Where to start on T-45D power armor from fallout 3?

[MLG at DOW]

Hola!

So I have never made a costume in my life, and I want to make the T-45d power armor from fallout 3. But where do I begin? There are a lot of ways to do it, but I am not sure which is best for me. I really want something that would eventually look near perfect, if possible. I have researched tutorials for similar suits of power armor, but the ones I have found are not as in-depth as I'd like. They are about three pages long, summarizing what they did as apposed to being actually tutorials. I saw someone 3d print an entire suit of T-60 armor from fallout 4. Not only was it expensive, (about 120 pounds of filament) but it also didn't teach me what to do with the ripped files or how to prepare them. What do you recommend? Where do I start learning? What road do I take? Pepakura or 3d printing? I appreciate anything you can help me with and your advice!

 

[zapwizard]

I am not trying to discourage you, but that can be a huge project.

I recommend starting on the helmet.
You start learning by reading every possible similar project that came before you. (There are lots of power armor threads here on the RPF)
The road you take is up to you. Most people barely have time to make their projects, let along publish a tutorial.

The 3D files that you see in game cannot just be ripped out and 3D printed. Most of the 3D detail is actually in the textures. Sometimes the in-game 3D file can be turned into a Pepakura file, but most game designs cheat in ways that can't be re-done in real life.

The good project you see are either people re-doing the 3D models themselves from scratch, or they are taking the game model and adding back all the details.

Near-perfect, and low cost are opposing ideas. As the saying goes: "Fast, Cheap, Good. Choose two."

 

[MLG at DOW]

I am not trying to discourage you, but that can be a huge project.

I recommend starting on the helmet.
You start learning by reading every possible similar project that came before you. (There are lots of power armor threads here on the RPF)
The road you take is up to you. Most people barely have time to make their projects, let along publish a tutorial.

The 3D files that you see in game cannot just be ripped out and 3D printed. Most of the 3D detail is actually in the textures. Sometimes the in-game 3D file can be turned into a Pepakura file, but most game designs cheat in ways that can't be re-done in real life.

The good project you see are either people re-doing the 3D models themselves from scratch, or they are taking the game model and adding back all the details.

Near-perfect, and low cost are opposing ideas. As the saying goes: "Fast, Cheap, Good. Choose two."

Thanks for the redirection! Is there a place where I can learn to rework 3d files from games and make them ready to print?

 

[zapwizard]

I don't know any in particular, google is your friend there. Best to find someone who already has published a build using pepakura.

 

[GilliGen]

If you need a t-45d or 51b power armor helmet files pm me.

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