Tobias Richter's Kelvin as a card model? Anybody?

**Modeler0421** · #1 06-30-2009, 05:10 PM

I was surfing around today over at Sci-Fi meshes and came across a model of the USS Kelvin that Tobias Richter released for download. He also made a 3 minute video using it which was stellar.

My question is: given the quality of the texture and the beauty of the digitalmodel, has anybody considered making it into a paper model? I reviewed some Tobias Richter's posts and he seems happy to let people use his work provided you get permission and credit him. I would do this myself but I lack the needed software and design knowledge.

Just putting this out there as an idea for a project. I think using his models of the Kelvin and the Enterprise would yield stellar paper models. I'd be willing to help/learn from anybody who was interested in this project. Thanks!

**Millenniumfalsehood** · #2 06-30-2009, 05:19 PM

I don't know. The models on Sci-Fi Meshes are super-detailed, and the details that are there are mostly primitives which are enhanced by the program itself. The other thing is, most of the details on his model are 3D texture and additional layers of lighting, so it would be nightmarishly complex to both unfold and to build it. It would necessarily have to be 1:350 or bigger. Add to that the fact that there are usually intersections on models which don't need to be unfolded.

**Modeler0421** · #3 07-01-2009, 10:19 AM

What about taking the underlying wire frame, the shape of which seems to be amazinly accurate, and then applying a more basic skin to it?

**Millenniumfalsehood** · #4 07-01-2009, 12:27 PM

You would still have an amazingly complex mesh. The wireframe of the saucer alone would have several concentric rings to cut out and paste, which would over-complicate the model unnecessarily. Paragon's solution is an elegant one and is pretty accurate in overall shape, though I would prefer a more accurate texture. I'd suggest using his design if you want a Kelvin.

**Stev0** · #5 07-01-2009, 02:14 PM

Paragon has one.

http://www.freewebs.com/paragon19/

**n810** · #6 07-02-2009, 10:43 AM

Where is the download for this? I'm not saying I will actuall unflod it, but I might take a crack at it based on the complexity of the mesh. Milleniumfalsehood is right though, it will probably hve to be 1/350 or larger to maintain detail.

**Modeler0421** · #7 07-03-2009, 06:32 AM

n810- Scifi-Meshes.com - Scifi-Meshes.com Downloads - USS KELVIN
To download, you'll have to sign up with scifi-meshes.com, which is very easy and took me about 10 seconds to do. If you don't have Maya, which the model is in there are also blender and lightwave conversions in the download section. I can post links to them too. If you did unfold I'd be *very* happy to help any way I can (mainly test builds). Just one thing: what exactly doss 1/350 mean? I've seen size estimates of Kelvin from 240-540 meters, making a 1/350 model range from 2.2 to nearly 5 feet (yikes!). Hope to hear more!

**Modeler0421** · #8 07-03-2009, 06:40 AM

Oh, and I did make Paragon's. Actually twice, his original and then his updated. The updated is a favorite of mine. But Tobias' work is just stunning and in my opinion deserves to be brought into the world. The Kelvin in a general is a personal favorite of mine, as is the new Enterprise.

You know, just as an aside I came across a thing called a 3D printer while looking for the Kelvin download. It can take any 3D mesh and 'print' it out as a solid block of plastic. Now that is cool!

**Stev0** · #9 07-03-2009, 11:17 AM

Well ... keep in mind that it IS a high poly mesh and that there are many limitations involved getting one of these into a card model stage.

**Modeler0421** · #10 07-05-2009, 07:15 AM

True, I expect based on what I've heard that changes would happen to make it simpler for building and unfolding. That's fine. I'd only hope that the detail of the txtures could be somehow preserved. There was a model of the NX-01 that accomplished that fairly well and really looked like a great model. It seemed to flatten the raised parts on the hull of that ship, so they were still there in photographic form if not in structure. It was a complex model and I never got far into that, but that was... Oh wow two years ago. My skills and experience have been greatly improved since then.