Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: Braz on 18 February 2011, 01:58:59 PM
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Started a side project that I've been meaning to build for a while, the docks on an operational orbital station. And the adjacent spaces, and...well it may eventually turn into a whole space station. No rusted out, space hulk here...although it could be used for it. Inspired from many sci-fi books, many by CJ Cherryh, the station docks will be able to represent many different stations from Gateway station (Aliens), to Meetpoint (Chanur saga), Pell station (Downbelow saga), to the Cairo MAC platform (Halo), and beyond.
Some project objectives:Modular,easy assembly, different feel (gritty, brand new, derelict),can be built in small steps (i.e. when I feel like it I can add a module)
Going to get some Pig Iron System troopers to run a boarding action vs station troops.
Here's the start of the project. After careful deliberation, I decided on a 9 inch square as the basic template size so that the project will easily stay modular. All modules will fit within that size template or be a multiple of that size. Entry points will be centered on the 9 inch sides. The normal wall height will be 2 inches but the docks and certain modules will be taller at 3.5inches. Basic construction will be foam core (at this point) with printed textures on a hardboard base. The wall texture on the left is from Mel Ebbles' Core Module which I GIMPed/Photoshopped to the appropriate size, the center textures for the dock floor I mostly made from scratch. Finding the right design elements and the initial photoshopping is what took the longest time. At the right is one of my design books with pages and pages and pages of design ideas...I love to draw.
The main dock base section is 9x27 inches (3 9inch sections) and cut from hardboard/mdf.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP001.jpg)
Here I've got the cut foamcore walls, glued the textures on both sides to counterbalance any warping, and let dry overnight under a weighted down board. The station exterior textures are from scratch also.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123300-417841959.jpeg)
Here I made templates for the standard station doors; single, double, and cargo sized. With sharp, fresh blades I cut out the the doorways. It's important to use fresh blades.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123300-417852129.jpeg)
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP003.jpg)
An important step, IMO, in all cardpaper and foamcore builds is to edge the paper and foam core sides to disguise the building materials. This goes a long way in bringing the build to life and make it looked finished. Here I use a neutral gray marker to edge the exposed edges of the paper. I then run and smooth out a bead of tacky glue, and apply a coloured strip of card paper cut to width.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123300-417861453.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123913-417871975.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123913-417882446.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123913-417891149.jpeg)
To make the doorways stand out a little and to hide those nasty imperfections, using the door templates I cutout and painted cereal card to make frames for the doorways. The interior frames have spacers so doors can be slid into place. Because I'm using printed textures, almost all painting must be done to the pieces prior to adding to the build. I build a small sub-unit, paint it, then glue it in place.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123913-41790281.jpeg)
The assembled dock. I've added ramps leading to the docking ports/umbilical corridors. It's still a WIP; need to edge the top foamcore, add warning labels, maintenance hatches, display panels, cargo loaders, design and make doors, etc.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019124422-417941755.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019124422-417951936.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019124421-41793929.jpeg)
Then I got carried away cutting out some of the other template bases (about half are in the photos), mostly for the docks level, everything from airlocks, to pod bays, to corridors, to high security labs, to habitat sections.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019124421-417921615.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019123913-417911693.jpeg)
Enough rambling. More to come.
Cheers
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Lovely bit of card work - tidy, and does the job!
8)
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Can't wait to see more, this'll be great for Star Frontiers/Knight Hawks! :D :)
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Very cool! :-*
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Yay!
Another Braz wip build. Another Braz vast wip build. :-*
Really like the way you did the sliding doors - nifty. 8)
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Very cool!
Several years ago I did a set of space station/dockside skirmish scenery in a pair of large pizza boxes: 25mm Pizza Box Scenery (http://www.warbard.ca/2010/09/24/pizza-box-25mm-scenery/).
I've still got them, and if we ever get back to SF skirmish I'll probably go back and add printed sheets to the walls for detailing like you've done, finished the doors, etc.
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I've had something similar bubbling away myself... don't know whether to go printed or painted...
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Great job! That is really creative.
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Lovely work.
I'm visualising all those great Star Wars gunfights in hangars, docks etc.
Should be a great setting to play in 8)
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Fantastic! Looking forwards to see how this comes along.
Duncan
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Wow, you're unstoppable. :o
Another great looking project.
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A game in a box makes a a fun little convention game too. Easy to transport to the show. Easy to set up. Usually very popular.
Popular with the convention organizers any way (who are getting tired of "I want an 18 foot table for my 4 player 54mm ACW game"). Okay I haven't had a request THAT extrreme, but it seems everyone wants a big table!
James
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Popular with the convention organizers any way (who are getting tired of "I want an 18 foot table for my 4 player 54mm ACW game"). Okay I haven't had a request THAT extrreme, but it seems everyone wants a big table!
James
Well, we did, last year at our convention some guys we're doing 54mm (I even believe it was ACW)
and over a decade there was this kid that put together a 54mm Afghan War table.
the russian MBT looked rather ridiculous on such a "small" battlefield. o_o
Danny
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Very nice! I was starting to wonder about what you were up to these days.
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Whats the card from? The base of the station I mean.
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Yay!... Another Braz vast wip build.
--- I concur. Going to enjoy following this! Thanks for inspiring, Braz!!
Where in the h#ll do you store all this stuff you make?!?!?!
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First, thanks all.
@Parriah: Star Frontiers/Knight Hawks....warm fuzzy memories...ahhhh.
@Wirelizard: Pizza box terrain? Awesome...going to steal that for a future project.
@Anevilgiraffe: That was a question for me too but a things swung it in the direction of printed. Cost: fairly cheap, including the printing which is the biggest cost (11 pages for the docks because of the height, much less for other pieces), $5 for the hardboard for all the tiles so far, textures were free, foamboard about $2 and I still have lots to use versus cost of molds and casting supplies. Weight is much less than cast pieces. Details are awesome on cast pieces but I can't modify easily as I can with printed. You can get a lot of detail and color with printed that would take lots of time painting and building from scratch. The detail won't look too flat as is the case with many card models as for all my card builds I build up the details to 2.5D standard by adding raised or recessed details and that goes a long way in making the model pop: control boxes/screens/signs are printed and mounted on cereal card, painted bamboo skewer pipes are added, etc. Time: the initial photoshopping is what currently takes lots of time but that's because I modify a lot to suit my vision of the project or do it from scratch and it only has to be done once. But after that it's really quick to print out, cut and assemble, not counting the time for the glue to dry properly. Durability: very when mounted on illustration board or foamcore...hey I have two young kids playing with my stuff.
@Bazo: I'm still piddling at various projects but at reduced rate...new job that hasn't quite ramped up to speed yet (Arrgh! RL!). Plus lots of waiting for nicer weather to spray paint outside. I'll be posting some other stuff soon.
@warrenss2: I have an interdimensional warehouse to store it all. Actually it is getting to be a bit of an issue; not so bad when it's packed away but when I'm working on multiple items at the same...ouch.
@KermittheFrog: The card texture on the base is stuff I photoshopped/GIMPed. The original grated tile image I got from the Interweb, then I changed it a lot, set it to tile pattern and that was the basic texture for the floor. I then modified it based on the floor plan I designed, adding the hazard stripes using some careful measurements. 3 different sheets to cover the dock area.
Cheers all
More to come soon.
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@Wirelizard: Pizza box terrain? Awesome...going to steal that for a future project.
Be my guest! Like I said in the pizza box page, I snagged the idea from someone who'd built a tavern for swashbuckling brawls in a pizza box, so always happy to pass the ideas on.
Another resurrection from my old site to the new is a batch of high-DPI science fiction signs (http://www.warbard.ca/2011/02/19/sci-fi-signage/). They were made in a very old version of Photoshop (6, I think), so I hope the PSD files still work in modern versions of Photoshop, but I no longer have routine access to a Windows machine with Photoshop installed. (They open in GIMP just fine, far as I know)
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Be my guest! Like I said in the pizza box page, I snagged the idea from someone who'd built a tavern for swashbuckling brawls in a pizza box, so always happy to pass the ideas on.
Wasn't that Buck and Chris in their "Blood and Swash" rules? If not they did something similar I'm sure.
Another resurrection from my old site to the new is a batch of high-DPI science fiction signs (http://www.warbard.ca/2011/02/19/sci-fi-signage/). They were made in a very old version of Photoshop (6, I think), so I hope the PSD files still work in modern versions of Photoshop, but I no longer have routine access to a Windows machine with Photoshop installed. (They open in GIMP just fine, far as I know)
Just opened them in Firefox- no problem. Should be very useful. Thanks! :D
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Right'o. Do be wary though, working on multiple projects at once doesn't fare well for me and getting this obscure thing known as 'results'. :D
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Well Braz,
.... :D ;) ;)
Have I got a thing or two to tell you!
SF is alive and well, (much more so then Rosecrans and Gildenstern any way)
Star Frontiers. org is my home site, but I go to the .us site alot too
The StarFrontiersman is bursting out at the seams and growing all the time.
Come on in! The water's just fine over there, only a few jaw fish here and there, we finally got rid of all the sand sharks tho...
Hey(looks over shoulder)
What's tha...
Heeeey
eey
ey
y
..
..
..
Well, we thought we did any way. ::)
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Thanks Wirelizard for the signage...opens in GIMP and Irfanview just fine.
Bako, no problem there (I hope) as I'm generally work on blocks of pieces that can be used by themselves and I have no current deadline, just work on it when I feel like it, add to it when I can.
Parriah, thanks for the pointers to the sites...lots of reading now...those pesky sandsharks.
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Yes, thanks for the link Parriah. Not had much time to look, but there seems to be loads of great stuff there :D
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Some more WIP photos.
Still haven't settled on a door design yet. Still GIMPing stuff. Still working on the details for the main dock. You know, the usual.
Here are some of the textures I've worked on, heavily GIMPed from Mel Ebbles Core Module, some from scratch.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP017.jpg)
Some of the corridor tiles in progress with floor textures applied to the hardboard bases. The glue was left to dry completely (overnight) while weighted down. Here you can see the two of the three styles of corridor: the 5 inch cargo corridor, utilitarian, dirtyish texture, and the three inch (2.5inch once the walls are added) standard corridor, clean, light in colour, streamlined.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019125754-417971689.jpeg)
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP021.jpg)
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP022.jpg)
Here is the WIP shots of the first add-on module: Cargo Handling Bay. Features a cargo elevator...texture to be figured out, and there will be a cargo loader or two.
The various pieces pre-assembly:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019130105-41801181.jpeg)
Assembled:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019125755-417981732.jpeg)
Oops: measured wrong and the walls don't quite match up in the corner. DOH! Glued anyway and will cover up with some piping later.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP023.jpg)
Some beauty shots adjacent to the dock:
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019125755-417991380.jpeg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019125755-41800136.jpeg)
Cheers
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This is great! And probably easier for me to imitate than your Hadley's Hope project :D though no less inspirational.
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Masterful! 8)
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That girl's a spacious one, no? Pretty great stuff, and plenty of room for some heavy armour to boot.
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Thanks all,
@Bako, she's spacious for that reason but you haven't seen the service corridor warrens yet. They'll be just wide enough for a single figure so the rules will either be no power armor allowed or PA is 1/2move/1 action to turn around. Plus maybe vent shafts
@Hupp n at em: Partially, that's why it's designed that way..quick and easy assembly. Copy away.
Still in progress: Standard corridors and what will be part of the entertainment area with shops,restaurants and bars. The room at top right is destined to become a small restaurant.Still lots of detailing to do.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP028.jpg)
Some eye level shots:
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad245/Brazve/Terrain/WIP%20Orbital%20Station/OrbitalStationWIP029.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/41/2880-261019130757-41803526.jpeg)
Cheers
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Eye level shots look great
8)
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Liking that alot, lots of uses as you say.
:-*
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are these textures still available? couldn't see them on the Ebbles site...
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You need to buy the archive DVD to get the textures (about four of them are left)...
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Check here: http://www.ebblesminiatures.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=2428&page=2
Mel made it available on his forum. Great forum btw. There's good stuff there and some great paper models available. I'm not sure but I believe the one(s) on the archive dvd is for the Derelict version.
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Lovely! Saved those for future use. Cheers! :D
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indeed, cheers
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Be my guest! Like I said in the pizza box page, I snagged the idea from someone who'd built a tavern for swashbuckling brawls in a pizza box, so always happy to pass the ideas on.
Another resurrection from my old site to the new is a batch of high-DPI science fiction signs (http://www.warbard.ca/2011/02/19/sci-fi-signage/). They were made in a very old version of Photoshop (6, I think), so I hope the PSD files still work in modern versions of Photoshop, but I no longer have routine access to a Windows machine with Photoshop installed. (They open in GIMP just fine, far as I know)
I made some of those signs and they will work great. They scale down REAL nice. The full page signs will work for 1/32-35 scenes and when you split it off into 2 sets per page they come pretty close to 28 mm scale.
THANX MAN! :) ;)
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I'm not sure but I believe the one(s) on the archive dvd is for the Derelict version.
Correct. I was mistaking models for textures. The DVD contains the cardstock models :(
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Check here: http://www.ebblesminiatures.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=2428&page=2
Mel made it available on his forum. Great forum btw. There's good stuff there and some great paper models available. I'm not sure but I believe the one(s) on the archive dvd is for the Derelict version.
Where???
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Where???
It's about halfway down the page posted by " Cp6cku Byk "
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Replied in a rush. Here's the direct link:
http://www.ebblesminiatures.com/downloads/modulecore/
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Cheers! :D
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I made some of those signs and they will work great. They scale down REAL nice. The full page signs will work for 1/32-35 scenes and when you split it off into 2 sets per page they come pretty close to 28 mm scale.
THANX MAN! :) ;)
Hmm, they shouldn't have to be split off, doubled or anything to be printed small - they're designed to be printed at 600dpi and the whole lot in one file will be about 3"x3" or so when printed that way.
As I said, though, I no longer use Photoshop and haven't for years. The PSD files are old Photoshop 6 creations, but they open OK (except for one font glitch I noticed) in GIMP. I've no idea how gracefully newer versions of Photoshop cope with PS6-era PSDs.
I really should sit down one evening with Inkscape and a beer and re-do all those old SF signs in Inkscape. At a minimum, fix the bitrot font errors that have crept in over the years!