Eve Of The War

im interested to know what artistic interpretation of Wells' fighting machines best fit the description given in the book, for the graphically knowlegeable is there a generally accepted 100% pure blood Wells fighting machine?

Thats a good question, so many get it wrong (me included) see <a href='http://www.calibra.eclipse.co.uk/eve/fusseygallery.htm' target='_blank'>Peter Fussey Gallery</a> Wells described the fighting machines as "a milking stool tilted and bowled violently along the ground" but a milking stool dosen't fill you with fear. My favorites are Lee Gibbons , from Arcane, issue 19, May 1997 and Manchus cover for the French edition of Otherland 3, by Tad Williams both to be found on <a href='http://drzeus.best.vwh.net/wotw/other/other.html' target='_blank'>drzeus.</a> but my personal favorite has to be Roger Deans, nothing like the description but it looks so evil

I may be wrong about this, but didn't Wells describe the Martians as being visible inside the machines?<br /><br />If so, I don't think I've seen any tripod designs that incorporate this.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

Yes there is a scene in Chapter 4: The death of the curate.'I looked up and saw the lower surface of a handling-machine coming slowly across the hole. One of its gripping limbs curled amid the debris; another limb appeared, feeling its way over the fallen beams. I stood petrified, staring. Then I saw through a sort of glass plate near the edge of the body the face, as we may call it, and the large dark eyes of a Martian, peering, and then a long metallic snake of tentacle came feeling slowly through the hole.' And I presume the Fighting Machines are the same.<br /><br />Warwick Goble who did the original art work for the Pearson Magazine in 1897 depicts the machines with open hoods.

It sounds like there were glass plates, but possibly tinted, so you'd have to be close to detect a Martian. The writer never mentions seeing a Martian controlling a fighting machine, but maybe he would have had to be closer.<br /><br />My intial defining impression of a tripod was the cover of the old Fairmont Classics edition I had as a kid. That said, I've always been partial to this classic Frank R Paul cover:<br /><br /><a href='http://www.frankwu.com/Paul-2.html' target='_blank'>http://www.frankwu.com/Paul-2.html</a>

I'm afraid my defining impression has always been the jeff wayne tripods and although i know they are not accurate to the book, i still think they are the most awe inspiring vision of a truly terrifying machine and gave me nightmares as a child, in fact although i'm 33 now my drive to work at 6 in the morning is all country lanes and i keep imagining those machines striding over the hills in the darkness...........<br /><br />and no i'm not mad !!!!!!!!

6am, get a new job :wacko:

Sometimes 5am mate, i'm a lorry driver..........<br />

5am!? There's no such time

-_- My minds images are the same as yours Gavv8.I think its jeff waynes images that have stayed in my mind over the years........

Jeff's machine was certainly the first tripod figure I saw and impressed me the most, I saw the 1953 film on TV a couple of years after that and was most disappointed (where are it's legs I shouted) :angry:

I'm currently reading the book (first time all the way through) and the description the journalist gives...man...I saw it almost straight away...Since I'm somewhat of a CG artist...I decided to make a model of it.<br /><br />There are a few things that infulenced my "design"<br /><br />1st: It walks like a man on crutches (it's described as having 2 feet in the air at one early point of the book)<br /><br />2nd: It's bowl or "shield" like (the gunners thought the tripod was a "Sheild" to cover them, which sprouted legs and attacked.)<br /><br />3rd: The Heat Ray is a Camera shaped box, held by 1 jointed arm.<br /><br />4th: There is a "head" above the shield, which looks around (houses the martian probably)<br /><br />5th: Has atleast *3* jointed tentacles/grippers<br /><br />And with that info...straight from the book...I plan on building it.<br /><br />...flame me when I post the links...

<!--QuoteBegin-Mart Ian Tripe Odd (MFM)+Feb 10 2005, 03:28 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mart Ian Tripe Odd (MFM) @ Feb 10 2005, 03:28 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->1st: It walks like a man on crutches (it's described as having 2 feet in the air at one early point of the book)<br />2nd: It's bowl or "shield" like (the gunners thought the tripod was a "Sheild" to cover them, which sprouted legs and attacked.)<br />3rd: The Heat Ray is a Camera shaped box, held by 1 jointed arm.<br />4th: There is a "head" above the shield, which looks around (houses the martian probably)<br />5th: Has at least *3* jointed tentacles/grippers.[/quote]<br /><br />I've just remembered that there was a picture of a tripod in the children's book Mysteries of the Unknown, published by Usborne in the late Seventies, that was very close to this description.

Fenris: Ya...I know...but...after reading the book (almost through book 1) It seemed the closest to the actual thing. But It's going to be different slightly...*trying to find that pic you're talking about...*<br /><br />And here's the first pic of the model I'm making.<br /><br /><br /><br />It's still a work in progress, but you can see the general shape of it.<br /><br />Comments? Questions?

I like that, how long did it take? and what program are you useing? :mellow: <br /><br />Comments?<br />I would say longer legs. or are they telescopic? :huh:

It took me about an hour to get that far.<br /><br />I'm using Cinema 4D, awesome and simple program to use.<br /><br />And Yes they are telescopic (it's the only way to have the legs "sprout")<br /><br />Working on the Heat Ray now, got the arms modelled, I'll take a render when I'm done...almost...<br /><br />

<!--QuoteBegin-Mart Ian Tripe Odd (MFM)+Feb 11 2005, 02:52 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mart Ian Tripe Odd (MFM) @ Feb 11 2005, 02:52 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin--><br />I'm using Cinema 4D, awesome and simple program to use.<br /><br />[right][snapback]770[/snapback][/right]<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I shall have to get a copy of that. I'm realy impressed, I like the reflections on the metal, does the program do that automatically or do you put them in after.

It's all textures.<br /><br />I've got the MFM done...pretty much, I'm just adding the "Black Gas Canister Launcher" Now.<br /><br />And it's a fairly expensive piece of software...But EXTREMELY easy and fun to use.<br /><br />Posting screens soon

This is rendered without feet and the Black Gas Launcher.<br /><br /><br /><br />I'm working on a walking animation ("Tilted and bowled along the ground" As strange as it might sound like...it looks...interesting...I'll get that up soon aswell, along with the final MFM pic

Fully Finished Martian Fighting Machine!<br /><br />(This type of Tripod is seen during the later chapters of Book 1. It comes with both the HeatRay (Top) and the Canister Launcher (below the heat ray) I Figured that they'd just clamp the launcher onto the arm.)<br /><br />It's pretty much straight from the book...dunno bout the feet though...<br /><br /><br /><br />Tell me what you think!<br />

Looks pretty cool. Also for those that want to use this type of software there is Maya, Lightwave and 3d Studio Max are all capable of doing these sort of graphics.<br /><br />Maya and Lightwave are generally used in the game industry and 3d studio max is used in the film industry.<br /><br />Cheers<br />

nice i wish Wells had supervised some illustration as he of course was the only one who really knew what they looked like. <br /><br />I always thought the heat ray projector swung down from the main body but it does make more sense for the fixture to be above the hood, especially for the second part of book one where the fighting machines distribute the black smoke gun to each other

Overall I like it. <br /><br /> :unsure: But I think the heat ray is a bit too big, it dwarves the fighting machine. the Canister Launcher looks fine. and those tentacles look pretty lethal 10/10 <br /><br />I have got to get myself a copy of that program. can't wait to see it animated.

sorry if i missed this above but whats the cone thing at the back?

Ah crap...forgot to mention that...<br /><br />The cone thing is the "Basket"<br /><br />As for the Heatray...I'll render it a bit smaller later on, and post it around then too.<br /><br />(BTW Leper...sorry bout hijacking this thread...maybe I should make my own...)