Battery pack renders

Blender models

I;m trying to improve my Blender skills (can't make a decent space-ship yet :D) so I figured I wanted to begin with some basic outfits...

I've rendered two battery types. The first is basic (say 1 jump), low cost, low mass... The second is more advanced (more jumps), higher cost and lower mass (this is relative, not absolute).
I'm not happy with the first render (the battery caps are odd, I already changed them) and I need more detail in the second to make it less dull...

What do you think?

Me mucho likee.

When you can't make stuff too good, you gotta change your objective. Make stuff that look like they could belong in EVC and EVO. I think that retro look is very cool.

@reinierk, on Aug 14 2007, 05:41 PM, said in Battery pack renders:

I;m trying to improve my Blender skills (can't make a decent space-ship yet :D) so I figured I wanted to begin with some basic outfits...

I've rendered two battery types. The first is basic (say 1 jump), low cost, low mass... The second is more advanced (more jumps), higher cost and lower mass (this is relative, not absolute).
I'm not happy with the first render (the battery caps are odd, I already changed them) and I need more detail in the second to make it less dull...

What do you think?

**I like the graphics very much.

However, my own nit-picky issue might be with the actual use of the batteries. Since the second is just the first with extra conduits leading from the power sources, how does that give it more energy for hyperspace jumps? Maybe a few extra batteries, like a set of twelve or something, would make it more obvious that it gives substantially greater fuel and thus more hyperspace jumps.

Obviously, you could make up any explanation for this and I'm just quibbling over useless details. You do say that the second render is somewhat dull, and I'd agree partially with that assessment. Perhaps add some circuitry or small additional battery packs on the large metal piece in front of the batteries?

_bomb

**

Hmmm... maybe it's an energy recycler that takes energy (kinetic, heat, static electricity) out of your ship's hull and stores it in the batteries? Just a thought.

Bomb speaks truth. Another thing you could do is to make those concentric rings around the battery bigger, or add more. Find simple ways to make it more detailed. And Bomb, It's not JUST extra conduits. You never know what that big silver boxy thing on thee side might do. Maybe it's like a capacitor to store up fuel or energy and release it all at once very quickly when you jump. It would only have to do it once, since in space you can't just simply decelerate.

@cosmic_nusiance, on Aug 14 2007, 11:37 PM, said in Battery pack renders:

Bomb speaks truth. Another thing you could do is to make those concentric rings around the battery bigger, or add more. Find simple ways to make it more detailed. And Bomb, It's not JUST extra conduits. You never know what that big silver boxy thing on thee side might do. Maybe it's like a capacitor to store up fuel or energy and release it all at once very quickly when you jump. It would only have to do it once, since in space you can't just simply decelerate.

**Like I said, he could make up just about any reasonable sounding explanation and not have to fiddle with the graphics at all.:)

I've always been of the thought that differences between two similar items ought to be heavily emphasized, especially given the fact that few players probably stop to read the exact description of things. More often than not I'd be willing to bet they simply look at the graphics and from that can tell exactly what it does. Hence, Johnny Q Player will look at 8 batteries and say, "hmm, extra fuel" and look at 12 batteries and say, "hmm, even more extra fuel"

_bomb

**

And like I said, I need more detail on the second picture It isn't finished, just a quick mock-up... I think I'll increase the battery count for every 'upgraded' pack, to make it more obvious and then do something with the rings and the chrome box on the side.

Thanks for the comments

Okay, here's a better render. I changed the big box thingy, it looked too easy and obtrusive...
I also detailed the texture some more, I think it still needs some retouching, like more scratches and wear.

Voila, I think I have them all now, quite pleased for a first fully textured model.

Mucho betterer.

@reinierk, on Aug 15 2007, 08:13 AM, said in Battery pack renders:

Voila, I think I have them all now, quite pleased for a first fully textured model.

**Night and day. Couldn't be better. I especially like the smaller, almost lithium-like cells on the tops and sides. Now, scrolling through an outfit yard, I think it's more than safe to say a player will know which is which. Very well done, keep up the good work.:)

_bomb

**

Thanks, I'm happy with them too
Now I'm going to go a step harder: an IFF decoder... Let's see what I can make of that

Are you going to start a tradition of having an image that everybody hates and then upgrading it to one everybody drools over?

"I just have a few problems with it..."
(rambles on through prepared list of several hundred problems)

This post has been edited by Cosmic_Nusiance : 15 August 2007 - 12:36 PM

Hehe, nah I'm just going to impress from the start

Here's my latest render of some.... thing... I guess It might be a density upgrade for the radar, it looks kinda old and worn, so it might also be something illegal

jaw drops with a Kaching noise

If you ask me, it's an enhanced shield generator. You plug it into the shield grid, turn it on, and it lights up like a Christmas tree on steroids. For the IFF Decoder, make a kinda satellite looking thing. Or that could be a sensor upgrade type thingy.

Yeah it came out a bit different then expected, so I might make it a shield upgrade indeed. Thanks for the heads-up!

Or some kind of neon disco light. Let's boogie! You've got to do something while you travel through hyperspace (unless you have that fuel filter.