Model a Rocket with Particle Trail in Maya

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By: Bogdan Amidzic

In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to create a rocket using NURBS, and then animate its movement using path curve. I'll also show how to make a simple smoke trail.

Added: 08 September 2008 Views: 9901

Path : Computers

3D Graphics

Maya

Keywords: maya computers graphics rocket fire object smoke

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Model a Rocket with particle trail

In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to create a rocket using NURBS, and then animate its movement using path curve. I'll also show how to make a simple smoke trail.

First go to create/CV curve tool.

Then just click to make points. Create a simple profile for the rocket. If you make a mistake, just press delete and the point will be deleted. When you've finished, press Enter.

So you will get something like this:

Next, select that curve and go to Surface/revolve option box

In the options window, set it to rotate around the Z axis.

So now, you've got some basic rocket geometry.

If you want to tweak the rocket shape, just select the curve and edit it. The rocket shape will be updated. Note that construction history must be on (it is on by default).

Now select the rocket geometry and go to isoparm mode and select the last isopram.

Then go to surfaces/planar. This will create a planar surface from the selected shape.

Now create more curves like this.

Select them all.

Now, revolve them.

From the top view, create another curve. This will form the shape of the wing.

Duplicate it.

Move its points to the axis. Just select all CV's and hold X and move them towards the axis.

Tweak it.

Now select both curves.

And go to surfaces/loft. This will make a surface between the selected curves.

Now we have the wing, but it is one sided. Since its pivot point lies at 0,0,0 - just duplicate it and set the negative scale around the Axis (I think it was Z in my case).

Now select both wing surfaces and group them.

Then go to duplicate options (now it's called duplicate special) and make three copies at every 90 degrees around the Z axis.

So the rocket geometry is completed.

Now select all curves and delete them. You can mask selection by unchecking surfaces. Then just grab the selection and only curves will be selected. Also delete history on surfaces.

Assign shaders to the rocket.

Create point light. Move it to the back of the rocket and set intensity to something high (5 or 10) and set decay to linear.

Press 7 to see the lighting in viewport.

Select rocket geometry and light and group them. Set the group's name to rocket.

You can freeze transform the group. This will set all attributes to 0. You can make a layer and put the rocket in it. Refer the help for more info about layers.

Now for a simple terrain. Create a polygon plane and set divisions to 100x100. Then go to sculpt geometry tool

Deform the surface to look like a terrain.

Make directional light and set intensity to 1.2 and color to light yellow or orange.

Make path curve for rocket.

Now select rocket group and the path. Go to animation mode motion paths/attach to motion path option box.

Set time as you wish, I've set mine to 100 frames. As you can see, the rocket tip is oriented to negative Z. Set front vector to Z and up to Y. Check inverse front, so it will inverse Z to negative Z.

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Model a Rocket with Particle Trail in Maya
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