Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: supernova on January 26, 2006, 10:37:32 pm

Title: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 26, 2006, 10:37:32 pm
I posted a couple of pictures of this thing in the Design a Destroyer thread and was recomended to post in here.   Anyways, I was wondering what suggestions people could offer as to fixing the model or making it better, a few people made some suggestions earlier to me, and I've made some changes to the model.

Tell me what you think, and be honest!
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser.jpg)
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser2.jpg)
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser3.jpg)
Still haven't textured it yet, should be done some time soon...
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Unknown Target on January 26, 2006, 11:30:31 pm
Looks neat. Got a less extreme view though, maybe from the side? The middle looks like it needs to be thickened, and the perspective is off in the second picture, so it's hard to see what's going on. From what I can see though, it looks pretty hot :)
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Trivial Psychic on January 26, 2006, 11:46:56 pm
It looks a little too non-military for the Freespace universe.  If it were to be used for said universe however, perhaps it could be the GTVA's first Explorer class ship.  The external engines would be more vulnerable to fire, so its by no means a front-line combat ship, but the engines are placed externally, to support both a faster in-space propulsion, and a more advanced subspace drive system.  Borrowing a little tech from Inferno, this ship would have an internalized but significantly scaled down Knossos system, allowing the ship to travel through nodes that are more unstable than others (but not necessarily fully collapsed ones).  This perhaps would be based partially on Shivan technology, as evidenced by a line in a command briefing late in FS2, about Shivans using unstable nodes during the Great War.  It would use this to explore uncharted sectors, basically looking for resources to exploit, useable planets to colonize, and any indications of Shivan presence.  The ship's extra in-space speed allows it to evade any enemy cap-ships should it stumble upon a hostile force.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 26, 2006, 11:49:35 pm
Looks neat. Got a less extreme view though, maybe from the side? The middle looks like it needs to be thickened, and the perspective is off in the second picture, so it's hard to see what's going on. From what I can see though, it looks pretty hot :)
Well, the second picture looks wrong because i was trying to simulate a camera lens of larger than 200mm...anyways, here's a different view for you.  

I actually really like the how the center section is thin, it was part of the look i was going for, even if it would be impractical.
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser4.jpg)

Oh, and I was more or less going for a High Speed Strike Cruiser of some kind...(taking note of three large beam weapons on the forward section of the vessel)
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser5.jpg)
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: BlackDove on January 26, 2006, 11:59:11 pm
I think it looks fantastic.

That may be just me.

I wouldn't say it belongs to the canon FS timeline though, but that doesn't change the fact it kicks ass.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: ToecrusherHammerjaw on January 27, 2006, 12:30:05 am
Now that's a concept.  Looks kinda like a Nercomonger ship from Chronicles of Riddick.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 27, 2006, 12:37:09 am
Yeah, most of my ideas don't fit too well into the Freespace universe at first.   It's kindof hard to make them fit when i get ideas from Babylon 5, Tachyon:The Fringe, Project Freedom, Freelancer, All of the Wing Commander series, obviously Freespace, all of Egosoft's X series(which are wonderful games by the way...most recent published space combat sims to date) and anything and everything I see.   I'll look at a car, and model a spacefaring vessel out of it.   I have too many ideas and not enough time to make them all...  :(
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Raptor on January 27, 2006, 01:36:16 am
  I have too many ideas and not enough time to make them all...  :(

Welcome to the club.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: knn on January 27, 2006, 04:26:32 am
I like what you did to it since you first posted, the engines are much better now. The middle is ok, but you could try connecting the two triangular things to make it look stronger. There's also a problem with the turret in the middle, it's fov is severely limited by the structure above it (in fact in FS2 that turret would be unusable).
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Fineus on January 27, 2006, 04:36:19 am
You know the scene in Starship Troopers right at the end where they're showing that "We have the ships! We have the weapons! etc." bit, showing all the latest upgrades?

This ship reminds me of that upgrade. Much sleeker than most things out there. Give it a nice dark texture job like something a Psi-Cop might have in B5. It looks great.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Shiku on January 27, 2006, 07:11:02 am
I love it. I has a really manages to get away from the usual blockiness of Terrans, yet still remain distincly theirs. I'm not sure where it would fit into the cannon of freespace, but it looks beautiful as it is.

First Teran ship I really like.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: aldo_14 on January 27, 2006, 12:39:18 pm
Jolly nice.  Nothing atall like a Freespace ship, but I'm not one to talk about that :D
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: FireCrack on January 27, 2006, 12:43:48 pm
Looks like somthing that would come 100 or more years after capella, when the GTVA has reached much more stability. Realy futuristical and nice.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 27, 2006, 08:37:45 pm
Here's another pic.   I took out the upper support beam above the turrets to give them a higher FOV and added a couple more turrets.
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/Cruiser6.jpg)
I'm texturing the beast right now so stay tuned...
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: FireCrack on January 27, 2006, 10:15:53 pm
Personaly, i think this barely needs a texture, it looks awesome silver and hi-tech looking. Symbolic of the (apperent) purity of the GTVA in comparison to the shivans.

Nontheless, it will look even better with a good texture.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 27, 2006, 10:58:27 pm
Okay it's finished....
 
It's not smooth and modern though, kinda beat up and used...but I like it better.
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex.jpg)
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex2.jpg)
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex3.jpg)

And the beauty shot...
(http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex4.jpg)

PS:  I did not make any of the textures, so don't think i did.   all credit goes to Epic Games for making Unreal Tournament 2004 such a great game and giving it such high quality textures.   i've just borrowed them to give my humble vessel a good look.   
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Taristin on January 28, 2006, 01:22:28 am
I like. Nicely done.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: FireCrack on January 28, 2006, 01:26:05 am
Looks high tech enough, awesome!
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 28, 2006, 01:36:30 am
Yeah...if only i didn't have to use freakin Truespace3.2 to put it in the game :ick:
 
I know part of the reason people use Truespace is cause it's free...but it still sucks big time.   I do everything in MAX, but again, no one can afford it cause Autodesk charges an arm and a leg for it literally.

What's the best Tutorial for putting custom ships into Freespace 2?   I saw one earlier but it wasn't that helpful...you guys know anything?   I'd really like to get involved in this community, as I've just been watching it for the last 5 years, i decided to make a go of it and try to help out, but I'm kinda useless if all I can do is model and UV map. :doubt:

I need to get my hands on a copy of Photoshop CS2 and a Drawing Tablet.   I tend to just use other peoples textures because I don't any software to help me make decent Textures.   
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 28, 2006, 01:40:33 am
wow, i'm retarded, there is a post at the top of the list talking about people needed to test a MAX to POF exporter...  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: knn on January 28, 2006, 02:09:33 am
:yes2: Very nice :yes:
If you have max 4, you can use the max plugin (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,26260.0.html) you already noticed that
As for tutorials:
Bobboau's (http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/blackwater/fstut/fstut_index01.htm)
karajorma's modding faq (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/modding.html)
karajorma's turreting tutorial (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/shipmods.html)
There was also a very nice one that was hosted on HLP, but it's not on the new server. I think I may still have it on my hard drive or a backup CD.
Found it, here's (http://www.fpcprg.fw.hu/Nx/modding/Modding.ace) the webpage saved by IE and compressed (you'll need WinAce or Total Commander, a newer version of WinRar will also work)
The tools you'll need (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/karajorma/FAQ/tools.html), and PCS (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=26889)
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: supernova on January 28, 2006, 02:14:32 am
only problem as of now is none of the MAX to POF plugins work on my computer...dangit.   sometimes I love Max 5.0 sometimes I hate it...jk, in real life it's wonderful! :nod: :yes:
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Fineus on January 28, 2006, 04:23:08 am
Crikey... the texture really brings it to life. Top work!
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: TrashMan on January 28, 2006, 09:37:03 am
Grade A work

And good textures have allways been hard to fid, good that you managed to find some that fit so nicely with your ship
*goes off installing variuos SF games to extract textures*
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Getter Robo G on January 28, 2006, 09:53:46 am
Way ahead of you Trashman... (probably ahve 20 games extracted...) Now is only someoen can tell me how to open .3d or .rtf files... (whisltes innocently)  :nervous:


Supernova - 5 YEARS of lurking and then you drop this awesoem bomb on us... Where teh heck have you been?

ME LIKEY BIG TIME. (reminds me a bit of Trashman's and Raptor's stuff...)

No go forth and make more cool stuff! (and make sure they get into game!)

Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Raptor on January 28, 2006, 11:06:46 am
ME LIKEY BIG TIME. (reminds me a bit of Trashman's and Raptor's stuff...)

How so?  I'm not sure how you can say it reminds you of both mine and Trashmans designs, since I thought they were quite different...

Anyway, yes very sleek.  Those textures do fit the shape.  I see elemets of B%, Starship Troopers and FS in there...
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Mehrpack on January 28, 2006, 11:18:53 am
hi,
yeah looks really nice  :yes:

Mehrpack
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Getter Robo G on January 28, 2006, 05:45:38 pm
Matter of perception.

   Trash's stuff reminds ME more of WWIIish battleships in space (ie Argo, Soyukaze, Arcadia,ect..)

   The reference to you was in sleekness. IF you don't see it np. Perception is an individual thing.

  One comment though, those turrets don't seem to mesh as well as classic beam ones would (ie like the front). Again no biggie, but I think custom designed beam turrets instead of barreled ones would be more flowing on that hull design.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: aldo_14 on January 28, 2006, 06:49:48 pm
http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex2.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex3.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/xagainstthetidex/images/CruiserTex4.jpg

2 thumbs up from me.
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: Roanoke on January 29, 2006, 05:31:26 am
looks a little stretched along it's length to me otherwise  :yes:
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: castor on January 29, 2006, 08:18:28 am
'Tis no ordinary cruiser. Looks like a ship with a purpose.. *shivers*
Title: Re: Cruiser
Post by: MetalDestroyer on January 29, 2006, 09:54:49 am
I love it !! great work. Could we expect any released ?  :p