In this blog series we will be looking into the development of a brand new Class 37 interior from scratch. This project is being undertaken by Brendan Dennish (Trainz Community member GDennish) who has been contracted by N3V Games during his summer break.
To start the process, I needed to search the internet to find countless photos to show every angle and every detail. These are then used as reference for the modelling and texturing work.
In order to get the dimensions of the main shell of the cab right, a blueprint of a Class 37 was used. I like to work in sections, so I chose the left driver side of the locomotive to begin modelling the small details.
The biggest problem to overcome was how to size everything so it would fit in correctly, which took quite a while. However, once that is completed, all other parts of the cab fall together like a LEGO set. Some parts of the cab are mirrored onto the second man side.
Armed with photographs and information gathered from a wide variety of sources, modelling commences by creating the outer cab shell.
The process continues, fleshing out the interior detail piece by piece. Each component is modelled individually and added to the main model.
The shots above and below are black and white "renders", a technique where subtle light reflections and realistic light physics are used to give a "real world" impression of the scene.
Below is a work-in-progress screenshot inside "Blender" (the modelling tool being used) as the modeller sees things while working on the cab.
Another render showing detail being added to the right hand side of the cab.
And the start of adding details to the back of the cab.
Interiors are fun because in many ways the restriction of polygon count are not neccesary, since the cab will be culled when in external view. In the same way, the exterior model is generally culled when in the cab view.
Of course you can't go too crazy with polygons (aiming to keep this below 150k polys) and so there are some considerations to think about, such as how detailed you want the piping in the cab.
As it stands below, the interior is nearly complete, with just a few tiny details and polish being required before being sent to Substance Painter for texturing. We'll bring you another blog entry next week showing progress as we go along.
Front cab view
Rear cab view
