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Using videotapes of Vorlon fighters,
I've reverse-engineered their 3D structure and
used Raydream 3D studio to make a 3D model. The battle between the Shadows
and Vorlons in
Interludes and Examinations was my main reference.
If you're unfamiliar with the show, see the sections entitled
"Vorlon Empire" in the
first,
second and
third season
background summaries on the Lurkers Guide to
Babylon 5 for more information. |
Images
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Vorlon Fighters on Modified MyCn18 Nebula
(74 KB JPEG)
The 3D model was rendered using a background created from an image
on the
Astronomy picture of day site (the
MyCn18 Nebula image is archived).
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Fighter Passing Camera
(113 KB AVI)
The fighter passes the camera in this 2 second clip. The image to
the left shows the first and last frames.
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Single Vorlon Fighter
(61 KB JPEG)
A larger rendering of a single Vorlon fighter on a black
background.
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Color-Coded Vorlon Fighter
(48 KB JPEG)
The same 3D model of the Vorlon fighter in the same orientation as the
above image was rendered with different sections
of the fighter in a different primary colors. You can see the
structure of the ship more clearly.
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3D Model Details
Creating this model was fairly easy. Because of the fighter's high
degree of radial symmetry, there are only four master objects in
the model: the body, tentacle, bulge (light blue on the shaded model)
and petal (yellow on the shaded model). All are single cross-section
shapes except for the petal, which has a flat cross section in the
back and a scooped out cross section in the center. While building
this object, I found that you get a much smoother surface (without
the dreaded 'trangularization' that Ray Dream sometimes puts in)
if you use the same number of drawing points on all the cross sections
for a single object.
I used Ray Dream's 3D
paintbrush for the first time on this model.
This feature lets you draw on the surface of objects and
was used to create the engine on the back of the body (which is still
part of the main body object) and the glowing surface on the inside
of the petals.
I'm interested in feedback on the model. Let me know how close you think
it is to the real thing on the show, and what modifications you
would suggest to get it closer. |
3D Model Files
Feel free to create your own renderings or modify the models.
Please include a link back to this page if you put any of the
results up on the WWW.
You can E-mail me if
you would like me to add you to a list of people I notify when
I put up new or revised models on this site. |
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