Macross Fanime Development Kit WIP

[Ironside]

About 4 months ago, right after watching Macross Frontier's Preview I got the wild stupid idea that doing a few animations of my own wouldn't be that hard. After a month of fruitless work on an original VF, I came to a couple of conclusions. First, designing Valkyries is pretty damn hard, and second, one should probably start with something slightly less ambitious than an original mecha.

About two months ago I finished major modeling on the YF-19's Fighter mode and started cutting it up for transformation. While I was at it, I started experimenting with the materials and render setting to give it the proper "anime" look. While I was doing that, I started looking around on the interwebs seeing if anyone was offering models already finished. No need to reinvent the wheel, I thought, if the work had already been done.

Of course that search was massive fail. Perhaps my google-fu was simply weak that day, but it got me to thinking. I can't be the only one who wants to do some art, but doesn't want to spend the next 4 years building the tools. So I decided then that once I had built the tools, I was going to make them public.

Two moths later, I'm no-where near ready for that. the YF-19 is still in WIP (Details are a pain), and it looks like I'd bitten off more than I could chew. The solution, I figure, is to crowd-source the effort.

Here's the idea in a nut shell. Create a one-stop resource that not only provides models, but provides all the tools needed to animate those models, using relatively compact tools with a relatively minimal learning curve. And give it away for free.

Platform: Blender

Why Blender?

• It's free. This is an infinitely better price than most 3d packages
• It's small. The last build I DL'd was under 9 megs.
• It's pretty fast. The renders that follow were all done in less than 30 seconds, on my laptop (Dell Inspiron 6000, 2.13 GHz Pentium M with half a Gig of RAM and an Intel 915GM/GMS,910 GML display adapter...not weak sauce but not in anyway optimal for 3d)
• It does "cell" or "toon" shading natively and with a little tweeking of the node system even does "toon" lines.

Progress:

YF-19 about 95% complete

VF-11 About 40% complete

VF-11WIP

YF-19WIP

More YF-19

YF-19 canopy showing raytraced transparency

The -19 runs about 190000 polys with the subsurf settings I use currently, but I can get similar results with smoothing at about 47500 polys. I haven't decided which route to take, because the smoothing method does things to the canopy that I don't like. More experimentation is required.

Desperate Plea for Help:

• If you have models you are willing to donate to this project, please don't hesitate.
• Artists willing to donate talent would be helpful in texturing, and also developing 3 views for Valkyries that lack them, like the VF-5000 and VF-14
• Sound FX! If you have Macross (or Macross-like) sounds I'd love to add that capability to the final kit.
• Suggestions for quality freeware video editors.
• Anything else you might think of.

EDIT:I should have made note of this at the start, but as a couple of people have suggested, Blender does import other formats. Here's a list of file format blender can read:

• 3D Studio .3ds but not .max
• AC3D .ac
• Autodesk DXF .dxf
• COLLADA 1.3.1 & 1.4 .dea
• DEC Object file format .off
• Lightwave .lwo but not .lws
• MDw .md2
• Pro Engineer .slp
• Raw Faces .raw
• Stanford PLY .ply
• Wavefront Object .obj

Edited April 10, 2008 by Ironside

[chillyche]

I don't know nothing about Blender.

But I'm almost done with an Isamu Dyson 3DS Max model. I plan to rig it for animation, and maybe even speech. Don't know if Blender can import .max files or not, but seeing as you're working on a VF-19, you might want a pilot for that bad boy.

[boinger]

Hikuro has a huge collection of Macross sound effects that he uses for his english Macross fan dubs.

Mac666er and Jay-Lew made some of the best Macross CGI I have ever seen.

I was thinking about a Macross fan edit to composite in cgi models, but I'm nowhere near the skill level of doing that just now.

Sounds really cool!

[Darrtallion]

Those are great looking models to begin with I am sure you will have a great looking piece of work when your done.

As for the Poly count I find that it only matters if you want a faster render but I deal with low poly projects mainly in gaming and never tried any of the film type so I wish you the best of luck with that.

Personally I use milkshape for making 3d Models for games and such I like the way it works. I have tried blender and wasn't very fond of it. But I do like 3d max but since Milkshape and max work in the same principles I think I feel more comphortable with it. Though I prefer to texture in Milk more then max since it is far far simpler.

Also I am working on a original VF with a forward sweep wing design if you like it you can feel free to use its principle. Or to at least modify it I still have it only in sketches but I will have a working model shortly though I am not sure how it will look to others. But its an offer.

[SeminNV]

Hi, Ironside and Chillyche

For models you'd better go there models archive

Plus I have an archive on my hard drive, so I could send them to you.

This is YF-19 (not mine). About 22000 vertices and 30000 triangles

Most of models are in 3ds, I am sure Blender can import them.

I am trying to model myself (modeling, texturing, animation), check this post

Robotech/Macross free fan game thread

And some people (Darrtallion and AncientAngle) post pics of their models there, too

I'd like to ask to think one step further.

I started as you did almost one year ago - I just wanted to have 3D fully transformable models of the best Macross/Robotech planes. And I did it.

(Look the first post there Robotech/Macross free fan game thread ) Perhaps, my model of VF-1S was not as perfect as yours YF-19, but still I was satisfied with this stage. Just imagine yourself having accomplished what you are up for, what will you want next? I suppose - to fly your plane in a game. That's what I am doing now with the help of some people (Darrtallion, AncientAngle, Luis from gerwealk.net and some other) - the game or simulator. So, what I propose - we could help each other. I am not very good in modeling, but I think you are not very good in programming. I am able to write a simulator (and I have already done smth) and share some of my models with you. From you side- I need models.

EDIT:Grammar and spelling

Edited April 10, 2008 by SeminNV

[Ironside]

First, thanks for positive feedback! This is my first time doing anything like this and there's a part of me that still expects the end results to suck.

Chillyche,

I knew nothing of blender in December. I started in Max, but I don't own it, and can't afford so blender it is. I love the work you've done on the pilot/flight suit model. It's just awesome. I'd be happy to accept your offer when you're ready. Thank you!

boinger,

Thanks for the hints!

Darrtallion,

I'm concerned with polycount because I want to animate (and make it possible for others to animate). For beauty shots the render times are golden. Even a screen full of fighters would render in less than 90 seconds. Scaling that to animation, that's 90 seconds per frame or about 45 minutes of render time per second of animation.

I know what you mean about Max (I've never used Milkshape, but if the work-flow is like Max I can understand why you use it). I liked it a lot too. I had a hard time with Blender at the start, but having no other choice does wonderful things for the concentration

I've come to like Blender now that I understand it, but I wouldn't recommend modeling in it over any other package. Everyone has their own style.

I'd love to see your original VF. I'm working on one of my own, also with FSW. Mine is only somewhat original though, with the basic shape being cribbed directly from FRX-00 Mave Yukikaze.

SeminNV

Thanks for the pointer! I'd love to get a look at your personal archive. I have gmail so anything you fit through your email provider I can receive. I can also do just about any other file transfer method.

I am not a programmer, true, but I hesitate to suggest I'm any good at modeling. I don't mean to dismiss any of the praise I've already gotten, but I was inspired not only by Frontier but by the fact that there were a number of cheats used by the animators and they got away with them because cell shading is not a rigorously demanding as photo-real rendering. I hoped my models would look good, and I'm glad they do, but I don't think they would work well in a photo-real render.

That disclaimer aside, I'd be happy to build models for you. I've never (!) done any low-poly stuff though. I think I can work low-poly, but it will take some practice. Let me know what kind of models you want, and send me some samples, And I'll get to teaching myself how to do it.

To all,

I should have made note of this at the start, but as a couple of people have suggested, Blender does import other formats. Here's a list of file format blender can read:

• 3D Studio .3ds but not .max
• AC3D .ac
• Autodesk DXF .dxf
• COLLADA 1.3.1 & 1.4 .dea
• DEC Object file format .off
• Lightwave .lwo but not .lws
• MDw .md2
• Pro Engineer .slp
• Raw Faces .raw
• Stanford PLY .ply
• Wavefront Object .obj

I'll add this to the first post

[Hikuro]

I have no problem in lending a hand to anyone SFX or vocal wise for their 3D projects. I've got an extensive library espically things Macross Esque.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRhLIWnpn-U <<<<nice lil sample using realistic fighter plane SFX's for Macross Zero if you get curious.

I've ALWAYS wanted to dabble in this kind of stuff, anything close to live action or whatnot so I could always do something BSG esque like.

So seeing everyones stuff always makes me feel like I could do it myself.....someday!

[chillyche]

I've ALWAYS wanted to dabble in this kind of stuff, anything close to live action or whatnot so I could always do something BSG esque like.

So seeing everyones stuff always makes me feel like I could do it myself.....someday!

You sir, are going to flip when you see what I'm working on.

[akt_m]

The hard thing to do is a valk that looks good at any form. I tried to do a vf-11 from linearts but it looked strange at robot mode. I suggest to have one of those good toys to get the proportions. I don't have so i gave up...

[Ironside]

The hard thing to do is a valk that looks good at any form. I tried to do a vf-11 from linearts but it looked strange at robot mode. I suggest to have one of those good toys to get the proportions. I don't have so i gave up...

That's actually one of the reasons I chose toon shading and an anime feel. It's easier to cheat on the shape of the VF. My -19 looks a lot like the Hasegawa decal instruction sheet, because that was my baseline, but the proportions aren't the same. I studied Graham's review of the Yamato YF-19 toy, and made note of all of the cheats needed to get it to look decent in all three modes, and knew that it would not be possible to make a 3d model without cheating. The 19's arm's intersect its legs in at least 3 places. The forward fuselage is telescoping, allowing it to collapse in on itself.

I haven't figured out the required cheats for VF-11 because it's not ready to transform by a long shot.

Here are a couple of quick shots of my "original" VF WIP

[Hikuro]

You sir, are going to flip when you see what I'm working on.

Oh? Is it something I get to work with or something I'm just gonna blow my head off cause it was so cool?

[badboy00z]

That's actually one of the reasons I chose toon shading and an anime feel. It's easier to cheat on the shape of the VF. My -19 looks a lot like the Hasegawa decal instruction sheet, because that was my baseline, but the proportions aren't the same. I studied Graham's review of the Yamato YF-19 toy, and made note of all of the cheats needed to get it to look decent in all three modes, and knew that it would not be possible to make a 3d model without cheating. The 19's arm's intersect its legs in at least 3 places. The forward fuselage is telescoping, allowing it to collapse in on itself.

I haven't figured out the required cheats for VF-11 because it's not ready to transform by a long shot.

Here are a couple of quick shots of my "original" VF WIP

That looks like the Mave from Yukikaze.

Do you need any artistic skills like drawing with paper and pencil to do these 3d models?

[chillyche]

Oh? Is it something I get to work with or something I'm just gonna blow my head off cause it was so cool?

Well, you're more than welcome to use my Isamu when he's done. But mainly you'll be like, "what? that was AWESOME!" Maybe. It's gonna be awesome, but depending on how much of a purist you are, it might rankle you a bit. It was the BSG thing, though, that tipped me off.

[Ironside]

That looks like the Mave from Yukikaze.

Do you need any artistic skills like drawing with paper and pencil to do these 3d models?

It is based on the Mave. The first time I saw the FRX-00 I thought it should be a VF. *shrugs

Drawing skills aren't really required. Just a steady hand and a lot of patience. Also a willingness to try, try again. From time to time you'll find you've put 12 hours into a model and it looks like crap. I'd wager that that kind of talent helps, but I don't know because I can't draw.

[Ironside]

Still alive and still working. I got a bug up my butt after watching Frontier ep.2, so I started working on yet another project. (At this rate I'll never finish anything...but I'll enjoy not doing it, I think).

It currently comes in at 27200 polys, but it has no arms legs and hasn't been cut for transformation. Definitely early yet, but I started this one with SimenNV's game project in mind. It relies less on subsurf for its shape and looks passable unsurfaced. Without surfacing it comes in at a slim 1746 polygons. The goal is to keep the final unsurfaced model under 6000 polys, so I can used the decimate tool sparingly.

[SeminNV]

I got a bug up my butt after watching Frontier ep.2

Hope there will be enough episodes to fuel your determination))

I started working on yet another project.

Is it VF-25?

It currently comes in at 27200 polys, but it has no arms legs and hasn't been cut for transformation. Definitely early yet, but I started this one with SimenNV's game project in mind. It relies less on subsurf for its shape and looks passable unsurfaced. Without surfacing it comes in at a slim 1746 polygons. The goal is to keep the final unsurfaced model under 6000 polys, so I can used the decimate tool sparingly.

I am working on my code to improve perfromance. Actually, I can render static geometry up to 100-200k polys.

But with skeletal animation - at the moment I cannot figure out how to render it more efficiently. But there is a way.

From what I have seen, the most important thing is texture or textures. There is no need to make very detailed model if your textures are good enough. Just look at my VF-1S and Alpha. Both have about 4000 polys, but I textured VF-1S. In my mind, now they are in different leagues. But I am sure, your model will be the best one.

P.S.

And if you don't mind, I will post new video here, in your thread. Don't wanna bump mine right now

New Video

EDIT: Grammar and Spelling

Edited April 17, 2008 by SeminNV

[Ironside]

It is the VF-25. More study of ep.2 has shown me where the shoulders go in fighter mode, and I've found an awful picture of the leg in side view. With these tools I should be able to kludge the rest of the model together. With luck it will be below 4000 polys at that point and I will send it to you. It won't be transformable at that point, but you can play with it, especially if I suffer some setback. The biggest issue I foresee is modeling the head(s), but with a little luck I'll get this thing knocked out in the next 2 weeks.

[Ironside]

No really new developments. Still working on the VF-25. I've done 90% of the major leg parts. Working on the shoulder assemblies now. I redid the entire nose cockpit section for reduced poly count and improved accuracy. The subsurfed version is at 34k polys, while the low poly model is ~2250.

Low Polygon

High Polygon

[SeminNV]

You are doing great! Keep it up! Really nice VF-25!

[Starscream]

GORGEOUS job so far.

Now if you ever decide to do a 3D Model of the VF-22...

[Ironside]

GORGEOUS job so far.

Now if you ever decide to do a 3D Model of the VF-22...

Thanks! I'm close to finishing the VF-25. It's such a fun model to build, I end up toying with it, instead of building it. I decided to mark the torso transformation seams and ended up reducing the poly count some. At that point it was over 3100 polygons. Nows it's down to 2976.

The VF-22 is on my list of fighters to build, but I want to get close to finishing some of the ones in WIP before adding to it.

[Hikuro]

wow that's fin sweet, I love how that VF-25 is looking.

[Venom]

Very Good One!!!! I'm actually modelling a VF-22...

If you need a model, just ask... i have a VF-19 done and a macross II"s VF-2SS

email: venom_@freemail.hu

Edited May 12, 2008 by Venom

[SeminNV]

Very Good One!!!! I'm actually modelling a VF-22...

If you need a model, just ask... i have a VF-19 done and a macross II"s VF-2SS

email: venom_@freemail.hu

Hi! Could I borrow your models? Are they transfromable?

I need it for this Public game))

I will really appriciate that, I can give mine 2 models of VF-1S and Alpha, both animated!

Now I am gonna make SV-51

my email is seminnikolay_dog_gmail.com

_dog_ = @

BTW, I would advise you to encode your email as I do, or there is a chance that you will receice a lot of spam!

Ironside is absolutely right in his idea - we could model together all valkyries and share them with each other!

Edited May 22, 2008 by SeminNV

[badboy00z]

Any progress lately??

[SeminNV]

Any progress lately??

The guy was too enthusiastic in the beginning. Probably his interest faded away.

So, currently I am continueing with the project.

I find the idea right - there is no need to models VFs several times,

because 2 properly modelled vfs should be identical.

Here is the status

SV-51 - modelled, rigged, not textured

VF-1S - modelled and rigged, but needs tweaking and refining, not textured

VF-0D - modelled and rigged, but needs tweaking and refining, not textured

VF-4 - not modelled completely, not rigged, not textured

VF-A - not modelled completely, being rigged, not textured

VF-B - not modelled completely, being rigged, not textured

Sakura Suinji submitted

YF-19 - finished

and working on

VF-21 - not modelled completely, being rigged, not textured

VF-11 - not modelled completely, being rigged, not textured

[chillyche]

The guy was too enthusiastic in the beginning. Probably his interest faded away.

Or real life stuff took priority. No shame in that. Well, it's a shame that we haven't seen more cool stuff from him, but, that's really OUR problem, not his.