First steps with Wings3D

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 14 Jan 2007, 02:52

Hi!
I like to lean to model a bit and got Wings from Sourceforge.

Here is my first work, it should be a smaller sized capital spaceship.
Sorry for my english, I am from Germany

I have almost no idea of modelling and less of mapping and skinning, so the models are naked

Neddie · Post by **Neddie** » 14 Jan 2007, 03:10

Well, keep at it. For low-poly, these could be useful, but I recommend you work on the forms a little more and then move to skinning. Keep it up!

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 14 Jan 2007, 06:57

read about edge loops and do not use bevel.

rattle · Post by **rattle** » 14 Jan 2007, 09:32

Also figure out the difference between extrude and region extrude when extruding more than one adjacent face.

Then again try to avoid unecessary geometry just like smoth said. You won't be able to tell the difference between the very same model without the beveled edges in the end but it saves a lot of polygons. The less necessary the better.

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 14 Jan 2007, 10:45

Thanks for the answers!

@smoth: Sorry, I dont know which function you mean with "edge loop", please explain or better give link to a tutorial

@rattle&: Ok, this makes sence to me, I already killed some links and vertices, which were needless.

rattle · Post by **rattle** » 14 Jan 2007, 10:48

Select any of the edges (or more than one) and hit L or G see what happens.

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 14 Jan 2007, 10:51

Wings selects some edges round a loop, but where's the trick?

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 14 Jan 2007, 15:42

New pictures:
What do you think?
246 edges
130 vertices

rattle · Post by **rattle** » 14 Jan 2007, 16:38

The only important number is faces. To see your facecount hit ctrl+a in face mode. Then choose Tesselate -> Triangulate from the menu and remember the face count. Don't forget to undo (ctrl+z) the triangulation.

That's better...

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 14 Jan 2007, 17:08

256 Faces, when triangulated.

Is that much for a model like that?

And what do you think about the prow?

It looks a bit boring, the stern looks almost good I think

rattle · Post by **rattle** » 14 Jan 2007, 17:17

Hum no seems okay. It really depends on what role the unit has. If it's a super unit or a unit very limited in numbers then you could go up to 3-5k tris. If it's just a basic grunt about 500-1000 should be ok. Actually try to stay as low as you can. The less the better. Furthermore I'd read up on some UV map tutorials or go the learning by doing way. The earlier the better, unless you'd rather skip skinning entirely and use 3do instead.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 14 Jan 2007, 20:43

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_loops

*sigh*

SwiftSpear · Post by **SwiftSpear** » 14 Jan 2007, 22:15

smoth wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_loops

*sigh*

Did you read the wiki page before you posted it? It basically vaugly describes them in ambiguous terminology and then states that they probably won't be necessary as hardware continues to improve.

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 15 Jan 2007, 06:31

http://cube.phlatt.net/home/spiraloid/t ... eling.html

Hardly swift.. Dude, you know I am not an artist.. Christ now I gotta explain this stuff...

I swear to god the point was that He could Google it... but no... let me stop what I am doing and try to explain to him in my laymen's terms... hang on here it comes the OMG complicated concept of an edge loop.

look, it is simple.. all points NEED TO CONNECT. Swift, it is not as you describe. in simple terms, he needs to not have any T connections on his edges. Xs or + lines are fine but not T or * lines. Any other kind of intersection is that does not consist of 4 edges is called a POLE and it disrupts the mesh in a weird way. Which can have ugly results in many engines, including spring. Edge loops... ya know what... here...

Found in the wings3d FAQ

What is an edge loop and what are they used for?

In the most basic sense an edge loops is a series of edges all connected together at four way intersections. If an intersection has less than four edges or has five or more edges, it is called a pole. Poles interrupt the natural flow of edge loops, stopping them dead in their tracks.

Edge loops are important on two levels. First of all, they are directly selectable and manipulable in Wings, so they can be used to efficiently and effectively model. Second, they can (and should) define the overall form of the model at an aesthetic level so that the overall model flows naturally.

More to the point your model needs them because you do not want to be at the mercy of (upspring/your model editor)'s triangle conversion. It may connect the gap over the concave part of your mesh.

So in simple terms try to connect all points to 4 edges. It is hard to explain for me but 5 minutes in Google that counts reading time will make it obvious. I am not trying to be a prick here, I am not qualified to explain anything because I am not formally educated in 3d computer graphics. he needs someone who is qualified for a better explanation and I am not that guy.

I just wanted to give the guy a direction to look in I was sighing because I knew you guys would then HAVE to have an explanation from me on it and again, I am not the best person to tell him what he needs to know. Although what I told him is accurate it is just the quick and dirty and there is more to edge loops then what I just said but that at least explains the basics...

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 15 Jan 2007, 09:16

Ok, tanks for your explanation and next time I will search and google like hell

But I think I now know what is meant... I will try out and read, when I have time.

Again, thanks a lot!

And perhaps some of the specialists find their way in here^^

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 15 Jan 2007, 09:21

I hope so, I am just a hobbyist. Modeling is not really something I am awesome at I just spend a lot of time on it.

If you want I can draw the edges you need onto the picture for you if that will help. I think model is nice, keep going man!

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 15 Jan 2007, 09:22

yeah, why not?

Thanks again!

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 15 Jan 2007, 09:49

Pink lines are for edgeloops. Red lines are lines you probably should remove.

Does this help?

Caradhras · Post by **Caradhras** » 19 Jan 2007, 19:57

Hi!
Sorry I had this week 5 written examinations...

So didnt have the time to try it out...

Ok, you mean to kill the red ones and connect the pink ones to a loop?

smoth · Post by **smoth** » 19 Jan 2007, 21:41

Spring RTS Engine

First steps with Wings3D

First steps with Wings3D