Samples of 3D coasters, & what to look for in Big Thunder Mountain recreation

[Coasterking1]

Here are just two of the models I have worked on, so you can see what BTM may look like if you use your imagination. Enjoy!

 

[Fossil]

I really like the coaster...very creative, but i can't picture it as Big Thunder Mountain. Very nice!

 

[CrashNet]

ok

I'm dumbfounded.

What program did you use? MAX? That looks SO good. I'm jealous. How exactly did you do that?

 

[The_CEO]

Yes what program DID you use??

 

[NowInc]

Thats 3DSMax all the way...you can tell by the uneven shading caused by MAXs sub-level shadow capabilities. (which is fixed in version 5)...good job...im impressed

 

[Main Street USA]

i, too, am quite impressed. very nice work there.

and, fossil, i think he meant you could pisture what his version of big thunder might look like, not that that particular coaster is supposed to be big thunder

 

[NowInc]

Being the annoying little gremlin that I am..im going to give some advice (I know you didnt ask it..and they are more of "suggestions" than anything else)..

As you notce..a lot of your coaster is in the dark..which stands out against a sky background..since..being outdoors..it would be lit from all sides..so technically..no part of it would be in pitch black darkness...

Add a few more lights from different angles (or add some ambient light)..what this will do is make those "black" areas DARK...so they are still visibile without looking like there is only one light..

Alternativly...you can set up a skybox rig or set up HDRI, then you wouldnt need ANY lights..but the sacrifice would be heavy render times...

I'll post examples of the above technique tommorow if I have time so you can see what I mean...

 

[DigitalDisney]

As a side question (completely unrelated), I see that you chose a B&M style coaster, but is it a real coaster, or a fantasy design? I can't place that layout with any real coaster. It looks vaguely like Batman Dark Knight up in SFNE, but there are a couple key features missing.

 

[disney2b]

yeah it does look like Batman Dark Night,differen t colors though i think

 

[Coasterking1]

First off just want to say...WOW, thanks for those nice comments. DIGITALDISNEY, your on the right track with batman dark knight, but it is my own creation(imaginary). NOWINC I will be adding a few more omni lights/effects. this project is not complete yet, but thanks for the suggestions. I would love to tell you all how I did it, but it is way too long of a process, and besides, unless you know cg language most of you wouldn't understand anyway,(please don't take that the wrong way) but a quick version is Lofting rectangle/circles along a spline line(path) and modifying that. If interested, please go out and buy a book to understand, and I would be more than happy to help any with questions that have a general understanding of the terminology I would use. However, this stuff isn't easy and also not fun. It takes many many many(can't stress that word enough) hours to complete a rollercoaster model, let alone animate it. when working in cg programs ya kinda feel like this guy>:hammer: ! Look later tonight for somemore renderings I will make of other coasters...Later all!

 

[CrashNet]

I knew it!

I had a feeling it was the same geometry that followed a lofted path! My only problem is how in the world you managed to get it to look so good! My attempts turn into these wild blocky looking things. I guess I need to keep practicing huh. Looking forward to the new screens tonight! Keep up the EXCELLENT WORK! By the way, what CG school do you go to and how familiar are you with maya?

 

[DCA Fan]

Well done in both of your renderings (This and the other topic). I'd love to have the time to do this type of stuff.

 

[NowInc]

MAX's modifers are probobly the only thing I like about the program..it does help in the assistance of making coasters...

Here is an example of what I was talking about earlier (for those who didnt understand)...this is a pic with just ONE light...notice how the back of the object is completly black. in real life..this wouldnt happen..since everything (by nature) is reflective and would bounce light...

 

[NowInc]

and this is an example of a few more lights added to illuminate everyting else evenly...it only added 5 seconds to the render time...and it makes a TON of difference...

 

[Coasterking1]

cac2889, Making a coaster look good is the hard part, practice is the best thing...trust me it took me yrs of trial and error before I came up with my "formula" if you will for creating coasters. I am not too familiar with maya, as we just took a glance at it this past semester, but next semester we will be using that and soft image. to fix that "blocky" look like you say there is a modifier in max for the loft. it's called "Path Steps", and "Shape Steps". when you loft change these and it will smooth out the rails and spine, however to get the blocky effect like in a B&M you need a modifier that will set the path steps evenly, in max it's called normalize spline. so many things to say, but not enough time. I'd say buy a book and try everything you possibly can and you'll get your formula too. I also wanted to share with everyone that I am working on Mantis from Cedar Point as well, so here is a pic(no rails/ties/ground/backround...just the begining).(I know I have too many projects at one time) Thanks again for all of your good words about my work, it is greatly appreciated. NOWINC, please post you Splash Mountain, I am dying to see it. Later!

 

[CrashNet]

Thanks

That last picture you put up REALLY helps me. Now I think I know exactly what I'm doing wrong, and it IS on the lines of what you described in your last post. Sorry for all the questions, but your speaking to a person who has had no professional training of anykind. I'll mess with these findings and see what I can come up with. I'll post a picture of what I did and you can tell me what you think. Keep up and the good work!


Oh yeah, WHERE DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL!!!!!:lol:

 

[CrashNet]

Ok

This is kind of embarassing, but i'll post it anyway. Here's my lame 10 minute (and I mean 10 minute) attempt at part of a rollercoaster. Coasterking1, NowInc, let me know, after your done laughing , what I need to improve. I know already one thing I need to do and thats improve the number of vertexes for a smoother look. Oh yeah, I couldn't get the loft to twist with the layout of the track either. But I took a ten minute try at it so I didn't really think about it to much. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[The_CEO]

For 10 minutes thats not a bad attempt Chris.. Yes more Vertices would make it look smoother.. It eventually will need more lighting effects and supports.. But im surprised u did THIS well on your *first* Try.. I dont know if it is your * first* try... But it looks good so far... Just work on the " flow" of the coaster...

~ Justin

 

[NowInc]

Re: Ok

Originally posted by cac2889
This is kind of embarassing, but i'll post it anyway. Here's my lame 10 minute (and I mean 10 minute) attempt at part of a rollercoaster. Coasterking1, NowInc, let me know, after your done laughing , what I need to improve. I know already one thing I need to do and thats improve the number of vertexes for a smoother look. Oh yeah, I couldn't get the loft to twist with the layout of the track either. But I took a ten minute try at it so I didn't really think about it to much. Let me know what you guys think.

First attempt...10 minutes...not bad

in maya i presume?

to make the track "bank" and bend the way you want..add a bend or twist modifer If i feel ambitious tommorow..i'll make a tutorial on this for you tommorow...its actually really easy..

 

[CrashNet]

Actually

Thanks. For a first attempt I guess it is pretty good. That was actually done in max. I'm not savy enough yet in maya (completely new to me) to do that. I'll see what I can do with the twist modifier, but I tried that once before and it applied the twist modifier to the entire loft. Maybe it will work if I add a "convert to editable mesh" modifier?