So, I'd like to make some 3D animations of the Enterprise flying around for kicks, but I want to animate not model. What're the most accurate, freely available 3D models of the TOS-era Enterprise and the Enterprise-D? I know it's easy to find tons of models but they have varying degrees of accuracy.
What size of model and what's the resolution? OH and how fast the Enterprise would be flying by and how close it'd be to the camera?
I'm just getting started with 3D animation in Blender, and I just want a highly detailed model to play around with. Sorry if I'm not experienced enough to give more info.
I'd recommend starting small and low detailed to play around with first. There are lots of low poly models out there you can play with. Accuracy is highly subjective since the TOS and TNG Enterprise's had multiple filming models and variations of the models and the modeler may have based on a specific version they liked or a schematic/blueprint version. If you download something that you feel you could make more accurate to a version you like you could use the techniques from ScifiEric's tutorials that Tallguy linked to fix the model. Or you could make your own. Good luck!
110% aboard with this. Learn how to use Blender first, learn proper lighting, learn how to make animations flow smoothly. Then you can start to worry about high poly meshes. You can take the best looking mesh there is, it's gonna look crap if you don't have the skills yet. That is not ment to discourage. Just being honest, making animations is pretty hard.
Over on sci-fi meshes, Lewis Niven released a really well done TOS Enterprise based off the 11ft filming model for Blender. It's become my go-to Enterprise model.
I use this model of the E-D most now: https://www.alex3d.at/downloads/enterprise-d-download/ I think I got most of my TOS Enterprise models from SCIFI3D. https://scifi3d.com/category/downloads/ Otherwise you could try Sketchfab or for more varied but less accurate stuff there is the 3dwarehouse sketchup site that you can import into Blender with the Import skp addon. People have made fun models of the concept art ships like the Excelsior study models or even the Bonaventure C1-21 ship
Just to satisfy my curiosity (and see how mine compares!), can someone post a image rendered with this model?
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zO1krd EDIT: This isn't the one on SFM (presumably), but he's done an update. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/blelQr
The grooves on the nacelle end caps are square and there's an extra indentation. Which is, of course, balanced by the fact that it is free and publicly available.
Yep, it's free and publicly available Since @Disposable_Ensign asked about "accurate" models the OP would need to ask themselves the question of accurate to what? and how accurate? Lewis Nevin's has beautiful texturing with just minor differences like the missing 3 tabs on the nacelle dome caps when compared to the 11' model and extra three lights next to the impulse exhausts. Most people wouldn't even notice the difference, IMHO.
Makes me pine for a similarly "near accurate" 3d mesh of the Seaview from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea available for download. What I have spotted so far (and I've Googled on and off for years) are just so bloody "off model" as to make me grit my teeth. Scans of official elevation drawings exist on the net (I've downloaded them) for the film version and the TV style (for both scales filming miniatures) so there just isn't a reason for models to have "manta ray" fins as wide as airplane wings or hulls curved like bananas! Uh, sorry for the off topic tirade.
It almost makes me want to volunteer. (No.) I think I had a Seaview when I was a kid. Had no idea what it was. Did they reuse the model / footage for the José Ferrer Captain Nemo thing in the mid 70s?