Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Galemp on September 14, 2005, 10:56:03 pm

Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 14, 2005, 10:56:03 pm
Today I was doodling in class (Landscape Architecture... ugh) and came up with this. A few hours of modeling and some custom textures later, and I'm at a stage where I can show it to the general public and get some feedback.

(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc1.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc2.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc3.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc4.jpg)



Now, I've UV mapped the back shell and a few other bits, so it's pretty easy to do something like this:

(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc5.jpg)

It's still reasonably low-poly at the moment (770) so I'm free to do anything I like, really. The bottom needs the most work; my efforts at adding fins and docking ports aren't so great.

Performance-wise, think of this as an Aten that doesn't suck. It should be able to take on a Fenris and even go toe-to-toe with a Leviathan. It was originally concieved as a 14-Year War cruiser that was slow enough it was easier to outrun and evade than fight, but it could be adapted to any timeline, I think.

So, it's open season. What works, what doesn't, what can be done with it? StrattComm, I love your Vasudan designs, so it's your feedback I'm most looking for. This is gonna be a general relase when it's done so you can all put something in, and you'll all get something out. :)

P.S. Anyone have a name? I'm thinking 'Menes.' :headz:
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: redmenace on September 14, 2005, 11:09:12 pm
It looks to much like a killer lady bug :ick:
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Trivial Psychic on September 14, 2005, 11:11:34 pm
Try to be sure that this doesn't suffer from the same problems your HiPoly Aten does... the single part turrets are hard to knock out at anything other than point-blank range, and some shots go right through the hull there.

On other matters, its looking rather good.  I think the HoL scheme fits it much better, considering the Lucifer-inspired forward arms.  What kinda turret layout are you considering?
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Fineus on September 15, 2005, 03:52:09 am
I hate to be critical but it looks a little too similar to this;

(http://www.freespace2.com/images/ship_bes/lgpic.jpg)
The GVFr Bes. The hull shape is incredibly similar - and while that's no bad thing - you really need something to tell them apart if you can.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: TrashMan on September 15, 2005, 09:17:39 am
I like the basic idea behind it.

Now for suggestions:

1. Make hte head/bridge longer and smoother/thinner, so it doesn't look like a ball, but rather sleeker - like a cobras head

2. change that window thingy..currently it makes it look way to small.

3. Extrude the end of the carpace thing..liek on the GVF Tauret

4. Do something with the bottom.

You got polys to spare so it can turn out a kick ass ships:D
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Goober5000 on September 15, 2005, 10:49:14 am
:yes:
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: mrduckman on September 15, 2005, 11:04:03 am
It also looks almost like the Mentu :)
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Anaz on September 15, 2005, 11:12:34 am
As with most of my ships...it needs a bit more detail, but hell if I know where...
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Fury on September 15, 2005, 12:06:28 pm
Hmh... It looks like a bug.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Dave2040 on September 15, 2005, 01:44:21 pm
Nice Ship, but I don't really like the front section of it.
Try to make the head/bridge similar to the Sobek.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Getter Robo G on September 15, 2005, 03:07:56 pm
It definately looks Vasudan to me, but I would think it looks more suitible as a shuttle/VIP transport. Make an armed and unarmed version plus refine the forward pincers a lot more.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Kie99 on September 15, 2005, 03:11:46 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Kalfireth

The GVFr Bes. The hull shape is incredibly similar - and while that's no bad thing - you really need something to tell them apart if you can.


Looks like a mixture of that and the Tauret to me.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: StratComm on September 15, 2005, 04:12:45 pm
It's actually not all that similar to the Bes from what I can see.  It's got the forward claws, but otherwise it looks a bit like an Aten spaceframe with a shell on top.  Especially the "flat" bottom; that's a hallmark of Vasudan cruisers in general so it doesn't look out of place at all.  The "window" on the front isn't right to my eye, but otherwise it looks pretty cool.  Like a scarab, which is pretty fitting given the whole egyptian-mythology theme the Vasudans have going.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 15, 2005, 09:56:17 pm
Hm, okay. From the looks of things, I'll accept the flat bottom as precident and clean it up. I'll try a few variations on the head but honestly I like the sort of bulbous nose I have going.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: WMCoolmon on September 15, 2005, 09:59:38 pm
It looks - to me - like some kind of transport.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: FireCrack on September 15, 2005, 10:15:11 pm
I cant help but think that it's some kind of fighter/bomber
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Mongoose on September 16, 2005, 12:39:27 am
Looks kind of cute...until the evil red eyes appear :p
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 19, 2005, 10:27:31 pm
Okie doke. Made a few alterations here and there, nothing major, but I think it's enough. Also added some turrets... 9 should do for now, but if anyone wants to use it in a post-Capella campaign I'll be happy to bump it up to 12 or so.

(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc6.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc7.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc8.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc9.jpg)

And just for fun... wheeee!

(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc.gif)
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Trivial Psychic on September 19, 2005, 10:34:29 pm
It should have another multi-part on the dorsal at least.  I'd like to use it in a Slightly-Pre-FS1-era campagin, as the Aten's stronger sister.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 19, 2005, 10:42:31 pm
Not a bad idea... brb!
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: FireCrack on September 19, 2005, 11:17:56 pm
Man, look at a logo in that gif then try to find out what colour it is...
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 19, 2005, 11:34:38 pm
How's this?
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vc0.jpg)
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Trivial Psychic on September 20, 2005, 12:29:01 am
Actually, I was thinkin' on top o' the... spoiler (for lack o' a better word), t'improve its field o' fire.  If ye put it where you've got it now, in order t'avoid it firin' through th'spoiler, ye're gonna have t'restrict its fof considerably, which will reduce th'rear defensive capabilities.  On top o' th'spoiler, it can have a grater than 180 degree fof.  Perhaps, ye could make each o' th'2 barrels have have a cross section so that they're taller than they are wide, which would fit 2 firepoints per arm, resultin' in a quad-cannon.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 20, 2005, 12:54:24 am
I'd actually prefer not to have any turrets or dockpoints at all on the outer shell; it's supposed to be the main armor plate, impervious to most weapons fire. How this translates to gameplay, I'm not sure.

Perhaps by making the outer shell a strong, but destroyable, subsystem, with vulnerable subsystems like the Weapons and Engines underneath, we could add a more strategic element to the combat.

What would be really nice would be if the SCP could take their Armor, weapon type and damage multiplyer code, and apply it on a per-texture basis. (I've decided to elaborate further in the SCP forum.)
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Black Wolf on September 20, 2005, 07:03:08 am
I think it needs a bit more uniformity in its texs TBH - as it stands it kind of looks hodge podge.

Can we see an untextured pic perchance?
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: FireCrack on September 20, 2005, 07:42:36 am
Materials system + armour system?
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 20, 2005, 08:55:33 am
BW: There are no more than five textures used on that model.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Col. Fishguts on September 20, 2005, 12:20:05 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Galemp
BW: There are no more than five textures used on that model.


I have to agree with BW, the parts look very seperate: head, arms and shell.

You might try to give the top side of the arms the same map as the shell, so it looks more like a unit, and less like a kitbashed ship.

The model itself hilds much potential :yes:
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Black Wolf on September 20, 2005, 02:37:04 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Galemp
BW: There are no more than five textures used on that model.


That's surprising actually - I wouuld have estimated a few more personally - it just looks really busy.

Do you think you could try recolouring one of the texs? either the brown shell one to a greeny grey, or the greeny grey head one to a sort of light brown? Just to give a greater degree of texture uniformity.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 25, 2005, 12:07:12 am
Dark, I know. And the thrusters are misaligned. But this is still in its Combat Evaluation Period and not yet ready for General Deployment. At least it's out of the prototype phase.
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/vcscreen.jpg)

I actually think I'm going to make this color scheme the default. It matches the SVas beams and thrusters. As you can see I've been gradually improving the arc on the head to look smoother.

And I still need a name! What about 'Khenmu'?
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Hudson on September 25, 2005, 12:35:37 am
I vote for Sekhmet as the name
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on September 25, 2005, 12:39:37 am
Already taken. Look in the Tech Room.
Title: GVC Mekhet
Post by: Galemp on September 27, 2005, 11:21:03 pm
Well, it's done. Included are seven different maps and three table entries for different time periods. Go ahead and use it wherever you like! Same goes for the grey-green scale texture.

Download the GVC Mekhet now! (http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/mekhet.zip)
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Janos on September 28, 2005, 09:39:36 am
Screenies! Screenies! Lots ov them!
Title: screenies
Post by: Galemp on October 01, 2005, 03:16:09 pm
Took me a while but maybe this will drum up some interest...

Patrolling a border system...
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/mk4.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/mk3.jpg)
...the GVC Rhosh encounters a Shivan cruiser.

Without hesitation, she lays down the law...
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/mk1.jpg)
(http://web.njit.edu/~pjo3/mk2.jpg)
...with no mercy for the fighter escort, either.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: TrashMan on October 01, 2005, 04:50:25 pm
Nice..very nice..

say, you wouldn't mind if I try my hand at a somewhat similar (yet different) design?

EDIT: What engine glows are you using? I gotta have those!
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: Galemp on October 01, 2005, 05:19:52 pm
Quote
Originally posted by TrashMan
say, you wouldn't mind if I try my hand at a somewhat similar (yet different) design?

EDIT: What engine glows are you using? I gotta have those!


If you're going to 'adapt' this model like you did the Typhon and Orion, then please don't tell me about it. :blah:

As for the engine glows, those are just the normal ones found in retail FS2.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: StratComm on October 01, 2005, 05:47:51 pm
Quote
Originally posted by TrashMan
Nice..very nice..

say, you wouldn't mind if I try my hand at a somewhat similar (yet different) design?

EDIT: What engine glows are you using? I gotta have those!


Those glows look suspicously like the default ones :nervous:  Or they're something from the Port, since that looks almost identical to the FS1 engine glows but colored.

EDIT: Galemp beat me to it.

And if you want to make a Vasudan ship, why don't you try a completely original design?  It's not hard to make something distinctly Vasudan and yet completely original, as Galemp's model so clearly illustrates.  And two unique models is much better than one model and a knock-off anyway.
Title: Vasudan Heavy Cruiser WIP
Post by: TrashMan on October 01, 2005, 05:51:16 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Galemp


If you're going to 'adapt' this model like you did the Typhon and Orion, then please don't tell me about it. :blah:

As for the engine glows, those are just the normal ones found in retail FS2.


Erm..on they Typhon you may have the point, but what's wrong with the Orion?

And no, I was maby thinking of a similar shpa, but something more Aten-like...... or not..