Matrian Installation Modeling

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Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

Well, most of the pics I posted before on this particular project are still on the web server...but I don't feel like doing all that re-linking.

Anyway, I've made great progress on modeling the hanger bay for the underground Matrian installation featured towards the end of Silverado Season 4 and in the in-progress Silverado 'book' trilogy.

All that's really missing is the rear wall and the control booth. Note the adjustable (and removable) landing platforms. Originally, I had pictured the bay as having staggered half-decks, to sort of give it a more open feel, as opposed to a set of giant spaceship shelves. The platform idea just sort of popped into my head while I was sitting through a rather boring class during my course this summer.

Image

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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

OK, I pretty much declare the hanger complete. I might fiddle with the lighting, but I finished the back wall, the platform walkways, and the control booth. The booth turned out better than I had hoped it would...

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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

Next up, the final version of the central transit hub, complet with a completely redesigned tram. I originally used different tracks, but because they were hard to work with I only had couple tracks. That left a LOT of empty floor, and didn't really match my original idea for the place. So I redid the tracks so they were easier to work with and built the web of tracks I originally imagined. Of course, then I realized my old tram cars were too long to fit around the curves. So I rebuilt the tram into something more modular.

I realize that many of the stories that give more detailed descriptions of the installation haven't been posted yet, but I think even in the season 4 stories I mentioned that the installation got fancier towards the center and more utilitarian towards the outer edge. So I really wanted the Hub to follow a similar style to the smaller transit station while still looking...fancier. To do this, I used a lot of stone, concrete or masonry textures. The glass walls around the staircases, the smaller wall-mounted lighting fixtures and the glass-walled crossover bridge were also included for a fancier look. I also used a lot of advanced lighting (radiosity) in this model. The result of that is that if I want to turn up the lights (remember, the installation is supposed to be locked down) I just have to change a couple of numbers and let the program re-process the lighting solution.

Ohh, and the outer platform staircase has to be one of my favorite parts at this point. Yes, I admit it, I was definately thinking of the Titanic's grand staircase when I modeled it.

There are still a few minor things to fix, but considering the amount of time that's gone into this model already, it's about time to move on. Especially with exams starting in a week.



The pics are HD resolution, so I'm just putting in links.

http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/HubFinal1.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/HubFinal2.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/HubFinal3.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/HubFinal4.jpg
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

Time for another update.

Before the forum crashed, I'd posted pics of the Matrian installation command center. That was before I'd modeled the transit station, docking bay or transit hub. As a result, the style of the installation had changed a lot, and I decided I no longer liked the glass and metal construction of the command center. Here are the old pics for reference:

http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/OldCommand1.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/OldCommand2.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/newcommand1.jpg

So, while enjoying my exam time, I went back and re-modeled the command center. The basic design stayed the same, however I scrapped the glass floors. I used the standard stone on the lower two levels, but went for a more sci-fi look for the command level, with some in-floor lighting and such. Finished off the ceiling, rebuilt the stairs, added more lights. I also wanted something behind the control pulpits, something that looked a bit sturdier. Hence the funky, shield-like things.

Let me know what you think!

http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/Ma ... mmand1.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/Ma ... mmand2.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/Ma ... mmand3.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/Ma ... mmand4.jpg
Last edited by b-guy on Wed Dec 30, 2009 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by cmdrajd »

Very nice. They're a little dark (that could just be my monitor), but what I could make out looked great. The second shot with the holographic display of the planet was particularly good.
"I'm not insane -- my mother had me tested." - Sheldon Cooper, "The Big Bang Theory"
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

Well, my work on this project is starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.

I sat down this weekend and finally had inspiration for what the display screens and controls panels in the Matrian installation should look like.

http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/panels1.jpg
http://www.khobrah.net/silver/images/panels2.jpg


The turning point was learning how to use animated textures...which turned out to be stupidly easy. Many of these screens are actually using video files, so the text scrolls up and some of the objects rotate or move. I actually did a sequence that show's all the screens powering on, with all the control buttons flickering in and static coming up on the bigger wall screens before the 'security camera' images. If you look closely, you'll see (among other things) a lab setup for one of my first-year physics labs, a photo from a Videogames Live concert, the hanger door leading into the facility, the old Matrian scout model from my old opening credits sequence, a wireframe model of the Wayward and Silverado's warp core...
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by borgcrazy »

Oh snap! I completely forgot to dig those old images out for you... not that you apparently needed me to. Those graphics are far better than what I had!
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by Mad Lensman »

A truly amazing amount of work you are putting into this... It's starting to look very much like high end professional CG ... I only wish I had the patience and the time to learn this!
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by b-guy »

Matrian Installation Animation Update:

Status: COMPLETE!
Start Date: Feb 2008
Completion Date: 15 April 2010
Total Time: 2 years, 2 months
Animation length: 3 minutes 15 seconds.
File size: 189MB (Windows Media Video), 654MB (M2T Video)
Combined file size: 8.5GB (Includes all rendered stills, model files, textures, sounds, etc.)
Release Date: TBD

Comments:

Phew. That was one long project! I can't believe it's actually finished! There are probably still improvements I could make, some lighting changes that might improve things. But I could go down that route for the rest of time. Sooner or later, you gotta declare victory.

This animation is basically an interior tour and unveling of the Matrian bunker featured in the second half of Silverado Season 4 and all of Season 5. Some of the interior sets have been described in the stories, such as the transit stations, transit hub and command complex. Others have been alluded to, but never described. This animation has heavy spoilers, and as such I'm not going to be posting it until the stories have a chance to catch up.

So why bother posting this now? Mostly because I'm exited about being finished. Who-hoo!
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Re: Matrian Installation Modeling

Post by cmdrajd »

Congratulations! Now you get the pleasure of taunting us until we can actually see the finished product. :D
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