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Solidworks and Rock Raiders


Agent Arrow
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Agent Arrow

I think that people are pretty interested in my project, so I thought that I would share some of my progress as I work towards my ultimate goal.  So far I've created the Chrome Crusher, the Tunnel Transport, the Power Station, the Support Station, and I am nearly done with the Super Teleport.  I'd like to give a huge thanks to JimbobJeffers for creating the instructions that I've been using for the buildings and of course to everyone here for being so supportive of this long and arduous process.  

 

For the record, I am using Solidworks 2013 to create each individual brick and then putting those bricks together in assemblies.  It started as an exercise to maintain software proficiency but turned into an opportunity to digitally recreate some of my favorite kits using components not offered in conventional Lego CAD software.

 

As an intro, I thought that you'd all like a quick glimpse of my construction process.  I've compiled this GIF as an idea of how I put these together.

Rock_Raider_Building.gif

 

I'll update this again when I get further along.

 

Edit:  I'll have a large selection of additional images shared on my DeviantArt page.

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Wow, constructing those bricks from scratch with such accuracy must have been difficult. Unless I'm overrating the process?

 

As I said before, I can't wait to see more.

 

Wait... what is your ultimate goal?

They'd certainly be great for use in a game.

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Agent Arrow

Wow, constructing those bricks from scratch with such accuracy must have been difficult. Unless I'm overrating the process?

 

As I said before, I can't wait to see more.

 

Wait... what is your ultimate goal?

They'd certainly be great for use in a game.

 

They're too high-poly for using in a game, but if "baked" in a modeling software they could certainly be reduced to simpler models.

 

As for making the bricks, it's pretty easy once you get the idea.  Standard bricks are all uniform in shape and scale.  I used digital calipers to measure several bricks and got the basic measurements.  From there, making a 16x8 or a 4x4 is only a matter of patterning the same features.  It becomes a very simple process after a while.  The bricks that are difficult are the non-uniform bricks such as the canopy and the railing bricks.  These still fit to uniform dimensions it's just a matter of making the right shape. I'd say that Solidworks is probably the best software for making the RR canopy from scratch, as I created a weldment profile and was able to create the whole cage structure from structural beams that are "welded" together.

 

The ultimate goal is a bit of a secret, but I can say that it's going to be pretty cool.

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Status update fellas!  I've got a Loader Dozer done.  I have nearly finished the collection of models that I want to build digitally.  Probably only a few days away from my ultimate goal, a week tops.

Loader_Dozer_Preview.png

 

Edit:

It's time to unveil the ultimate goal.  Here's a sneak preview of what it could look like. The idea is to build a dining room setting and have the RR models out on the table.  I still have to tweak how I want the table to reflect things, and I still have to finish making all of the models that I wanted, but it's worth giving a little preview.

Rock_Raiders_Collection_Preview.png

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The final product isn't going to be so isometric, is it? :?:

The placement and views are in no way final.  I still don't know how I'm going to lay it out to look nice, because right now I'm not very pleased.  That will come after I add a couple more buildings and some small vehicles.  I might even throw in the Granite Grinder, though I have not decided.  I was never overly fond of that kit.

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Considering that once the scene is set up I can put the camera essentially anywhere, I'd say that there's a good chance for at least 1 POV shot.

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I took a short break from this project, but I got back into it today.  Here is how things are so far.  I'm very pleased with the lighting and perspective, now I just need to finish texturing the table (going for wood I think) and maybe add another small vehicle or two and I'll consider it done for now.

Rock_Raiders_Collection_01.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_02.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_03.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_04.png

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I'm with Antillies, but... I... I don't like Isometric renders. It's like I'm looking at the whole pretty thing from a telescope.

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I'm trying to play around with camera placement, but so far perspective shots have been difficult.  The way that cameras work in Photoview 360 (my render software) it's hard to get anything BUT isometric.  I could switch to keyshot if I'm willing to dish out the cash, but that's somewhere in the vicinity of $1000.  That being said, I've heard that it's a massively better render engine for Solidworks, so perhaps I'll venture that far.

 

Here's today's update.  I'm not fond of how the glass in the table reflects the pieces and I'd like the wood to be a bit more polished and shiny.  I think I also want to toy with lighting a tad more.

 

Rock_Raiders_Collection_05.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_06.png

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It looks really nice, but to me there's just something a little awkward with the positioning of the models, I think it's more prominent in the buildings. It looks like the Power Station isn't lying flat on the table, for example. Perhaps it's the shading on the wood, it doesn't seem to have shadow around the buildings.

 

Other than that I do very much like it.

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The pipes on the Super Teleport and a little on the Chrome Crusher bug me a bit. They look too unnatural in bend and flow on the SuperT; the ones on the pad being so flat in the middle, for instance. The Crusher has this a little but not badly.

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The crusher tubes I could probably fix. Amazingly enough, the Super Teleport tubes are pretty accurate.  I built one IRL to work from and those yellow and black tubes are so short that they're stretched to position like that and make a similar shape.  That being said, I'm not against altering them and "breaking" from the true-to-life aspect to make them look less awkward.  Still toying with the glass and wood effects, but here is what I've got today.

Rock_Raiders_Collection_07.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_08.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_09.png

Rock_Raiders_Collection_10.png

I think the wood needs more gloss so that the reflections and shadows are more similar to the glass, because right now they're pretty matte and I think that it does lend and awkwardness to the scene.

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