125 replies to this topic

[HanaYuriko]

Yes, it's another Whammy thread. But this one is slightly different! Honest! This will be my third model rebuild (4th if you count my Locust). I've already rebuilt a Black Knight and the reseen Phoenix Hawk. Updating old models with fresh skills and experience.

Or something like that.

First, a little back story. About 10 years ago in my noobish lack of 3D modeling skills, I tried to make a Whammy. Then a few years later for IS3028 project, I tried to make a Reseen version.

Both were dreck.

Spoiler

I hide them behind spoiler tags out of shame.

So, I'm starting over. In fact I'm going to try to combine the looks of BOTH the Macross Destroid and the Phoenix Warhammer. First I start with the torso shape.





And now I've made a strange looking face.



Heh heh, now that you've seen it, you can't un-see it.

More later...

[Bishop Steiner]

Interesting so far... don't knock yourself too hard on the old Project Phoenix render.... even has DaVinci painted it, that Whammy would still look like drek.

[Xathanael]

Ughhhhhh

[Bishop Steiner]

Curious to see the endgame on this one. One good thing about a design as old as the Whammy, is that with it being built in several realms still, you can have both yor and my versions and still be cool, as the different factories could simply have made different mods off the parent design over the centuries.

[HanaYuriko]

What I forgot to mention was my reasoning for this design was to sweep the side torso sections back. Give it angled armor unlike either of the originating designs. Especially since whomever designed the Reseen version of the Warhammer added a shot trap right in the CT.

Lets get rid of that strange looking head and add some details. I don't know how many times I tried to build the cockpit. Getting the shape just right was a pain. At first I tried to rework the Reseen design, bit it was ugly and didn't fit. Then I tried to figure out how the Destroid cockpit works (I found a pic of a neat model as a reference!) and got some ideas.

In the end, I went full on design style fusion and combined the two.



Stuck in my cockpit module:


...and figure out how to open it. Plus I started detailing the torso. The vents and cooling ducts are based on the reseen locations.

[Bishop Steiner]

Dang fine work so far. I love the attention to "working" details, as I feel the number one sin in most mech designs is too much focus on "cool" and not enough on functionality.

[Evinthal]

Awesome job! Looking forward to seeing more.

[HanaYuriko]

Small update. Trying out a searchlight design. Based on an actual searchlight. Also added an access hatch in the...armpit? Yeah that area.

[Korran DaQuack]

Looking good...now make me a pewter one to use in TT.

[HanaYuriko]

Bishop Steiner, on 30 July 2012 - 07:11 PM, said:

Dang fine work so far. I love the attention to "working" details, as I feel the number one sin in most mech designs is too much focus on "cool" and not enough on functionality.

Evinthal, on 30 July 2012 - 07:23 PM, said:

Awesome job! Looking forward to seeing more.

Korran DaQuack, on 30 July 2012 - 07:57 PM, said:

Looking good...now make me a pewter one to use in TT.

Thanks guys! The searchlight I made doesn't seem to fit with the militaristic form of the Warhammer. I want something more rugged. A friend suggested that the light looked like a 1k candle hallogen that rednecks mount on their pickup trucks (her words). Another friend suggested another, existing search light design which fit the war machine theme better. While I really like this model, I don't think it fits the overall design I have in mind.

So with that in mind, I've built a new search light based on the xenon light that was mounted on the US Army M60 MBT. The mount is based on one that used on the back of a jeep. I'm also working on the SRM6.

Edited by HanaYuriko, 31 July 2012 - 05:46 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Looking great so far, though my concern is the light and srm rack are going to be ttoo close to the Tomahawk.

[HanaYuriko]

Bishop Steiner, on 31 July 2012 - 09:16 AM, said:

Looking great so far, though my concern is the light and srm rack are going to be ttoo close to the Tomahawk.

Shouldn't be too much of a problem. I shrank the light some, and was able to add in an ammo feed launcher for the SRM. Also added in some more torso details. I also found a place to put my first spotlight. Turned them into area lights mounted on the lower dome.

[Logan Nine Fingers]

Great modeling going on here! Like it!

[RotS Targe]

very nice, I'll be watching this with interest. Which Program are you using?

[Bishop Steiner]

HanaYuriko, on 31 July 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

Shouldn't be too much of a problem. I shrank the light some, and was able to add in an ammo feed launcher for the SRM. Also added in some more torso details. I also found a place to put my first spotlight. Turned them into area lights mounted on the lower dome.

not 100% sold on the shoulder light (where you go from here though could make or break it) but love the "belly flood" on the lower dome. A very useful and sensible set up, even if the pilot is likely to spend half his income replacing them, lol!

[HanaYuriko]

Logan Nine Fingers, on 31 July 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Great modeling going on here! Like it!

Thanks!

RotS Targe, on 31 July 2012 - 02:30 PM, said:

very nice, I'll be watching this with interest. Which Program are you using?

Truespace 6.6 for this model. You can download v7.6 for free.

Bishop Steiner, on 31 July 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:

not 100% sold on the shoulder light (where you go from here though could make or break it) but love the "belly flood" on the lower dome. A very useful and sensible set up, even if the pilot is likely to spend half his income replacing them, lol!

The searchlight in this regard is supposed to be a noticable, but minor detail in the grand scheme of things. As for the belly lights, I generally try to add spots or floods on my 'mech designs. It's that little extra detail that adds a touch of realism to a build. If it's done sensibly.

Both the Destroid and BattleMech have similar details on the back so fusing the styles here was pretty easy. I had to use low rez, fuzzy screens of the back side of a Reseen Whammy courtesy of Camospecs.com. An invaluable source for people doing 'mech designs.

And what did I do? Lets start with the top. The SRM6 seemed set too low and no amount of adjusting and fenagling seemed to work. Plus the entry point for the ammo feed wasn't lined up with the lower most missile tube. So I added a mounting bracket which allowed me to reliably place the SRM over the shoulder like in the unseen version. I also built in a feed port into the shoulder so the belt doesn't look like it was just stuck on there. Now it appears that the feed belt actually dips down into the ammo stores. I also added some antennae mounts and grabbed my whip antenna that I use in nearly every war machine I build.

Moving to the back, I wanted to go with something that looked solid, yet functional. I've seen people paint the hemispherical part with radiation warning signs, so I suppose that would be the fusion core access. Considering where the SRM ammo is stored, I'd guess that's what the other side is protecting. Added some exhaust vents, heat exchangers and all the things necessary to bleed heat and keep the 'mech running cool. And to give the unit some utility, a couple of tow rings.


I didn't save any progress shots this time, so here's a full blown, completed rear torso.

[Dyvion]

Really great work. The Warhammer was my favorite Mech. At least I still get to use an Awesome in MWO.

[Waffles 2pt0]

Sooo Tastey.

[Bishop Steiner]

HanaYuriko, on 31 July 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:

Thanks!


Truespace 6.6 for this model. You can download v7.6 for free.


The searchlight in this regard is supposed to be a noticable, but minor detail in the grand scheme of things. As for the belly lights, I generally try to add spots or floods on my 'mech designs. It's that little extra detail that adds a touch of realism to a build. If it's done sensibly.

Both the Destroid and BattleMech have similar details on the back so fusing the styles here was pretty easy. I had to use low rez, fuzzy screens of the back side of a Reseen Whammy courtesy of Camospecs.com. An invaluable source for people doing 'mech designs.

And what did I do? Lets start with the top. The SRM6 seemed set too low and no amount of adjusting and fenagling seemed to work. Plus the entry point for the ammo feed wasn't lined up with the lower most missile tube. So I added a mounting bracket which allowed me to reliably place the SRM over the shoulder like in the unseen version. I also built in a feed port into the shoulder so the belt doesn't look like it was just stuck on there. Now it appears that the feed belt actually dips down into the ammo stores. I also added some antennae mounts and grabbed my whip antenna that I use in nearly every war machine I build.

Moving to the back, I wanted to go with something that looked solid, yet functional. I've seen people paint the hemispherical part with radiation warning signs, so I suppose that would be the fusion core access. Considering where the SRM ammo is stored, I'd guess that's what the other side is protecting. Added some exhaust vents, heat exchangers and all the things necessary to bleed heat and keep the 'mech running cool. And to give the unit some utility, a couple of tow rings.


I didn't save any progress shots this time, so here's a full blown, completed rear torso.

I am feeling majorly inadequate. I just hope you don't use tube like ppcs. I am not super happy with the way they echo the old look on mine.... potenttially too HG-Legal happy. I have a version I am messing around with for a Damage Inc version of the Warhammer, specifically to get away from that.

[HanaYuriko]

I seem to be slowing down on this model. It took me a few hours to figure out how to design and build a simple shoulder joint. I wanted to step away from my usual and overly simplistic ball & socket with few other details to show the mechanics. I built a number of different joints, then I realized I'd already made something that'd work perfectly. The hip joint from my Locust!

After that stumbling block, I went back to style fusion building and combined physical elements again to make the arm.