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[vester]

Thank you Arthur.


Here is a little modeling job:

All the rest of the details will be added in the textures.

[romualdillo]

I had to go back to recognize the Pearl River Ferry!!!    (I think). I'm curious to see how it looks with textures and alphas... It's incredible to see how models change!!

[vester]

I had to go back to recognize the Pearl River Ferry!!!    (I think). I'm curious to see how it looks with textures and alphas... It's incredible to see how models change!!

It's is the colors of what I called Pearl River: The Star Ferry in Hong Kong.

[vester]

Still just colors and no alphas:

[vortext]

Kinda looks like a blimp. An amphibious blimp.  

[kelis]

I can't wait for see more about this !! I am not sure if you know that there is a red version of this ferry, so if you want you can make more variations...Thanks for all your models !!

[deora]

Amazing work as always my friend.
I will force my sims to use the ferries,maybe plopping to or three toll booths on each side of a bridge so the fastest route must be the ferries...muahahaha
Your newest work, that "amphibious Blimp" as vortext called it,am i right that i think these will be some older ferries?
The overall shape loks pretty classic i think,more rounded and no sharp edges like newer boats...

[jmdude1]

Great idea! Having the Star Ferry in game would be great. I'm looking forward to seeing this in game.

[vester]

Been working a little on the Shinkansen 700:

[vester]

Here is an ambient occlusion map for the back sidepanel:

Please note that the texture is a bit squashed, so the door on the model is not going to be as wide.

Playing around with render to texture in max, where you can make a model with a lot details for then render that on to a low poly model.

[Gugu3]

Very nice Vester!

[vester]

I know I am spreading my work at the moment, but that just the way it is.
Exploring new ways of doing textures/models:

Using render to textures function in max.
I model a flat detailed model on top of the UV-maps.
That is rendered out ambient occlusion maps, which then is used as overlaying layers (multiply and soft light blending modes in PS)

Hope you like it Erik!

[vortext]

Why yes, I do! 

[Simcoug]

You have my attention 

[c.p.]

A bit over my head, but it sounds interesting

[romualdillo]

I guess you're talking about the method you told me to use with my roofs. It increases the amount of work a lot!!! You have to design first the high poly model, and then apply the texture to the low poly one. It's great you're using it with your automatas, and doing so much work!!  (Btw, it's part of an old train or an old tram?  )

[vester]

Thanks you all for your comments.

c.p. If you uses max its not that hard. Sort of got most from one video by Mike Pickton: Baking normals, AO and more in 3ds Max (render to texture)

romualdillo: Yes its part of the method, only just render out the AO maps and use them in Photoshop.
Well, would say it moves a lot of the work from Photoshop to Max.
Its a train car or the first of many train cars. Have 4 different models and with a few different textures that can turns into even more cars.

First I modelled the cars. Then I used a function in the plug-in called Textools (free btw)
to flatten the model [The dark grey flat model / UV-map model] (which just add a edit-poly that can be turn on and off).

Then I started to model the side on top of that.

Then I used the pink plane [projection plane] to "render to texture" the detailed model onto.



Setup for render to texture.


This is how the first car is looking now. The colors is just a test.

What I call harmonica roof is the raised centre part of the roof.


This is my inspiration for the first car.

As always click on the pictures to enlarge.

[romualdillo]

You've shared a lot of knowledge! I would like to start using Max if I got a new computer, because it runs very slowly on mine. I confess I've being looking at automata tutorials  , but I think I'm going to stay with my motionless BATs by now. Anyway, I'm taking good note of everything you post here!! 

[vester]

Just a quick update.

Next is the undercarriage to work on, then the window textures.

[vester]

Rearranged the stairs, so they can go further up than before.
Now its just the windows that needs work.