iMac G5

[iGeek]

I bought A:M at Macworld a few years ago, and have just recently really started putting it through its paces. This after having graduated from Amorphium 1.0. So, after a few started and abandoned projects, I decided to build an iMac G5. I went all out and actually finished this one. Doing so helped me learn a lot of shortcuts and techniques, such as material creation and Boolean cutters. Have a look and tell me what you think. I've posted a movie of the iMac spinning on a mirror on my iDisk, along with the project and all its resources so you can see what I did. I apologize in advance for the 5 or so Boolean cutters that I should have modeled in, but it seems to have worked alright. You can download them from http://homepage.mac.com/igeek1/FileSharing11.html. Have fun messing with it. If anyone can figure out a better way to do the ports on the back please tell me. I didn't quite get them right. Cheers,

 

-Zev Eisenberg

 

P.S. In case any potential employers are reading this, I'm 16 and I did this entirely from scratch by myself.

[iGeek]

I had to enter some text to post this image. w00t

[D.Joseph Design]

I think that the bevels should be larger. It just looks too sharp.

[iGeek]

I think that may be mostly the render. If you look at the real thing, it is quite sharp. Download the project and look at side.tga up close. It's really big. Thanks for the quick response!

 

-Zev

[jesshmusic]

looks good! You should have A:M on the desktop! Are you going to model the keyboard and mouse also?

[iGeek]

oooo, A:M on the desktop... Great idea! I'll do something like that when I've got a bit of free time. I've gotta run now, be back later. As for the keyboard/mouse, that will have to wait for a rainy day. Or not. Are there any tricks I should know for the individual keys? Or will I just have to copy and paste a lot and find a good rotoscope image from Apple's PR website? Maybe I'll do that tomorrow if I have a bit of time. Thanks for the comments!

 

-Zev

[KNBits]

Hey it is looking great, but I think you should put it in a cho with proper lighting and minimum environment to do justice to your modeling and texturing. Then we'll see how it really turn. Also I suggest a render with at least 16 passes, 25 is even better, and with shadows turn on.

[iGeek]

I'm still new to lighting game. What would you recommend? I'm not very familiar with the advanced lighting stuff, just the different properties and types of lights. I'll start setting something up, though. I might try to mimic one of Apple's shots if I find a good one.

 

-Zev

 

edit: Wait, you mean turn it in a new environment? Should I slow down the spin? The one I posted made a full turn in 40 frames. I rendered it with 16 passes and 20% motion blur. It took about 15 hours give or take. But I've got time. By the way, is the metal for the stand OK? It's not exactly the same as the real thing. Close enough?

[gschumsky]

Nice job! Looks like one to me. The ports are the hardest part as far as I'm concerned. When the iMac G3 (the lamp model) came out I did one in AM as well..they were using it for the ArcticPigs demo. All the holes in the top were booleans, as well as the vents in the bottom. The problem I had was doing the ports too. So I just left them out, although when I have time I may go back and either try to model them, or just use booleans as well (mind if I use the one's you did for this??).

 

When I get the chance I'll post it as well.

 

Keep up the good work (so you're 16. Some of the most talented people I know were just as when we were growing up..just wait to see what you're capable of when you hit 40!).

 

Greg

[iGeek]

although when I have time I may go back and either try to model them, or just use booleans as well (mind if I use the one's you did for this??).

 

Which ones? My ports aren't booleans. They're sleazy bump maps. Download it and see for yourself. I didn't understand how bump maps worked, so I thought they would actually cut themselves out. After I learned that they're just an illusion, I tried displacement. Didn't work. What was I doing wrong? As for your holes and vents, why didn't you just use a transparency map to cut some holes? Or am I not understanding you? As I recall, the iMac G4 (you meant that, yes?) has hundreds of holes. You saying you modeled them all in reverse? *whistles* So, yeah, thanks for the comments so far, everyone. And see if you can't fix those pesky ports. I really don't feel like modeling a bunch of plugs that will be seen by their absence. I've gotta go now. It's past my bedtime

 

-Zev

[gschumsky]

although when I have time I may go back and either try to model them, or just use booleans as well (mind if I use the one's you did for this??).

 

Which ones? My ports aren't booleans. They're sleazy bump maps. Download it and see for yourself. I didn't understand how bump maps worked, so I thought they would actually cut themselves out. After I learned that they're just an illusion, I tried displacement. Didn't work. What was I doing wrong? As for your holes and vents, why didn't you just use a transparency map to cut some holes? Or am I not understanding you? As I recall, the iMac G4 (you meant that, yes?) has hundreds of holes. You saying you modeled them all in reverse? *whistles* So, yeah, thanks for the comments so far, everyone. And see if you can't fix those pesky ports. I really don't feel like modeling a bunch of plugs that will be seen by their absence. I've gotta go now. It's past my bedtime

 

-Zev

Ohhhhh. I thought your ports were booleans...good idea nonetheless. Yes, all the vent holes are booleans. I didn't think about using transparency maps because when a boolean cuts into something, it also provides depth (thus giving thr case a little more meat than would be with just the splineage). As far as the holes, I made one cutter and duplicated it a lot. Not hundreds, I think it was more like 50 or so.

 

As soon as I get the chance I'll post the model and some images.

 

Greg

[iGeek]

Update: I've set up a new chor. with some nice lights and a backdrop. My parents both being in theater they were able to offer their input. This render was 25 pass with Depth of Field and soft wide soft shadows. I've done some tweaks and am currently rendering a slower turn-around. It may be done in the next day or two. btw, gschumsky, feel free to use my bump maps and such. Why weren't displacement maps working for me? Oh, and I've posted an updated prj on my .Mac page for your enjoyment and such. Goodnight all.

 

-Zev

[gschumsky]

That's a lot better chor! Here are some images of the one I did a while back (low passes on the renders, that's why they're jaggedy).

 

I'd post the project, but it's 9 megs. Lemme see if I can find some space on my site.

[iGeek]

oooooooo, nice! If you zip the project it will be a lot smaller, especially if the decals/rotos are .tga, as they compress well. My iMac project is 21MB, and it zips down to under 4. If you email it to me I could put it on my iDisk. The render is still going. It's finished 34 of 80 at 320x240, 25 pass, and a tweaked version of the lighting rig above. Strangely, the time remaining, elapsed, and average, seem to have been confused. They are either blank or displaying, in the case of total elapsed, 429467286:4294967279:429496738 and counting up. Bug?

 

-Zev

[gschumsky]

Yeah it was 23 megs, and zipped a mere 9 megs..still too big to post here. If your email will handle a 9 meg file, I'd be happy to send it.

 

As far as the time feedback, what version of AM are you using? It could be a small bug feedback wise. I'd report it on AM reports and that way they's at least know about it.

 

Greg

[iGeek]

I'm using .Mac email- igeek1@mac.com. Try emailing it. We could also use AIM/ichat or I could give you my password and you could post it directly to my iDisk. I trust you. I'm using 10.5r8 for OS X, as I'm waiting for the 2005 disc to upgrade. It seems to happen only sometimes, and only when the screen dims because of energy saver. I'm not too worried. I'll try to replicate it when I get 11.1, etc. I've found some nice images of the wireless mouse and keyboard, so that's next when this render finishes. It's going slowly. About 20 frames left.

 

-Zev

[MiddleKid]

boy... this thread brings back some memories.

 

http://www.jgriffin.org/animation/iHopSmall.mov

 

I made this on a PowerBook G4 several years ago. I didn't model nearly as much detail as you two have done as I just wanted a simple model to animate.

 

The G5 is looking really nice! You might want to try giving the Mac something to reflect, to give it that super-slick Apple marketing look. I've gotten good results in the past by using some big, white planes set to 100% ambience... I suppose a reflection map would render faster though.

 

Later,

 

J

[Julian]

boy... this thread brings back some memories.

 

http://www.jgriffin.org/animation/iHopSmall.mov

Wow, that's really cute! I love the way the iMac is startled by the J falling over, and the dejected look it gives us at the end. I also like how you made sure its monitor casts a subtle blue glare on the ground. The only criticism I would give is that the way the iMac moves makes it look more like a basketball being dribbled instead of something hopping. Take a closer look at the way Luxo moves in the Pixar logo.

[iGeek]

Nice! And while we're on the subject, here are two that Pixar did. You know, those guys that use that other 3D app.... http://images.apple.com/movies/us/apple/ne...iMac_30_480.mov and http://images.apple.com/movies/us/apple/ne...iMac_15_480.mov, and also http://www.mab3d.com/images/quicktimepop02.html by someone else. Some very nice stuff. The render is still chugging away. I'm going back to bed now. 'night all

 

-Zev

[MiddleKid]

Nice! And while we're on the subject, here are two that Pixar did. You know, those guys that use that other 3D app....

Heh... Yeah, the "hire a bunch of programmers to build it for you" package.

 

I guess I'll just have to settle for what my measly $300 can buy me... (that's sarcasm guys)

[iGeek]

So true. Render is DONE!

25_pass_lighting.mov

[KNBits]

Nice spin!

 

Maybe I could participate to this mac hardware gathering... it is not finish yet as the stand is missing and the glass need adjustment, but it wouldn't be too long to do. Same address Igeek?

[iGeek]

lol nice. Is the decaling taken from a photo? It looks really good. If you mean my email address, igeek1@mac.com. w00t this is fun. I'd be working on the mouse and keyboard now, but my computer is tied up running drive maintenance.

 

-Zev

[KNBits]

Only what appear on screen is a decal, the rest is material. I like the way the "line" materal around the screen turn out.

 

Now, anyone wants to take a shot to a Powermac G5? Maybe we could do this as a team. It would be great to see how modelers can communicate and build a single object by working together.

[iGeek]

Yeah, the materials look nice. That's an interesting idea, collaborating on one model like that. How would it work? Would each person have a specific job, like one would model the boolean cutters for the ports, one would work on a material for the front grille (which I already have- look at the bottom of the iMac. That was taken from a G5 Desktop photo!), one would do the insides, etc.? Make it happen! Very cool idea. I'm tied up now rerendering my avatar and then building the mouse and keyboard, but I might have some free time at some point....

 

-Zev

[KNBits]

I never done something like this so I'll try to figure how it could work. Even if it never actually happen, I think it is an interesting topic that might be useful down the road. I'll search the Forum, and for online applications that offer a structure for that kind of project.

 

My first thought would be to find images, and references, and create some kind of "official G5 blue print", so everybody involved would have the same guide. I say 4 persons would make this a pleasant and not so demanding task. Three on modeling and one on texturing and lighting.

 

I'll check this out, and maybe I'll start a topic in the WIP section.

[iGeek]

There, I've got my avatar fixed. A bit of an improvement, I think. As for this modeling project, I'm in. In terms of images for reference, http://www.apple.com/pr/products/ us usually a good resource, but there's no good pic of a G5 from the front. Any ideas, anyone? I'll volunteer to model, as I'm still not very experienced with materials. The one on the stand of my iMac could use a bit of work. But yes, this is a cool idea. Also, why be limited to a computer? Maybe we should start with something easy, but it may be cool to build a whole character this way. Oh, wait, that's what they already do at places like PIXAR and Weta... Fun project, though. I'm around until Saturday. I'm away for I think 5 days. I'm free after that, though. Let's do it!

 

-Zev

 

PS I have web space available to me. In case we need it.