I've been working on a companion for Pothead, a walking vending machine shaped like a large noodle cup... that sells noodle cups (I imagine Pothead roams about selling noodles and would boil the water needed for them).
It has certainly been challenging trying to translate a lot of the skills used in the modelling chapter into my own project - but I've been persisting.
I think so far using Booleans has been my biggest strife - most notably adding booleans into curved surfaces (the pivot cups at the base which are highlighted in one of the images. For the time being I've mashed the meshes together so they're colliding).
I've got a couple instances of stretching going on with the subdiv mod. It's probably a matter of going back through and adding supporting vertices and loops.
I haven't attempted to rectify the vending coils which I asked about in this post - I'll get to that soon! https://cgcookie.com/community/18417-randomise-rotation-of-array-modified-objects
I intend to utilise all of the skills used in the modelling chapter to make sure I've at least got a grasp on them, including the data transfer mod (that one was a doozy).
One thing I am trying to be considerate of is the visual balance of detail. Ie not placing details everywhere - creating a sense of visual flow throughout the model.
But otherwise, here's my progress. Any and all thoughts are welcome (Especially any glaring issues that aren't clear to me)!
Cheers
Update:
Haven't finished with modelling yet, but wanted to share where I'm at with it. I have been going back through remaking a number of the objects as I wasn't happy with them initially. The blue objects are finalised (unless I get carried away and go back to them). Green are ones I know still need work (notably the main body needs a few data transfers here and there. White are unassigned that I haven't gotten to yet. And the small red ones are lights which I coloured just for fun lol.
Here's some screenshots!
https://i.imgur.com/obtqFE8.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/0kDGSel.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/bn759zn.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/12IDrch.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/7MnJbr7.jpeg
That is awesome! 🤩
Keep it up, I wanna see the final result with materials and textures...
Top job! 👍
Cheers Adrian! I definitely feel like I am biting a whole lot more than I can chew with it, but I'll be sure to post some updates and questions as I go along!
It fits in the coffee based theme. It's like a Cup O Noodles vending machine for coffee.
I love the legs, and soda machine like vending system.
I can't wait to see your final renders!
A question about topology -
In the first image here https://i.imgur.com/El0SGlz.jpeg I manually converted all the ngons into quads using the knife tool that appeared after applying the boolean mod. Face value it looks like a load of mumbo jumbo madness - but after adding a data transfer mod, and looking at it in object mode it's fine and dandy https://i.imgur.com/5JuQKWL.jpeg
My Q is; is it okay to have a bit of topology madness under the hood when it looks as intended in the final model result? Or am I going to run into a few nightmares when it comes to uv unwrapping?
@Yeehawcowbodyletsgo - This depends largely on how you're going to use your model.
If it's just for you, and your renders, a bit of chaotic topology is fine. Particularly for hard surface modeling where your model is NOT going to deform. (Chaotic topology for we chaotic squishy beasts often DOES NOT work well.)
On the other hand, if this is for a client, a video game asset, or maybe something you want to put on your demo reel and show off your topology you may want it to be considerably cleaner, even if it doesn't otherwise visually make a difference.
Cheers Wadred!
I went back through the particular videos in the first chapter and had another crack at it.
https://i.imgur.com/qMIaOX5.jpeg
After the data transfer mod and looking at it in object mode it is as smooth as it initally was.
Let's say this is to be sent to a client, or to be shown off for a reel - Could I improve this further? Is the highlighted quad (and it's opposite on the bottom) too stretched?
Cheers!
Thanks Omar and Sascha! Yes, the orange controller object on the noodle bot is a placeholder just to work out how it plugs in. And Sascha, yeah, the orange transparent door is the glass panel. I'll go and add in a latch mechanism of sorts!
Hot Q coming through - a number of times during the first chapter, Jonathan mentions that triangles and N-gons are (to some extent) "frowned upon but not illegal" when it comes to flat surfaces. I'll add a screenshot for a detail I'm working on. But just to clarify, am I fine to leave the highlighted face as an N-gon if it is on the flat surface? Or should I try and resolve it? https://i.imgur.com/zZxQzqM.jpeg
Additionally, I've two thoughts on how to do it, and are there preferences over either?
The first is following the tips in this video which has a quick visual summary around 00:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGL6QpVRyXk&ab_channel=DECODED
And the second option is to have numerous edge loops running across the object like in the screenshot I'll add. https://i.imgur.com/XMUP5Be.jpeg
Let me know if you've any thoughts. For the time being i've coloured the offending face in my object so I can come back to it later!
Dude in the end the struggle has payed off, what a cool idea and you're implementing it perfectly. I want to see this finished. And of course, that is why Pothead has a remote hanging, that's how he has always controlled the companion and serves the noodles. This is perfect.
That's a cool idea. Pothead is still on my to do list, but it looks great so far. Couple pinches here and there as you said. I assume the orange transparent front is some kind of door with the hinges and gaps around? If so maybe think about a counterpart opposite the hinge side where you'd open hit, keyhole or latch or something.
I've just noticed that the screenshots are relatively low res - sorry!