Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Arts & Talents => Topic started by: Styxx on December 27, 2002, 07:14:10 pm

Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 27, 2002, 07:14:10 pm: Ok, enough with the auto-greebling. Started a rework of my Institute ships, here are the results on the first ship so far - any ideas are welcome. By the way, the turrets from the last ship I posted here will be used on this one, with slight modifications.

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img01.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img02.jpg)

Here's a pic of it closer to what it'll look in the end - obviously there will be a central piece connecting the two "wings".

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img03.jpg)

I'm still thinking of all the detail to be added so, as I said, ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Knight Templar on December 27, 2002, 07:18:03 pm: woa

:cool:

*waits to see connector*
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sheepy on December 27, 2002, 07:19:27 pm: *drool*
Title: Re: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 27, 2002, 08:08:40 pm: Small update on the detailing:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img04.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 27, 2002, 08:29:33 pm: :eek2:

Now that is some detail! :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on December 27, 2002, 08:55:44 pm: Detailing: :yes:

Ship Design: :no:

I don't know why, Styxx, I just hate it. *heh* Love the detailing though. keep that up as long as your machine can handle the load.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 27, 2002, 09:07:48 pm: Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
Detailing: :yes:

Ship Design: :no:

I don't know why, Styxx, I just hate it. *heh* Love the detailing though. keep that up as long as your machine can handle the load.

Oh well, can't please everyone I guess. :D

Any specifics on why you don't like it or you just don't? :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on December 27, 2002, 10:24:20 pm: Mmm, split hull. Asking for a bigass cannon down the middle. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: delta_7890 on December 27, 2002, 10:32:57 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Mmm, split hull. Asking for a bigass cannon down the middle. ;)

My thoughts exactly!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on December 27, 2002, 10:52:28 pm: I love that design. Looks a bit like a Rakshasa, but still cool. Leave the front split, and only connect the two pieces in the back.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on December 27, 2002, 11:30:04 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx

Any specifics on why you don't like it or you just don't? :)

To tell you the truth, I think it comes down to credibility. Keeping in mind that most work in this realm completely lacks credibility (especially mine), I offer the following:

The split hull thing just doesn't make any sense to me. You've divided the pressure volume into two distinct areas--areas that have to be joined at some point. These joins will be either skybridge type affairs, or be big pressured volume themselves. Even assuming that you go the latter route, you've created a situation where anyone on one side of the ship, to get to the same point on the other side of the ship, may have to half way down the fuselage, across a cross connecting volume, and back up the fuselage. This is not efficient.

That's just an attempt on my part, mind you, to rationalise a gut reaction. Something about the design (as it stands, before you join the sections) does not sit well with me. I'll reserve further commentary until I have seen the connections and the way you work super- and sub-structures, etc.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on December 27, 2002, 11:53:05 pm: Maybe there's nobody in there, ya know? About 90% of the average warship must be equipment, with nobody but an engineer in a pressure suit ever setting foot in it. And I really doubt they'd change the whole design just to make things a bit more convienient for a lazy engineer.

A greater problem would be the thing snapping in half. But I like it anyway.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ace on December 28, 2002, 12:15:48 am: Those entire split areas could be reaction mass/heat dispersion (the greebled parts add surface area, making a heatsink rational) for either the main guns for the main engines. (if for guns, those must be two nasty weapons...)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Fetty on December 28, 2002, 12:18:27 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Mmm, split hull. Asking for a bigass cannon down the middle. ;)

also a bit of the ship shape reminds me of that wc5 carrier :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on December 28, 2002, 12:32:10 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Mmm, split hull. Asking for a bigass cannon down the middle. ;)

Yeah, guns aren't phallic enough as it is. Is Shrike trying to tell us something here?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Alikchi on December 28, 2002, 12:53:07 am: Interesting..

(take that however you want)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Knight Templar on December 28, 2002, 01:35:17 am: You could always make the connection go most way, if not all the way down the middle..

or not.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryx on December 28, 2002, 04:19:28 am: Looks good!

Maybe some (just a little, nothing excessive) hull plating on the smooth bits.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on December 28, 2002, 05:51:42 am: don't forget to keep a simpler mesh, you know max can use LODs too ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on December 28, 2002, 07:53:19 am: For the WIP pics, please smooth the shadow edges - they distract from the ship geometry. I know it's not supposed to be a pretty render, but still... :)

That aside, and contrary to Mik, I love it! :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on December 28, 2002, 08:28:35 am: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
For the WIP pics, please smooth the shadow edges - they distract from the ship geometry. I know it's not supposed to be a pretty render, but still... :)

That aside, and contrary to Mik, I love it! :D

so do I. I like this kind of designs, even if I woudn't do that myself ( I try to stay as realistic as my non-existent knowledge allows me ), coz well, it's different :)
I think this ship is 100 times better than the one you posted a couple weeks ago, btw.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on December 28, 2002, 01:35:58 pm: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506

I think this ship is 100 times better than the one you posted a couple weeks ago, btw.

I could not disagree with Venom more. ;)

The ship you posted before, Styxx, was not only plausible, but was simply gorgeous.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 28, 2002, 02:19:14 pm: Reminded me of the Midway, now that split hull was mentioned. That's good.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on December 28, 2002, 05:20:54 pm: Well darn me, I like both designs. ;) And yet, I can't figure out a way to link the two halves. I was going to say join the rear sections, but then it's really starting to remind me of the Apocalypse. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, mind you. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on December 28, 2002, 05:21:02 pm: One prob I DO have with it, though. The shading sucks my ass so hard my rectum gets turned inside out and I'm trailing intestinal tract everywhere I go. It magnifies every distortion in the mesh a hundred times over, and is improbably shiny besides.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: PSYCHO on December 28, 2002, 09:11:35 pm: COOL;7
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 29, 2002, 09:20:04 am: Well, I'll post a preview of the connected version soon, but it won't be linked just by "bridges" or a small section. On the original design those were just "wings" on a single-block main hull, but I think I'll change it this time.

And as for the shading, what do you suggest? :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on December 29, 2002, 12:38:08 pm: try two local lights above the ship, one with negative intensity values. if you had max5, would be easier to have a nice "show off" lighting scheme...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 30, 2002, 05:10:48 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
try two local lights above the ship, one with negative intensity values. if you had max5, would be easier to have a nice "show off" lighting scheme...

Yes, but then Shrike will start to ***** about it being too dark, can't see the model, yadda yadda yadda, you know?

:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on December 30, 2002, 05:12:20 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
try two local lights above the ship, one with negative intensity values. if you had max5, would be easier to have a nice "show off" lighting scheme...
Dammit, you 'show off' a finished model, not a WIP!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on December 30, 2002, 09:07:49 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Dammit, you 'show off' a finished model, not a WIP!

hey, why not? :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 30, 2002, 10:05:15 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Dammit, you 'show off' a finished model, not a WIP!

See? See? :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 30, 2002, 10:07:44 am: Oh, and by the way, the turret that I mentioned before:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/turret01.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on December 30, 2002, 10:38:54 am: wow...that turret is 1337!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on December 30, 2002, 11:45:42 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
Dammit, you 'show off' a finished model, not a WIP!

No, YOU show off a finished model. The rest of us show off whatever we want whenever we want, thank you very much Mr. Grouchy Spikey Hyperevolved Reaper Program.

That turret looks nice Styxx, but your lighting bites. ;) Can the ambient and stick with those lights that are shadow casting.
Title: E ae styxx blz ???
Post by: DeStRoIdEr on December 30, 2002, 01:29:41 pm: Ae Styxx blz ???

Hauhauhauhauhua !!!

Pq naum apareceu no meu fórum ???

Posso saber ???

Hhuahuhauhauhuahua !!!
Title: Re: E ae styxx blz ???
Post by: Ulundel on December 30, 2002, 01:36:35 pm: Quote
Originally posted by DeStRoIdEr
Ae Styxx blz ???

Hauhauhauhauhua !!!

Pq naum apareceu no meu fórum ???

Posso saber ???

Hhuahuhauhauhuahua !!!

could you...say that again? :D

anyways...

(http://members.cox.net/wmcoolmon/images/welcome.gif)

exits are on the rear and left, flamethrowers are located under the seats. if you see a big monster in the vents, it's just Carl stealing your lunch. Don't make any sudden moves and you won't get hurt.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on December 30, 2002, 03:12:21 pm: Oh, cool - another Brasillian! :lol:

Umm... Styxx?? Levyathan? Anyone care to translate? :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Redfang on December 30, 2002, 03:51:11 pm: :lol:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ulundel on December 30, 2002, 03:58:14 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
Oh, cool - another Brasillian! :lol:

Umm... Styxx?? Levyathan? Anyone care to translate? :p

Are you sure he's Brasilian? :D

Meh, I don't have any idea what 'Hauhauhauhauhua' should mean...and I doubt it's listed in the dictionary too :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on December 30, 2002, 03:59:04 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Ten of Twelve

Are you sure he's Brasilian? :D

:blah:

Quote
Originally posted by Ten of Twelve
Meh, I don't have any idea what 'Hauhauhauhauhua' should mean...and I doubt it's listed in the dictionary too :D

:blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah: :blah:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ulundel on December 30, 2002, 04:03:22 pm: :wtf: hokay. I didn't quite understand that
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on December 30, 2002, 04:35:47 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Ten of Twelve
Are you sure he's Brasilian? :D

Meh, I don't have any idea what 'Hauhauhauhauhua' should mean...and I doubt it's listed in the dictionary too :D

We need a Russian. Xaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ulundel on December 30, 2002, 04:46:49 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Goober5000

We need a Russian. Xaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!

xaxaxaxaxaxaxaxa? why not huiahuiahuiahuia :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on December 30, 2002, 06:04:02 pm: Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
No, YOU show off a finished model. The rest of us show off whatever we want whenever we want, thank you very much Mr. Grouchy Spikey Hyperevolved Reaper Program.
This it ironic because I rarely if ever actually finish meshes..... heh
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sheepy on December 30, 2002, 06:20:04 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Goober5000

We need a Russian. Xaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!

I can speak a limited amount of Russian
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Knight Templar on December 30, 2002, 06:25:27 pm: Quote
originally posted by Goober5000

We need a Russian. Xaxaxaxaxaxaxa!!

*points down*

You rang? :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 30, 2002, 09:17:12 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
Umm... Styxx?? Levyathan? Anyone care to translate? :p

He said:

[Portuguese]
Hey Styxx! 'Sup?

[laughs]

Why didn't you come by my forum?

Could you let me know?

[laughs]
[/Portuguese]

Yep, he's Brazilian. Dunno if he speaks English, but he seems to know Styxx from somewhere else...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on December 30, 2002, 09:59:50 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Knight Templar

*points down*

You rang? :D

Yay for the Cryllic alphabet! :D

We need more examples of laughs in other languages. :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 30, 2002, 10:12:35 pm: In Spanish it's jajajajajajajajaja.

But that's off topic, so now this thread is doomed.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: NeoHunter on December 31, 2002, 03:15:43 am: Very nice and very detailed ship you got there. This is actually the first time I'm seeing this ship. Looks very alien to me though. Like as if humans did not build it. It gives me that feeling.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on December 31, 2002, 04:42:53 am: Quote
Originally posted by Sheepy

I can speak a limited amount of Russian

Tell me, do you know if "balagan" is Russian? I hear it's supposed to mean something like "complete mess" or so.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 31, 2002, 06:03:18 am: Oh boy.

He's my g/f's cousin, I used his comp during the weekend to check this thread.

Oh, and mikhael - I never use ambient lighting, all lights are shadowcasting, but I put lots of them so you can actually see the model. I used to do it with only one or two lights, but then everyone (not only Shrike, that was a joke) complained that it was too dark and they couldn't see anything.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Knight Templar on December 31, 2002, 06:30:08 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx

He's my g/f's cousin, I used his comp during the weekend to check this thread.

wait.. who's your G/f's cousin? And why were you checking Hardlight from your g/f's cousin's computer..? :wtf:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on December 31, 2002, 06:43:07 am: Quote
Originally posted by Knight Templar

wait.. who's your G/f's cousin? And why were you checking Hardlight from your g/f's cousin's computer..? :wtf:

why do you even care, in the first place? :doubt:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 31, 2002, 07:04:26 am: Quote
Originally posted by Knight Templar
wait.. who's your G/f's cousin? And why were you checking Hardlight from your g/f's cousin's computer..? :wtf:

They guy who posted in portuguese on the previous page. And because it was the only computer over there, it was turned on, it was connected to the internet, and I walked past it - so I just had to check HLP.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on December 31, 2002, 07:07:47 am: Quote
Originally posted by NeoHunter
Very nice and very detailed ship you got there. This is actually the first time I'm seeing this ship. Looks very alien to me though. Like as if humans did not build it. It gives me that feeling.

Well, it was built by humans, but not by humans in the way you know them. I've already posted the prologue and first chapter of the story this ship comes from, but noone seemed to notice the thread back then.

;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on December 31, 2002, 11:08:36 am: Link?
Title: Re: This time it's for real
Post by: Stealth on December 31, 2002, 11:23:14 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img01.jpg)

when i first saw that picture i thought it was supposed to be the dash-board (the radio and stuff by the steering wheel) of some futuristic car :D

oh well ;)

very nice :nod: :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 31, 2002, 12:59:29 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Oh boy.

He's my g/f's cousin, I used his comp during the weekend to check this thread.

The one who kept playing Final Fantasy 8 even though he couldn't understand any English? :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Corhellion on December 31, 2002, 06:09:31 pm: Niice Styxx.

Reminds me of a Midway class carrier off of Wing Commander Prophecy.

http://www.wcnews.com/ships/wcpmidway.shtml

Very similar in appearance.

It's good regardless!

Cor
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on December 31, 2002, 08:13:19 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Levyathan

The one who kept playing Final Fantasy 8 even though he couldn't understand any English? :D

ROFL :lol:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on December 31, 2002, 09:21:47 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Corhellion
Reminds me of a Midway class carrier off of Wing Commander Prophecy.

Quote
Originally posted by Levyathan
Reminded me of the Midway, now that split hull was mentioned. That's good.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryder P. Moses on December 31, 2002, 09:50:09 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Mephistopheles
Isn't it great how people who have nothing to add to a discussion insist on posting anyway?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Corhellion on January 01, 2003, 12:00:18 am: Well...uh...I didn't see your post there levy...sorry man

post more pics Styxx!!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 01, 2003, 06:36:43 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
And because it was the only computer over there, it was turned on, it was connected to the internet, and I walked past it - so I just had to check HLP.

Mmmm, withdrawal symptoms. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 01, 2003, 02:37:51 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Levyathan
The one who kept playing Final Fantasy 8 even though he couldn't understand any English? :D

Yep, that one.

Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
Mmmm, withdrawal symptoms. ;)

:nervous:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 01, 2003, 02:55:32 pm: Oh, and as for the textures: dark gray base color, high hilight, low specular, and a reflective value around 8% yields a decent brushed-steel chrome. Excessive color or reflective values yield a nasty-looking tex that highlights every single flaw in the mesh.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 01, 2003, 05:23:42 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Excessive color or reflective values yield a nasty-looking tex that highlights every single flaw in the mesh.

that's why you use that on non mapped models :p. It's quite easy to hide flaws. Nowhere as easy to have no flaw to hide on a mesh.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 01, 2003, 05:33:18 pm: If you can't see it, it doesn't NEED fixing- you'll be gettin a closer look at that mesh than anyone else ever will.

Can use it, if you like, just don't show the model in it, or it will be considerably less impressive.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 01, 2003, 07:15:25 pm: Small update:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img07.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img06.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 01, 2003, 07:24:43 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Small update:

*blah*

VV007!!!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 01, 2003, 07:54:02 pm: I may know nothing at all about renders/modelling, but that looks good.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on January 01, 2003, 08:06:56 pm: Wow! :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: SKYNET-011 on January 01, 2003, 08:15:03 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Levyathan

The one who kept playing Final Fantasy 8 even though he couldn't understand any English? :D

Maybe he speaks Japanese too.:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 01, 2003, 09:33:59 pm: Hokay, NOW am impressed. Looks very alien. Make it Terran.:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 01, 2003, 09:37:02 pm: Did I just read that right? :wtf:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Turnsky on January 01, 2003, 11:45:33 pm: Very nice. how long has the MT project been running for?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 01, 2003, 11:59:45 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Started a rework of my Institute ships
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 02, 2003, 05:49:10 am: Quote
Originally posted by Turnsky
Very nice. how long has the MT project been running for?

Phew, it's been more than a year now. For months, Styxx was maintaining the whole project himself.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on January 02, 2003, 05:50:39 am: This ship has nothing to do with MT, and everything to do with Storms and Sorrows.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 02, 2003, 06:14:42 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
This ship has nothing to do with MT, and everything to do with Storms and Sorrows.

Yep.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 02, 2003, 07:01:42 am: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
If you can't see it, it doesn't NEED fixing- y

her... yeah, of course if you set up lights so they will hide flaws ( which means that you can see them if the lighting is good ), you won't see much anyway, can just make again the GTD Cube then :p. Let see if professionals in videgames and movies would be pleased with that...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 02, 2003, 04:01:41 pm: If you need perfect lighting to see the noticeable flaws in a mesh you're making, you probably suck anyway.;)

At least, if you're using any prog I've ever seen...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 02, 2003, 04:11:14 pm: fix the flaws, so they won't show up at all in good OR bad lighting. Flaws, by definition, need to be fixed. If you've got them, you probably suck anyway. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 02, 2003, 04:14:55 pm: Eh, when you get into subdivision and ****, there are gonna be seams, and there ain't nothin' you can do about it, unless you plan on spending 2-3 hours per little cluster of polys. They almost never show up, except in wireframe, they really don't do much, but they are technically flaws- you can see them if you use certain shaders, but you never use those shaders, 'cos they also highlight a lack of subdivision, so if, say, a sphere isn't at around 10,000 polys, it'll look all angular and messy.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 02, 2003, 04:20:51 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Eh, when you get into subdivision and ****, there are gonna be seams, and there ain't nothin' you can do about it, unless you plan on spending 2-3 hours per little cluster of polys.

You don't already hand tweak your meshes to fix the flaws?

It doesn't take 2-3hrs. It take a few minutes. Heck, cleaning up all the degenerate polys in the Mjolnir (~2k polys created by booleans) only took an hour, may be 90min. When I work on the Herc engine pods (a true *****), I hand-tweak the mesh regularly to prevent flaws and clean up the ones that creep in. It takes long, but you don't get surpised down the road when a shader does something odd or you try to convert the model into a different format.

Besides: its easy to fix a broken mesh than it is to find EVERY POSSIBLE ANGLE that lighting can show your **** ups in an animation.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 02, 2003, 04:41:05 pm: Maybe you have a different subdivision system than I do. In mine, you get down to about the third or fourth level of subdiv on an irregular surface, most of the polys start clumping along little cracks in the surface. They're practically microscopic, and you can seal up the big ones by welding, but all in all they tend to go through important parts where doing much of anything just ****s things up worse, including deleting them and sticking a patch in. And, like I said, they're invisible except under very specific circumstances. I think the only time they ever made real trouble for me was when I was trying to model a detailed face for closeups (and eventually had to scrap it, even though half the time I couldn't even see the seams), but maybe it's because I generally don't need to subdivide with what I do.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 02, 2003, 04:53:17 pm: Well yeah, I almost never subdivide polygons. I tend to hand model (by way of the point-point-point-poly method) truly fiddly detail. You get finer control that way and now fruity polys where they shouldn't be.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 02, 2003, 05:11:33 pm: No fun doing organic that way, though. Extrusion, lathing and all that not gonna help ya.:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 02, 2003, 08:15:14 pm: Another update, not much else, but it's what I had time to work on today.

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img09.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img10.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img11.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: wEvil on January 02, 2003, 08:48:24 pm: ooo..purdy :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 03, 2003, 09:36:04 am: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
No fun doing organic that way, though. Extrusion, lathing and all that not gonna help ya.:D

bah, if you really want organic, you'll use splines ( or nurbs if you're not a max user :p )

As for the ship, it will rock I think.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 04, 2003, 05:55:47 am: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
This ship has nothing to do with MT, and everything to do with Storms and Sorrows.

I suppose I'd better get on ICQ and ask you about this some time. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 04, 2003, 08:23:27 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh

I suppose I'd better get on ICQ and ask you about this some time. :D

maybe you'll be more lucky than I was then :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on January 04, 2003, 02:39:00 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
I suppose I'd better get on ICQ and ask you about this some time. :D
I have the first four chapters in my email.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ace on January 04, 2003, 07:03:04 pm: Storms and Sorrows? *shrug* sort of reminds me of how one of the CWA ships in Nodewars would look like. :drevil:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Zeronet on January 04, 2003, 09:46:26 pm: I wonder if i can make truespace do high poly stuff. hmm
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 04, 2003, 10:05:13 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
I have the first four chapters in my email.

Cheers :)

Oh hey, Styxx, I really like the antennae on destroyer-img11.jpg. Just thought I'd tell you. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on January 04, 2003, 10:24:00 pm: They used to be a bit more gunlike. I guess he changed them after I suggested he use them as some kind of AA gun.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 04, 2003, 10:50:31 pm: They remind me of something else, actually... an insect sting (after reading a manuscript of "The Dark Tower" by C. S. Lewis, stings are all I can think of)... but in a good way. ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 05, 2003, 06:39:58 am: Quote
Originally posted by Zeronet
I wonder if i can make truespace do high poly stuff. hmm

most likely, but I don't know how well it would handle a scene with something like that in it.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 05, 2003, 07:24:46 am: Well, as I said before, I had posted the story here. If you really want to check it out, I can post the prologue and first chapter again, so you can get an idea of what it's like.

Oh, and I didn't change the antennae... :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on January 05, 2003, 07:25:56 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Oh, and I didn't change the antennae... :p
You didn't? I'm sure they look different than they did before.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 05, 2003, 06:30:22 pm: Nope, I didn't. :)

Started work on the central piece, here are some shots (last two are use shadow maps instead of raytraced shadows, just in case you wonder).

Central piece, reactor covers closed:
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img13.jpg)

Central piece, one of the reactor covers open:
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img14.jpg)

General view of the ship (didn't replicate all the detail yet):
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img15.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Warlock on January 05, 2003, 06:34:32 pm: As always bro.... top of the line :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 05, 2003, 06:47:43 pm: Good.

This may well earn Styxx a special position as the only person in the forum cooler than me.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on January 05, 2003, 08:27:58 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
4Central piece, reactor covers closed:
Central piece, one of the reactor covers open:
My god, it has thermal exhaust ports! :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: LtNarol on January 05, 2003, 08:44:58 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Shrike
My god, it has thermal exhaust ports! :D
Loads a pair of Helios into his Myrmidon :D

Bring it on!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Bobboau on January 05, 2003, 09:00:07 pm: I'd say that thing is cell worthy
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 05, 2003, 11:27:23 pm: I like the reactor. :):yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 06, 2003, 12:10:52 am: It keeps getting better, Styxx. I'm still not too satisfied with the extended fork at the front but its not MY ship. ;)

can we get a closer look at the reactor?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 06, 2003, 12:37:07 am: I like the front. The rear could use some work, though - I think.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 06, 2003, 04:57:25 am: Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
It keeps getting better, Styxx. I'm still not too satisfied with the extended fork at the front but its not MY ship. ;)

Hm, I did tell that the front section will be connected too, didn't I? Oh well, you know it now (the original idea was to have the whole length connected, but I think I'll keep the two arms separate, connected at both ends).

Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
can we get a closer look at the reactor?

I was uploading one this morning and my comp locked up, then I had to come to work. Will upload one tonight.

:)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 06, 2003, 05:04:23 pm: Another update...

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img17.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img18.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img19.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 06, 2003, 05:17:14 pm: Its kinda.. you know... low poly, isn't it? ;)

*running away!*
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Fineus on January 06, 2003, 05:28:52 pm: .....:eek2:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 06, 2003, 05:37:46 pm: will be fun to map :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 06, 2003, 08:32:04 pm: Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
Its kinda.. you know... low poly, isn't it? ;)

*running away!*

:ha:

Oh, and another update.

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img20.jpg)

(I love lvlshot tags)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 06, 2003, 08:34:49 pm: Now I like the rear too.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 07, 2003, 02:23:42 am: you should get rid of the squashed hemispheres, they don't fit with the ship, pus I suspect you put them there just to fill in large gaps :doubt:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 07, 2003, 06:13:08 pm: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
you should get rid of the squashed hemispheres, they don't fit with the ship, pus I suspect you put them there just to fill in large gaps :doubt:

Nope, they are part of the original design. More detail will be added to them later.

And here's a bit of an update, slapped the turrets on just to check it out:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img23.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 07, 2003, 06:17:14 pm: Get rid of the turret reds. Make them the same teal as the ship's glows.

How many polys IS that thing now?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 07, 2003, 06:28:16 pm: Erm, I think I've mentioned that I'm only working on the mesh itself right now, those materials are all placeholders...

And it's a little bit over 100k, but most of the detail is not replicated. It would be something around 4 times that if I replicated it properly.

EDIT: Oh, and most of those polys are from the turrets. I'll have to rework them to reduce the polycount.

:)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 07, 2003, 08:40:10 pm: Either those turrets are extraordinarily huge or the ship is a lot smaller than I imagined. Or maybe I'm talking nonsense about a subject I know absolutely nothing about.

And even if it's just temporarily, do get rid of the red. Doesn't take much time, and makes it look a lot better.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Turnsky on January 07, 2003, 11:23:58 pm: they remind me of the 16 inch cannons on a iowa class battleship.. meaning "bang for your buck"
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 08, 2003, 09:12:14 pm: Ok, next time I put the turrets in I'll remove the red. :p

And here's a smallish update, didn't have much time to work on it further. Some fixes on the plating and started on the shuttle bay.

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img25.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Alikchi on January 08, 2003, 09:24:50 pm: Wow. It's really starting to flesh out.

:yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryx on January 09, 2003, 03:09:56 am: Looking good :nod:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 09, 2003, 04:27:57 am: It looks like a meaner Apocalypse. :) What are those round highlighted things beneath the guns on the left?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 09, 2003, 05:26:57 am: Zecton Pool Manipulators.

Hope it made things clear.

:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 09, 2003, 05:50:14 am: Like crystal... :blah: ;)

Just wondering, 'cos they looked like reactors. And that isn't really a great spot for reactors. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 09, 2003, 06:08:37 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Zecton Pool Manipulators.

Er, no... they're Zecton Pod Extractors, silly. The Manipulators - and a more accurate word would be Effectors - are those little blocky things right... *points* ...there.

:D

:yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 09, 2003, 06:21:23 am: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
Er, no... they're Zecton Pod Extractors, silly. The Manipulators - and a more accurate word would be Effectors - are those little blocky things right... *points* ...there.

:D

Pah. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 09, 2003, 07:53:18 am: :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 10, 2003, 04:39:40 am: Stop that, and start updating this model some more, I like it too much. :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 10, 2003, 05:29:37 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
Stop that, and start updating this model some more, I like it too much. :p

Spent the whole night yesterday running a damn antivirus on my comp, since it was acting strangely, hence the lack of updates today. Oh, and area shadows rule.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 10, 2003, 10:18:04 pm: Icky. I've only ever caught one virus before, and it was through a BBS on my brother's old 486. :D Anyway, have you considered getting those weapons of yours firing?

(http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/setekh/styxx_ship.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 10, 2003, 10:26:55 pm: That had better be Photoshop, 'cos if you upgraded SPIRIT or whatever you're calling it now again...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on January 10, 2003, 11:00:40 pm: woah...cool steak!!! very cool!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 10, 2003, 11:29:36 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
That had better be Photoshop, 'cos if you upgraded SPIRIT or whatever you're calling it now again...

Actually, it's an old build of SPIRE. SPIRIT is too enormous to install on such a short notice and for so little use. Anyway, it turns out that those things aren't even weapons at all, but they look too much like naval guns to me. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 11, 2003, 12:01:16 pm: You blew up my antennae!! :eek:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 11, 2003, 12:10:00 pm: Steak: You know, you really need to send me that thing.:D

Styxx: Very nice ship. But aren't you forgetting something?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 11, 2003, 07:32:42 pm: I believe it's not finished. But what is it that he's forgetting, anyway?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 11, 2003, 07:51:47 pm: Unless I'm mistaken, engines are handy.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on January 11, 2003, 08:06:56 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Unless I'm mistaken, engines are handy.

:lol:

I've found them useful in the past...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 12, 2003, 03:32:21 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Unless I'm mistaken, engines are handy.

Well, you don't know what kind of engines it has so... :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Zeronet on January 12, 2003, 04:03:54 pm: Bad news engine or improbability drive?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 12, 2003, 04:06:09 pm: Ah- special design. These are those engines that are hidden deep in the core of the ship for protection, aren't they? Tested those, not very useful for propulsion. But they ARE well-protected. Just don't use the afterburners.:p

You know what'd be cool? A warship that had to be towed everywhere- a big spaceborne war wagon, with nearly all of its space and power reserved for weapons, so it couldn't move on its own...

Yours doesn't have enough guns for that.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 12, 2003, 04:37:51 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Yours doesn't have enough guns for that.

Bah, didn't place the guns there either. :p :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 12, 2003, 06:35:22 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh

Actually, it's an old build of SPIRE. SPIRIT is too enormous to install on such a short notice and for so little use. Anyway, it turns out that those things aren't even weapons at all, but they look too much like naval guns to me. :D

btw, I just browsed through the inferno website, you've made an incredible amount of renders for that campaign, it's unfair, would have liked at least one from you for OTT :p ( you told me you'd do some, once ;) )
Ok I stop whining now :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: DragonClaw on January 12, 2003, 07:13:58 pm: Quote
Originally posted by StrykeIX
Steak: You know, you really need to send me that thing.:D

Yeah, you and 5000 other people... :|
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 12, 2003, 07:25:28 pm: But me first.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: DragonClaw on January 12, 2003, 08:31:56 pm: The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

In other words, what I believe this means is: Don't be a selfish pighound =p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 12, 2003, 08:53:39 pm: Quote
Originally posted by RKIF-DragonClaw
Don't be a selfish pighound =p

Gosh, and I thought I was keeping abreast with the latest in genetic engineering feats. Never heard of a pighound, though. :nervous: :drevil:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 13, 2003, 04:25:57 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
btw, I just browsed through the inferno website, you've made an incredible amount of renders for that campaign, it's unfair, would have liked at least one from you for OTT :p ( you told me you'd do some, once ;) )
Ok I stop whining now :D

:lol:

Actually, the reason I've done so many renders of their ships is simply because I've got all their ships. :) I never actually downloaded your ships - which I suppose I could have, but I tried not to go into the OTT Internal so that I wouldn't read any spoilers. I know most of Inferno's already ;)

That said, if you'll let me, the next time the render machine starts whirring, I can put your ships first in line. I always liked the VEF Aoh... :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 13, 2003, 06:41:58 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh

:lol:

Actually, the reason I've done so many renders of their ships is simply because I've got all their ships. :) I never actually downloaded your ships - which I suppose I could have, but I tried not to go into the OTT Internal so that I wouldn't read any spoilers. I know most of Inferno's already ;)

That said, if you'll let me, the next time the render machine starts whirring, I can put your ships first in line. I always liked the VEF Aoh... :D

Not not only I let you, but I push you to :D
in the internal forum, you should be able to get hold of all the ships w/o seeing any spoiler, all the files are gathered in one file thread :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 23, 2003, 07:45:45 pm: A few updates - a bit of work on the engines, shuttle bay, and on the spheres on the sides:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img27.jpg)
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img28.jpg)
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img29.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Galemp on January 23, 2003, 07:52:35 pm: You know what you should do? Find a movie studio making a new sci-fi flick. Sell them a complete CGI starship.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Goober5000 on January 23, 2003, 08:03:23 pm: :lol:

He's right. :nod: :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 23, 2003, 08:11:28 pm: Thanks, but it's still faaaaaar from that. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on January 23, 2003, 08:39:58 pm: You look really closely at most movie starships, they're actually a lot worse than this. A few spots of intense detail where the eye is drawn or the camera's going to be more than sweeping by quickly, but on the whole they're not made for close, long inspection. And, at any rate, even a render farm can clog itself with two dozen high-poly ships.

'Course, I can imagine there's enough competition and the movie people are good enough you basically get ****ed on the pricing, but that's a different story.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on January 23, 2003, 08:40:09 pm: damn man....that alone is a reason to bring back the :jaw: smiley...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 24, 2003, 02:37:29 am: it's gorgeous.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 24, 2003, 05:42:54 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
it's gorgeous.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Turnsky on January 24, 2003, 04:05:50 pm: :nod:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 25, 2003, 06:38:25 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
Not not only I let you, but I push you to :D
in the internal forum, you should be able to get hold of all the ships w/o seeing any spoiler, all the files are gathered in one file thread :)

So be it. ;) Sadly, I'll be leaving early next week, to return... in November. :(

Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
A few updates - a bit of work on the engines, shuttle bay, and on the spheres on the sides:

Before this, the last time I wanted to put an FS ship as my background was when I saw Dark's skin of the Apocalypse. Superb. :nod::yes: Are you planning on texturing it, at all? I think you might have answered, but I forgot. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 25, 2003, 06:39:31 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh

So be it. ;) Sadly, I'll be leaving early next week, to return... in November. :(

really? you wouldn't, would you? :(
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 25, 2003, 07:20:22 am: I know, I know... :( But it has to be done. My time here has passed, for now... it was good while it lasted, I really missed this place. But I will be back, so long as you're still here to come back to. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Fetty on January 25, 2003, 07:25:36 am: :blah:
i vote for tiein him down ....
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on January 25, 2003, 07:31:14 am: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
...so long as you're still here to come back to. :D

You'd have to use a meson bomb to get rid of us. :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Setekh on January 25, 2003, 07:44:46 am: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
You'd have to use a meson bomb to get rid of us. :)

That's good to know... I think. ;) Seeing as they won't be around for another 300 years or so... well, if we start Meson-proofing HLP now, maybe we'll be able to survive that sort of cataclysm without me having to worry about you. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: delta_7890 on January 25, 2003, 10:52:50 am: O_O;;;;; As of now, Styxx is my new personal Jesus. That ship is just..damn...awesome...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 27, 2003, 08:35:08 pm: Not much of an update this time, just some work on the missile launchers:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img31.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img32.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on January 27, 2003, 08:45:11 pm: :eek2: :eek2:

I do NOT want to get on the that thing's bad side...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 27, 2003, 08:56:38 pm: Hehe. :D

Oh, and a full shot of the latest mesh. The specular level on the previous material was starting to hurt my eyes.

:p

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img33.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: wEvil on January 27, 2003, 09:20:49 pm: thats a lot of missile...what happens if you hit a magazine with an AM warhead? :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on January 28, 2003, 02:50:47 am: Big Badaboum?
Well if warheads aren't armed, there just won't be any little explosion to notice inside the large AM bang :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryx on January 28, 2003, 03:02:26 am: Purdy!!!
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: mikhael on January 28, 2003, 07:08:54 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Setekh
Sadly, I'll be leaving early next week, to return... in November. :(

And so the place returns back to... well, a Steakless state. Seeya Steak.

Hey Narol: that thing we discussed, consider it in effect, at least until November.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 31, 2003, 10:06:57 am: A sort of an update:

Full view, with the added panels and the logo and ship name:
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img36.jpg)

View of the work I started on the "engines":
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img37.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryx on January 31, 2003, 10:32:00 am: Looks great!

So, did you model that shuttle docking arm (thingy) yet? :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on January 31, 2003, 10:56:16 am: Quote
Originally posted by Ryx
So, did you model that shuttle docking arm (thingy) yet? :D

:wtf:

No... :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Levyathan on January 31, 2003, 08:39:44 pm: The pretty colors are back. Goood.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 01, 2003, 03:10:42 am: I hope you won't stick to procedurals?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 02, 2003, 07:00:13 pm: Probably not, but I want to finish the modeling part first. Also, I'm not that good at textures (yet) so I want to leave it for later.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Alikchi on February 02, 2003, 07:08:38 pm: The "textures" already look pretty good here. The colors work especially well..gives it a clean, refined, almost Articly pure look.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: JC Denton on February 07, 2003, 09:18:18 pm: *sits in stunned silence*

uh...wow... :eek2: That's a l33t little boat you got there.

I see a symbol, and I see "Dignity"... but I can't quite read what's below that though. Can we get a closeup of the insignia?

Can't wait for the final product. And I agree with Ali there: the brushed metal color works just fine even without texturing.

Hey, while we're at it, how about a better shot of the midsection? Like a nose-on view, and maybe a shot of the underside, and a lower-rear one?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Shrike on February 08, 2003, 03:11:13 am: Quote
Originally posted by JC Denton
I see a symbol, and I see "Dignity"... but I can't quite read what's below that though. Can we get a closeup of the insignia?
It's just numbers. At first I tried to decipher it, got "SD 1 Earth Assets" (but it was numbers), but I think the plate has gotten changed since.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 09, 2003, 07:45:06 pm: Ok, little update here. I wish I could work faster on it, but my time lately has been a lot more limited than I'd want:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img41.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img43.jpg)

Main changes are the adjustment of the rear section of the main manipulator array (the big thing with the hexagonal textures) and the work on the section under the missile launchers, where magazine and faber units are located (yes, this means that the launchers are not replicated on the underside).

And I'll post some pics of the underside when I have actually worked on it.

:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 09, 2003, 07:47:20 pm: Daaaamn, man! And it's been what, a month now you've been working on it? Not ****ing bad.:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Bobboau on February 09, 2003, 08:07:47 pm: the thing is like a planet sized double bareled shot gun

you know I think it might be cooler if one side was shorter than another, but it's probly too late for drastic changed like that
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 10, 2003, 02:45:17 am: Quote
Originally posted by Alikchi
The "textures" already look pretty good here. The colors work especially well..gives it a clean, refined, almost Articly pure look.

people always say that when they see a very detailled mesh, you know. then they see a mapped version and they go, "oh... god..."
:p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 10, 2003, 06:45:52 am: Yeah, that's true.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 10, 2003, 09:01:42 pm: Some more pics, a few updates. :)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img45.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img46.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img47.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: untouchable on February 10, 2003, 11:30:55 pm: :eek: :eek: :eek2: :eek2: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Ryx on February 11, 2003, 03:41:23 am: Excellent! :yes: :nod:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: delta_7890 on February 11, 2003, 05:44:35 am: Holy...****...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 11, 2003, 06:05:20 am: polycount?
You HAVE to map it, Styxx. if you don't, send me the damn file :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 11, 2003, 06:18:33 am: Quote
Originally posted by venom2506
polycount?
You HAVE to map it, Styxx. if you don't, send me the damn file :p

I plan to... I'm just not really good at it. But if when it's done you want to give it a shot, we can talk.

:D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 11, 2003, 03:30:08 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx

I plan to... I'm just not really good at it. But if when it's done you want to give it a shot, we can talk.

:D

lol, you plan on doing a fleet? :lol:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 11, 2003, 04:20:04 pm: Maybe... It all depends. I have lots of sketches for similar designs. :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on February 12, 2003, 12:31:21 pm: GULPITTY
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Anaz on February 12, 2003, 07:18:38 pm: Quote
Originally posted by Sandwich
GULPITTY

agreed...

that would be incredible...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 25, 2003, 08:32:55 am: Updates on the underside:

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img50.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img51.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img52.jpg)

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img53.jpg)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 25, 2003, 08:55:42 am: are those things bombs? drones?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 25, 2003, 10:03:01 am: Escape pods.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Bobboau on February 25, 2003, 10:48:09 am: It doesn't look like this ship is going to be the one to need them
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Tiara on February 25, 2003, 10:48:53 am: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

*is speechless*

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 25, 2003, 06:07:55 pm: Actually, it'd probably need those pretty fast if it got caught up in close combat.:D

Not bad. Not bad at all.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 25, 2003, 09:36:18 pm: Wireframe pic, if anyone's interested.

(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img55.jpg)

And Stryke - you're probably saying that because I didn't place all the guns yet. :D :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 25, 2003, 09:43:17 pm: Actually, I was saying it because a couple of hits from a high-kinetic gun would snap that thing in half, and it wouldn't take much to break off most of those antennae, etc.:p

Wow, that's a lot fewer polys than I was expecting...
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Knight Templar on February 25, 2003, 09:44:20 pm: not if it has uber mythril hull plating :drevil:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Turnsky on February 25, 2003, 10:53:07 pm: just how big is this thing again?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 26, 2003, 02:18:02 am: Quote
Originally posted by Stryke 9
Wow, that's a lot fewer polys than I was expecting...

huh? look again ( not on the flat, square parts obviously :doubt: )
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on February 26, 2003, 11:10:40 am: Quote
Originally posted by Tiara
:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

*is speechless*

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

Now that's a first! :p ;) j/k
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stealth on February 26, 2003, 11:35:16 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Updates on the underside:
(http://terra.sourceforge.net/images/destroyer-img53.jpg)

how do you do pictures like that? what program?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Styxx on February 26, 2003, 11:36:08 am: Huh... MAX? Make a model, then render. :p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Sandwich on February 26, 2003, 11:45:11 am: Quote
Originally posted by Styxx
Huh... MAX? Make a model, then render. :p

This post has been brought to you courtesy of the Deptartment of Obvious Statements. Thank you for your time.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 26, 2003, 03:30:58 pm: Venom: When I do wireframes on most of my high-detail models, they look more like outlines of the ship with whatever color I picked the wireframe for almost solid inside it. Remember that time I kept *****ing about how my computer had fried itself at about five million polys? That ship was only about 2/3 the size of this one, and it didn't look quite this detailed.

It might not have helped that I had to use booleans and particle systems ported into a vertex modeler to do parts there (two things I've learned to mostly avoid since), but this is pretty damn good at conserving polygons.

In part, I blame MAX. One of the reasons it's top I've noticed is because the developers specifically went to make it exceedingly easy to go very far with very few polygons, and to get rid of unnecessary ones (clean booleans, et al.). But that's still pretty impressive.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 26, 2003, 04:36:54 pm: well, a thing I've learned the hard way, and is probably rule number one when making a mesh: optimize!
and optimize again, and again, and that's not enough, so optimize again!
never wondered why all those profesional meshes, when seen as wireframes, looked so clean, with polys as almost perfect quads?
it's not to make a pretty wireframe ;)
most of the time I spend on my meshes is to clean them, remove useless polys, weld vertices, turn edges, weld other vertices, etc etc. it's long, it's boring, but it HAS to be done if you plan to do anything more than a stupid still render of your mesh alone, on a grey bakground. Well, the other option is to make both you and your computer bear useless slowdowns, memory access, etc etc.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 26, 2003, 04:43:12 pm: Mmm hmm. Have you SEEN generic-program optimization?

It actually does look pretty cool. RDS gets these freaky hexagonal polys everywhere, makes the meshes look like big honeycombs. But you'd best forget about any kind of fidelity for most meshes, unless you've got a LOT of luck or are doing it manually.

Like I said. MAX.:p
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: beatspete on February 26, 2003, 05:08:20 pm: Christ almighty! I'm scared of that thing. That really is awesome Styxx... :nod:
My computer would be mince if i tried anything half as detailed... my brain and general health wouldnt be doing to good either.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: J.F.K. on February 27, 2003, 01:07:44 am: Holy toledo, that thing's got a lot of detail. :yes:
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 27, 2003, 02:44:34 am: Quote
Originally posted by Stryke 9
doing it manually.

here's your answer ;)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 02:48:39 am: Pleh. Well, fine for you if you want to manually pick out a hundred specific vertices and delete them, no mistakes, in under a week. I've got another idea of a good time.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: HeX on February 27, 2003, 02:53:39 am: Personally I just use a standard shape with minimal faces and add faces as I need them by dividing up existing ones. Start with a cube, divide it up as you go, the end result is a render with exactly as many faces as is minimally needed for the end result.

It's really easy now that I've learned the ways of Convert To Editable Poly and Slice Field.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 02:57:49 am: I do that to a certain degree too, but there are complex shapes like handgrips where you just can't resist saving a decade or two and using booleans, and then you just get all sorts of trouble. Never mind that one cube ain't gonna do much for heavy greebling.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: HeX on February 27, 2003, 03:03:39 am: Heavy greebling no that's true. But it does work for keeping poly counts down on the basic shapes.

Handgrips...well you could make them by taking a basic shape and moving vertex's around until it's the shape you want followed by a meshsmooth if needed. But I do see how taking a shortcut can be tempting.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: HeX on February 27, 2003, 03:04:52 am: As a note though I don't do much HEAVY greeble work. I may start on one high-detail project tho since Styxx has taught me some stuff. :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: J.F.K. on February 27, 2003, 03:59:15 am: You guys seem really experienced at all this, do you do it professionally?
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 03:59:53 am: Well, there's the rub, then. I don't think I've done a model under 100k since this summer, and most of them are, while not generally as good, closer to Styxx's model here than the average mesh, in functionality (doors, etc. I remember a frigate with a poseable crane built in a while back) as well as polycount.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: HeX on February 27, 2003, 04:09:02 am: Quote
Originally posted by J.F.K.
You guys seem really experienced at all this, do you do it professionally?

Me no. I do this as a hobby. I put together a model whenever I feel like it and am "inspired".

This for example I did in a few hours just because I wanted a new background for my computer:

http://dimensionalwisp.com/heximage/WIP/IPCV09.jpg

The ship is the Sun Tzu launching drop pods. There are more pics in that directory but mostly just WIP shots (the earlier ones being without the details added later).
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 04:11:04 am: Professionally? :lol: Not unless you wanna give me some money.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: J.F.K. on February 27, 2003, 04:14:51 am: Well, I mean, prety much all of this conversation is flying over my head (what's greebling?). And that ship up there looks pretty damn good to me... even if it's not textured.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: HeX on February 27, 2003, 04:16:12 am: Quote
Originally posted by J.F.K.
Well, I mean, prety much all of this conversation is flying over my head (what's greebling?). And that ship up there looks pretty damn good to me... even if it's not textured.

Greebles....ah...best way to explain this...ever see a Star Destroyer in Star Wars? Along the side where you have all those protrusions and pieces sticking out seemingly randomly for detail? Greebles.

Which ship by the way? Mine's textured tho it's a placeholder, Styxx's....well it's hard to say...maybe that's the look he wants. :D
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 27, 2003, 04:20:32 am: Quote
Originally posted by Stryke 9
I do that to a certain degree too, but there are complex shapes like handgrips where you just can't resist saving a decade or two and using booleans, and then you just get all sorts of trouble. Never mind that one cube ain't gonna do much for heavy greebling.

handgrips? well, unless I'm misunderstanding what it means, why do you need that to connect to anything? intersection is A1 SUPAR, as they say.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: J.F.K. on February 27, 2003, 04:23:59 am: Quote
Originally posted by HeX
Greebles....ah...best way to explain this...ever see a Star Destroyer in Star Wars? Along the side where you have all those protrusions and pieces sticking out seemingly randomly for detail? Greebles.

Which ship by the way? Mine's textured tho it's a placeholder, Styxx's....well it's hard to say...maybe that's the look he wants. :D

So it's like, all that hull detailing stuff? I think I get it. Funny name. ;)

I meant Styxx's ship, but yours is good too... especially for one you made just because you wanted a new background. :)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 04:30:39 am: Venom:

(http://www.wpierce.com/wlp/handgrip.gif)
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Nico on February 27, 2003, 07:18:21 am: yeah. well why would you boolean that to the body of the gun? that's useless polys for nothing. just place it right.
if you REALLY want it in one part, then before the boolean, shapemerge a quad around the area where the handgrip will connect.
1) boolean is much less likely to mess up
2) that makes a much smaller part of the mesh to deal with the boolean
2) since the area affected by the boolean is much smaller, it's much more easy to clean it up.

that's something I always do ( save when I boolean a box, obviously :p ), and it works great.
Title: This time it's for real
Post by: Stryke 9 on February 27, 2003, 05:11:35 pm: Once again, jefe- that's MAX stuff. Ain't so sissy shapemerges in RDS, just raw vertices and a few distortion tools.:D

I'm not talking about booleaning it on, anyway- I prefer to generally have as many shapes as possible for texturing purposes. But those recessed finger bits are pretty damn hard to get in anything but a lot of boolean subtractions. It's just an example, but there are tons of odd shapes I might need for a particular model that can either be a two-day vert model, or a two-minute boolean.