[WMCoolmon]

Wow.

[Omniscaper]

Danke. But, I would think the wow factor would be much bigger if I didn't have to FAKE bumpmapping. HINT HINT

I guess much can be gotten away with in the speculars. But I'll keep researching ways to create normal maps and uberized bumpmapping in the mean time. Until that FATEFULL day that the SCP gods allow us to finally use bump or normal mapping.

[Omniscaper]

Still tweaking with speculars to show some extreme weathering and rust.

[Fractux]

Wow, amazing work on that texture Omni. it really looks all worn and potmarked.

Cheers!

[Omniscaper]

Some more subtle, speculars...

[NGTM-1R]

...you know, I do have to pose the question: the Mark VII is pretty much brand-new, correct?

The weathering effects are pretty and all, but let's be honest: if it's brand-new, it shouldn't have them.

[Omniscaper]

All things within the universe are subject to entropy, dude.

[WMCoolmon]

Criticism, after looking at some Mark VII pics:

1) The intakes look blocky and polygonized (the technical term ) compared to the rest of the ship.

2) The spikes on the end. Again, they look sort of polygonized.

I'm not sure how many polygons it'd take to improve on either of those, but it's worth looking into IMHO. The rest of the ship looks ultra-smooth.

[Turambar]

you forgot the gun-thing on the top fin and you need to make the lines on the body and wings darker

[NGTM-1R]

Originally posted by Omniscaper
All things within the universe are subject to entropy, dude.

Entropy takes time. Time it hasn't had.

Unless Galactica has some Mark VII's sitting in the hanger gathering dust somewhere, and they manage to somehow render them Cylon-tampering-proof, of course.

It just seems rather a lot of effort for a model that won't feature very often.

[Omniscaper]

Its a fun photoshop exercise. I'm having fun reaquainting myself with PS.

[Ace]

I like the rusty one, but tone down the specular map a little.

The subtle one is too subtle. While these are new fighters, I think giving a worn look is better as these suckers would be used a lot. Probably nearly constant CAP use.

Anyway, plop in the text, logos, and symbols

[Omniscaper]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
Criticism, after looking at some Mark VII pics:

1) The intakes look blocky and polygonized (the technical term ) compared to the rest of the ship.

2) The spikes on the end. Again, they look sort of polygonized.

I'm not sure how many polygons it'd take to improve on either of those, but it's worth looking into IMHO. The rest of the ship looks ultra-smooth.

I have no problem resorting back to my perfectionistic tendancy and making this fighter uber smooth by going up to 5k. But I now must think of performance. The BSG project will have large furballs consisting of 20+ fighter battles. I don't think high poly fighters will fly well in that scenario. Conidering there will be a 30k Galactica in the vicinity.

I gotta balance quality and performance if folks without an uber graphics card will play this. The model is already 2059 polygons. I can remove the pilot and cockpit, but this ship will look silly with just a shiny canopy.

[Deepblue]

From the screens I saw the canopy wasn't that opaque...

[Trivial Psychic]

You're gonna put guns on her, right?

[Getter Robo G]

Please save a new Option for the pilotless one (that way if we find ourselves overwhelmed we can DL and plug in the "Light Version". But for the mod the standard one is the HP one. JKust a thought.

[Flaser]

Originally posted by Getter Robo G
Please save a new Option for the pilotless one (that way if we find ourselves overwhelmed we can DL and plug in the "Light Version". But for the mod the standard one is the HP one. JKust a thought.

LODs are your frind Getter Robo G.
They do marvels for FPS.

@Omni: Could your write a tutorial on how you made this textures in PS?

That would be very usefull for newbies + oldies like me who have no previous experience.

BTW: Your work is Exemplary - you've grown from a begining porter to a full fledged model genius in little time.

[gevatter Lars]

I would also like to get some tips for making that kind of textures...I am just trying to get something done myself so help would be great.

[Woolie Wool]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
I question the validity of intakes on a space fighter.

I'm guessing it has some atmospheric flight capability.

More likely it is an engine nozzle. In Newtonian physics, to slow your forward speed, you have to direct thrust forward. Watch the B5 StarFuries in action.

Or it could be some kind of ventilation intake so that you don't have to use a pressure suit or anything like that during atmospheric flight.

[IceFire]

Originally posted by ngtm1r


Entropy takes time. Time it hasn't had.

Unless Galactica has some Mark VII's sitting in the hanger gathering dust somewhere, and they manage to somehow render them Cylon-tampering-proof, of course.

It just seems rather a lot of effort for a model that won't feature very often.

You must have missed some episodes.  In the first episode, Apollo nails that freighter from the cockpit of a Mark VII.  I'm a fan of this new version of the Viper so I, if nobody else, will cheer for its cause.

Although the producers are surely appealing to the nostalgia element of the show, there are Mark VIIs onboard Galactica, they have been "fixed", and surely they are on CAP with the Mark IIs.

I think the key aspect here, however, is a visual appeal as well as a gameplay appeal when it comes to the MOD.  It means instead of one fighter type to fly, you have two very solid canonical designs...much like the Aurora and Thunderbolt StarFurys of Babylon 5.  The visual appeal is that the Mark VII appeals to people like me who love clean and sleek lines while the Mark II seems more worn and well used and nostalgic.

Back to Episode 1 of the series again, the Raptor, the Mark VII (both ships seem to be of the same style of design BTW) and the Mark II in formation (Boomer, Starbuck, Apollo) has a really great "rag tag" feel to it because you have mixed squadrons flying together with different ships of different abilities but ultimately flexible in their approach.

As for performance, the VII is supposed to be more sensitive and manuverable (sort of like the F-15 vs F/A-22) and it looks as if it has an extra gun (is that confirmed?).  So I think it'll be neat to fly around with...can't wait