M4A4 Sherman

[KDR_11k]

Isn't the MG mounted on a swivelling assembly that goes around the entire hatch?

[SpikedHelmet]

No. Such a thing wasn't developed until after the war.

[manored]

Nice model & textures!

[rattle]

Hmm that makes sense... the .50 cal was used on a lot of US planes for air to air combat after all.

[FLOZi]

No. Such a thing wasn't developed until after the war.

The Greyhound had one, foo'!

[SpikedHelmet]

Wtf! The ring on the Greyhound is MASSIVE, it's like the size of a truck tire!

[knorke]

Nice nice.
But wont it look strange if you teamcolor them?
Also the suspension doesnt look very stable.

[rattle]

Speaking of greyhounds, it would be awesome if the color scheme would match that one.

[Argh]

It's ok, but it needs a lot more work to really get to the level it should be. Here's my critique:

1. Preshading is fairly weak. Make more of an attempt to fool the eye into thinking it's seeing depth where it's not.

2. Contrast in general needs to be higher. It's going to be a green blob at a distance.

3. That shade of green is entirely wrong and does not match the photographic references. Get some modern photos of these tanks and the green used- your green is entirely too light. That Grayhound is a good example. Photoshop/GIMP have eyedropper tools for a reason

4. It needs proper dirt for all surfaces, but especially the road gear and anything below or behind the tracks (tanks driving on anything but a totally pristine highway are filthy within minutes, and in WWII they were very frequently on lousy roads or going cross-country). Take care to reference shots from the war- you'll see very distinctive patterns of mud spattering. Plus you have smoke stains on the upper surfaces from the diesels and if the MG or main gun have fired. And to have the really authentic look (not the, "I just rolled off an assembly line in Detroit" look) it needs kill-stripes on the barrels, a jaunty saying on the turret, and maybe a company marker on the side. It just looks too much like a toy in a train set right now, not a real tank from a real war.

5. Lastly, it needs a very low level of reflectivity (<6 G) so that the paint has a sheen and picks up the sunlight source (totally flat-shaded looks very "this game was made in 2001") and about 32-48 values for metal parts that aren't deliberately shiny. This will cause some bad specular highlights in some views and look plastic, but 90% of the time it will look far more realistic. Spring can't do really realistic Phong stuff, so that's about as good as it's going to get, though. Look at that Grayhound photo, though- while it's very light and diffuse, there's definately some reflection of the sun (and for that matter, everything else, but we mainly see the sun).

[FLOZi]

It's ok, but it needs a lot more work to really get to the level it should be. Here's my critique:

1. Preshading is fairly weak. Make more of an attempt to fool the eye into thinking it's seeing depth where it's not.

2. Contrast in general needs to be higher. It's going to be a green blob at a distance.

3. That shade of green is entirely wrong and does not match the photographic references. Get some modern photos of these tanks and the green used- your green is entirely too light. That Grayhound is a good example. Photoshop/GIMP have eyedropper tools for a reason

4. It needs proper dirt for all surfaces, but especially the road gear and anything below or behind the tracks (tanks driving on anything but a totally pristine highway are filthy within minutes, and in WWII they were very frequently on lousy roads or going cross-country). Take care to reference shots from the war- you'll see very distinctive patterns of mud spattering. Plus you have smoke stains on the upper surfaces from the diesels and if the MG or main gun have fired. And to have the really authentic look (not the, "I just rolled off an assembly line in Detroit" look) it needs kill-stripes on the barrels, a jaunty saying on the turret, and maybe a company marker on the side. It just looks too much like a toy in a train set right now, not a real tank from a real war.

5. Lastly, it needs a very low level of reflectivity (<6 G) so that the paint has a sheen and picks up the sunlight source (totally flat-shaded looks very "this game was made in 2001") and about 32-48 values for metal parts that aren't deliberately shiny. This will cause some bad specular highlights in some views and look plastic, but 90% of the time it will look far more realistic. Spring can't do really realistic Phong stuff, so that's about as good as it's going to get, though. Look at that Grayhound photo, though- while it's very light and diffuse, there's definately some reflection of the sun (and for that matter, everything else, but we mainly see the sun).

How about you take time off *secret project* to give us a hand then, cos it ain't getting any better very quickly.

[Argh]

I would, but "secret project" is eating all of my available painting time. Would it help if I took that tank and gave it a quick rework, to demonstrate what I'm talking about, and pass the final Photoshop file with layers intact? That, I could probably do.

[SpikedHelmet]

V2:



I have no fucking clue what you're talking about in your last point Argh.

Anyway, on the side of the turret you have 4 "kill" markings (rings around the barrel was a German thing, not an American thing) and "Berlin or Bust!".

[smoth]

I am backing argh here man. the contrast is TOO low. Also, give us fullbright shots. Having rendered shadows obscures the actual model.

[Argh]

On the last point, I was talking about the colormap- y'know, that whole reflectivity-and-glowmap sort've thing

[smoth]

It was clearly written, no worries.

[AF]

those tracks remind me of skiis.

[smoth]

that looks like icecream.. I WANT ICECREAM! I am going to buy some!

[AF]

[SpikedHelmet]

What's a colormap?

[Masse]

i like spam...