Posts Tagged ‘pepakura’

A month ago I posted a beta version of a simple models house for wargamers and role players. I’ve had some feedback on it: a request for chimney stacks, variations of the ends and an extension for the ends. I’ve also added some assembly instructions too. I’ve posted the first of the PDFs this morning (25mm House Model) and I’ll make the other PDFs over the next few days and upload them as I do.

Update: These models are now available free from the impworks web site cardboard buoings page.

I started work on a set of simple, cardboard building models using pepakura originally for Serious and Organised but which, like Serious and Organised, I’ve yet to finish. A discussion on the SFSFW mailing list kicked me into finishing a simple one of a house. It can either be used as a single, semi-detached house or by putting several together a terrace. I’ve got additional bits that can be used to customise this model in the works including chimney stacks and extensions for the ends and rear but I’ve not textured them yet. I’ve made versions for 28mm, 25mm and 15mm gaming and I suggest printing them on thin (160gms) white card for use. Assemble the walls together first, then add the roof and finally add the base. You can leave off the base if you want as they are reasonably rigid without it.

Download the PDF of the models:

• 28mm House Model
• 15mm House Model

Any comments or suggestions either drop me an e-mail or leave a comment on my blog.

Update: The 25mm model is now out of Beta and available free from the impworks web site cardboard buoings page.

When I first got Pepakura designer I played with it a bit but didn’t really get into using it. The last couple of days I’ve been playing with it again working up some simple building models for table top gaming. I’ll post the first buildings soon if I’m happy with them.

Just noticed this blog was a whole year old last week. So here’s a round up of projects started and progress so far.

Serious and Organised / Men of Action / The ABC System: system written needs play testing.

Arædan: Originally called Untitled Fantasy #1. In need of editing.

The Seer: About 50% written and waiting for me to go back to it.

Fairy Tale Noir: Heading on towards the 40,000 word mark with no sign of ending till it’s at least 50,000. A little longer than the 15,000 I was aiming for. May do a second draft to try to kick it up to 100,000+ and call it a novel.

impworks logo: Done and in use.

impworks website: Live since last year and growing. Recoded into Smarty templates almost as soon as I finished the first version. Some stuff (mostly pictures, scripts and tutorials to add when I find time).

Vue Python scripts: I’ve produced a growing list of free Vue Python scripts.

STEEPVM: Turned into a wednesday night post sequence instead of an article.

Characters on the Couch: Serialised here too.

Vue: Vue 6 is a huge leap forward in making my pictures look like I want them to. The new spectral sky model is worth the upgrade alone as far as I’m concerned.

Poser 7: Using it pretty much like Poser 5 and 6 at the moment need to dig into the enhancements.

Xfrog: Got a working copy again and now I’m back to exploring making abstracts with it.

Virtual Fashion: Starting to get good results from this especially when textured elsewhere.

Pepakura Designer: Need to find more time to play with this.

Blogs: This one is well established. The Vue News Blog is getting growing readership. I’ve a couple more in the pipe line too for specialist topics.

Underwater Secret Base: Redesigned to include obligatory volcano.

In case you don’t recognise the name Jorj X. McKie is the lead character in several stories by Frank Herbert. He works for an agency charged to slow down a vast galaxy spanning government by conducting dirty tricks “in lieu of red tape”.

I don’t need the help of a saboteur extraordinary to slow the process of government down rather that of industry and in particular computer graphics companies. Most of the stuff I regularly use has had significant new releases in the last two months. First was Vue 6 Infinite then PePaKuRa 2, Daz’s Victoria 4, Virtual Fashion Professional 1.5 and Poser 7. Getting back into XFrog 3.5 as well. On the horizon is the behamothic figure of the next version of MS Windows. New versions are great but trying to keep on top of and learn all the new, cool stuff can start to feel a bit daunting. I’ve yet to get Virtual Fashion Professional 1.5 and Poser 7 just so I can catch up with the other ones first.

One update is coming in very handy with all this though. My broadband doubled in speed last week. Thats one update I’d prefer Jorj not saboutage.

Between watching CSI:Miami and one of my favourite West Wing epidsode “The Supremes” on DVD I’ve played a little more with Pepakura designer. Just trying to get to grips with getting workable meshes out of it that have some curvature in the shapes without being too fiddly to assemble. Looking forward to getting some suitable card and glue at the weekend so I can make a few of my creations.

I blogged about Pepakura Designer last Saturday in my imaginatively titled "Pepakura Designer". I got my activation key last night and started messing around with it. The screen shot above is of my first experiment – a simple space ship in the style of a golden era science fiction design. Unfortunately it has a small design flaw in the feet and so won’t stand up. Something to fix in the mark II…

Came across a little shareware application that will take simple 3d models and produce a design for a paper mesh of the model. It can read a lot of fairly standard formats like wavefront object (.obj), lightwave (.lwo) and 3d studio (.3ds). It can also read some texture maps too. I’ve not got anything to show for my playing yet but it looks to be quite fun. I’ll probably spend the $35 to unlock the ability to save projects sometime this weekend. I can see potential for making stuff for wargaming and friends kids too. If your interested take a look at the Pepakura Designer web site.