New 3D Thread

[gevatter Lars]

I totaly agree with bsmith, you models are greate and your small ficion parts are allways fun to read.

As for your latest models. I like the look of the movie version. Still your middle versions fits best with the other fighters you have done.

 

[Klavs81]

I totaly agree with bsmith, you models are greate and your small ficion parts are allways fun to read.

I'm so glad you guys are still coming around to check this stuff out. This is a wonderful community and it's a great mental release valve for me to be creative in this way after a long day. Half the fun is sharing it with everybody!

Cheers!

 

[Whistler]

Keep em coming! We'll be here come Hell or high water. I don't think CR ever foresaw how fan-followed his jewel of an IP would be.

The work I've seen on these forums is just simply awe-inspiring.

 

[Red Baron]

I'm really no fan of the WC1 Rapier (in general, that is). I don't know, something feels wrong about its shape, i can't quite nail it.
Still, nice recreation. Have to agree with Maniac though, the C model is the best.

 

[gevatter Lars]

I think Klavs based the first Rapier less on the WC1 Version but the movie concept version that was never used. So that might be it.
The second one is the WC2 version and the last one is based on the Super WC version I think.

As for comming around...sure I do. Looking at your stuff is part of what keeps me going...thought I can only hope to ever do something as detailed as you do.

Also the Maniac parts are a greate addition. They are fun to read and give the images a bit of context to imagne how things would be.

 

[Whistler]

I think if Rachel Coriolis saw the Movie Rapier she'd call it a, "paste-and-glue" special. The movie variant looks like it was produced in a junkyard and standardized, not the hottest plane off the assembly lines. That said I agree that it's not the sexiest look for the Rapier. Personally I prefer the Rapier II. Wing Commander II made me love it, Standoff made me love it more.

 

[gevatter Lars]

I didn't meant the ones that where in the movie but the prototype that never made it in the movie ->

 

[Whistler]

I didn't meant the ones that where in the movie but the prototype that never made it in the movie ->
View attachment 6218

Prototype my ass. That's a Rapier if I ever saw one.

Call it a prototype if that's what it is but any Wingnut who takes one look at it knows it's an F-44A. If that's how it was going to look in the movie then by God what was the design team thinking? Scratch that, I'm afraid to find out.

Although I prefer the II variant, that is one sexy Space Superiority Fighter.

 

[Red Baron]

I wasn't talking about the movie Rapiers either, those REALLY are butt-ugly beasts (in my opinion).
The concept render is actually pretty close to its WC1 origin, but it's this model that i don't particularly like either. I can't put my finger on what it is, but something about its shape bothers me and makes me prefer the WC2 version.
I don't know it's too flat, and you can't make out a clear schwerpunkt.
That said, Klav's rendition gives it a certain depth i didn't think was reachable with that shape.

 

[Klavs81]

Kilrathi ships are next in the queue, but here's a little preview of coming attractions! The Saga Arrow is too gorgeous to mess with very much, so I've based my mesh heavily on their version. (I especially like the thrust vectoring vanes in the engines) I'll be making my own texture sets as well, to help them blend in with my existing models a little better!

 

[gevatter Lars]

That looks very nice. I hope you will do the other WC3 ships too. I am allready trying to figure out how to get all the money together to buy all this stuff.

 

[Klavs81]

The early Arrows were usually restricted to the dissimilar aggressor/trainer role while the light fighter role was filled by the Hornets. We had an early one at the Academy. I was on the schedule to fly it right before graduation, but it disappeared one day and nobody could tell me where it went. I dunno, maybe somebody crashed it or something.

Eventually they came into their own, getting bigger and bigger reactors to power all the combat shielding and weapons, and the late war version mounted four guns and eight missiles. Before the 'peace' that would have put it in the medium fighter category. They were great though, enough acceleration to tear your face off. In the F-27 you could handle stuff all the way up to a Vaktoth, as long as his buddies were far enough away and you had some missiles left.

-Maniac

I'm getting the feeling Maniac never met a fighter he didn't like. Note the differences between the Armada Version and the WC3 version. Finally explained that 2 meter length discrepancy!

Used the absolutely gorgeous Saga version as a reference, and did my best to rebuild her and make her my own. I hope I didn't ugly her up too much for you!

-Klavs

 

[Sylvester]

The Arrows sort of remind me of the difference between a F/A-18C Hornet and a F/A-18E Super Hornet. Externally, they look very similar, but on the inside, the Super Hornet has a lot more staying power and is a good bit bigger. I see the same sort of thing going on here - the later versions of the Arrow being expanded with more capabilities.

 

[Red Baron]

Beautiful Arrow(s). I have to admit the wow-effect isn't as great as with your WC1 fighters, probably because you were transferring those into a whole new generation of detail, while the WC3 fighters already were very detailed (at least the cutscene models).
Most of the greeble and details already is constituted, i imagine making stuff up is a little more fun.
Still it's probably just as much work, if not more. Also superb write-up, as always.
Do you also have a concept for releasing your capital ships as physical models? Not necessarily in scale to your fighters, but still it would be nice.

 

[Whistler]

There's my baby. Still my choice light fighter to this day.

The early Arrows were usually restricted to the dissimilar aggressor/trainer role while the light fighter role was filled by the Hornets. We had an early one at the Academy. I was on the schedule to fly it right before graduation, but it disappeared one day and nobody could tell me where it went. I dunno, maybe somebody crashed it or something.

Eventually they came into their own, getting bigger and bigger reactors to power all the combat shielding and weapons, and the late war version mounted four guns and eight missiles. Before the 'peace' that would have put it in the medium fighter category. They were great though, enough acceleration to tear your face off. In the F-27 you could handle stuff all the way up to a Vaktoth, as long as his buddies were far enough away and you had some missiles left.

-Maniac

Loved this little addendum, since I just re-watched the cartoon again. Bastard spy got the cool ship.

The Arrow gets a proper description in The Price of Freedom (p.61):

"[Blair]He allowed Eisen to distract him by taking him over to the nearest Arrow. He liked the rakish, aggressive look of the little birds. They were nimble and responsive, fighters a pilot strapped on, rather than climbed into."

Even a smattering of practicality:

"The Arrow was a narrow, wedge-shaped ship with a small cross section and few vertical surfaces. It had the smallest scanner signature in the fleet. Blair hoped to use that to his advantage."

To borrow a quote from Paladin, "She's a bonny ship."

 

[Rylex]

Note the differences between the Armada Version and the WC3 version. Finally explained that 2 meter length discrepancy!

I can't thank you enough, like I wrote in my mails to you, that you modified this Arrow based on my Armada suggestions for me for our project
This Armada Arrow is the most beautiful ship ever! I can't wait to get my hands on it!

 

[-danr-]

The Arrows sort of remind me of the difference between a F/A-18C Hornet and a F/A-18E Super Hornet. Externally, they look very similar, but on the inside, the Super Hornet has a lot more staying power and is a good bit bigger. I see the same sort of thing going on here - the later versions of the Arrow being expanded with more capabilities.

That's a good way of looking at it, ahhh the Hornet, my favorite American warplane. Anyway, with the Arrow I'd imagine different engine layouts/capacities might make up some of the difference in size - that extra 200kps must have come from somewhere.

 

[Klavs81]

Hi guys, I've been using the Wing Commander Universe for many years as a fun sketchpad to help me hone my 3d production and animation skills, and the community has been very kind to me. Now I'm delving into the realm of character animation and storytelling, and, as always, the best inspiration comes from the wonderful universe that Chris Roberts created.

In the coming months, I'll be working on a series of short animated films retelling some events aboard the TCS Tiger's Claw from Wing Commander I. I thought I'd start with this teaser image and go on from there. I hope you guys enjoy this stuff, because I know I do!

Cheers,

-Klavs

 

[Triple-B]

an intro for secret mission 2 would be great, since there isn't one. gives you some room for interpretation

 

[Whiplash]

Hi guys, I've been using the Wing Commander Universe for many years as a fun sketchpad to help me hone my 3d production and animation skills, and the community has been very kind to me. Now I'm delving into the realm of character animation and storytelling, and, as always, the best inspiration comes from the wonderful universe that Chris Roberts created.

In the coming months, I'll be working on a series of short animated films retelling some events aboard the TCS Tiger's Claw from Wing Commander I. I thought I'd start with this teaser image and go on from there. I hope you guys enjoy this stuff, because I know I do!

Cheers,

-Klavs

Wow... Fantastic stuff! I assume your by-now-famous WC1 3D fleet will be the stars of the show?