Hello everyone!

In this tutorial, I will try and show you how I build my massive projects (basically 3 of the 6 things I have submitted to PMC), with a concrete example: the Omega Destroyer from Babylon 5.

The project itself will run in parallel; you can find it and download it (once complete) here.

DOWNLOAD LINK for the entire tutorial (.pdf, 9.06Mo) :

- http://www.mediafire.com/?si4krlpmp6u2lkx -

Important point:

This blog was originally composed of many pictures. However, it seems that the issues recently encountered by PMC screwed them up somehow, or that there was simply too many pictures. End result: some pictures would appear twice, and some not at all. Therefore, with the authorization of ZaphodX, I removed them all, and turned the tutorial into a .pdf file, for which I provide the download link right above this paragraph.

I know downloading a .pdf isn't as easy as just reading the site, but I didn't have any choice, it was either that or a buggy blog for the contest judges. But I promise you that you won't be disappointed by the tutorial, so take the time to download and read it!

Thanks for your comprehension :-)

And of course, once you're done, don't forget to come back here and diamond, favorite and/or subscribe ;-)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: preparation

Step 1: what to build?
Step 2: reference pictures
Step 3: scaling down

Chapter 2: let's build: first steps

Step 1: creating the world
Step 2: first blocks
Step 3: shaping the armor
Step 4: inner hull
Step 5: the magic of cloning

Chapter 3: front section

Step 1: fine details - an example
Step 2: front section - top levels
Step 3: front section - sides
Step 4: mirror fail!
Step 5: bottom levels

Chapter 4: central section

Step 1: laying the foundations
Step 2: link with the front section -top levels-
Step 3: link with the front section -bottom levels-
Step 4: side and top details

Chapter 5: back section

Step 1: cloning around
Step 2: detailing the sides (or "I have already seen this before...")
Step 3: engines superstructure - part 1
Step 4: engines superstructure - part 2
Step 5: thrusters

Chapter 6: rotating section

Step 1: I lied!
Step 2: details

Conclusion

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Disclaimer:

- This tutorial is not, despite its look, a step-by-step on how to build a spaceship: it is more of a building diary, as well as a collection of building methods, tips and tricks, and things to avoid. I won't tell "put X blocks in this direction", but using these techniques, you'll be able to do it yourselves!

- I do not claim to be perfect: I am nowhere near the level of some builders on this site, but some of my projects have had some success (G'Quan cruiser: 87 diamonds so far), so I think this tutorial might still help people.

- I will try and finish the tutorial and the ship within the contest deadline; if I can't, I'll complete it anyway :-)
==> update: I did it!

- Since it is a long project, I'll update this blog regularly, with pictures and screenshots, in parallel of the project itself

- I have a job, and thus cannot spend more than 2 hours a day on Minecraft; updates will therefore be small, but hopefully regular.

- I'm french, so my english might not be perfect at times; apologies in advance for that.

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REQUIREMENTS:

For a project like this, you will need 5 softwares :

- Something to draw and edit images: Gimp, Photoshop, Painto ¦ I use Paint.net, a completely free Photoshop/ms paint hybrid, you can get it here: http://www.getpaint.net/

- McEdit: I bet some will call it cheating, but it will save you a lot of time and sometimes keep your motivation to build intact; get the latest version here: https://github.com/mcedit/mcedit/downloads

- Minecraft, obviously. Io ll use the default texture pack, so everybody can download and see the project without needing to download a specific texture pack.

- http://www.plotz.co.uk/plotz.php is a very nice website: it allows you to build spheres and ellipses very easily in Minecraft. I use it for almost every curved surface/sphere.

- VLC media player or anything like it: I find it much less boring to build with background music or even a movie :-)