Dead space Marker – Jiří Zemko

Author: Jiří Zemko

Introduction

The main reason why I’ve choosen to create model of this project is because I’ve done it earlier in 3DsMAX and I wanted to see the different approach with this parametrical modeling. Also it’s interesting artifact from game Dead Space with nice-looking curvature that is good shape for parametrical modeling.

Field of Colored Markers

TUTORIAL:

Step 1: Creating guide spiral

First we need create points for the spiral. Best way to do so are the polar defined points, cause we use angle and distance to create spiral. We need range of angles and range of distances, where we use graph mapper because of unusual shape. The more steps for points we use, the more precise then the shape would be, but we don’t need much. Then we just move all the points in to space and interpolate the guide curve.

Spiral with graphmapper

We will also need second guideline because of these 2 “tentacles” which we will mirror with function rotate and move to align curves next to each other.

mirrorring spiral

Step 2: Creating base section shape

To create it we need first create the base planes with tool Prep Frames on the guide spirals. Here we use for example 16 frames which are best, in my opinion, to capture the original shape. These frames will be the future notches.

Now from every base plane we get also base point from where we shall begin our modeling of section shape, of course with polar points also. First we need to create points, that defines end of curves, then from them we continue to create lines for prependicular notch on the shape and arcs, where we will need vectors to define the curvature. I mostly work with curvature just at a guess.

We also need to graft then all the lines when we join them each in to 1 shape. If we will not do so, the shapes will not be in order and next steps won’t work properly.

base section shape

Step 3: Scaling and rotating

Now we need to scale each of shapes also by graph mapper, that symbolise the cross section of the shape. It’s very similar to the graph mapper from the beginning where we defined shape of guideline. When we will be creating range for this, we will need the same count as we have frames (identical number with the component from PrepFrame), but we need it doubled, so we add 1 more defining domain to create additional branch.

Scaling of tentacles

Now we rotate our shapes and as base plane we use our guide planes, that we got from PrepFrame. There is our advantage from using polar coordinates.

Rotation of shapes

Step 4: Creating notches

First, we need to split our list of shapes into 2, 1 tentacle each, so we use number for split the number of frames +1. Same thing we do with the points from center of rotation, that we will use as center of scaling for our notches. For each list of shapes we do the same: First we move them a little bit (I used 0,2 units on z) and then scale both of shapes (I used factor of scaling 0,8) to create the wireframe version of the notch.

wireframe notches

Step 5: Loft

For the notches we can use simply tool Loft, but first we need to graft them (so they will not to try create 1 big shape). The rest of the surface we need to shift list of the bigger shapes so it will create surface between the notches and not over them. Also good is to use Boundaries on bigger shapes to fill the space between notches.

surface

Step 6: Array and coloring

Now we can color the single marker and try to make it closest to origin (different color for notches and for rest of surface), or we can continue and try to make array of markers with different colors.

Colored Marker

We simply create array of markers and using guide rectangle (I used lenght and width about 20 units between). Then we create attractor points for characterising the values of RGB colors. I choosed to create them evenly spreaded into whole array. Again using polar points to easily adjust it by number of cells that define whole array. Now we collect values of distances from each (tool BrepClosestPoint) of the shape to each of attractors, then we must remap them and we get the values for RGB. I only did it for array 4×4, because more of shapes were too much for my laptop.