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I'm currently trying to teach myself blender for video game modelling by creating a Nuka Cola bottle from Fallout 4, only I've run into a a bit of a problem. I'm trying to create the circular indentation on the front of the bottle where the Nuka Cola label will go.

After watching a video on cutting holes into curved surfaces, my attempts have somewhat worked... but not well. Does anyone have a good method for producing shaped (not just circular) indentations on the front of the bottle? I'd like to move onto creating the other bottles too (such as Cherry which has a different shape sticker & indentation).

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enter image description here

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As you can see in Fig-2, there's a slight indentation behind the label of each bottle. I'm looking to create the Nuka Cherry bottle after this. I'd also like to ask anyone else who produces models for video-games if the triangles in Fig-3 are an issue? that was the best way I could align them with my current knowledge and the lighting seems to be fine when rendered.

Thanks!

StealthFerret
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  • Most game engines use only triangles and no quads. – Leander Sep 28 '16 at 16:42
  • Oh yes, I understand that, but it's generally best to work with Quads up until importing into the game engine. I've just realised how silly my last question probably was. If anyone still has information on creating an indent I'd appreciate it. I'll continue to experiment in the mean time. – StealthFerret Sep 28 '16 at 19:18
  • one way could also be using displacement putting a texture in place, and then insetting as you wish, then applying modifier... it will need a decent resolution, but it coud work. Something like the opposite of this http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/63106/how-to-decorate-cyclinder/63863#63863 – m.ardito Sep 29 '16 at 15:15
  • Displacement has been improved in the 2.78 (experimental feature for Cycles) and this kind of technics is also available in game engines like UE4. Though, this is not a modeling approach, but a rendering approach. http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/45873/blender-cycles-true-displacement – lemon Sep 30 '16 at 09:19
  • Hi Lemon, thanks for sharing that. I'll definitely take a look at that as I plan to familiarise myself with UE4. (Previously used UDK). That would be a great way of achieving the effect using a different method. – StealthFerret Sep 30 '16 at 22:31

2 Answers2

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I'm no expert in this field but I've used the "Knife Project" for this sort of thing as distinct from "Knife". i.e. call upon the "Mesh-->Faces-->Intersect" then the knife project function to cut a hole in the bottle and in the shape of the intersecting object which would be in this case a cylinder.

You might be having the trouble I did and not using the Ortho view to make sure you're looking dead straight onto the bottle when you cut the hole. The safe way to view exactly perpendicular to the bottle is to use the numpad's Home, END and PgeDn keys to set your viewpoint. If you're just a fraction out, your hole won't be shaped or aligned correctly.

It's also essential that the bottle be aligned exactly with the X/Y axis so your hole goes through in perpendicular fashion. You can set this in the bottle's Properties panel at right. Open it's Transformation tab and see that it's Z "Rotation" axis is set to exact multiples of 90 degree segments. i.e. 90, 180, 270 or 0 degrees, no fractions. These figures can be typed in to get exact alignments.

The X/Y rotation numbers should be at zero, and if not, then in multiple of 90 degrees.

Once a hole is there, extrude it's vertices to the depth you want into the bottle, then close the inside base of that hole up and texture that surface with the label itself.

(Save each attempt in progressive Blender files so you can come back and redo if necessary)

I've only just started using the "Boolean" function and found that a relatively easier method of cutting an intersecting hole than the knife project, so you might like to try this first.

As for the Cherry bottle, you'd have to fashion an object to the shape of it's label first then extrude it so you've got a sort of 'drill' or punch, and proceed as with the circular label.

If you still can't manage a circular hole, get back to us here with a comment. It's simple enough but you have to stick to some rules.

PS: is it essential to indent the labels? You can't just "Paste" them on?

Edgel3D
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  • Thank you for the response Edgel3D, I did previously use the knife project tool in Ortho view to try and form the inset, but I encountered issues with stretched quads and accidently cutting the bottle interior... Then blender crashed. I'm currently away from home so I'll try it again next week, maybe I'll have better luck! As for the inset in the first place, whilst it's not necessary, it's a problem i wanted to overcome. I felt it would prepare me for similar scenarios in the future. – StealthFerret Sep 30 '16 at 22:25
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I'll expand a previous comment here, to add a picture:

Another way with booleans is possible:

  1. You need a boolean, as if you would cut a hole into a copy of the bottle shape with difference,
  2. But, instead of difference, use intersection (you'll get a "cap" instead of the "hole").
  3. The "cap" mesh is curved exactly as the bottle.
  4. Inverting its curvature (scale -1 on perpendicular axis) you'll get a negative shape of that curvature.
  5. Then subtract that negative curvature from the original bottle, you'll get an inset as you wish...

This is a rough example of a similar result:

enter image description here

Let me know if you need detailed steps for this...

m.ardito
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  • Hi m.ardito, thank you for the response. I'm not at home at the moment but i can see that this looks like a quick and simple way to get around the problem. All the more better if it works, I'll update you on my progress next week! – StealthFerret Sep 30 '16 at 22:28