Mass Effect Citadel

[Bones]

Most of you probably know I alrady tried to model and how it turned out one lifeboat that I never ported to the game ...

A thought came to me today while I was hardpointing Destiny Ascension (yes my goal of bringing Mass Effect ships for BC is still alive ;) ) that I can't find ANY decent 3d model of the Citadel that could be ported to BC ... so I made one

At the moment I really doubt I'll be able to finish it on my own but who cares I'll try anyway.

It's fairly low detail model (not that Bioware model was any better as it was only used for distance renders), If it would hit texturing stage it would be awesome and for now that's my goal - map it then texture it





I'm not posting it in BC Modding as I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it to BC.

[Killallewoks]

Excellant mate! Hell its a simple station anyway most of the detail is in the textures, I doubt BC would be able to handle all of the buildings modled in.

[Bones]

Thanks Killa ;)

I've worked a liitle bit on the presidium area and remodeled citadel tower (which isn't just a horizontal tower but a horiontal pylon with a saucer like pod and then it's the tower running in line to the ward areas)

Dunno if this means anything at this stage, but I managed to port the model to NIF and it looks damn clean in Nifskope, even loads properly in MPE :eek

only thing I don't like is the ammount of nodes in blocklist

[FarShot]

Looking good.  I need to get ME3.

[Shadowknight1]

Ah, the hand of God.  The good ol' Citadel.  Home to politicians, rich people, and dregs.  Need something?  You're gonna find it.

Can't wait for some of the other ME ships...namely the Alliance fighters and shuttles.

[Bones]

Ok guys, I trust you can help me out on this one just a little bit

So the propblem is I can only do UVW on single part of the model ... but there are like 250 parts  :eek is there a way to connect these parts into groups (I know there is a group function but it only works inside MAX as a easier way of selecting parts), I'm struggling with attach/detach function but it doesn't seem to have desired effect

when I select that ring area, it shows me I've seleced 46 objects and there is no way to unwrap UVW them when in group...

any tips or ideas ??

Scratch that

I managed to overcome this setback all I had to do was to collapse selected objects into one object ! now I can UVW grouped parts instead of every single part !

UPDATE :

She's in game ! ... tho there are no alpha channels yet so I'll hold off with BC pics until it's fully working ;) nevertheless, it's not the case IF i release this station for BC but WHEN i release it

for now here are some pics from Nifskope :




oh, and btw. could you guys (mods) move this topic where it belongs (BC modding) ?

[limey BSc.]

Consider it done...'Cos it is.

[Bones]

Thx Limey 

I've been playing with scale and found out I will be able to set almost the same size as ME codex states - namely 44 kilometers long so it will be really big

For now I've successfully ported the model to BC with around 50 % of actual size, it tends to disappear at some angles just like V'Ger

Here are pics  :

[Killallewoks]

I. LOVE. THIS. 

[Bones]

Realy good thing about it is that I'm starting to understand certain functions in Max still the ammount of tools and modifiers overwhelms me 

I might going to adjust windows colors, they seem a bit too yellow right now, wards/arms need to have orange glow to them, presidium more white thn yellow

[TheConstable6]

I. LOVE. THIS. 

[Shadowknight1]

Gimme a sec, my jaw dropped through the floor.  Amazing Bones!  And hey, you don't need Bioware's permission for this model since you made it!

[Bones]

Yep although I tried really hard looking for the model in game files I got tired of not being able to find one (Bioware never added actual model of citadel since it was present only in cinematics, just like Collector Cruiser and base)

Even tho this model israther low quality, I'm kind of proud of it since it's my first succesful model

next project shall be  :

[sovereign001]

Looks very nice man! You have my cookie!

[Killallewoks]

Hey Bones I just noticed something though I don't know if your aware of this (If you are ignore me  ). The wards on the Citadel have an apparent border on the panels in the habitated areas.


Good work so far glad you got her into game and HP'ing the thing should be easy it doesn't move or have any weapons.   I Can't wait to get my hands on it! Torkies away!

[Bones]

I was prepared there would be some inconsistencies, I wanted to have it in game ASAP so textures wrer rushed on, I'll make all the needed changes, thx for heads up ;)

[Saquist]

I think namely the biggest problem might the central ring being to big or the arms being too short.  the second most outstanding problem would be that the arms aren't simple rectangles, they have a tapering at the ends and there is also arching at certain segments in the arm as see in the picture above and as recently seen with the Citadel over Earth in ME3

But the pattern on the exterior is very good from I remember of it.  Perhaps the pattern of the lights on the inside of the arms needs more intricacy.  Try taking patters of cities at night in America or other places.

[captain_obvious]

This thing vs Planet killer anyone?

Looking forward to this bones

[battlestartriton]

I think this is a pretty good reference http://troodon80.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-Citadel-Reference-277436229

[battlestartriton]

In fact looking at it closely It seems to me this is the actual model...