Last update for today. I reworked the body design and integrated the things I liked about the first one. Got some weird results from the last time I took the arm canons to shadowbox (they started out round and ended up square) but I’m gonna work with it the way it is and modify that part cuz I kinda like it.
Edit; forgot to add that I really like the Bladerunner matcap on this one. My thanks to whoever it was that came up with it.
Finished the over all body design. Now I’ve gotta create a million doodads and widgets to make him look cool. I’m also experimenting with transparency on the ****pit window and hope to eventually design a fully functional looking ****pit interior to go with it.
If you guys see anything that looks overtly wrong please let me know. I have a hard time being objective.:rolleyes:
ETCHER, right back at ya, I too am glad that I am not the only one ‘inching’ along with this cool 3D sculpting stuff-;).
Ya man, I too am looking forward to seeing my HotRod done… eesh-
But, on another note, wow dude, you actually came to check out voodoodads work, that totally rocks on your part my friend. I have loved your work with ZBrush nearly from the first days you started posting. I have downloaded many of your tutes so when I finish my HotRod image, I can ‘huncker down’ and do them. Yes, you are VERY ‘inspirational and helpful’. Hope I can lean on you if I have questions (don’t worry, I won’t act like a fan boy at a comic-con and breath over your neck-:D). Best.
VOODOODAD, HOLY C**P dude, that looks amazing. Really! Well, sorry about all the excitement, but I love all the ‘Mech’ stuff. One of my all time favorite games to play was Mech Warrior… that game rocked. I think there is a new version but you have to buy Cryengine or something like that in order to run it. Anywho, awsome work here Gary. I am keeping an eye on ya-
Thanks, Dragon. Feel like I made a lot of progress today. Learned a lot about what works for me and what doesn’t too, and totally revamped my workflow so needless to say it’s been a long day.
Last update for the night. Added a kind of plain-jane engine for the moment, some leg armor and the beginnings of an area to slot some pneumatic piston/shock absorber type thing-a-ma-bobs on the legs.
Having a blast putting this thing together. Mostly sitting and staring at my screen till an idea pops into my head and finding a way to make it work.
Dragon, I hope you catch this post but I didn’t want to take up space in your thread on a question about my sculpt.
I’m trying to keep things looking as if they could be functional, but at the same time look cool. That leaves me with a problem concerning the engine. I’ve decided to cut a bigger hole in the middle part of the lower body of my mech, and make the engine almost twice as big as it is now, because frankly as small as it is it doesn’t look like it could lift one of those huge feet let alone drive the whole machine. But (and there’s always a but) for this thing to look like a viable piece of war machinery, in my opinion the engine wouldn’t be exposed at all. Leaving me with a dilemma, should I make the engine bigger and cooler looking or should I just scrap the exposed engine and add more armor plating in front of where it is currently? Or if someone can think of something between those two options, pleas drop a line here. Wracking my brain when there’s not that much brain to begin with is giving me a headache…
Thanks for any help given, Gary (aka voodoodad)
Good progress!
Hey voodoodad, attached are my ‘suggestions’. To let you know, I spent 10 yrs in the Army so, while viewing your Mech, I tried to think ‘real world’… the Mechs are cool, but, let’s just say they were real, the first thing we have to think about is ‘HUMAN LIFE’. And then you think about what is the purpose of this machine? i.e. it is a human being that is driving this Mech and then what is the purpose of the Mech i.e. to kill tanks? To kill flying machines? To kill troops? Is it going to be used in the jungle, arctic, ocean, etc? So, looking at what a military already has, can give you an idea how to design your Mech… make it more ‘believiable’. So, as I looked at your Mech, I quickly threw some ideas together (as you will see below). M3 Tanks weigh about 70 tons and their engines are in the rear ( they mainly shoot forward so they want to make sure their main power source is not facing the enemy). And then their is their weight, 70 tons, man, that is alot of steel. But, they need it for the protection of the tanks it self, but mainly for the ‘human’ crew inside. So, ‘maybe’ you can put the engine in the rear (this ‘I’ think gives your Mech ‘Thickness’ that heavy duty look). And I imagine a Mech like yours would probably weigh almost if not more than an M3 Tank. So, I suggest giving the legs some EXTRA support for all that weight. I think the engine you have now under the Mech actually could be instead a multie rocket launcher (it looks like one already). So, before I write a book here, I hope my ‘two cents’ helps here. But remember, play around with it, i.e. keep give it ‘style’ and don’t concentrate so much on the real world stuff I just mentioned (only use that info to ‘kinda’ give it that somewhat real feel, but, this is art your doing, don’t loose the ‘cool style’ either). Best.
Attachments
Actually, thinking about it, I am sure the folks that design weapons FIRST think of the purpose of the weapon, then build an area for it occupants. I guess I am still an NCO inside after all these years (I always made sure my soldiers were taken care of, as every good NCO should think). OK, holla at ya this weekend. Have fun ZBrushing.
Thanks again for all the help, Dragon. I’m incorporating some of your suggestions right now and I’m definitely going with the idea of a rear-mounted engine. I need to bulk out the rear of the main body area anyway, because it looks unbalanced from the side view.
Updated with some new details, and deciding on final mats to use. Most likely will try for a desert camo look when I’m finalizing things.
Wow Voodoo, the mech is looking REALLY great. I think the desert cam will be a good option for this one. A lot of very cool hard surface stuff coming out of Z these days. Fun too see.
Ezra
Thanks Ezra! I’m enjoying this one so much it’s incredible. It’s like putting together one of those 3d puzzles, but with this one you make all your own pieces and put them together however you like.
Now for my nightly update. Added some armor plating in various places, and more noticeably added pneumatics on the legs.
The hydraulic type of thing on the leg is a nice touch its coming out good
Hi VoodooDad 
Hey,…Great job so far on your machine…
small_orange_diamond:)
Glenn
Angelc; Thanks so much for your comment. This is really the first piece I’ve worked on that’s coming out pretty much the way I want it to.
Glenn; Great to “see” you agian! I think I may have found my ZBrush “niche”! 
Just one more update before I collapse of exhaustion.
Blocking out an engine… block. And having fun with the first time using the curvetube brush. Those tubes from the back to the legs aren’t going to stay that big. I forgot that curvetube was based on draw size.:rolleyes:
I think you HAVE!!
Ooooh, great idea for using the curvetubes- You just gave me the idea to use the brush for when I put in ‘lines’ on my vehicles (most folks use zspheres) Thanks buddy.
Now those look like legs that can hold some weight. This whole Mech with the updates looks TUFF!!
I like that ‘tan’ look. I too agree using desert camo. Actually, with current events going on, a TAN CAMO would look awsome?? Can’t wait to see this ‘tank with legs’ finished.
Ya, isn’t it GREAT?
Yeah, the curve brushes are all insane! Extremely useful. Fiddling with them to get them where you want them takes some time, but once it’s there you can’t beat it. The exhaust pipe are mesh inserts extended out and down then bent in the middle using masking and rotate then inflated at the ends. (I described the process for the pipes so that I’ll remember how I did it. I’m old, and VERY forgetful!)
Morning update. Added a hatch on top and resized the hoses plus some other minor alterations.
At this point I’m considering replacing the shoulder-mounted guns with something else. I’m pretty satisfied with the way they look, but they don’t really fit the overall model any more. What do you guys think?
That is strange, they do look small from the rear… but from the front, I think their fitting. My personal opinion, if you make them too big, they may over play (over power) your actual BIG GUNS at the bottom. But heck, play around with them and see what ya get (maybe double them up i.e. side by side so you have four guns on the shoulders instead of two???). Also, don’t forget to put lights (search light, driving lights, rear spot light, NVG assistance lights, etc). And, steps (ladder) or foot placements to get to the hatch? Rear View window slots or a camera to look to his rear or a scope (like in a submarine)? Sorry if you have already thought of all this and I am just getting ahead of you.
About forgetting things, right up there with you. But it’s great when dealing with wives and bosses-:lol:
PS: You know, getting excited about your Mech, I may just have to do one some time down the road (way down the road-:D). So, for now, I will just satisfy myself with your very cool looking Mech.