You could always try playing around with a capsule under the extended primitives. I just did this image real quick, but I think with some tweaking, you might achieve what you are looking for. Just convert it to an editable poly and adjust the verts and apply a turbo smooth modifier. Hope this helps.

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Rick

[Link to www.3dartconcepts.com]

Ok great. I just wanted to hear from an expert if I am totally doing weird and sluggish things or I am getting into the right realm of thinking on how to approach certain things. I dont know all of 3ds tools yet so thanks for the confirmation.

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i would try scaling the dips with soft selection set on, using a lengthened sphere

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of course turning it to an editable poly, and scaling the looped edges around the balloon

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you could also delete the ends of the spheres and use weld or bridge to join it all together. that way you can retain the spherical topology then add a turbosmooth to blend it all together.

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I agree

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Chris

weld? so that would be better than a attatch i assume.

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You have to attach before you weld.

It seems to me that you have three balloons that you want squashed together rather than one balloon with three chambers,.. right.
If so, attaching and welding may not be your best bet.

EDIT: This was done using soft selection on the ends of the spheres.

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Chris

Oh sorry if I wasnt clear. I want the baloons to all be one big thing, with 3 very round bumps. Your last picture there would be right on except I want it to appear as one continous mesh (no breaks) which I am not sure how to get rid off. On the other hand I might throw ropes around the skinny parts so that would cover up the "seperation". Id still like to know how to make it appear all as one bumpy balloon though.

So Im not sure where to draw the line of "3 squished together" but I do want one smooth mesh its the main thing, and I can alter the shape as my own judgement.

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I understood what you meant I was only suggesting it would look better as seperate balloons, it would be a nice safety feature too,.. in case you get a leak.

Anyway, here is a video that should help..
[Link to www.youtube.com]

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Chris

Is this going to be like an airship?

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Please support us and post a [Link to www.digitalartsfront.com] on your website.

--Matt

Like an airship is a good name for it because I am a beginner so since I have no UVW unwrap ability (though trying to find out) it will largely look like crap.

The video link is too small to have any idea what buttons hes pushing but it looks like:

-Attach spheres
-Push boundari vertexes close together
-Weld the vertex with an appropriate threshold

And this will get rid of the mesh "break" ? Thats cool.
I thought welding only applied to vertexes, now I know

here is the current state of affairs for anyone interested (totally in need of unwrap mapping ofcourse)

[Link to img49.imageshack.us]

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Ship hull + Balloon = Airship... What does being a beginner have to do with it?

If you watch the video in high quality full screen you should be able to see it.
Sorry I don't have a mic to add sound to the video, and I didn't have time to add annotations.
It looks like you got the idea anyway, except for meshsmooth.

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Chris