2348.jpg

DSCN2343.jpg

sail-chalupa.jpg
I found this particular vessel interesting because of the round shape and narrow transom, combined with a lateen rig (on this particular boat). I ran into some interesting period breech-loading swivel guns and cannons at the same site (San Salvidor build, San Diego, Ca) that could be used for this and other vessels. (historians have determined that those are what Cabrillo would have been armed with) I figure it could also used on any future old vessels, especially if I can borrow the San Salvidor's line drawings from the guy overseeing its construction. (a former Pilgrim crew member) I do realize the plans may be distorted due to the angle of the photograph, but I'm planning on going back there soon to get another picture and check San Salvidor's progress. (I'm hoping to get pictures of the vessel its self up soon)


I would appreciate any help I could get at this point... The only thing I'm really worried about is the windlass (a unique wrought iron monstrosity) but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thankfully, the gun ports are just painted in the fashion of a merchantman, so I think I'll just drop six small guns on the main deck. I guess if I get bored after the first version is done I could clear up some space on deck and make a more heavily armed version. Unfortunately I'll have to start after most of my testing is done in a month or two...
 
Haha I was right! xD: neat little boat, a good way to get the basic concepts down.

I would appreciate any help I could get at this point... The only thing I'm really worried about is the windlass (a unique wrought iron monstrosity) but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thankfully, the gun ports are just painted in the fashion of a merchantman, so I think I'll just drop six small guns on the main deck. I guess if I get bored after the first version is done I could clear up some space on deck and make a more heavily armed version. Unfortunately I'll have to start after most of my testing is done in a month or two...

Makes sense about the testing, that was why I couldnt get much done on the Revolutionnaire, Volage and prince for so long. :urgh As for getting bored after you finish the Pilgrim, I was thinking of creating a thread of suggested ship ship projects for ships that I find interesting and have plans for, but aren't high enough on my priorities list for ther to be a realistic chance of me actually building them.
 
Makes sense about the testing, that was why I couldnt get much done on the Revolutionnaire, Volage and prince for so long. :urgh As for getting bored after you finish the Pilgrim, I was thinking of creating a thread of suggested ship ship projects for ships that I find interesting and have plans for, but aren't high enough on my priorities list for ther to be a realistic chance of me actually building them.

That might be a good idea for everyone's benefit. I can think of a few important vessels that haven't been added to the game yet, like Hm Barque Endeavour. I also have a few interesting sets of plans for some wooden models, as well.
(I'd really like to do the Preußen, but that would never work in the game. :cheeky )
 
well the endeavor is pretty similar to the Bounty in general, right?( or maybe its just that I lump all merchantmen into the same category and focus on naval ships :cheeky ) I try to focus on designs that were successful in terms of performance and of course aesthetics, that are good examples of a certain type of ship in that era, or offered something new and different from the norm and were also successful designs. do the model plans have the lines of the ship on them? or do they just show the profile view?
 
The Endeavor is actually quite different from the bounty, both hull and rigging-wise. Endeavor was actually technically a barque, not a ship, and was far more round. I do like the aesthetics of naval vessels better, but I think that the game is missing a lot of merchantmen. (To give all the sloop-ships and Baltimore clippers a purpose, of course!)

The resources I have have the line drawings, rigging, profile, deck layout, etc. all in the same scale and all on the same sheet. Pretty much enough to create a 100% accurate model from scratch. (doesn't get any better than that.) The one I haven't lost track of is quite large, so it'll be a pain to scan. I'm saving that one for when I finish with Pilgrim, assuming I'll get that far. (A Baltimore clipper revenue cutter contemporary to the Pilgrim)
 
ohh the revenue cutter sounds interesting :) Would it happen to be the Roger B Taney? I have the plans for that ship (and actually just about every class of american sailing warship where plans exist for them) in a book of mine, so if it is a real pain for you to scan your giant sheet, I can probably get a clear scan of the plans. in that new thread I'll make with plans (as soon as it becomes clear how the switch between FTP to Dropbox will occour) I will be including two plans for american revenue cutters,(schooner rigged) one from 1807, and the other an unidentified design from the 1790s. ;)
 
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