Virtual Assembly: The Nebuchadnezzar
After completing work on the screen graphics for the Matrix films, the production designer Owen Patterson pitched an idea for thematrix.com website. The concept was a virtual model kit of one of the films protagonist craft - the Nebuchadnezzar.  Working with 3D character animator Dylan Yeo, we stripped down an actual model used in the film and created a 3D model-kit building desktop app for MacOS and Windows.

Just as with a real model-kits, the way the parts fit together is made non-obvious and initial positioning of the parts is at strange angles. Multiple sprues of parts need to be assembled by rotating them in 3D space and joining the pieces together. Those parts are then combined into sub-chassis, which are in turn combined to complete the main chassis. The finished model is spray painted and detailed and can be rotated and lights and guns can be activated.

I just went to link to thematrix.com for links to the free app. It appears that the site has been swallowed by the passage of time. Gone also is the MacOS version but here is a remaining link to the Windows.exe, which still sort of works after 12 years without an update. 

All works and screenshots
© Warner Brothers / Redpill Productions 2002