[WIP] NASA SLS - Released: Orion MPCV Core Module 1.0 [4/18/2015]

[noonespecial]

You could always make your parts comparable with tweak scale... so everyone can use them in the sizes they want...

Indeed. I'm a huge fan of TweakScale already

[wasmic]

Yup. This guy:

http://sitelife.aviationweek.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/5/15/6543c95a-e577-45ff-bf32-117a0b09df2c.Full.jpg

Wow, hold it right there. I don't think anybody on 32 bit will be able to use this mod unless you reduce those textures a bit. What program did you render this in? It's so photorealistic.

[noonespecial]

Wow, hold it right there. I don't think anybody on 32 bit will be able to use this mod unless you reduce those textures a bit. What program did you render this in? It's so photorealistic.

Hahaha. The one you quoted is photorealistic because it's a photo

The ones below it aren't very big. Only a few thousand poly, with 1024 textures done in photoshop and normal maps.

[noonespecial]

Finished two of three parts for the Large Upper Stage assembly.

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[Helix935]

Finished two of three parts for the Large Upper Stage assembly.

http://imgur.com/a/7lo3y

*Hype/Want Intensifies* my god i want this so awesome, and the textures are so high quality and i love that it is so.....

keep it up, besides i need bigger launchers anyway since the stock ones are beginning to not meet the challenge for me...

[noonespecial]

Thanks for the appreciation!

The textures are pretty simple. I'm no graphic artist by any stretch of the imagination.

First, I bake out an Ambient Occlusion in Blender and set that as the top layer in photoshop as Multiply. That gives the shading effect.

The rest are almost straight primary colors. A lot of blacks and whites, so that's simple.

Most of the texture is from the illusion of normal maps.

Here are some pics for explanation:

Base Model:

Base Model with Ambient Occlusion bake (Thanks Greys!)

Base Model + Texture:

Base Model + Texture + NormalMap

And the shininess. Partially real, partially faked. Some of the shininess is fakery in the texture. But... A LOT of it is from Starwaster's Reflection Plugin.

Edited August 4, 2014 by noonespecial

[CluelessModeler]

Well, I HAD been looking for a basic guide on how to do the blender portion of that Reflection Plugin! Thanks for making it easier! You're awesome!

[TheScareCake!]

This is super awesome! And youre making it so fast...

Anyway, i dont like that scalling, too. Too big for me.

But, if you want to make everyone happy, either set up a poll with diameters or make it compattible with the tweakscale mod. Keep up the good owrk, good luck.

[noonespecial]

Well, I HAD been looking for a basic guide on how to do the blender portion of that Reflection Plugin! Thanks for making it easier! You're awesome!

Not exactly, The reflective plugin has nothing to do with blender .

The reflective plugin uses the Alpha Channel in the texture image to control reflective strength. Black in the Alpha channel = no reflection and White = highly reflective. For these models, I'm generally using between 15-25% Black, to get more of a "gloss" than a reflective mirror. Starwaster can tell you A LOT more about it than me.

[CluelessModeler]

Ah, well, I guess I should've rephrased that a bit.

I didn't know how to generate Alpha Channels to begin with. Hence, baking the Ambient Occlusion in there was why I couldn't ever get anywhere in it.

There's probably a different way to do it, but, I didn't know!

Either way, you rock, good sir!

Keep up the good work!

[NathanKell]

When you open your texture in (image editor), add a new channel and paint in that.

Do you use PS? GIMP? What?

[noonespecial]

When you open your texture in (image editor), add a new channel and paint in that.

Do you use PS? GIMP? What?

I generally use PS. Except when I'm at work and randomly have free time between classes (I'm a ESL teacher) to work on SLS, I'll use GIMP.

[NathanKell]

Ah, sorry--I targeted that at CluelessModeler, but didn't tag it. (Since they were asking about alpha channel export)

[Kerbal01]

Could you put your concept images in the OP into spoiler tags?

[noonespecial]

Could you put your concept images in the OP into spoiler tags?

Good idea and Done

[noonespecial]

Ah, sorry--I targeted that at CluelessModeler, but didn't tag it. (Since they were asking about alpha channel export)

Yeah. I completely didn't see his post.

[Borklund]

Not exactly, The reflective plugin has nothing to do with blender .

The reflective plugin uses the Alpha Channel in the texture image to control reflective strength. Black in the Alpha channel = no reflection and White = highly reflective. For these models, I'm generally using between 15-25% Black, to get more of a "gloss" than a reflective mirror. Starwaster can tell you A LOT more about it than me.

What does the plugin do that you don't already get just using the alpha channel?

[noonespecial]

What does the plugin do that you don't already get just using the alpha channel?

I would say... actual reflections. Adding an alpha channel does not create a reflective effect.

Here are some side-by-side comparisons of the same model with and without the reflection plugin. Both pictures have alpha channels.

I'm using the plugin with minimal settings to give more of a glossy effect than a full reflective mirror effect, although the plugin supports it. If one wanted, it could make each surface a real time high quality reflection of everything around it for a considerable distance. I'm using it to, hopefully, enhance the model without relying on it or distracting from the model itself. I'm using low settings in the plugin to make system impact incredibly small.

[kenbobo]

Subscribed!

[15nelsoc]

I tried out the first release parts you posted, and the models and textures look great. But did you intend to make make the MPCV service module ~8m across?

-edit-

-Noonespecial cleared up the issue, no worries-

Edited August 6, 2014 by 15nelsoc

[R0cketC0der]

I tried out the first release parts you posted, and the models and textures look great. But did you intend to make make the MPCV service module ~8m across?

I haven't downloaded this myself yet, but the description says that only the large upper stage is available yet and that is 8.4 meters wide. Perhaps you are confusing the large upper stage and the MPCV service module?

[noonespecial]

I tried out the first release parts you posted, and the models and textures look great. But did you intend to make make the MPCV service module ~8m across?

The release parts should only include the tank and 4x engine clusters of the LUS (Large Upper Stage) assembly. It should does not include the MPCV or the service module. Those were included by mistake and have not been finished or properly scaled. My mistake, please ignore those.

I haven't downloaded this myself yet, but the description says that only the large upper stage is available yet and that is 8.4 meters wide. Perhaps you are confusing the large upper stage and the MPCV service module?

I double checked the download, the unfinished orion and service module are in the package.

[noonespecial]

Download fixed. Incomplete models (orion and service module) removed.

[CluelessModeler]

I use photoshop...

Really hadn't put much effort into the reflective stuff. Just a quick stab (>15 minutes).

[noonespecial]

Update 8/8/2014

Since I discovered that I can reference photos directly into blender, and no longer have to guess the scale, I've redone the MPCV and Service Module.

Here is the mostly done MPCV and Service Module. The texture is mostly done on the Orion, I still need to do normal maps for it, and the textures for the Service Module should be started soon. I still need to model the service module fairings and solar panels (animations... I still need to figure that out).

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Speaking of animations. Is it better to do the animations in Blender and import them, or do them in Unity, or is there a third option? Any recommendations?