• Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: Eye Candy

thedugan wrote:
smokingwreckage wrote:

Isn't there a program that unpacks 3D digital files into printouts for a folded paper model? I'm pretty sure someone I know made themselves a paper Predator from modified Dawn of War files...

Yeah, it's called Pepakura:

http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

I've got it, but the models would have to be re-done to make them work. There's WAY too much detail unless you wanted to make them a couple of feet long. smile

Now, simple box minis? Not that hard - just work out a template, and paste the renders onto them.

But they would make beautiful miniatures!

  • Registered: 2008-03-03
  • Posts: 10

Re: Eye Candy

Some gorgeous pics, dude. Simply awesome.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: Eye Candy

FifthWanderer wrote:

Some gorgeous pics, dude. Simply awesome.

Thank you.

  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 5

Re: Eye Candy

thedugan wrote:
rob wrote:

Wow those would be great figs to push around the table.

Yeah, you could do a series of 6 shots and make a 'box mini' from the printouts...

I'm looking for a cheap way to get started with minis, and 'box minis' sound like a great balance of cheap, easy, and good-looking. Is there already a repository with some 'print and assemble' starship box minis? If not, could someone point me to a tutorial on how to make them? Could I do it in Blender? Is Blender hard to figure out / use?

That's a lot of questions- someone feel like helping a newb get started?

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

I hope everyone is having a great Easter - I'm recuperating from my rather hectic 'vacation' in Houston/Galveston today.....a change of scenery - but not what I'd call relaxing...

strongbif wrote:
thedugan wrote:
rob wrote:

Wow those would be great figs to push around the table.

Yeah, you could do a series of 6 shots and make a 'box mini' from the printouts...

I'm looking for a cheap way to get started with minis, and 'box minis' sound like a great balance of cheap, easy, and good-looking. Is there already a repository with some 'print and assemble' starship box minis? If not, could someone point me to a tutorial on how to make them? Could I do it in Blender? Is Blender hard to figure out / use?

That's a lot of questions- someone feel like helping a newb get started?

Some people swear by Blender - I tend to swear AT it.... It's not what I'd call 'newby friendly'. Jim Callahan (another MJ12 Alumni) uses Blender, so he'd be your source for all things Blender.

IMHO, What you need is a program called DOGA...

http://www.doga.co.jp/english/

If you put DOGA in Google, you end up with the top link being Yoga for Dogs...a thoroughly POINTLESS pursuit, I'd think....

There's at least one page on Deviantart about it, and I'm a member of the YAHOO group for it....

http://doga-club.deviantart.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dogacga/

You want 'L3', it's shareware - 40$, though you can run it forever if you don't want to make movies with it.

Call me when you've got it running, and I can send you parts and such - though the Yahoo group is very good, and there are people whose DOGA-Fu is much stronger than mine...

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: Eye Candy

The problem with DOGA, and it's a serious one, is that it doesn't produce what they call water-tight models.  Purty pictures it works for but it's not for those who want to make minis.

Blender's latest incarnation is a beauty, the interface is so easy to use it practically models itself.

but use whatever you want.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

jimbeau wrote:

The problem with DOGA, and it's a serious one, is that it doesn't produce what they call water-tight models.  Purty pictures it works for but it's not for those who want to make minis.

Blender's latest incarnation is a beauty, the interface is so easy to use it practically models itself.

but use whatever you want.

So, they FINALLY updated the interface? smile

Jim, you like Blender - and sure it produces 'watertight' models. I like DOGA - it's faster for producing a model I can render. I can turn out ship pix from DOGA pretty fast....

I can make a watertight model with DOGA *IF* I want to do some post-processing of the model. It's all dependent on what you want to do, and the guy was asking about box minis - they don't require a watertight mesh - just 6 views of a ship.

I guess I should go find Blender, and see what it looks like now.

..and honestly, DOGA really stinks at doing realistic characters. It takes a LOT of work to get a decent looking character. Ask Jim - I tried making stuff for ARES in DOGA, and man, it was BAD...so I got Poser, and Jim lost interest. Don't really blame him for that....I'm STILL trying to get that to work.

big_smile

For that, go get the latest version of DAZ Studio - they just upped to version 2.0! It's got subdivsion, a great tool for making low resolution models (like DOGA) look higher res....
smile

  • Registered: 2008-02-03
  • Posts: 5

Re: Eye Candy

Thanks for the advice and direction! I downloaded DoGa L3 and joined the Yahoo group. I'm still pending moderator approval. I have to admit, I'm pretty baffled about what to do next...

EDIT- Strongbif can't type.

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: Eye Candy

I never lost interest, you told me you were busy with other projects smile

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

jimbeau wrote:

I never lost interest, you told me you were busy with other projects smile

Okay, I knew SOMETHING happened....it's been a few years.

I think I just got frustrated enough to quit, because you just weren't happy with what I was doing. Not that I'm pointing fingers, you didn't want Cartoony, and that was about the best I could do.

I can do better now, but not with DOGA - and some models I just don't have.

Dan's told me that he's not keen on computer generated people, and I can't  put that much effort into such a short period of time and make it NOT look cartoony or at least computer generated.

Making realistic people is about the hardest thing you can do with CGI... It takes weeks to get a decent looking render from a commercial quality model and textures.

I've done some aliens, but they still look cartoony.

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: Eye Candy

It was gettin' there smile

besides that was YEARS ago

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Eye Candy

jimbeau wrote:

The problem with DOGA, and it's a serious one, is that it doesn't produce what they call water-tight models.  Purty pictures it works for but it's not for those who want to make minis.

Blender's latest incarnation is a beauty, the interface is so easy to use it practically models itself.

but use whatever you want.


Oh yes I remember that. We had some fun with that didn't we. smile

I know I should use Blender or Rhino. I know Rhino is the weapon of choice for watertightness. Blender I have better access to. I have tried. Just lazy I guess.

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

strongbif wrote:

Thanks for the advice and direction! I downloaded DoGa L3 and joined the Yahoo group. I'm still pending moderator approval. I have to admit, I'm pretty baffled about what to do next...

EDIT- Strongbif can't type.

Introduce yourself on the list, I saw Zircher's post.

You might check and see if there are any Blender lists or Forums, too.

Jim?

Oh, and nice work with the DOGA-Fu, Todd...
:-)

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: Eye Candy

thedugan wrote:

Oh, and nice work with the DOGA-Fu, Todd...
:-)

Zzzzz...snerk...huh?!?   Talking to me?  :wink:

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Eye Candy

Feel free to ask questions on the list Mr Bif.
I do clever Doga stuff too  :twisted:

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

middenface wrote:

Feel free to ask questions on the list Mr Bif.
I do clever Doga stuff too  :twisted:

Yeah, Ian's fairly decent at this stuff......
big_smile

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: Eye Candy

A miscellaneous fighter http://www.albumtown.com/data2/439c56de17208ac25a2abee9beca46f7/53731_1369741.pjpeg


a frigate in action...torpedoes away!
http://www.albumtown.com/data2/439c56de17208ac25a2abee9beca46f7/tb_53731_1369739.pjpeg


Battleship
http://www.albumtown.com/data2/439c56de17208ac25a2abee9beca46f7/53731_1369747.pjpeg


Battleship close up...smile!
http://www.albumtown.com/data2/439c56de17208ac25a2abee9beca46f7/53731_1369748.pjpeg

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

Why are your jpg files "pjpeg" files?

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: Eye Candy

thedugan wrote:

Why are your jpg files "pjpeg" files?

The pic posting site I'm using has made some really wierd changes...

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Eye Candy

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ation1.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ighter.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … rivers.jpg
big_smile

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,286

Re: Eye Candy

middenface wrote:

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ation1.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ighter.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … rivers.jpg
big_smile

Oooo...pretty!

and MUSHROOOOOMSSS IN SPPAAAAAAACE! *ROFL* wink

  • Registered: 2022-11-15
  • Posts: 1,424

Re: Eye Candy

go0gleplex wrote:
middenface wrote:

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ation1.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ighter.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … rivers.jpg
big_smile

Oooo...pretty!

and MUSHROOOOOMSSS IN SPPAAAAAAACE! *ROFL* wink

"That's no MUSHROOM...that's a BATTLE STATION!"

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Eye Candy

thedugan wrote:

"That's no MUSHROOM...that's a BATTLE STATION!"

Oh dear......

  • Registered: 2005-11-27
  • Posts: 33

Re: Eye Candy

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ightII.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … ghtiII.jpg
If anyone who knows me knows one little thing, along with stations I find fighters hard, well this lot got me over that.

Oh and some sketch stuff...

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm16 … tches1.jpg

Anyone know hows is the best way to scan pencil?

  • Registered: 2005-03-27
  • Posts: 811

Re: Eye Candy

Dude, I knew that was your work as soon as I saw it...