Project VF-25 'Messiah'

weirdguy

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That sounds...ugly. :\

Hardly. That is how it is done in Transformers: War for Cybertron video game. If you own it, watch the transformations carefully you can see that there are three 3D models. A robot, a jumble of bits, and a vehicle. All three have moving parts during the transformation, and they swap so fast between them you don't really notice when one appears or disappears.

IIRC the transformation is actually only possible with the magic of 2-D animation, isn't it? (The legs do end up somehow attached to the nose...)

In the cartoon it was the case (the parts are not even the same size depending on which form the Valkyrie is in). However, more modern Anime use 3D models instead of hand drawn cells, so they actually have designs that work. VF-1's also have lots of collectible plastic toys, and they have to actually work as well. Usually they add swing arms to the sides of the cockpit, but the newer Yamato Mark 2 toys have a swing arm on the back plate to get the legs down to the right spot.

My VF-1J is based on the Yamato Mk 2 toy. They come with a nice engineering schematic in the instruction book for where to put the stickers on. I could care less about the stickers. Half the reason to buy the toy was to get that schematic of a design that works. I scanned it into my computer and used it as a reference image to create the 3D model I made.

My pair of 3D models use the same parts in both modes. The bits and pieces are just rearranged to make a plane or a robot.

You should upload them in my opinion, since Macross is the next closest to BattleTech (historically) and I would be tempted to do the animations,

No, I don't like uploading half-arsed projects. I would rather have the full thing online or not at all. I don't do C++ and the amount of work coding the transformation using SpaceCraft.dll has kept me from going that route.

Honestly, I doubt I will ever upload them.
 
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jangofett287

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At this point I'm going to say that I didn't make the model, I'm just trying to adapt it for use in orbiter. The original model can be found here: (and yes, you can make it transform, it's just very hard to do)
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=97eb9cf6c8a11a389967b23b351d6841
In case your wondering, the person who made this model has provided files of it in its transformed configs.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=fb7baa6a401bcd679967b23b351d684
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=a00700b3300e85ae9967b23b351d6841
 

jangofett287

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After trying several times to get the mesh into orbiter with textures, I have run out of Ideas, and I am forced to concede defeat. Maybe, one day my modelling skills will be up to the challenge of making this, but for now, the add-on should be layed to rest.

Of course, If anyone else wants a go the link to the model is above and I'm certainly not going to stop you.
 

tgep

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Have you considered using only material properties to get the look you're aiming for and then test out everything else and worry about texturing the beast later ?
 

jangofett287

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the trouble is, it either ends up coloured, but facing the wrong way and in 9000 pieces, or facing the right way, in one piece, but white.
 
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