VRML TOS Enterprise

[TowerPower]

BrookeStephen, where did you get your version of the VRML software to build these decks? Can you provide a link?
Thanks.

[BrookeStephen]

TowerPower wrote:

---

BrookeStephen, where did you get your version of the VRML software to build these decks? Can you provide a link?
Thanks.

Hey TowerPower;
I'm sorry to be so unhelpful, but I use Notepad.exe and the calculator.exe and a piece of blank paper to design the shapes I want. That's all.

There's no VRML software that I use.

I finally did get smart and built an MS Access database containing tables for all the parameters (walls, doors, etc) and programs in Visual Basic for building the .VRML files instead of using Notepad.exe.

Lately I'm trying to solve all the puzzles and build the "Ship of Riddles" (Star Wars Millennium Falcon)

Do you want VRML lessons?

[FalTorPan]

I miss Robert Brown's old "Ship of Riddles" site.

[TowerPower]

BrookeStephen wrote:

---

Hey TowerPower;
I'm sorry to be so unhelpful, but I use Notepad.exe and the calculator.exe and a piece of blank paper to design the shapes I want. That's all.

There's no VRML software that I use.

I finally did get smart and built an MS Access database containing tables for all the parameters (walls, doors, etc) and programs in Visual Basic for building the .VRML files instead of using Notepad.exe.

Lately I'm trying to solve all the puzzles and build the "Ship of Riddles" (Star Wars Millennium Falcon)

Do you want VRML lessons?

BrookeStephen,
I don't want to sidetrack this topic, but yes I'd like to see how you generate those images using the tools you mentioned. I'm completely lost.
Can you tell me how to get started or do you have a link to lessons?

And I too have looked at the Falcon Riddles page - interesting.

[BrookeStephen]

TowerPower wrote:

---

BrookeStephen,
I don't want to sidetrack this topic, but yes I'd like to see how you generate those images using the tools you mentioned. I'm completely lost.
Can you tell me how to get started or do you have a link to lessons?

And I too have looked at the Falcon Riddles page - interesting.

Well, there are interactive tutorials on the internet, like for example:
http://www.lighthouse3d.com/vrml/tutorial/

I've gone through this one. The IndexedFaceSet is the VRML node that I use the most. Pay particular attention to this one. You define a color, set the IndexedFaceSet to that color, then put in the points and then the indexes to the points to make planes: put this in a file with .VRML at the end of the file name...

#VRML V2.0 utf8
DEF carpetgrey Appearance { material Material { ambientIntensity 1 diffuseColor 0.58823 0.70588 0.77255 emissiveColor 0.2 0.2 0.2}}
#ground
Shape { appearance USE carpetgrey geometry IndexedFaceSet { ccw FALSE creaseAngle 0.2 convex FALSE coord Coordinate { point [
40 -4.248 -40
40 -4.428 40
-40 -4.248 40
-40 -4.248 -40
]} coordIndex [
0 1 2 3 -1
]}}

You'll need to install a VRML rendering engine to see the file as a big square on the ground, but it's the beginning of everything... you can make any bunch of points into planar components of a large shape, using this construct.

The renderer I use is from http://www.bitmanagement.de/

So now you know my secret!
Don't TELL anyone ELSE!!!

[TowerPower]

Did you download BS Contact 7.2 or BS Contact VRML 6.1, both, or something else?
Both of those say 'test version'. Do they offer a 'full version' and if so how much does it cost? Is this the 'renderer' software? This may be obvious but I'm not sure...?

[BrookeStephen]

TowerPower wrote:

---

Did you download BS Contact 7.2 or BS Contact VRML 6.1, both, or something else?
Both of those say 'test version'. Do they offer a 'full version' and if so how much does it cost? Is this the 'renderer' software? This may be obvious but I'm not sure...?

Dude!
Glad to see you're on the path!
BS Contact VRML/X3D 7.1 is the one I have...
That's the renderer.
You install this, then double-click on the VRML file, and it's opened by the renderer and you get to interact with the model.

[TowerPower]

I don't see 7.1 available for download. Is this freeware? One link said the price was $400. I'm confuced about exactly what to download. Can you provide me with a link?
Thanks.

[BrookeStephen]

TowerPower wrote:

---

I don't see 7.1 available for download. Is this freeware? One link said the price was $400. I'm confuced about exactly what to download. Can you provide me with a link?
Thanks.

Here you go pal

Go to this page:
http://www.bitmanagement.de/download...act_VRML/X3DBS
Scroll down to this section of the page:
BS Contact VRML 6.1
Click on the button in this section with the text:
Download
You MUST put some personal information on this next page.
It does not hurt you to include your actual information here.
Then you move to another page where you start the download.

Try this, let me know!

[BrookeStephen]

Hi Guys!
I don't want you to think that I've abandonned this work...
I did get most of the Primary Hull cross-section finished.
I put together a video and put it up on YouTube:



I hope you enjoy it!

[TowerPower]

That video looks great. I could not get into all the details of the instructions from earlier. If there was a way to create the layouts then export to VRML ... then I might pick it back up. I'd like to see more of the bridge.
You put the engine room at the rear of the saucer section. What are your views on this Enterprise having a warp core? Where is it?

[BrookeStephen]

TowerPower wrote:

---

That video looks great. I could not get into all the details of the instructions from earlier. If there was a way to create the layouts then export to VRML ... then I might pick it back up. I'd like to see more of the bridge.
You put the engine room at the rear of the saucer section. What are your views on this Enterprise having a warp core? Where is it?

Hey Tower;
So, what you're saying then, if I'm hearing you correctly, is that you asked me for a tutorial, I gave it, and you didn't build a ship with it...

That's ok! I'm just getting a little bit verklempt...
[just one single tear]
I'll be all right... but I'm worried about you!
You have such potential!!!
Why haven't you continued?
I'm just curious...

[BrookeStephen]

I found a new way to build the ship!
I found someone else using WIP to build their own TOS Enterprise on the 3DBuzz.com forum for:
"Everything-About-Computer-Graphics-But-NOT-VRML"
LOL
Anyways, he had the blueprints in the workspace with him as he was moving walls and doors around... so I thought "Hey - I can do that!"

So I thought I'd show you how that's going... because of course no sooner had I put the blueprints in my visual workspace, I began to find discrepancies (horrible mistakes more like!).

So that has led me to start Phase2 of the TOS Enterprise before Phase1 was finished... typical computer software project LOL.

Enjoy the pics!

[TowerPower]

BrookeStephen wrote:

---

Hey Tower;
So, what you're saying then, if I'm hearing you correctly, is that you asked me for a tutorial, I gave it, and you didn't build a ship with it...

That's ok! I'm just getting a little bit verklempt...
[just one single tear]
I'll be all right... but I'm worried about you!
You have such potential!!!
Why haven't you continued?
I'm just curious...

Don't get me wrong. I greatly appreciate your work here, and I don't know how you did it. Beyond the basic 'plane' I had trouble getting any geometrical shape done. That's just me - you obviously have talent, and I appreciate the effort, but it's obviously not my talent to do it the way you did.

What was the 'other way' you are talking about?

I've wanted to design and build walkthroughs for a long time, not just Trek but other stuff as well and can't seem to find the right tool for me.

For the absolute beginner, anyone have a suggestion to design floorplans, deckplans, etc that can be then rendered in 3D and walked through? I'd settle at first to get something like Wolfenstein 3D (that old game) working...

[BrookeStephen]

Well little buddy, you give up WAY too easy...
I can help you figure out how to create the points you want using an Excel spreadsheet.
Tell me the shape you want and I'll walk you through generating the points
and indices so you can actually take VRML out for a proper test-drive...

I'm listening...