Ratha (Indian Chariot) Project

[Takhisis]

Erm, yeah, checking through my files, it was... on April the 4th...

*cough, cough*

Anyway, I sat through another you-know-what exam today and have a few day's worth of free time. So if you need me to do any parts that are missing/incomplete, either post here or PM me.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Erm, yeah, checking through my files, it was... on April the 4th...

*cough, cough*

Anyway, I sat through another you-know-what exam today and have a few day's worth of free time. So if you need me to do any parts that are missing/incomplete, either post here or PM me.

Between getting slammed by unexpectedly having my final a week early and the cancellation of the weekly intern meeting my weekend is suddenly free. Keep hitting me with that cattle prod. srsly.

 

[Takhisis]

This is a thread about India, so I'll use a thematic goad instead:

Spoiler :

 

[Takhisis]

Prodding you again for good measure.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Here's the analysis. The annotations are (hopefully) clear enough:

Modeling issues:

Spoiler :

I think the simplest solution is to re-size the chattra cover so that the pillars don't protrude.

Aesthetics

Spoiler :

I suggest shifting the chattra back since it gives the archer a wider aiming / firing angle.

 

[Takhisis]

Modelling:
The shafts will be shortened in a while.
The chattra will simply be enlarged.
The indentations are missing faces that have somehow been deleted, apparently.

Æsthetics: the lip will be deleted, unless you want me to make a hole in it; the chattra can be moved easily (it's not part of the main chariot frame); the s can be done bit tinkering a bit with the proportional fallout.

 

[Takhisis]

*reserving post for status updates*.

{00:23 GMT}
OK, I think the chariot is a bit too long, first of all.

{00:30GMT}
I've moved the chattra:



I think it's OK; now I'll hide them pillars.

{00:54 GMT}
I've had a slight delay. Anyway, I have first turned to removing the 'lip'.


{01:17 GMT}
Pillars shifted.

Maybe they'd be better if they were cylinders instead of prisms.

OK, I'm going for a break. I'll finish later tonight. Or, more likely, tomorrow.

Comments, so far?

 

[Blue Monkey]

Æsthetics: the lip will be deleted, unless you want me to make a hole in it

Losing it is fine. I think a minor one would be invisible at game scale. So keep it simple.

OK, I think the chariot is a bit too long, first of all.
I've moved the chattra:

The shorter ratha looks okay from the top view. The charioteer will actually stand a little more forward to steer than you have the paperdoll. So there should be plenty of room for the archer to do his work. Which is my primary concern. The placement of the chattra also looks just right from the top view.

I've had a slight delay. Anyway, I have first turned to removing the 'lip'.

Leaving some curve in (as you show) and also making the top edge curve down should look very nice.

Pillars shifted.

Maybe they'd be better if they were cylinders instead of prisms.

Sounds good to me - as long as they blend in to the things they touch rather than oddly poking out.

You work a lot faster than I can check email/posts for the next couple of days. But I think you're definitely making my original vision come true. So keep on doing what you do so well.

 

[Takhisis]

It's not a shorter ratha, compare both to their grids, -those are thumbnails of larger images- and you'll see they're the same.

 

[Blue Monkey]

It's not a shorter ratha, compare both to their grids, -those are thumbnails of larger images- and you'll see they're the same.

I see what you mean. Why such a difference in the size of the screenshot?

 

[Takhisis]

I screwed up in GIMP (I cropped two screenshots with different sizes) and I had already modified the model when I noticed, I didn't want to start undoing actions to redo the screenie.

 

[Takhisis]

OK, shafts're practically solved. I don't dare move them further as I think it'd make them protrude on the outer side.



I don't think it'll show in the civ-scale renders, but if you like I'll put a small lid or cover on top of it

ADDED

I have changed the pillars into cylinders, IMHO they look much better -compare with square pillars on the pic above-:



All that remains to be done is the 'lazy ess' for the side walls.

 

[Blue Monkey]

The round pillars look better. As long as they don't protrude from the roof sides they're fine.

 

[Takhisis]

Almost there...



Already done half the curve. Will post when done. Any comments in between?
All rendered as solid, of course. Set Smooth might help, but I don't think it'll be necessary.

And the pillar doesn't protrude.

 

[Takhisis]

I attempted a rotation to get a feel of what it should look like.



Would something on the lines of this ^ do the trick? I have to do some subdividing but I think it could work. I have to find the right axis of rotation as well as the right number of subdivs.

 

[Takhisis]

I rather think I like this one.



All that needs to be done is to either shift or remove the hump which used to accompany the pillars and has now been left behind. Which would you have me do?

 

[Blue Monkey]

It's getting there. I know it's early days. Ultimately the whole thing should curve (in a wiggly way) from the posts to the back. And it's okay to bring it all the way down to the floor - whatever makes your work easier. Remember the scale it's going to end up at. What looks rough big will smooth out small. So you can accomplish a lot without going too crazy on subdivisions. Take a look at this sword of mine my instructor posted. What look like smooth holes are hexagons. And that image is larger than a 'pedia icon.

 

[Blue Monkey]

Previous post written while you were posting. The curve is great. Ideally:

• Shift the hump a little & smooth so it slopes on the front edge rather than becoming abruptly flat.
• Bring the back down to the floor.

Other than that it's awesome. Assuming the anomaly on the bottom is corrected it'll be ready for texture mapping.

 

[Blue Monkey]

You're really capturing the spirit of the rathas in the heroic epics.

 

[Takhisis]

I've smoother the hump out for the time being (delete+re-extrude)
whoops! forgot the pic