Render Tutorial

[schlurbi]

Rendering your Ship - Autodesk 3ds

Now the heavier Part of the Tutorial. Start up Autodesk. For me, it takes quite a While, so be prepared. Once it is open you import the OBJ File you've just created by going to Files -> Import. Now you'll have to open the File you've created, it'll be where ever you have saved it. Once you've found and opened it a new Window will pop up.

Normally you just press Import to import the Ship. But I like to explain what you can see in that Window. All the original Ships are made out of several Parts. If you wish to render a Ship which was made for Discovery, let's take the Jinkusu for an Example, you will only see one large Part. That's also the Reason why only original Ships explode into several Pieces, lose Wings and open when you drop Cargo.

Once you've clicked on Import the Ship will be displayed and should look like this.



Now you will see, like in Milkshape four Windows. Three of them show the Sabre in a Wireframe Model from different Sides. To make it easier you should stretch the Window with the textured Sabre and maximize it.



Moving the Ship

On the Top right you will notice a Cube with a Circle around it. Using that Cube you can spin the Camera around the Sabre. Using the Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out. You can also select each Side and the Camera will center onto it. By clicking onto "Back" the Camera will move in front of the Sabre.

You can either use this Tool to position the Camera or you can spin the Sabre by itself. You can spin the Ship by selecting "Select and Rotate". Once you've clicked it a Ball will appear inside the Sabre. Using this Ball you can spin the Sabre into several directions. Each line on the Ball shows you in which Direction you can spin the Ship. Just click and hold the Line, then move your Mouse. The Number, which is appearing shows you how many Degrees you are spinning it. NOTE: Ne careful to select all the Sabre Parts. Otherwise you'd have a messed up Sabre.

If you only wish to move the Ship select "Select and Move". Now a Box will appear inside the Sabre and each Arrow on the Box shows you in which Direction you can move the Ship. It works just like the spinning does.

Changing Texture

Sometimes you'll have to change the Texture a bit. You'll have to adjust it and sometimes even change or add Colours. You've probably noticed already that the Sabre's Cockpit is messed up. Just press M to open the Texture Menu.

You'll see different Balls with all the Textures. You'll see, they are all the Textures which are placed on the Sabre. Just select the Cockpit's Glass Texture, which should be called "bw_glass".



In this Window you can see various Settings for the Texture, but we are only interested in the Opacity of that Texture. Changing it to something between 40 and 50% should make the Texture look like Glass.



Now we can finish the Render, move the Ship or the Camera you like and make it look awesome. Something like this for Example.



Now, to get the Render Progress started, press F10 and a new Window will open.

I will not explain much about Dynamic Renders with different Settings of Light and other Stuff like that. I never use that anyway and it is not required to make an awesome Picture. What's important is the middle Section. Here you can change the Size of your Picture. I normally use 800x600, which is enough for a Signature. Of course you can do larger Images for Desktop Backgrounds or Wallpapers. For the Tutorial I will now use 640x480.

If you've chosen your Size, click on render. Now another Window will open. Now it is only important to change the Image. It will always preview how it will look like. To save the Image just go to the "Save Image" Button on the left Side and enter your File Name and Destination. NOTE: You will always have to choose which File Type you want, I suggest taking PNG Format, since it allows Transparency and delivers a good Quality. Writing .png of your File Name will instantly save it as PNG.

Now you're done and allowed to close Autodesk. Just like in Milkshape, you do not need to save it, but if your are working something like a Formation, which required a lot of spinning, moving and texture work I suggest saving it.

Now you've got your Image which should look like this

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"Who is it doing this synthetic type of alpha beta psychedelic funkin'?"