RobotChicken's Halo 3 Mk VI Master Chief, Ultra Detail, First Build WIP (many pics)

[RobotChicken]

Just a quick update of what's been going on. The Cameo progress is on a short hold while I complete revisions to the antecubital detail so it's up to par with the detail/accuracy in SirPalesAlot's great FD forearm model. The revised detail looks much more like it appears in photos, but also slightly more intricate to pep. Once that's done I'll get back to my Cameo Edge IDs experiment while SirPalesAlot integrates the updated forearm detail into his model. (Yes, I'm also learning video editing software during all this for the Cameo tutorial - switched to Adobe Premiere Elements rather than iMovie due to feature limitations, and Adobe is notorious for non-intuitiveness.)

 

[TheCaptainBacon]

This is an amazing build! I can't believe all the details you're adding, and in the pepakura stage no less! I would never even attempt to do that, but it seems to be working out for you so far. Good luck with the Cameo machine.

 

[ep82]

This build is looking so good. Can't wait to see more

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

Patiently awaiting the revised hd forearms from sirpalesalot. He is still working on them?

 

[RobotChicken]

Yes, his forearm model is looking fantastic, as well as some other parts also being worked on. We've been collaborating on the details off the forums to be more efficient and the final detail to add before he uploads the file again is corrected antecubital details, which I''m currently working on right now to better match game screen shots. The part I originally modeled was a great improvement over the existing HD detail, but after acquiring clearer photos of this area it became obvious that I didn't get parts of it right. With so much care being put into the rest of the forearm's accuracy, it just isn't fair to leave this area noticeably different from photos so I'm about half done with redrawing it. Then I'll get to testing out my ideas about Edge IDs with the Cameo, then a video demonstration of how to use the native Silhouette software (which comes with the machine) for cutting Pepakura parts more precisely than the Tamasoft software (which you have to pay for), then I can finally get back to building again. (Yes very busy here, and this is all aside from all the non-Halo things going on right now.) Thanks for your comments and patience - I'm thinking you won't be disappointed.

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

Thanks for the info. I agree, detail is everything. Especially when your shooting for perfection! Let me encourage you guys to keep up the good work!

 

[ShadoKat]

You got your Cameo to SCORE?!?!?! When you post that tutorial, you sir, will be my absolute HERO! (Loves putting together the puzzle pieces, hates the rest, and just got two Cameos for Xmas)

 

[RobotChicken]

Not only score, but also color-coded scoring (no dashed lines on the parts).

 

[Mstruvmgc]

Not only score, but also color-coded scoring (no dashed lines on the parts).

Ok this makes me wasnt to buy a cameo even more now... show us your secrets! lol

 

[glasscutter]

The detail work is amazing. Thank you for describing the steps to add that in. Subscribing to this thread.

 

[RobotChicken]

Ready for something crazy? Here's two photos of the finished revised antecubital detail. Tomorrow night I'll begin the unfold and then replace the file download with this newer version. The new version will also include the surrounding polygons for easier installation in the forearms. Instead of needing to custom-cut openings for the detail (which was a tedious process), you'll be able to simply replace the perimeter polygons in the HD model with the ones from this file.

(And yeah, I plan to pep two of these….and at child scale too!)

 

[SavedbyGraceG12]

I guess we can expect the forearms to be released pretty soon?

 

[RobotChicken]

Replacement antecubital detail files are nearly ready for uploading. Yes, that was plural. Of course there's the mega-detail version (high polygon count) for SirPalesAlot's model, but I've also created versions for the nugget HD forearms, the flyingsquirrel MD forearms, and the robogenesis ND forearms. That's four versions of the detail parts with varying levels of complexity, from moderately easy….to near sub-atomic parts. Each of the models matches their associated forearms scale, making it very easy to size them for your build, and they include the full surrounding parts to directly replace the affected forearm parts without needing to modify their unfolding. I think they've turned out great and much better match the game photos.

 

[NoMaybeYes]

Personally I would much rather have an Stl. file of this detail. Theres just way to much amazing detail for me to jump strait into pep with a second thought. I mean at some point I would but considering I do have access to a printer I would much rather go that way. I suppose we're going to see updates from both you and SirPlaesAlot? I cant wait to see what you two have been up to for the past few weeks!

 

[RobotChicken]

If I uploaded STL files as well as PDO, how would you scale them to the correct size? (I don't know 3D printers except in what it is that they do.) SirPalesAlot has cleaned up the surface edges generated by the cruddy CAD software I'm using (that's TurboCAD Mac Pro everybody…) and scaled the PDO files to match the original forearm models. This makes it simple now for 405th members - if your forearm has a Scale of say 45.12345 then you simply set the Scale of the detail parts to 45.12345 so it's the same scale and parts will fit perfectly. I don't know if you'd be able to do that the same way with an STL file. You might be able to export an OBJ file from Pepakura Designer and then use another application to translate that to STL…?

 

[NoMaybeYes]

If I uploaded STL files as well as PDO, how would you scale them to the correct size?

Well the 3D printer I use has its own program called catalyst, THen name of the printer escapes me however. And when I load up an stl file I can turn it so it uses up less support material and I can scale it myself within Catalyst. As long as I know on dimension, preferably width or length, I just scale however I want and getting the measurements is really easy in pepakura. Ive done several parts already and know how I could do it. Say if that didnt work I would still attempt it, considering that the printer belongs to an old teacher of mine and he teaches engineering, scale shouldnt be a problem with a bit of math. I think the biggest problem with files this detailed is that parts get incredibly small, like how you had to use tweezers to make yours. I'm doing his files no matter what, I just dont want to really wreck the part trying so much detail.

 

[RobotChicken]

You should be able to size the PDO file to the same scale as the forearm, then use the resulting height/width/depth for scaling a STL file. Talking with SirPalesAlot about perhaps offering a STL version of the detail parts...

 

[NoMaybeYes]

You should be able to size the PDO file to the same scale as the forearm, then use the resulting height/width/depth for scaling a STL file.

Thats exactly how I would do it.

offering a STL version of the detail parts

I guess any kind of version would work with it such as an Obj or something. I just said Stl because that allows me to skip a step in converting it. Autodesk Inventor dosent import Objs unfortunately.

 

[RobotChicken]

Well, you can export 3D .obj files directly from Pepakura Designer, so if that would work then we wouldn't need to create another file version...

 

[SirPalesAlot]

Thats exactly how I would do it.


I guess any kind of version would work with it such as an Obj or something. I just said Stl because that allows me to skip a step in converting it. Autodesk Inventor dosent import Objs unfortunately.

I'm working on the version for 3D printing and I was wondering what file type you want me to give you. Since you mentioned Autodesk Inventor I looked up some of the file types it imports and I see it will import .iges and .step. Would you be interested in either of those formats, or is there another file format you prefer?


Here is a teaser shot of the version for 3D printing.



I think I'm going to work up a version with corner radii and fillets to see what a cast version might look like.