Awesome as always, Vektor. This is just a beautiful ship. I too think you've nailed the impulse engine look and I actually rather like the 'bare' texturing although I'm sure I'll like the finished texturing even more.
Probably because people don't spend thousands of hours working on them. Vektor is a very talented guy, but he also spends much more time on his designs than a typical Hollywood production might spend on any single design.
This is certainly true but only up to a point. I doubt that the number of hours I have into this project has yet run into four digits. Just because I've been working on it for five or six years doesn't mean I have been working on it continuously for all that time. Unfortunately, my real job and what semblance of a real life that I have do not leave me much time to indulge in hobbies like 3D modeling, and I'll readily admit that I don't use all of the time I do have working exclusively on the Grandeur. I have occasionally gone for months at a time without even opening the file. I'm sure The Commander, Captain Roop and all the others would prefer a bit more alacrity and I don't blame them. I have been trying to dedicate more time to the project but my life is busier than ever these days. In fact, I'm currently sitting in a hotel room in Vancouver, B.C. where I have been attending a business conference. I'll be here for another three days and maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get a couple of hours to work on the Grandeur some time this weekend before I have to go back to work on Monday. I'm not trying to be defensive, and I won't even try to deny that I tend to let my 3D projects drag on for far too long, but I don't think it's entirely fair to compare my situation with someone who works in Hollywood and does this kind of stuff for a living.
My post was intended to offend. I've been working on a film project in my free time for nearly a decade, so I know what it's like to try to sandwich one of many hobby projects into a busy life. You are unquestionably a talented guy. I've enjoyed and been amazed by the many projects that you've shared on this message board. The folks in Hollywood are also very talented. They're also often under immense time constraints. Even though they do this sort of thing for a living, and they can often spend many hours on end working on a single project, it's reasonable to assume that they often can't put the same attention to detail into their work that you might be able to put into yours. That's all I was getting at.
No offense taken, and I mentally inserted the "not" on my own. Your point about the Hollywood guys not having the time to embellish on every meticulous detail is absolutely correct, and I wasn't trying to imply that just anybody could do what they do given a few extra hours per day. I'd like to think I could reach that level some day and I actually aspire to do so, but I know full well that I'm not there yet, especially in terms of speed. Still, I felt the need to put the "thousands of hours" comment into a bit of perspective. It's all good. By the way, any TrekBBSers live in Vancouver, B.C.? I've got a whole evning free tomorrow night and I'm still looking for something to do with it. Suggestions welcome.
Vektor, as always great work. I stand in absolute awe and my god, has it been that many years already?
Added detailing to the warp nacelles: I've ditched the hull texturing for now but I am still experimenting with some lighting effects and a translucent material for the bussard membranes. And don't ask me what the greebly doo-dad on the "chin" of the nacelles is; it's just something I've been planning to put there for a very long time and now finally got around to. A flow sensor is one possibility.
Yeah, I sure do admire Vektor's nacelles ... sick as that sounds. You know, those nacelles would make killer phaser or disruptor pistols.
I liked the honeycomb bussard collector texture better. is there anyway to make a version that has the honeycomb texture in 3D with proper lighting? That may look better then just a flat surface, otherwise it looks good.
My intention is to restore the honeycomb pattern, though it will still be fairly subtle from a distance.