Model request: Microscope

[Dragofer]

As part of my mission I'd like to have more than a handful gentleman scientists studying and cataloguing specimens discovered on an expedition. A vintage, well-used microscope would be an essential asset. No doubt that this would be a versatile model for many other settings as well.

 

What I'd like most would be a simple, worn-textured model like in the first shot. The other shots show additional or alternative style elements that could be interesting to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2019 by Dragofer

[RPGista]

Would definitely be useful as a core asset. We can wait to see if a better modeler (Epifire, Im looking at you) has time to work on this. If not, I have a few things on my hands but I will look into it for you.

[Springheel]

Those are pretty modern microscopes aren't they? Pre-20th Century microscopes looked more like these:



Or these:

[Dragofer]

Those are pretty modern microscopes aren't they? Pre-20th Century microscopes looked more like these:

As far as I can see microscopes changed mainly through increased visual weight and more uniform horseshoe-shaped stands. The differences did look fairly subtle to me, after looking at quite a range of different microscope types. Maybe my searches mainly turned up 19th century microscopes

 

Looking at your first shot, I think the wooden box as the stand is nice, but would find the body of the microscope too frail-looking. Your third shot is quite original and would make a good basis for an alternate-universe take on what a microscope looks like. In any case this would be a general purpose model so inputs & ideas from more people are a good thing to have, and from my own experience I liked to combine my favourite elements from each of the concepts when I modelled the hookah.

[ERH+]

I wonder if one could made a more interactive tool, e.g. one with a tray so the player can put small objects, then use a microscope. It would trigger a camera in blue room with a spyglass overlay, and the given sample could match with a patch or a model showed below. Maybe even moving mouse could move and rotate the sample.

 

Btw check stereo microscopes.

Edited February 23, 2019 by ERH+

[Dragofer]

I wonder if one could made a more interactive tool, e.g. one with a tray so the player can put small objects, then use a microscope.

Certainly, we have Obsttorte's keyhole peeking system that could be repurposed, it permits changing the view with mouse movements. For inserting the slides you could either just use custom inventory items, or if you want the slides to be moveables repurpose grayman's audio players.

[Epifire]

Would definitely be useful as a core asset. We can wait to see if a better modeler (Epifire, Im looking at you) has time to work on this. If not, I have a few things on my hands but I will look into it for you.

 

I'm not gonna lie the idea is appealing but I'm still trying to wrap up another request whilst working on a new FM. This would make a fun day project though, so I'm really wanting to say yes even though my schedule says otherwise.

[dmw88]

I need a microscope for an FM Im working on too!

 

Come on Epifire, you know you wanna...

[Epifire]

Looking at these right now I think taking a couple liberties and combing the definitions of the first shot (dragofer posted) with the upright simplicity of the first (springheel posted) might yield an interesting result. Yeah, I kinda want to now xD

[Epifire]

Alright so combining a couple elements of different kinds (and trying to stick pretty close to design) I've got the start of the highpoly here...





I can edit some stuff in this phase but I wanted to get the inspection lens and the bottom end mirror (keeping it pretty simple) and finishing this up quick.

[Epifire]

Aight, last one here so I'm just bumping to get final thoughts before baking this out. Only a couple additions being, mirror, lens, draw handle and small flange bits for cooler definition...

 

I'm hoping I can get away with the inspection lens (sitting mid way up at an angle) having a glass shader applied. It would just rely on the normal map but it should provide some neat visual interest.

[peter_spy]

I'll be making my own version when the time comes, but this is already looking cool. Looking forward to seeing the low poly version.

[Springheel]

Love it!

[RPGista]

Very cool! This design is obviously advanced technology as a microscope should be but also has the right archaic feel to it that should make this fit in nicely into the setting.

[NeonsStyle]

I wonder if one could made a more interactive tool, e.g. one with a tray so the player can put small objects, then use a microscope. It would trigger a camera in blue room with a spyglass overlay, and the given sample could match with a patch or a model showed below. Maybe even moving mouse could move and rotate the sample.

 

Btw check stereo microscopes.

 

The clever bit is working out a way for the player to interact with the microscope to enable the camera. However viewing a slide

would be pretty straight forward as you suggest.

 

The only other thing you're going to need to go with this is a Slide chest to hold slides. In period times, these were wooden chests ie

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by NeonsStyle

[Dragofer]

Wonderful, this is pleasant to come back to after a weekend away. The upright design together with the wooden box stand does work quite well together.

 

The only other thing you're going to need to go with this is a Slide chest to hold slides. In period times, these were wooden chests ie

This is certainly important too, and that's a formidable collection of slides in that chest. My own idea was to go with something more modest like these boxes in the image below as they'd fit better into a ship cabin, but ultimately the choice may depend on whether or not you want the individual slides to be moveable and player-usable.

 

 

 

Certainly no shortage of vintage microscope slide designs - remarkable how artistic they were compared to what we work with today:

 

 

If the player should want to look at the slides under the microscope the Stim/Response system could be used to insert it when it comes close enough and change the frob response of the microscope to trigger a camera when frobbed. Not really sure if this is something the typical thief would be interested in, though.

[NeonsStyle]

I like that idea better Dragofer as the slides could be just textures in the box. After all it's just model. It'd be a lot easier to make.

[Epifire]

Alright, sorry this took me a little bit but going off of the brass definition of the first shot, I tried to match the tones and overall aesthetic best I could. Also, I'd like to apply a glass warp shader where the little lens pieces are currently opaque. Not gonna lie I tend to hate making clean metal anything for id4 but this turned out alright I think. Lemme know what ya'll think!

 

 

[peter_spy]

*In Marcus Phoenix voice* Nice!

Edited March 28, 2019 by Judith

[Epifire]

@Judith If you were wanting to know, this was one of those rare moments I did your specular wood method (this being a much cleaner piece).

 

It sits at 1,347poly which isn't bad but considering I don't think anyone will be equipping an army with telescopes in TDM, I think the enhanced detail limit will do fine. I'm pretty burnt after trying to finish this on a work day (who needs sleep right?) but yeah I'm gonna try that glass warp when I get off work tonight.

 

Also important, I need to know from Dragofer if you want this set as a debut piece (in your FM) or if you're fine with it seeing community use right away? I don't like to wait on distributing finished models forever but I like to give the requestee the benefit of whether or not they'd like it to make a splash in their FM first. Get back to me on that when you can.

[peter_spy]

@Judith If you were wanting to know, this was one of those rare moments I did your specular wood method (this being a much cleaner piece).

 

Awesome, you know I'm a big proponent of using speculars everywhere Especially to show off some of these cool averaged normals, which is exactly what you did here

[OrbWeaver]

Every time I look at one of these models someone has created, I think "Wow, I could go into Blender right now and make something like that!".

 

But then I get into Blender and find that all I can actually make is a cube with part of a monkey head sticking out of it.

[Epifire]

Believe me, this is about ten years now of trying to do something decent with models. It's a long time coming but hopefully I can still get in at a company to ship a title or two... sometime

[RPGista]

Thats looking great. The materials really bring it to life; I particularly love the texturing on the wood box. If heres anything to say, I would probably experiment with adding some subtle marks and bumps on those metal speculars, just to give it a less than perfectly polished look. Brilliant work, man,

 

PS: What sort of lab is this? Are those wrapped bodies on there?

[Epifire]

Yeah I actually had a bit more variation of the specular in Substance Painter but it's always a bit of a guessing game as to how much comes through. Personally I went for a tad less grunge than I usually do because on models this small it tends to distort the normals details from the bake. And (for what I assume would be expensive in TDM lore) I thought just aged metal with high polish would fit just right.

 

As far as the rest of the room goes this is just my proptest map. All the other models (besides the table) were my other projects and requests still renting out the space.