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Ferrari Testarossa WIP - Car modelling for games

Hi, polycount! It's been a while since I posted anything.

I'm trying my hand at car modelling with my aim set on creating something that could be worthy of a AAA racing game like NFS Rivals or DiRT Showdown. The car I've chosen to model is a Ferrari Testarossa.

Here's some of my references.

s61q.jpg

And here's where I'm at.

vrew.jpg

36j2.jpg

My goal with this thread, besides feedback and critique, is I'm also hoping there might be someone with experience of car modelling for games. I have really no idea what the wireframe of an ingame car model should look like in a modern AAA racing game and most tutorials I've found seem to focus on production for films and advertisement where I presume polycount isn't an issue as long as the model looks good.

What I've managed to understand is that normal maps are a no go, other than tiling details and that the polycount will therefore have to be quite high, at least for close up models.
My modelling technique right now is mainly just focused on getting the main shapes down using smooth mesh previews in Maya. I'm planning to subdivide them after I'm pleased with the big shapes, deleting and adding geometry where necessary.

Any feedback, critique and insight would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • Nosslak
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    Nosslak polycounter lvl 12
    The extrusion outwards over the back wheel that extends all the way to the end of the door need to be a lot curvier from the sideview. Looking at your model it looks like said part is pretty much flat from the sideview which doesn't seem to match the references at all.

    Other than that I can't see any obvious problems problems (that are not just WIP stuff like the wheels). Great job so far.
  • DWalker
    FxzNI.jpg

    This video, [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTFMZTYGrWk"]Forza Motorsport 3 - Presenting the Bugatti Veyron - YouTube[/ame], is from the developer and they (eventually) talk about how they created the model and show some wireframes - although I doubt you can use their method of laser-scanning an actual car (unless yours is handy, of course...)

    Normal maps are certainly used on the cars; one of the artists has a blog post at http://jonathangeorge3d.blogspot.com/ where he briefly discusses his work on the cars. You might be able to contact him for further information.
  • oskarreftel
    I see what you mean, Nosslak. I think part of it could be the perspective in the screenshots but I also noticed that the sideview reference I'm using doesn't fit perfectly with the actual measurements of the chassi together with the wheelbase and track. Looking at real life photos, it seems there should be some more curviness so I've tried making some small adjustments only using photo reference.

    uy80.jpg

    I really should look over the measurements though, before It's too late to do anything about it without too much hazzle.

    Thanks for those refs, DWalker! That wireframe is super smooth, yet a lot of loops are cut off with great precision where they intersect with others. Like around the headlights and doors. I think I might have to rethink my modelling workflow, as I'm getting trouble controlling the smoothness of the body around the sharp edges. Look below to see what I mean.

    ck8h.jpg
    8oi0.jpg

    Maybe I'd get a better result if I didn't actually carve out the space for the back wheel and that hole in the side of the door before I've subdivided that smooth mesh preview? But it might be a tough break if I would have to change any of the big shapes later on? Still, looking at that wireframe you gave me makes me think that might be the way to go?

    Thanks for the help guys! :)
  • oskarreftel
    I tested the workflow of cutting in the sharpest shapes after subdividing. The results were quite good but it seems obvious that this should be done only after the big shapes are down. I also had quite some difficulty getting Maya's boolean operations to work, hence the holes in the final mesh, but I guess that's just something I'll have to live with. :)

    8qy9.jpg

    And a comparison:

    tjqy.jpg
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