Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Axem on March 31, 2005, 03:46:50 pm
-
Or something similar.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscv.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscv2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscv3.jpg)
Right now she's got 3 beam cannons, 4 multi part turrets and 15 single parts. Meant to be a fast ship, what with all the engines at the rear. The top of the front needs a little something there, not sure what though. Haven't got around to putting textures on it yet, but I'll probably put some Deimos or Aeolus texs on. She also needs a name. Something... namey...
So any comments and/or suggestions?
-
Those cute little multiparts :D
Seriously though, the turrets and the detail look great. The one thing that I'm not a fan of is the single protrusion under the front. I think I've seen this before, and said the same thing. It's not that the shape itself is a problem (though it's mighty primitive compared to the rest of the ship, especially the sides) but it throws the whole thing out of balance. I find that for ships to look "complete" you should be able to draw a line from the center of the main engine blocks forward, and there should be about as much below the line as there is above. You'd be on the money here if it weren't for that extrusion under the nose. However, otherwise the model looks great. Looks a lot like the Eclipse from MT, only more symmetric and more orderly.
-
The protrusion needs to be blended with the rest of the model more. Other than that, it's pretty neat.
-
that is beautiful
-
Axem that look great! Good job.:nod: :yes:
-
Too blocky for my tastes, but if it's a single object, it get's a thumbs up in my book.
-
I removed the engine and flattened the protrustion and it looks more steamlined and faster. Guess that'll teach me from borrowing inspiration from the Colossus. :p
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscvalltooflat.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscvalltooflat2.jpg)
-
Originally posted by Axem
borrowing inspiration from the Colossus. :p
Bad.
Bad bad bad idea. :p
-
The more I look at it, I say it would look better with a huge fighterbay, as a Carrier, than a corvette.
-
Streamlined that is not. Cool, it is. Looks nice and chunky. And volume balanced, which is one thing that can set a good model appart from a mediocre one. I knew that block on the bottom just didn't belong ;)
It's not impossible to make extra engines in the front seem like they belong; the Deimos is a good example of that done properly. But like Raa said, the Colossus is a bad example of almost everything, so don't use it for inspiration unless all other sources fail. And even then treat it with extreme caution.
EDIT: But my point from earlier still stands with the Colossus. Open Modelview and load it up; look at the main flat bank of engines on the back, what I would generally consider to be the vertical "center" of the object. Now imagine a line from that point forwards to the bow; even if you take into account the huge arm coming out the bottom of the hull, there's still about as much ship above that line as there is below it.
-
Nice work. Nifty design.
-
Raa: Lesson learnt. :p
WeatherOp: I tried to fit a fighter bay in somewhere, but couldn't find enough room. I'd have to go back and rearrange a few things to get a fighterbay big enough for a carrier.
StratComm: Streamlined-er then. I was talking relative to the older one. ;) And interesting points about volume balancing, I'll have to keep that in mind for the future.
-
I actually think that it could use a ventral engine cluster, just not one as extreme as in th'initial incarnation. In th'second incarnation, th'bulk provided by th'rear engines look a bit unballanced, like it would tend t'nose-over in normal flight. Include a ventral engine strut, but place it halfway from th'nose t'the tail, rather than near th'nose as in yer first image. Then make it about half as long (or tall an ye prefer) as it was before, an' instead of one large engine, have 2 smaller ones. The ventral engine strut should be wider than 'tis "tall".
For a different take again, use yer original design, but move th'engine strut about 2/3 of th'way t'the back. Then, on th'front end of th'engine strut, in place of th'upper pair of intakes, extend it forward t'about th'point where th'engine strut begins on th'1st incarnation, an' have a fighterbay in place of intakes.
In any case, that space just below th'rear engines looks like it needs something. Perhaps additional engines there could augment th''"fast corvette" image.
[Edit]
My slighty annoyed compliments to whoever coded this on-the-fly text alteration thing. It seems my post has been "Pirated" by an April fooler.
[/Edit]
-
Kind of neat, though it looks small IMO.
-
Smallish update. Took Trivals' suggestion and added a small engine cluster to the bottom. Does it look better or worse?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axmcrv1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axmcrv2.jpg)
-
My first thought was that it was my Akula; that's where Strat has seen the ventral protrusion before. Unlike you, though, I didn't particularly care about Strat's opinion...or he didn't offer it on that subject...I think the latter...
The smaller engine cluster is, in a way, worse. There doesn't seem to actually be room for the engines inside it...
-
The problem with the design is that you have nothing to balance out the Y axis. I suggest having an engine block, a long part of the ship, come out of the bottom, about a foot away from the back of the ship, and about 1/2 to 1/3 of the ship high.
____
|
Like that ^^ (if it works)
-
I actually think the y-axis balance is better without an engine block down there. The thing's already a little bottom-heavy as it is, and I think adding anything down there just makes it worse. If the engine block segways into a feature that runs a good part of the ship's length, then that's fine; you're adjusting the center when you do that. A Colossus-sytle engine arm sticking out the bottom isn't the solution. The last thing this needs is something tacked on, though, which is what the original underside engine block and this new one both are.
Originally posted by ngtm1r
My first thought was that it was my Akula; that's where Strat has seen the ventral protrusion before. Unlike you, though, I didn't particularly care about Strat's opinion...or he didn't offer it on that subject...I think the latter...
So that's where I saw that before. You're right, I didn't like it there either. But, my whole point in posting feedback isn't to mandate anyone to change their designs (actually it's quite the contrary, I have certainly tossed out enough suggestions about my own designs, no matter how valid they might be :p) but just to get them to consider other options. I think Axem has done a great job incorporating feedback thus far, while still maintaining plenty of artistic license over his design.
-
Yeah, I didn't like it either, looked too tacked on. I think I'll stick with the second incarnation with a smal few modifications.
Anyway, still looking for a name for this thing. I still have no idea what to call it.
-
Great model, but that "small engine cluster to the bottom" makes it worse. Looks somehow similar to "Rogher Young" from "starship troopers"...
-
If you want a name, how does GTCv Constantine sound?
Looks great by the way. Try adding the engines along the side below the mains. Have them start protruding about 2\3 of the way back and stack 'em two engines high. I think it would make it look more like a corvette than a destroyer\carrier\corvette hybrid.
-
If the name weren't already being used by Inferno, I'd suggest Phobos, since certain things about this design have made me think of it as a pre-Deimos corvette or prototype Deimos. Particularly the layout of the main battery and long, tall, but realitively thin hull flaring out at the upper rear...
-
Originally posted by Axem
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/axemscvalltooflat2.jpg)
Looks Starship-Trooper-ish = :yes:
I like the clear yet detailed lines.......keep working on it please :nod:
-
i like. :yes:
-
Axem, I swear you used those UV lights in your closet to grow these MODding skills, eh? Well, they're growing really quickly.
It does look like a fast ship. It also looks very cinematic...like it belongs in a movie somewhere...speeding some troops or VIP passengers through some danger. A fast transport ship.
Lookin' good :yes:
-
GTCv Phaethon
GTCv Atalanta
GTCv Bellerophon
-
Thanks very much everyone. :)
I'm not going to touch the engines anymore. I like them in their odd high up position.
But take back what I said about no fighter bay. :D
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/newconcept.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/newconcept2.jpg)
(Sorry these don't look as nice, I just screenshoted Wings3D instead of giving them a full render)
Its not completely done yet, I still must add detail to the doors and hangar.
It'll use Bob's Animation code to swing the doors open when something wants to leave the fighter bay. The piers up there will be enough for small transports to dock with. And the front of the hangar is sloped so fighters won't have to do a real sharp dive.
-
very nice. :yes:
-
So it just kind of ferries them into battle, dropship-style?
-
I was also thining of somthing similar but less "door like" somwhat inspired by the "ribs" that dont seem apperent on the new shots
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/FireCrack/shipbaydoor.bmp)
Basicly the left column is side view and the right is a cross section of the bay door "plates". (last cross section looks the same as the one before)
If you played homeworld 2 it's kinda like how the vaygr heavy missile frigate's missile bay opens.
And yes i know it's unrealisticaly complicated but i tahught i'd post this anyways.
-
Looks kinda like the FS1 briefing icon for freighters, though upside down.
-
nice work axem. kinda has a humvee look to it :D
-
Finally! A Terran Corvette with a Fighterbay! I'm not alone!!! :D :D :D
Oh, and if the name game still isn't resolved, stay the course. There are 90 more moons where the first two came from:
GTCv Callisto
GTCv Iapetus
GTCv Io
GTCv Mimias
GTCv Titan
GTCv Miranda
GTCv Europa
GTCv Charon....
Need I go on?
-
Originally posted by FireCrack
I was also thining of somthing similar but less "door like" somwhat inspired by the "ribs" that dont seem apperent on the new shots
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/FireCrack/shipbaydoor.bmp)
Basicly the left column is side view and the right is a cross section of the bay door "plates". (last cross section looks the same as the one before)
If you played homeworld 2 it's kinda like how the vaygr heavy missile frigate's missile bay opens.
And yes i know it's unrealisticaly complicated but i tahught i'd post this anyways.
GENIUS! Having the center of rotation far enough away mimics translation. So it's all theorically possible. Plus it would look so much better than having gull wing doors.
So something like this?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/doorsin.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/doorsin2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/doorsin3.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/doorsin4.jpg)
Boomer: Oooh, good idea. I'll have to go through a list of all the moons.
-
May I be the first to say that that sliding door is absolutely kickass. :D
-
Holy.......
That is AWESOME!!!!!
What kind of capacity are we talking about for the fighterbay here?
Wow.....
-
Yeah, that's about what i was thinkin but making it more complicated so the sections "pop open" and "expand" so they fit over the previous section.
Too complex, just make them already all different sizes. And that is awesome may i add, good test of bobs animation code so he can get onto other things too!
From the looks of the size it looks like you could fit a whole fighter squadron (3 wings) in there.
-
Fighter squadren consists of 12 wings, as evidenced by the first SOC loop.
-
The GTVA uses 3 wings per squadron as evidenced by the colossus cutscene.
-
Originally posted by FireCrack
Yeah, that's about what i was thinkin but making it more complicated so the sections "pop open" and "expand" so they fit over the previous section.
Too complex, just make them already all different sizes. And that is awesome may i add, good test of bobs animation code so he can get onto other things too!
From the looks of the size it looks like you could fit a whole fighter squadron (3 wings) in there.
AFAIK Bob's code doesn't support translations. The folding doors are doable, as would an "unrolling" design (like the Vasudan main hall barracks), the sliding ones are not.
-
They do fit over each other. I even modelled in grooves and rails for them to slide over each other. (I'll probably take those out for the final release though.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/NarfPics/grooveandrails.jpg)
Like I said before, what I'll do is have the center of rotation far far away from the doors and use some trig to find out how much to rotate them by. If it's just a degree or something, from that distance from the "center" it'll just look like translation. Any unwanted effects should be minimal.
And it'll hold 1 squad of fighters, 12 fighters, 4 groups of 3, 3 groups of 4, which ever works.
-
Originally posted by FireCrack
The GTVA uses 3 wings per squadron as evidenced by the colossus cutscene.
An actual mission is more accurate than a cutscene. Especially since the Colossus cutscene lists incorrect data. The Colossus does not have 45 laser turrets, for example.
-
Could you please point me where it said that? I just went through the first loop and saw nothing about 12 wings in a squad.
-
^that too, i think he's assuming the wings of hercs in the first loop wich is preety damn arbitrary.
-
In that case I'd put the pivot way above the ship, so that at worst they roll up behind one another.
-
Bake the extra detail you're not gonna use into a bumpmap!