Modeling Competition 1: Weapons Created 18 years ago2005-08-07 13:26:58 UTC by pepper

This is official modeling competion 1 thread. Here you will be able to find all the information required to enter the competion, aswell information on modeling.

You are also allowd to post your WIP renders and questions in this thread.

Model requirements:
Polygon limit of 2000.
It should be zipped in .zip file and the model should be in a milkshape or a G-max format(.ms3d .gmax)

No texture is required since most people dont know how to properly texture and create a uvmap, if you can feel free to do this.

the weapon required to model for the competition is a M16A1 Assault Rifle. I chose this weapon since it well know by most people and is one of the most populair weapons featured in videogames.
Here are reference pictures:

http://www.modelguns.co.uk/m16a1mgc.htm

For those of you whom dont know how to model with a modeling program follow these tutorials:

Milkshape:

Basic:
http://www.psionic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tutorials/lowpoly/mbasics.html

http://www.gamedesign.net/node/534

Making weapon:
http://www.psionic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/tutorials/lowpoly/tmgun.html

G-max:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~dewitnel/peppersplanet/1050.html

I still have to write a article about modeling a weapon with G-max, I mainly use the box modeling technique, but you can use the same technique show in the milkshape tutorial.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to post them in this thread. If you need C&C but you dont want anyone to see, then PM me.

Well, it's semi-official... I'll sticky it, but the winner won't get an trophy, I'm afraid.

I think it's a bad idea to make everyone model the same weapon.

Consider my opinion, delete if needed.

Yes, i thaught about that Jaardsi, but its easier to compare work of people if the create the same weapon.

If more people disagree with this then we could change that, though we should keep it in one catogory ex. assault rifles, handguns etc.

Maybe, but in it's current form it's totally killing the aspect of creativity.

I'd suggest something similiar to the mapping compos.

What's the timeframe of the compo?

Treu, but i'd thaught i would start of with something relatively easy to do, since most people interested in such a compo do not know how to create models yet.

Similair to what compo? The hl1 or the source one? And how do you think we can aply this aspect to modeling, since its not only aimed at hl1/hl2 but modeling in general.

Timeframe would be the same as the souce compo one, in this case 2 months. I may be a bit long bit it gives people enough time to create something, though i have participated in compo's that only lasted for a week.

Bloody american weapons...what happened to the good old SA80? How come it's not in any games...:x
I would enter but I'm not too good at modelling.

Similair to what compo? The hl1 or the source one? And how do you think we can aply this aspect to modeling, since its not only aimed at hl1/hl2 but modeling in general.

You got me there, but what I meant was something like model a computer or model a face.

Two months... That means I might enter. We'll see.

Here is a quik example of what you can do within one hour:

Vassy, the SA80 is in BF2 and it's rather good.

Wow looks pretty good--reminds me of BF Vietnam...

But do we have to use that version of the M16?

I'd rather do the assault style, contemporary version--optics rail, front grip, collapsible stock etc.

Yeah, I want to do a m16a2.

SA80 = L85A1. Variant of it.

Yeah!

Check out some decent reference pics for the A2 here.

It shows all the doodads you can add to the stock version...

I especially like the M4 Carbine and it's variants.

The SA80 pwns too...I love bullpup designs!

alright then, rules are changed:

Any weapon is allowd as long as it is a assault rifle. No handguns, No Submachineguns etc.

A few examples:
M16
BAR
AK-47
STG 44

The era doesnt matter, you can pick any weapon developed from WWI(BAR) to modern day warfare(XM-8).

Please provide your reference pictures with your entry, a web link will also be accepted.

hawt <3

Dunno if I'll enter but I certainly will try.

im glad someone set up my idea

Although modelling isnt my thing. So i think ill just watch it all

Why dont you join in? Its nice to learn, especialy now models have become such a vital part of mapping.

Offcourse its fun to do

Well, im in, now if anyone can point me to G-max download links? (seeing as my 'trial' for Milkshape 3d has finished)

www.discreet.com

I'm too much of a n00b at modelling, so i don't think i should enter... Anywho - thanks for the tuts! Maybe I'll learn to model a little wit em..

Pepper: I just went through your Gmax turtorial, and it was really good/easy imo!

I'm definitely in on this compo...

Glad to hear!

Couldnt really judge that myself, but i wrote it with the idea that it should teach the basics of G-max modeling to someone with little/no knowdlegde with modeling/G-max.

Thanks for the link pepper. Ive started work on the modelling. I just hope i can complete my model. Thanks for the tutorials.

wow very nice and detailed tuts. Maybe i should try modeling :/ Looks like fun Just need them programs. I have 3ds max somewhere. That doesn't fit here right? I'll just download milkshape then.

G-max is a free version of 3dstudiomax, offcourse most of the modeling features are availible, but some soley for the purpose of rendering animations and CG are removed, though there is a export option to yafray for rendering purpose.

If anyone would like to use blender they can, im still dabling around a bit with the program, but im able to open the specific file format.

Pepper: K, I'm fairly comfortable with basic design and manipulation of polys and vertexes and such, just one question about:

Scale. I really have no Idea what the units relate to 'in game.' Can we just make our weapon any size, and then scale it later???

Yes, you can scale it later, that is how i do it, since real world scale hold little to no value with modeling. I usualy follow the reference pictures and size the weapon by those standards. When im able to compile it to a ingame model then i scale it up/down.

But, the scale isnt really a big deal, since we can zoom in the programs.

Today i discovered a lost link to the download, if you go to discreet now it will be hard to find a dl for G-max, so hereby i provide you with a download link, you can also get the registration code on this site and serval tutorials.

http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax/

when will the compo end?

Not yet decided, probably within a month, maby earlier. When i have a precise date i will post the info in this thread.

And if you need hosting contact jaardsi, he has some free space.

I have a problem, G-max's minimun requirements would blow my computer (remember how shit my computer is). And milkshape is refusing to setup because of the last unregistered version. And thanks to a shortage of space in drive C (17MB, not good ) it seems downloading is taking ages. And usually doesnt work (despite the fact im downloading to Drive D which has nearly 4GB) Im wonder if, when i solve my space problem. That i could use say a different modeller like blender?

If C: is where your OS is installed, then there's your problem... My PC lags whenever I have less than 150m free on my OS drive. If you have any programs on C:, try removing most of them and reinstalling them on D:

Im afraid blender requires more resources then G-max, though there is another shareware program equal to milkshape, though i forgot the name

its what i've been trying to do so far. But i keep on loosing memory. I'd reach 100MB, then 2 hours later im back down to 5MB. im at 17MB an i havent lost any MB so far. But i've either moved or unistalled all programs that could be moved and uninstalled (including my precious broswer, microsoft office and some very old games) I feel like reformatting the whole thing.

K. Some questions about Gmax. I thought I would post them here, rather than PMing, because maybe someone elses is having the same issues.

Alright, I'm using the method described in Model A Weapon tutorial, except of course, using Gmax, not Milkshape.

Here's what I've done so far:

-Use the line tool under shapes, to draw the outline of the bolt housing/handle/clip of my weapon--M4 carbine.

-Then edit mesh modifer and extrude it.

-Then I clone the hole thing, move it on only one axis so it slides over perfectly.

-hit the 'make planar' button to eliminate the extrusion, and then 'flip' so the proper side is showing.

And at this point is where I'm stumped. Having trouble showing the vertices of the extruded plane and the regular--flat--one, so I can select/weld them in together.

At first, I thought Gmax was way too compilcated to use, but it's not completely horrible. I'm beginning to see how how powerful it is though.

Another extraneous question: What is the teapot tool for? Whatever it's for, it sure is fun making teapots, and other objects you can create so quickly. The cone and torus are fun as well

Teapot is for lighting and material/shader tests.

The teapot, is the legendaric model, not the original a replica, of one of the first real renders. This is nowadays widely used, as a model to test render, or trying to compile objects ingame.

Rowleybob:

What you are doing wrong is using splines, offcourse you could also do this, but splines work on a different way then vertexes and polygon modeling.

With splines you draw a outline of you model, starting with one spline and adding extra splines to it making up the shape.

example:
http://img288.echo.cx/img288/51/wip42fx.jpg
http://img198.echo.cx/img198/9481/wip38kb.jpg

As you can see it works different, when you got your splines drawn you need to add a surface modefier, this will create the polygons between the splines. Your splines need to form quads if you want the surface modifier to work.

In the G-max tutorials there is a tutorial on splines, its in the robot tutorial under creating the body.

EDIT:

Here is a example in pictures of what box modeling is, this combined with poly modeling is the feature of weapon and charter design.

Follow them from top to bottom, hope that explains what box modeling means. All need are the tools:

extrude
scale
translate(move)
weld

Here is a small example of what you can do with a single plane and extruding the edge and moving vertexes.

hint: Select the edge - hold shift -drag - result: a new face connected to the edge.

wow it's much better than milkshape.

It IS 3dstudiomax without all of the fancy rendering and rigging. But the tools are there to make high poly models.

Here are a few tutorials on box modeling, this is th technique i mostly use for weapon modeling:

http://www.artofgaming.net/tutorialz/hovertutorial.html
http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorial/Box-Modeling-TV/4386
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_modeling
http://www.3dtotal.com/team/Tutorials/polgun/gunmodel.asp
http://www.planetquake.com/polycount/resources/general/modelanim.shtml

how do you make some parts be coloured in milkshape?

Adding a material.

go to materials, create a new one, pick a colour. Then go to groups, select the group you want to colour, and then press asign in the materials window.

You can also add a bitmap to it.

wow thanks, you know so much

Its not a big deal, it works the same in most programs, though its a tad bit harder to do in 3dstm or G-max.

heh i made that weapon, it looks like crap But i'm getting better
Edit
My groups are messed up how i create new one from what i selected.

Edit
nevermind i just regrouped

Nice to see your trying, would you mind posting your results in here?

I used colors!!11

Don't laugh.

Hahahahahaha!!! (joke) It looks pretty nice

I installed 3ds max yesterday. Tried to launch it and my pc restarted, after few tries i deleted it. Dunno what's the problem. It worked fine like year ago. Maybe because it's older version.