Creating Units

[tobsa]

I'm thinking about creating units and was wondering how long does it usually take to create a unit??

 

[Wyrmshadow]

my personal record is less than 1 hour. But it took about 2 years of practice to get that quick for a simple aircraft. Some poeple take days or weeks. It all depends on how quickly you can learn the steps to use a 3d program, animate your unit, and then learn how to follow the steps from images to a finished unit. It takes many many programs and lots of mistakes along the way.

 

[Bjornlo]

It varies greatly.
How important is quality? How detailed is the unit? How animated? Are you going to make the model or just animate it?
Is it a cut and paste (paint program) or a 3d program?

Also the longer you have to work at it without a break, the faster it goes.
And of course the longer you do it, the better you get.

 

[Wyrmshadow]

Its a very vague and open ended question. You need to look through the tutorials on this forum before you can get an idea of a proper question to ask.

It's like asking how to drive a race car when you haven't learned how ride a bike yet.

 

[tobsa]

Well, I have downloaded OpenFx and starting to read the tutorials I found here on CFC. So far it works pretty good.
I usually play civ3 without animations on, must I still animate the unit or is it enough just model the unit?

 

[Wyrmshadow]

No, it can be a static unit if you want, but that's not very fun. If you just want a single frame then it takes no time at all, maybe 30 minutes if you know what you're doing. But you won't have any fans for single frame units with no animation.

 

[Bjornlo]

Animation is the difference between boring and cool. I spend 10-20% of my time modeling (makeing stuff). 10-20% of my time playing with the colors (palette) and most of the time animating. Not that I am some great expert, I've only made 4 total.
I did a fairly simple unit first, then got more complex. Stay with simple hard-surface units (vehicles) to start with. Pick stuff you like. It is more fun that way.


OpenFX is used by alot of people, so it is no doubt a good place to start. I know several guys who are star wars fans are just getting their teeth into this.

 

[tobsa]

But if i never use animations isn't animate the unit pretty useless? And I don't think I'm going to be able to create units which are so good that other people wants them.

 

[Bjornlo]

I suppose it depends on why you create these units and who they are for.
If you plan to share, you should strive to get to a decent quality level even if it is hard. I do.
If you plan to keep it private, then your own needs alone should dictate what you want to make.

Personally, I prefer to spend the time to get things right... even if that means I have to be humble enough to remake a unit I just finished.
But that is what works for me. Decide for yourself how you wish to procede. I made a few very ugly practise units first just to see how stuff worked.

 

[tobsa]

The units I want to create are only for me because I seriosly doubt someone want these units I'm about to create.