side view to top view

here is the problem. I have about 13 pictures of ships that I want to turn into ships for EV nova, but they are side views. I was told That I will have to recreate them from scatch in a modeling program, which i probably could do, except I don't have such a modeling program nor the skill's to use it.

first, what program should I use that is small enough (and free) to work on an imac?
and where can I get it?^
secondly, how would I go about using it?

Thanks!

Here is 1 of the ships I want to use. scout.jpeg (44.98K)
Number of downloads: 37

If you expect to get a modeling program and magically import the picture into it and take sprites from a view at the top then you're dead wrong. The modeling program is useless for your purposes unless you have the model files for the ships you want to re-render.

@jacabyte, on Jun 8 2007, 08:00 PM, said in Custom Ships:

If you expect to get a modeling program and magically import the picture into it and take sprites from a view at the top then you're dead wrong. The modeling program is useless for your purposes unless you have the model files for the ships you want to re-render.

I was planning on starting over from scratch, actually. the picture is just so I know what It looks like. (I have Videographic memory. I can see a picture, and see it from different angles in my mind.) I just need a good #-D modeling program to do it. and currantly, I don't have one.

google is your friend but i was told recently to try Blender 3D, i haven't had much expereince with it though and have no idea how to make 3d ships but the program looks good is open source and looks like its got lots of tutorials to help.

might do the trick, i think you get it from source forge

@yamfries, on Jun 8 2007, 07:10 PM, said in Custom Ships:

I was planning on starting over from scratch, actually. the picture is just so I know what It looks like. (I have Videographic memory. I can see a picture, and see it from different angles in my mind.) I just need a good #-D modeling program to do it. and currantly, I don't have one.

Alright then:

Blender
Tutorial

Have at it.

Blender is good.
http://www.elephantsdream.org/
Was made with blender.

Blender ++

Wings is a fairly simple and straightforward modelling program. However, texturing isn't so easy with Wings...

where can I get it for 10.2.8 or less? safari crashes when i tried downloading it from you link, so i tried a google search, and on all the sites i got, all of them only worked on 10.3, but it told me that earlier releases worked on 10.2. where can I ge them?

well then get an older version. Or mechanisto for os9.

This post has been edited by LNSU : 11 June 2007 - 02:32 PM

ok, i downloaded vers. 0.86.12. and this is what I have so far: Xivan_Warship.jpeg (20.09K)
Number of downloads: 24 :rolleyes:

You made that? Not bad for your first one.

I made this one too

I just wish my computer could support a more advanced graphics program. :unsure:

Oh well. Satrship.jpeg (16.44K)
Number of downloads: 25

You know, you don't actually have to model ships if you have a side view drawing (or similiar). You could simply rotate and flip it to make the needed frames. Though, odds are it won't look as good if your picture isn't that great. Though, now that I think of it, it'd be interesting to see a plug with completely hand drawn graphics...

@joshtigerheart, on Jun 12 2007, 08:44 PM, said in Custom Ships:

Though, now that I think of it, it'd be interesting to see a plug with completely hand drawn graphics...

What? GSN's SketchFighter 4000 plug for Nova doesn't count?

Kidding, kidding...

On topic:

That's pretty good for your first two ships, Yoda. I'd be glad to see what else ya got.

(silly)Speak like your namesake, maybe you should. :laugh: (again, I'm just kidding, but hey, it's a thought..)(/silly)

@joshtigerheart, on Jun 13 2007, 03:44 AM, said in Custom Ships:

Though, now that I think of it, it'd be interesting to see a plug with completely hand drawn graphics...

Actually, I'm secretly working on just such a plug...

@warlord-mike, on Jun 12 2007, 11:36 PM, said in Custom Ships:

That's pretty good for your first two ships, Yoda. I'd be glad to see what else ya got.

(silly)Speak like your namesake, maybe you should. :laugh: (again, I'm just kidding, but hey, it's a thought..)(/silly)

I started a gallery. post there, any new ships i will.

-edit- how do you start a gallery? I thought i had one, but i guess i didn't

This post has been edited by Yoda Almighty : 13 June 2007 - 11:36 AM

You should be able to make a gallery through My Controls > Your Albums > "Click here to create your first album!". But the EV gallery should be sufficient for now.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 13 June 2007 - 12:51 PM

Personally, I found Blender to be an absolute pain if you don't have a multi-button mouse. There's a free version of Maya now, isn't there?