Fairy FD 2 Transformer W.I.P

[barnesy]

Hey guys , heres a transformer that I have been working on lately. I have just managed to finish the high poly model and am about to start making the low poly model for the bake.








The main challenge with the model was to take a fuselage and wings , and add extra elements to create a transformer with semi-correct anatomy.

The aim of this project is to have the model transform in the UDK.

[barnesy]

For some reason I am getting strange warping on the mesh. I have not made any changes to the links in both models yet the arms have warped. The leg also warps when I clone it :s

All of the XForms were reset before I began creating the high poly and are still 100 on each axis.

Any suggestions as to what this could be would be greatly appreciated.

I think it might be something to do with the fact that the objects are key framed :s , time to get experimenting!

[barnesy]

I deleted all of the key frames an the leg mirrored correctly which is great. It just means that I will have to optimize the arm again and keyframe the right leg and arm.

[micahpharoh]

lookin' nice. What are your plans for it?

[barnesy]

Thanks, th plan is to get it transforming in UDK

[SageHunter]

Don't think you need to delete keyframe if you make sure you delete history often. Some things may still affect the object at hand which will make it weird when copied or moved.

[barnesy]

Thanks SageHunter. I think it was something to do with the hierarchy :S I have managed to sort it now though

I am just playing around with the silhouette now. Which one gets the thumbs up?

[barnesy]

I have managed re think some of the design problems such as the really long cockpit beak-like chin and the imbalanced silhouette







These next 2 images show areas that I am still concerned with. The main problem is that unlike the F14 Starscream jet this Fairey jet doesn't really have anyhing to it ,is built up from practically cylinders.





I am planning duplicating some of those air vents throuout the model to break up the flat areas of the silhouette.

[barnesy]

After shouting at my computer countless times , I have managed to get it in UDK.





I still need to paint out some of the errors that are on the mechanical neck and foot joints as they have not came out well.

[barnesy]

For some reason now when I rotate any of the objects they will scale up and stretch. Also the pivot point is not aligned to the world :S







There are no key frames present. I reset the xforms before I animated the mesh in the first place :s

This problem started when I used to transform the object and I thought it was to do with inheriting scale/animation form other parts of the model, but after I attatched the model into 1 object for the normal map bake and detatched/re linked each of the elements, the problem is back.

The xforms are fine and when i try to re allign the pivot point to the world it morphs the mesh :s

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[micahpharoh]

idk about how to fix the problem, but I've had tons of crazy stuff like this happen. Just keep messing with it, and make sure you save plenty of backups along the way. I can't tell you how many times I've messed up my work and saved over the old.

[barnesy]

I finally have it in game and baked. Saying that I still have allot of smoothing errors that I will have to correct

[barnesy]

After looking at the normal maps I have noticed that I have got some major errors. They are mainly coming from the dam rivet-like indentation things (technical term) I think that a re bake is in the cards , but I will also have to look at maybe creating the rivets in PS then duplicating them. THis should work because there is little distorition and the surfaces are mainly flat. I am open for other suggestions though





[IMG]http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv125/barnesy35

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[IMG]http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv125/barnesy35

/normalmapp.png[/IMG]

[barnesy]

It has been a while since my last post!
I managed to finish off the normal map bakes and start texturing today. Heres what I have come up with so far.







I am not sure if I should keep the hydraulic neck pieces yet :s

[Alexin]

Looks nice! keep it up.

I think the texture fits it really well, also, really like the eyes!