Building the Classic USS ENTERPRISE in Lightwave (now released)

[gmd3d]

I started this tutorial around January 2011 and finished it originally to the month a year later, after much going back and forward while I learned to build this model using only the original tools you have at hand in lightwave when your first load lightwave into your PC or Laptop.

Building the Enterprise is not as easy as you would think and has a few areas that can test any modeler skill, I worked on some areas several times to get something right and once I found a way to get it done (for me the easiest way to introduce a new comer to lightwave modeling), I had to repeat the build again and take images to show the process again.




This Tutorial has been released and revised 19/04/2012 and is now been uploaded into the Downloads section, Remember to access the Downloads you need to have more the 5 posts to access.

Or you can find it on my Blog here.


I set out to keep this as a record of how I build the Enterprise and as an aid to
myself.

I am just getting to the end of my work on the Secondary Hull (difficult)
and I thought it would be time to put some of it out there and see what
happens.

I decided on a few requirements for this for new modeller.
1. I targeted new lightwave users and make it as easy as possible.
2. Only native tools that are standard in Lightwave 9.6 (no plugins).
3. Building it the best way I could think for a new modeller to learn
his or her way around lightwave.

I would like to thank the following

Jennifer DeSalle: aka VK08:
For her guidance and invaluable modeling advise and help
Dan Baran: aka Fretslayer:
For all his support during the build
Alain Rivard: aka Al3d:
For advise given and a look at how its ready done.
Greg Charest: aka Mikala:
For his support and advise
Haveke:
For proofreading.
Pernik:
For giving it a shot
Prologic9:
For sharing his model of the Enterprise
Acidstorm:
For his help and support
Chris Martin: aka evil_genius_180:
For his work on the Enterprise which can be found here in the download area and his tutorial
Scifieric:
For his work on the Enterprise and tutorial in Blender giving me a new approach
Auditor:
For his additional help and feed back

Without their help I would never have finished.
***************************************************************************

[evil_genius_180]

Have you tried Dropbox or some such software or site where you can store sites online? It's free and you can post a link to the file here.

[gmd3d]

I have looked at megaupload and rapidshare .

but I have not heard of Dropbox .. I will look into that, thanks Chris

[evil_genius_180]

No problem. Dropbox comes with one of the Linux distributions that I have installed, that's how I've heard of it. The guy who runs the distribution also uploaded his releases there while we were testing it, that's how I know you can post DL links for people.

[gmd3d]

great I will have a look at that asap.

I am working on the 14th chapter at the moment.

I hope to finish that tomorrow at the latest and finish with the warp engines over the weekend. I have family coming to visit and that will keep me away from LW for at least 2 weeks

[Auditor]

Bummer. Been looking forward to this but I have LW8

[gmd3d]

Originally Posted by Auditor

Bummer. Been looking forward to this but I have LW8

It will work in Lightwave 8 too.... all the standard tools in Lightwave 8 are still used in Lightwave 9.

I will see about loading up asap.

[lexington1709]

I may give this a try... I suck in Modeler.

[gmd3d]

Welcome aboard lexington1701, I know your work from ScifiErics site, you are very welcome here.

[lexington1709]

Originally Posted by Taranis

Welcome aboard lexington1701, I know your work from ScifiErics site, you are very welcome here.

Thanks. I didn't know about this site until recently. If it's like Foundation, we be cool!

[gmd3d]

We are quieter then Foundation3d at the moment.

We have some ideas for the year ahead, real life this year has thrown use all a curve ball. (I have never played baseball lol).

I personally will be looking to build more original ships designs this year rather than Star Trek.

[gmd3d]

Thread reopened.

Present word count: 24,540.
Present image count: 633 and rising (included´s the backdrop images)
Present Chapter Count: 22.

[evil_genius_180]

I was trying to figure out why it was locked. (accident?)

This is a big undertaking, Ger. I look forward to seeing the finished product. I'll definitely have to activate a free LW trial and give it a go, even if that's the only thing I ever do in LW.

[gmd3d]

I locked it

I needed to decided on the direction I was taking the tutorial, remaining free or see about selling it., and make a little money.

Apart from the early chapters which will remain free and of course the blueprints which are not mine, but Charles Casimiros.

So I will add a tutorial about setting up the blueprints.

[evil_genius_180]

I would suggest trying to sell it. Most of the good LW tutorials are paid for anyway, you might as well join the party. Besides, people who use LW can apparently afford to spend $1,495 on the software, I'm sure they can shell out a few bucks (or whatever currency they use) for a tutorial.

[gmd3d]

Thanks for your support Chris

[Starship]

Good news Gerard! How the life is going?

[Auditor]

This makes me sad. I've been looking forward to this tutorial since I joined and the tutorial was announced.

I understand the assumption that lightwave users can afford it. But I for one can not. I have a divorce and a bankruptcy under my belt and haven't upgraded since LW 8 barely keeping a roof over my head and don't even have internet at home.

I understand profitting from your work and you should.

I hope this doesn't sound like an attack or anything. It's not meant to be. The comment about Lightwave users affording it just rubbed me wrong. And I bare You no ill feeling either.

[gmd3d]

Originally Posted by Auditor

This makes me sad. I've been looking forward to this tutorial since I joined and the tutorial was announced.

I understand the assumption that lightwave users can afford it. But I for one can not. I have a divorce and a bankruptcy under my belt and haven't upgraded since LW 8 barely keeping a roof over my head and don't even have internet at home.

I understand profitting from your work and you should.

I hope this doesn't sound like an attack or anything. It's not meant to be. And I bare You no ill feeling either.

No I don´t see it as an attack, not at all.

Like yourself, my finance's have not been rosy for over a year now as I have had little work.

But I am not talking about a lot of money either, I have never sold a tut before (and I need to find out if I even can with copy-write law. I don´t want Paramount breeding down my neck) lol. I talking about $30.00

But is I can sell it as a teaching aid, its a year of work,
working things out for new modellers with no additional plug-ins used to make it easier.

I have practically have relearned lightwave from the ground up
and I have learned things that have caused me problems at
the beginning.

If there is a problem with me selling it, it will be released as before free. I will do something else, tutorial wise that will give me the freedom to earn some much needed cash.

[gmd3d]

Originally Posted by Starship

Good news Gerard! How the life is going?

Life is going lol.

and for you, hope all goes well.

[gmd3d]

where the model stands now

[evil_genius_180]

That looks great, dude.

[gmd3d]

Thanks Chris .... you know better than many so that is high praise

[Auditor]

Looks great.

[gmd3d]

Thanks....... I have another chapter to go I think and that will be it,,
I also need to re edit it

[gmd3d]

Update: the model is finished after a year and one month.
the tutorial is not yet finished.













You can see updates on my new blog
http://taraniscgi.wordpress.com/2011...-model-part-3/


This is the first time I have finished this design and I an very happy with it.... I think its one of my best

[evil_genius_180]

Looking great, bro. I have Lightwave 10 now and I can't wait to try out this tutorial.

[gmd3d]

It uses only the basic tool for LW Chris...... LW should have no trouble at all.

VK08 who is a super Lightwave modeller (leaves me standing when it come to modelling has been proofreading as I work and speaks well of the tutorial as it stands.)

I have a few more things to do with it before its ready.

[Starship]

Originally Posted by Taranis

self, my finance's have not been rosy for over a year now as I have had little work.

But I am not talking about a lot of money either, I have never sold a tut before (and I need to find out if I even can with copy-write law. I don´t want Paramount breeding down my neck) lol. I talking about $30.00

But is I can sell it as a teaching aid, its a year of work,
working things out for new modellers with no additional plug-ins used to make it easier.

I have practically have relearned lightwave from the ground up
and I have learned things that have caused me problems at
the beginning.

If there is a problem with me selling it, it will be released as before free. I will do something else, tutorial wise that will give me the freedom to earn some much needed cash.

Hope that the finances ballance keeps better in the new year.

About seeling the tut, I don´t think you´ll have a problem. You won´t sell the Enterprise, but a tutorial focused on Lightwave in which you explain the use of the tools of that application. The Enterprise is just a sample.
There are tuts like this out there: http://simplylightwave.com/lightwave...and-texturing/, which costs U$ 39.00.
So, U$ 30.00 isn´t that much. Maybe you can announce your tut in the same site I posted above. Good luck!

[gmd3d]

Yes I agree and that around the price I will be selling it for.

I have forgotten that site thanks ...... I will look into that.

I need to look into the texturing too, but I will stencil the registry to finish the modelling segment and then the textures.