mer photos Options

[scooterlord]

That actually nails it - it's like an orange foam, but with a sort of clear plastic cover over it. On the test-bed rover, the plastic started to peel off - and I'd expect it to have done the same on Mars.

D

[Astro0]

Excellent work as we've come to expect
Can't wait to see the final render of the entire rover!

[dilo]

Same for me. The wheel renderings are simply superb... I was always amazed by self-amortized spiral structure, I wonder if someone already used it somewhere else...

[pospa]

One version of LER chariot (2008 ?) has wheels with spirals, maybe inspired by MER design. http://collectspace.com/review/chariot01.jpg


(hopefully I didn't brake 1.6 rule with the link above , but since it can be controlled remotely I thing its also considered as unmanned robotic rover platform )

[jamescanvin]

I hope James is pleased...

Perfect.

[pospa]

Smile and satisfaction on my face as well.
Thank you slord !

[James Sorenson]

Same for me. The wheel renderings are simply superb... I was always amazed by self-amortized spiral structure, I wonder if someone already used it somewhere else...

This is a simular design for a small robot, and same principle for flexible wheel suspension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebwofhAT4Ps

I have also designed a 4.5 inch wheel derived on the MER wheel design for a personal robot project of mine. This will be CNC machined on my small 4 axis milling machine I am also building.

[scooterlord]

uhm.. someone said that he had good reference of the room the rovers were built in? I would like to give them a look if that's possible... Is is the same room the curiosity was built in? I saw a couple of AWESOME photos online. It's just that I want to make indoor renders but don't want to spend more than 15 days modeling the thing...

...I am at work atm, was working on the rocker-bogie before, left it in the middle and my mind is there... I saw a few things that I need to model because I didn't see them before and some things are wrong.. other than that I will probably have it all done by tomorrow..

[scooterlord]

Hello...

I've got a new render for you. It took me so long because there were so many things that needed to be remodeled, instanced, modeled from scratch and took me more than I imagined. These parts were the first to be 'finalized' so the progress will be faster from now on because I progresses with great thoroughness..

I know there's something wrong with the rear part of the rocker's texture and I definately don't like the cables. They may have been seen good until now, but now I see the need to be re-textured, so probably in the next render they will be corrected - will deal with it a bit later on tonight.



I want to note that I have finally added the 'mars rover project' in my site (as seen in the signature http://www.nicksotiriadis.gr). I have almost every render found in here gathered in one place, along with a small story, so you are welcome to come visit (and show your friends)! So, if you haven't visited the site so far, now is a good opportunity to do so!

Any comments for either the new render or the site's post is welcome!

This post has been edited by jamescanvin: Jan 18 2012, 08:49 AM

Reason for edit: Fixed link

[Airbag]

Hi Nick,

Fabulous renders as always; just a minor comment on your web site - you mention both rovers 'died' after 6 years on Mars, but Curiosity is still very much alive!

Airbag

[ElkGroveDan]

??

Opportunity is still alive.

[scooterlord]

That's why I needed your help, looks like I messed up I've been looking for info everywhere, off I go to restore the good news

[scooterlord]

Hello everyone, new render for your eyes.. here with morning lighting..



I spent almost a full day making the cables look right, I double checked them and this is the best result. It may look a bit too shiny in a few parts, but trust me, it's as good as it can get.

Already started the HGA, expect results soon..


edit: for people interested two HUGE (5400x3038) renders on my site in black and white backgrounds respectively:

http://www.nicksotiriadis.gr/mer-white.png
http://www.nicksotiriadis.gr/mer-white-2.png

[Quaxo76]

Hi Scooterlord, like everyone else here I love all the details like the manufacturing scratches on the metal surfaces. But I think I saw those scratches also on the flexible flat cables, on some renders... I don't know what flats NASA uses, but in my experience those cables are smooth and shiny even after quite some use... Maybe it would be better to make them smooth? What do you think?

Cristian

[scooterlord]

Well... first of all it's not the same scratch texture, looks like it's the same but it's not Let's discuss the following image..



Left to right, top to bottom we have, ribbon in the idd, hga, mossbauer's ribbon, idd ribbon on mars and extreme close-up of the idd's base.

All of them being great examples (and I am grateful I found images of THIS quality) but the last one is the best. As you can see they are not smooth at all. The renders that show 'scratched' cables are extreme closeups, if it was a bit further away you wouldn't be able to tell there's something there, it will make the surface seem 'strangely' reflective as it shows in most of the mars rover reference pictures.

In the specific render that the scratches are shown (the idd closeup I posted before) You see 3 parts of the ribbon, left, center and right side. They all have the same texture on, but look how different they show according to the light source reflected on them. Just notice the right part of the cable, isn't this what you were looking for? Let alone these are TEMP renders, not lighted properly, just a sun source with too much intensity.

Last but not least, I have too much trouble making out the colors in different reference photos I have. Some reference is washed out, some is indoor lighted, some outdoor lighted. Sometimes is seems red-ish, sometimes yellow-ish, other times brown-ish. I still am not sure about the ribbon color, that's why I ended up in something in between all of the above.

Moreover, the cables. In most photos they seem yellow. In others orange to red. In 99% photos you can't make out that they are actually transparent and more than one cables are inside of them, but I tried to replicate this as well.

I want to hear about everyone's opinion but, trust me, I am way too thorough to leave such mistakes occur