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vgo · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject: BMW E30

Started to model a car for my project. It's based on the BMW E30 300-series car from the 80's.

My goal is to model the different variations too, like the original, the face-lift, the M3 and the MTech 1-2 versions.

Here's what it should look like when I'm done (this is -89 325i original MTech2) :

Bigger picture

Here's what I have now:

Solid

Wireframe

The model is 178 polygons, but I'll try to shave a few from it. I'll probably make also a very low poly version and high poly versions of all car parts to use in different situations.

As you can see, there's still a few problems with it. Some vertices are a bit off and there's lighting errors...

This is my very first attempt in any serious modelling, I just hope that I can finish it, but it'll take time because I'm working on my game engine and other stuff too at the same time. The reason why I started to model the car myself was that I couldn't find a good model anywhere, all I found were either too high or too low poly, besides I need all the different body variations and M3 seems to be the most common, there's a very few (none?) models of the original pre-facelift stock version...

Any hints, tips and comments will be very useful. Smile

Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:54 pm Post subject:

Looks good already for your first serious attempt. The lighting "errors" may appear in the solid view, but try to lightmap the model, probably it's just odd rendering (or odd normal smoothing).
One hint though, reduce the grid size. When you build a model like this, you won't probably need the grid at all. You can also hide the grid in the 3D view. Somehow.
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vgo · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject:

The grid is already as small as I can set it. Smile

And I really need the grid, at least in the other views, I have background pictures as reference, but I still have to pop out every now and then to have a look on the cars, maybe I should move my PC into the garage to have a good 3D reference all the time. Wink

Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:46 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I meant smaller like "less lines". Is it really necessary to have that huge amount of lines all over your views? I mean, it's your thing, I would just feel very disturbed by this. Especially when you'll have hundreds of polygons overlapping in 2D views, you'll be glad for every rendered line less.
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vgo · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:39 pm Post subject:

I use the grid to place the initial vertices over the background image to get the basic shape, then I start finetuning it, still using the grid. When I'm happy with the overal look of things then I make the grid larger and turn off the snap to grid for the objects that I'm editing.
But in some situations I find it easier to use the grid all the time to make adjustments to the model, or maybe I'm just such a control greak. Very Happy

EDIT: Started working on the hood. Well, at least a half of it. Very Happy

Solid big

Wire big

Putting together these two halves I got almost the whole front end of the car! Smile

Next I'm gonna work on the grille and front bumper. It's getting easier to make minor adjustments to look it better when I can actually see more of the car... Razz

vgo · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject:

Another update, more work on the front end, now it's starting to look like a Beemer. Well, at least a little bit. Rolling Eyes

Solid/lightmapped big

Wire big

Once I get the bumper done I'll try to fix all those ugly dents and detail errors...

Polycount is at 348 now.

Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject:

This is a really great start, vgo. Looking forward to the final result Smile

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vgo · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks! It's coming along a lot better than I ever hoped for...

Merged two halves, welded some vertices etc. Polycount 348 and after triangulation 1304. Maybe a bit too many for a low poly car, but I'm trying to aim for ~6000 and definitely under 10000 for the whole car. Guess I'll see what I can get when I've finished the one side of the car... Razz

Solid/lightmapped big

Wire big

Paul-Jan · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:

Nice, to my untrained eyes that wireframe shot looks like a very clean model! Good job!

Jeroen · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

That looks terrific already! Very Happy

trucker2000 · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:04 am Post subject:

It looks reallly good.
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vgo · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:17 pm Post subject:

Added a crude bumper sort of thing...

Solid/lightmapped big

Wire big

Now I need to start on the finetuning, try to smooth out all those ugly dents and such. I already worked on the hood and it's a lot better, also added on it the line between fender/hood, not sure if I'll leave it that way or just use a texture to mask it...

Polycount 458 and rising! Very Happy

granada · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject:

Cool

,waiting to see the finished result.

Dave
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