Hi Oleg. Are you still interested in models of French cars?

[HenFre]

Hi Oleg..

You expressed an interest in models of French cars a while back, but I havent heard anything from you as of yet. So in hope of getting your attention I will just show you one of my models which is an Citroen AC4 conduite from 1932:



How it looks in real life:



And at last how I will make the texture look:



The model is made with lightwave 3D but can be exported as an .obj or .3ds. It has reached a tri-count of 5000 and still needs a little detail inside and under the car.

[SaQSoN]

5K is too much for that kind of model.
It should be below 3K

You can easily reduce polygons on wheel "wings" and cabin sides without loss to visual quality, cut all windows with alpha-channel on texture, the wheel sides, headlights glass and other similar parts can be made of square/rectangle, with required shape cut by alpha as well.

Also see modeling example here:

http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Model_M6.zip

You may also ask for requirements at the "Theater of War" forums. They are very similar to ones for the SoW vehicles.

[Foo'bar]

AFAIK they always are interested in good models

[HenFre]

Thanks for the advice SaQSoN and for the link to the reference model. Got a great deal of knowledge on how to make my model lighter on the tri-count from that one
I have no real experience in making gamemodels, but would be greatful for any advice or tutoring that can be given regarding this art form..

And I hope you are right Foo'bar. I can only hope that my models will turn out as well as yours

What are you gents tool of the trade? Max 5 or??

[SaQSoN]

Here's the discussion of model building for TW game on the official Russian forum:

http://forums.games.1c.ru/index.php?...msg_id=1942700

And Russian tutorial from there: http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Unit modelingTOW ru.rar

I think, there was an English version of it, but I can not find one, unfortunately. Try searching or asking on that forum (you may participate there in English).

Speaking of soft-skin vehicles for SoW, you would have to build also a destroyed version of the vehicle (Armored vehicles don't require it). And you should use LOD_1 of the "intact" version for this task.
Artillery units have to be modeled also in transport configuration, plus damaged state for it.
Parts splitting, LODs and texture usage explained in the tutorial and examples.

PS Models should be built in 3DS Max v.5.1, or older

[SaQSoN]

PPS Just an advise: rely more on photos, rather then on drawings or 3-view plans, particularly, when it comes to a small details. Use 3-view plans only for general proportions and shapes. Your primary source of reference should be photos, because they do not include human error, which is always present in the 3-views (if they are not the original factory blueprints).

I can see quite a few inaccuracies in your model, comparing even to a single photo, you have posted.

[Zorin]

Here is the link for the English tutorial:

http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Unit%...gTOW%20eng.rar

[HenFre]

Thanks SaQSon. I think I have seen the same errors and they will offcourse be corrected I am using photos to a great extend, but it is hard to get the reference material that you need. But google is a great help

Regarding max 5.1 is there anywhere one can accuire such a program and at what price? I have been offered a 5.0 version will this do?

And also thank you Zorin. My Russian is a bit rusty, so the English version came as a nice surprise..

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by HenFre

Regarding max 5.1 is there anywhere one can accuire such a program and at what price? I have been offered a 5.0 version will this do?

Yes, this is what you need. As far, as I remember, the 5.1 was a free download, which should be still available on the Discreet/Autodesk site.

[HenFre]

Just had a look at the Autodesk website and I could not find anything about a free download of max 5.1. Could you be more specific SaQSoN?