My dream: a new unofficial expansion pack

[jbl89]

I think I've recollected most of my old stuff, including some (facing back, ugly) designs.

I think Tasmanian Tiger used a different program. If I remember correctly, she attempted to use 3D Studio Max or something. Not sure if Blender was already around back in those days. My current laptop, which is starting to degrade, is not powerful/fast enough to joyfully attempt learning Blender. I'll see if I can find a solution. I've actually got an animal in mind to start with, something I think was planned by Blue Fang at some point: (Ocean) sunfish.

[jbl89]

Here's my very first shot at Blender, the free/open source 3D modelling program. I've installed it about 2, 3 hours ago, and I've been toying a bit with it, watching some Youtube tutorials. Obviously this is a very first step, it lacks a fin, eye, more details on the back, texture, and animations. But since we were also discussing the beta, I thought it would be cool to share this, if it actually ever made it into a new animal for Marine Mania ;)

 

Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish

 

Based on that information, I'm thinking the Marine Mania configuration would be:

* Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, killer whales (orcas) and sharks will consume them.

* Sunfish live on a diet consisting mainly of jellyfish
* compatible with Manta Rays, Hammerhead Sharks (I guess as an exception to the predators).

* popularity: similar to Whale Shark
* Would be researched.
* Special care would also need to be researched.

 

 

As you can spot in image #1, this is my base image:

[pukkie]

:290: awesome :cheerleader2:

[(Professor Emeritus)Professor Paul]

They are the biggest living bony fish; one washed up at Cromer a few years back.

[Firehawke]

Very fun!!!

[jbl89]

They are the biggest living bony fish; one washed up at Cromer a few years back.

 

As for size, I've seen various screenshots with divers. Is there an animal in Marine Mania to which you would compare the average size too?

 

I've worked only just a bit more on this animal, working on the shape, and eyes. Next: fins!

[(Admin)Savannahjan]

It's looking great! What an unusual fish, that would be great to have in our marine section.

[jbl89]

Thank you!

 

I haven't worked on it the last few days, I'm keeping it as a weekend project and it depends on my time. I've been considering a new laptop with better specs, and I found one that had superb specs but was only 15 inch, so I'm waiting to buy...

 

Anyhow, it's been updated a bit, but not enough in my opinion to show it here. There's still tons of work to be done. This was up to part 3 out of 7 of a tutorial, just for the model. Then there's the animations (luckily, it seems like this fish will mostly move it's mouth, fins only a little bit, and it should be able to move to the surface and turn to lay just below it). Which will spare me from a ripple effect in MM. I'm admiring Taz more and more, realizing even better how much time she must have invested in her vaquita, baiji and all. She would have been a great help....

 

Unless I'm mistaken, and other people did exactly the same thing: design an animal in 3D and port it to ZT1?

[jbl89]

This is only some experimenting, a concept I had about 7-8 years ago. I tweaked it a tiny bit. What you see, is functional, but needs a lot more improving. It's the shows I talked about. And yes, it will only be possible with illusion. Animals will enter the show tank, there will be an object to make it appear as if they were coming out of a tunnel, and there will be a way to get back to their exhibits. "Marine Specialists" will also be the guys that do the animal shows, I'm afraid (unless I'm wrong, I don't think I can do it any other way). Before you get too excited: I have zero new animal animations at the moment (see my original post).

 

How would it work?

• set things up like you would for a marine show.
  • buy a "circus" animal. These animals would mostly require a normal exhibit like they used to, but will have special configuration to perform in shows.
  • create a combined exhibit (like for sea otters, sea lions) (probably a 3x3 or 5x5 tank)
  • configure the shows like you normally would
  • create an illusion
• illusion?
  • there will be a way to create a platform (I deliberately let out some parts, so you can see how it works)
  • there will be an object (or multiple) which make the entrance (it will seem like animals come out of a tunnel).
  • there will be an object to transport animals back to their exhibit.

 

As you can see, there would be a few objects to create the illusion of a regular exhibit / show arena. Animals will walk and perform on this "floor".

 

The abundance of tigers and other weird stuff is just for testing purposes :)

[jbl89]

A new screen. All graphics are temporary, but you get the idea of the illusion which would be part of creating a land animal show.

The wooden shelter is a stand-in for an entry/exit building. The balls are used to guide the tigers in the right path :)

 

Also ignore the grid pattern.