Scifi Sketchup Modeling

sepo · 18 Nov 2009, 14:46

Yes of course. have a look here. http://www.suplugins.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=materials

Simon B · 18 Nov 2009, 17:11

Liam, these are excellent models.

I like the solar explorers especially. I am working on similar stuff for a game idea.

Check out this site for some in depth technical info for developing realistic spaceships.

I think the maximum speed for generating 1G artifical gravity by centrifuge is 2 revolutions per minute (any faster and your crew would start puking due to awareness of spin: the coriolis effect). This rotation speed for 1G requires a minimum diameter of nearly 500 metres - half a klik! A slower spin would need a larger diameter to maintain 1G - if you see what I mean.

You could have spins at equivalent martian or lunar gravities though.

I'm a fan, keep it up.

liam887 · 18 Nov 2009, 23:38

@simon b said:

Liam, these are excellent models.

I like the solar explorers especially. I am working on similar stuff for a game idea.

Check out this site for some in depth technical info for developing realistic spaceships.

I think the maximum speed for generating 1G artifical gravity by centrifuge is 2 revolutions per minute (any faster and your crew would start puking due to awareness of spin: the coriolis effect). This rotation speed for 1G requires a minimum diameter of nearly 500 metres - half a klik! A slower spin would need a larger diameter to maintain 1G - if you see what I mean.

You could have spins at equivalent martian or lunar gravities though.

I'm a fan, keep it up.

If you want to have ground-gripping joe-smoe man-on-the-street untrained people in absolutely no danger of spin nausea (i.e. 1 RPM), you'll have a microscopic 0.02g

If you don't mind if the ground-grippers might initially have some nausea but get over it, you can go up to 3 RPM and have 0.2 g (about Lunar gravity)

But if you have trained astronauts who have undergone spin acclimation, you can crank it up to a full 6.5 RPM and have 1.0 g.

(5 RPM will give you 0.5 g)

These calculation are correct but it all depends on your diameter form the center rotators. As I am only 70ft from the center in the modules I have made so far these calculations are relevant to me!
Basically you can work out the spin ratio for any size module using this equation, Its straight from NASA and has been researched:

Ca = 0.011 * Cr2 * Cl

Cl = Ca / (0.011 * Cr2)

Cr = sqrt( Ca / (0.011 * Cl))
where
Ca = centrifugal artificial gravity acceleration at point X (m/s2)
Cl = distance from point X to the center of rotation (m)
Cr = rotation rate at point X (rotations per minute)
Remember that 1.0 g is 9.81 m/s
Notice that as point X is moved further from the center of rotation the artificial gravity increases.

To have a comfortable 1G you would need a rotating section of at least 300ft. that is it would be acceptable to any normal person without prior training.

Cyberdactyl · 19 Nov 2009, 01:08

Thanks for that site Simon.

I think I have most of that information, but it's across a dozen sites.

It's kinda cool to find it all collected in one place.

Rich O Brien · 19 Nov 2009, 02:14

Your work is very creative and the detail is amazing.

The Space Explorer reminds of the alien ship in Arthur C Clarke's Rama Series. He too mentions all about spin/gravity and from what I remember that ship even had an ocean!

Keep up the good work

11zulu · 19 Nov 2009, 10:08

Mornings All

liam887, excellent modelling as usual.

You might want to head over to

Welcome to Bambam131's Bryce Site!

(www.bambam131.com)

its the site of David Robinson, he is a most excellent artist
using Bryce of all things to model, and I am sure will give
you a lot of inspiration as to what real world space craft
concepts would look like.

For Actual Concept images you might want to check out
secretprojects.co.uk , as they have a Space Forum.

Regards

liam887 · 19 Nov 2009, 10:28

Nice!
Thanks for that link, its got some pretty good designs and in bryce too, I though bryce was pants, I was obviously wrong!
I find lots of help at scifi meshes forums, there are always people willing to help as I posted previously somebody helped me work out how to achieve gravity that will be comfortable, the amount of fuel it will need for the range it has, how much consumables how the air recycling works etc etc.

Im pretty pleased so far and in keeping the design as real as possible its actually looking better then the more far off scifi designs I have done before!

As for 'Check out this site for some in depth technical info for developing realistic spaceships.' the guy whose site it is, is a member of scifi meshes and is giving me advice, actually he was the one who worked out the gravity for me!

And I look forward to seeing your models dolphus when you have finished your trains! After this model is complete I might make a pack of ship parts, each module etc etc. Then can put them together in different arrangements sort of like spaceship lego lol!\

There will be updates later today I just wanted to do a lot more work before I posted an image again!

EDIT: New pic

Simon B · 19 Nov 2009, 16:35

Wow, the internet is getting smaller and smaller all the time.

Glad to be of help.

olishea · 19 Nov 2009, 17:08

great work mate, so much detail it makes me dizzy!

liam887 · 20 Nov 2009, 01:21

Thanks for the comments everybody! It feels strange sometimes to post this type of work here as most of the stuff is architectural but its SU after all and everybody is great over here and gives lots of good advice and help!

Well finished the rotating section at last! The outer modules provide a comfortable 1G at 1RPM. The inner modules I havent measured yet byt they are the exact same diameter as the other 4 large modules ive already created so should give the same gravity. As they are spinning at the same rate as the outer modules however ill have to do a load of working out, too late to think of maths now!
Ill post some better pics but when I try to render it keeps on crashing ill have to assign more RAM to windows tomorrow.
Anyway here is the rotating section, it also marks the midway point of the ship so halfway there, then go back to add the details and panels and radiators! So far the real worldy approach is making it look so much cooler than things I would usually just make up!

@sepo said:

Yes of course. have a look here. http://www.suplugins.com/index.php?p=page&page_id=materials

sorry missed that you had wrote back, thanks for the link when ive got it running again ill give it a go, having some RAM trouble at the moment so just exporting the images you see here as jpegs straight from SU.

dolphus · 20 Nov 2009, 04:27

Very impressive keep it up

liam887 · 20 Nov 2009, 17:33

Having trouble rendering the whole ship so did it in different parts so its easier to see. Also created a low poly truss for long shot renders.

dolphus · 21 Nov 2009, 03:56

Looking very realistic (my opinion drop the shadow on the "floor) very good

liam887 · 21 Nov 2009, 15:46

Oh dont worry I will, these are only quick half renders to show the model, the ship isn't even textured yet for proper rendering.

liam887 · 22 Nov 2009, 17:21

Seem to have fixed my Memory issues so decided to try it on this beast, there was a lot of movement between SU and max for this so the geometry is tripled to what the SU file was. Anyway if I manage to render this then all should be well and I can carry on with the model. As for this shipyards model its been on the backburner for quite a while maybe ill get round to finishing it one day.

dolphus · 23 Nov 2009, 03:41

My mind boggles at the thought of my nemesis "Polly Count" galloping rampant around your shipyard...fantastic it is fun watching it grow may the force.....

liam887 · 25 Nov 2009, 13:27

Thanks dolphus,
anyway getting rid of all the windows and having a big one at the front under the airlock. Added a little bryce man for a scale comparison. It will have metal shutters that go over it but I havent modelled them yet trying to work out a mechanism that will work, maybe a camera like iris on the inside or some metal blades on the outside?!?
Getting snow leopard OS tomorrow a big strp up from tiger so ill be able to install windows xp or 7 on bootcamp and finally get 3dsmax2010 up and running for some sweet texturing and renders! Watch this space (...)

Note: green bryce should actually be upside down as the cylinder spins the roof is actually the floor (in space anyway) but thought andbody looking at the image would think it was confusing, hes only for scale anyway!

ENG. YASEEN · 27 Nov 2009, 22:12

@liam887 said:

Seem to have fixed my Memory issues so decided to try it on this beast, there was a lot of movement between SU and max for this so the geometry is tripled to what the SU file was. Anyway if I manage to render this then all should be well and I can carry on with the model. As for this shipyards model its been on the backburner for quite a while maybe ill get round to finishing it one day.

u have a v good render here

well done

liam887 · 27 Nov 2009, 23:27

Thanks!
I have to laugh tho, when the render was done I looked it over and noticed all the buildings in the shipyard where floating many meters off the ground! Dont know how I managed that, they are all grouped together you see still a shame tho, oh well!

liam887 · 30 Nov 2009, 00:06

Doh!managed to delete some of my work when I upgraded to OSX 10.6 from tiger .
Anyway the first image is what I had deleted a few days ago but since then ive rebuilt it slightly smaller but more detailed. Used marians shuttle for the basis of the second ships hull and little spaceman is by max grueter.
Working on the windows atm making them have depth and defining the frames to make them look more than just simple transparent geometry