Key Topics Covered

• Initializing 3D scenes
• Using spheres
• Updating textures

Introduction

In this tutorial, we’ll build a UFO with 3 sphere shapes:

Step 1 - Initialize the “Blue Sky” Scene

Please create a new project, and use the “initialize 3D scene” block to load the “Blue Sky” scene. This scene is pretty fast to load. It contains a blue sky with clouds with an ocean below. Please also add the 3D axis to show the 3 dimensions.

Step 2 - Add the first sphere

Now let’s add a big flat sphere to serve as the main body of the UFO. The X and Y sizes should be a large number like 500, and the Z size (the height) should be much smaller, such as 50.

 
Here is the new block to be added. Note that the “sides” number is set to 64 to make the large sphere look smoother.

Step 3 - Update Texture

To make the UFO body look more real, we can apply a texture to it. If you search by the keyword “space”, you will find many good textures to choose from. You can also change the repeat count to make the pattern repeat more times.

Step 4 - The Second Sphere

Next, let’s add another sphere that’s smaller but taller, and also with a different texture. Can you try to add it? What values should you use for the x/y/z sizes?

 
Here is how you can add the second sphere by duplication:

Step 5 - The Third Sphere for the Control Room

The last sphere would be even smaller and taller. You can make it semi-transparent as well when you specify the color.

 
Here is the new block you need to add:

Step 6 - Cut the Third Sphere in Half

Suppose we want the control room to be only on the top half of the UFO. We can use the “slice” input to get a half sphere. Please try to produce a result like this:

 
As shown, when we change the sphere to a half-sphere, it is facing the wrong direction, so we need to rotate it as well:

 
Here is the complete program for your reference:

Creative Ideas

There are many ways you can enhance this UFO. Here are some ideas for your inspiration:

1. Different colors/textures for the different parts of the UFO

2. Open up the second sphere: currently the second sphere shows up through the transparent cover. It would be nice to open it up like this:

3. Add Other Objects: you can add some other objects to the scene, such as aliens, lights, hatch doors, landing legs, etc.