I've been working on this for about 6 months now. I've spent some time lately getting some details added, but still far from complete. This model is rigged now, in that the wheels and drive rods move in exact relation to the model as it moves down the track. She can even take curves now. In the next few days I'm hoping to get an animation test rendered out. Anyway, I just wanted to share. Enjoy
Here's a single frame from the animation render. It's going to take about 2 days of rendering on my computer before the animation is finished. Tomorrow I may take it to school and use the render farm there which should complete this shot in just a few hours. Add about a week if I put smoke in the scene. 3D animation takes forever!
I threw together this little scene today. Just simple shaders on everything for now. Foliage, trees, and animation will follow.
Wow nice. Can you do an animation of the running gear with a camera that is tied to the loco so we just see the wheels moving along and gound flying by? Am I asking too much? LOL Seriously though. I have done some 3D work 3DMax and I know how time consuming it is. Great work.
Yeah, I could render out a shot like that. I'm having some troubles with the piston expression though as can be seen in this animation test. It's a simple concept of a fix, but writing the expression out has proved quite difficult. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr0TV3hJN4c
Here's a longer version of the preview pass on Vimeo. Plays a lot better than youtube. 3D GS4 Daylight Full Preview Pass on Vimeo
As requested, the GS4 running over the trestle with the camera tied to it's movement. GS4 Across Trestle on Vimeo
Mark, Looks way cool, but did you notice that the lettering on the tender is backwards in the trestle shot?
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to mention that. Yep, as matter of fact, the entire loco is backwards. This is because I have learned to model left to right, but in Maya, "forward" is right to left. So I decided to reverse it, causing the textures to reverse as well.
Very nice. Are you going to the art institute there? My neighbor graduated from there and does motion graphics for a living.
I attend the Academy of Art. I've thought of taking some foundation classes at the AI to save some money, but never have. Now that money is running out, I wish I had. College is not cheap. :-(
Well my last major class finished up today so I spent the night having fun with paint effects plants and trees. These are just preset models that ship with the software. My final comp will have matte paintings for the background stuff, and my own models of trees and plants in the foreground that will be animated to appear blowing in the breeze. I cranked up the vibrance on this one for my own appeal. The final will be dulled down so it doesn't look so tropical.
Here's a video comp of the Daylight crossing the trestle. I took the sound from the video of UP #844 at Pinole. I'm quite pleased with this, but nonetheless I have a long way to go. I'm going for photo real. Here's the video link, enjoy. I rendered the comp in HD, so be sure to view it full screen. 3D GS4 Daylight Bridge Crossing on Vimeo
Really awesome! I wish I knew how to do this kind've stuff, of course I also wish I knew how to play piano. Anyway really nice work and one of my favorite trains. Thanks for sharing