Free Trader

[ShawnDriscoll]

I spent a few hours, playing with different apps I have, doing various draft models of the Free Trader. It will be a lo-res model when completed. Something that I don't want to spend more than a couple days on. Which meant Hexagon would be used. Ha!

Amapi Pro is great at NURBS. But it is a terrible box-modeler, which I was finding worked better for this kind of object. I had forgotten that Hexagon does boolean cutting, which speeds up the modeling process as well. I'm hoping I don't have to do too much clean-up work on the mesh, once I'm done cutting chunks out of it.

Because I'm old-school, when it comes to modeling Traveller ships, I tend to use only the first drawing made of a ship for reference. I have no idea what the back or bottom of the Free Trader looks like, because there is only the one image of it in The Traveller Book hardcover on page 64. Maybe I have some notes that I took about that back in the day still. Otherwise, creative license as usual.

Like all models I make, this one will also be done by eyeballing things. No tracing.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Still have some more details to add first before UV mapping and painting it for space renders soon.

 

[Bravesteel]

That's shaping up really nicely! Great work!

 

[ranger2261]

Rock on shawn, it looks great

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Thanks.

I'm staring at a finished mesh now. Deciding on what the ship texture will look like. Steel, iron, rust, dented, charred, stainless, primer, glossy, chrome, tinted, dinged, riveted, welded, scuffed, scratched, soot, pitted, shiny, reflective, bright, dark, gun metal, refurbished, re-purposed.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

What a piece of junk!

Maybe the players will find this long-abandoned ship, and work on restoring it. Maybe even discover a story that once belonged to it. Probably worth more as scrap though.

 

[coliver988]

maybe it would go faster if we got out & pushed it....

looks great!

 

[Bravesteel]

maybe it would go faster if we got out & pushed it....

looks great!

It'll go faster if you paint it red. Duh!

 

[SanDragon]

Any color stripe will do...

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I might go with '70s stripes.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Video of some painting being done so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB5-_ruvSPY

 

[tpeters]

I love the way this has turned out Shawn. It's a wonderful3-D interpretation of the original Bill Keith drawing in The Traveller Book.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Thanks. I found some cockpit seats that might match the style of this ship. Started modeling them just now.

 

[ranger2261]

Hey Shawn, looking shiny, can't wait till she's done.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Hey Shawn, looking shiny, can't wait till she's done.

I'm hoping this chair will fit in the cockpit. I haven't decided how high the chairs will be yet (raised flooring, artificial ceiling if possible, etc etc).

ADDED:
Got the desk and foot rest installed.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Moving deck chairs around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIUMZ8LIpyE

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

She has a name now.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Some renders.

A passenger sits in the Captain's chair, waiting for help to arrive.

Fixed the lettering (it was a free font I downloaded).

 

[atpollard]

First, the images are absolutely beautiful.

However, I am just a little disappointed at not seeing that camo ship with the exposed bare metal. That sort of fired up MY imagination.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

First, the images are absolutely beautiful.

However, I am just a little disappointed at not seeing that camo ship with the exposed bare metal. That sort of fired up MY imagination.

That was a cool-looking texture.

I want to do something for the (lack of) engines in the back. Maybe some Phantom Menace style pod-engines fitted in those square openings.