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Community Projects => The FreeSpace Upgrade Project => Topic started by: Galemp on July 20, 2010, 05:30:27 am

Title: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on July 20, 2010, 05:30:27 am
Vasudan Admiral has just given me a tutorial on importing and exporting FreeSpace models from Blender, and as a test, I created an alternate model for the GTC Leviathan. Like the recently released Cain and Lilith, the differences are minor, but noticeable.

As befits its tech description, I've layered armor plating over some of the more vulnerable parts of the hull. The Leviathan is now a mean green rugged machine, and feels a lot more militaristic. What's more, I cleaned up the texture a lot and resolved lots of the little annoyances that have bugged me since I did the original Leviathan hue-shift to blue for the first release of the FreeSpace Port.

This package includes the Leviathan POF itself and refreshed textures that complement the new model.

Download Link (http://www.mediafire.com/?z5hhferqwbjmbh7)

Screenshot 1 (http://imagebin.org/106070) Screenshot 2 (http://imagebin.org/106071)
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Angelus on July 20, 2010, 05:42:31 am
The model looks far better with the armor plating. :yes:
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: starwolf1991 on July 20, 2010, 06:20:09 am
A very well done improvement of the Leviathan, Galemp. I give you two thumbs up for this one  :yes: :yes:

Please do submit this to the Mediavps for any future releases. I believe it deserves to be in there.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Aardwolf on July 20, 2010, 06:48:07 am
It's ok, but not great, IMO.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: sigtau on July 20, 2010, 07:01:35 am
Oh, hey, you plated off the exposed parts of the Fenris.  That's neat.

Just like the Lilith--subtle changes in hull colour and overall design.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: ssmit132 on July 20, 2010, 07:37:37 am
I think it's pretty good myself. :)
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Snail on July 20, 2010, 07:40:25 am
Eeeeh. You covered over the details. :wtf:




I know that was kind of the point, but now it looks simply bland by comparison.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Kolgena on July 20, 2010, 09:03:40 am
Where are my greebles? :( Oh well. As long as it won't replace the MVP pof, it shouldn't matter.

I agree with Snail. This is a step towards realism, and a step away from Rule of Cool.


I would like to see the new textures as the standard release though, as long as it maps to the old pof properly.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: MatthTheGeek on July 20, 2010, 12:07:12 pm
I personally prefer the original one, but still looks good.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 20, 2010, 12:17:21 pm
I personally prefer the original one, but still looks good.

Agreed.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Commander Zane on July 20, 2010, 12:23:59 pm
I'm using Herra Tohtori's wtf-blind-me-shiny-ships light settings and the textures for this release have very little shine, like almost zero.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 20, 2010, 04:17:08 pm
Yeah that shinemap's borked.

gogo 20 second photoshop joob
 
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/126554/FS2/Levy-HTL-Shine.dds

EDIT: FIXD
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on July 20, 2010, 06:28:49 pm
You couldn't have spent THAT much time on it... it still has the Fenris texture elements on there instead of the Leviathan's armor plating.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 20, 2010, 06:46:42 pm
wait...
urr...did I link the wrong one?
I swear I pasted the armor segments over... ('cept the alpha channel)

EDIT: No...should be right...
Shinemap's still got that uh...hue-shift thing cause I used the old one as a base. I rather prefer it with the blue/white extras. The red paint doesn't go too well with the blue lights.

Well, whatever, I did that for my own purposes anyway, so take it or leave it. :P
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on July 20, 2010, 07:22:13 pm
Well, I definitely saw the reflection of the old Fenris bits on the alpha channel (specularity.) That needs to be fiXORed.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 20, 2010, 07:45:36 pm
hrm, well then time to re-make the alpha channel from one of the other channels \o/

EDIT: fixed?
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: chief1983 on July 21, 2010, 12:17:43 am
I think this up-armored version would make more sense on the Fenris.  It reminds me of the Hummer's up-armor development (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/hmmwvua.htm).

For the TL;DR, the M998 original Hummer is vaguely reflected in the Fenris, and the later M1114 version seems to be more reflected in the Leviathan.  This mesh could be something like a field installed kit to upgrade Fenris in the interim while Leviathans were rolling off the line, and to extend the lifespan of Fenris ships still in the field.

My main reason for suggesting this is that it doesn't seem to make much sense to up-armor what was already a factory heavily armored version of the Fenris.  Do we need moar daka armor?  Or do we need to protect our aging Fenris ships?
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on July 21, 2010, 12:21:17 am
What? The Leviathan is an up-armored Fenris. It was even produced intermittently. Whatchoo talking about.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 21, 2010, 01:14:04 am
You know what'd be cool?
Being able to blow off the armor panels and explosing the internals beneath :P
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: chief1983 on July 21, 2010, 10:01:07 am
What? The Leviathan is an up-armored Fenris. It was even produced intermittently. Whatchoo talking about.

Hence, my statement, "it doesn't seem to make much sense to up-armor what was already a factory heavily armored version of the Fenris".

This looks more like a retrofitted up-armor attempt rather than a factory done setup like the Leviathan should.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Angelus on July 21, 2010, 10:03:36 am
I think this up-armored version would make more sense on the Fenris.  It reminds me of the Hummer's up-armor development (http://).

For the TL;DR, the M998 original Hummer is vaguely reflected in the Fenris, and the later M1114 version seems to be more reflected in the Leviathan.  This mesh could be something like a field installed kit to upgrade Fenris in the interim while Leviathans were rolling off the line, and to extend the lifespan of Fenris ships still in the field.

My main reason for suggesting this is that it doesn't seem to make much sense to up-armor what was already a factory heavily armored version of the Fenris.  Do we need moar daka armor?  Or do we need to protect our aging Fenris ships?


Linky doesn't worky.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: chief1983 on July 21, 2010, 10:40:12 am
Fixed.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Commander Zane on July 21, 2010, 11:52:35 am
I much prefer the M1151 style Leviathan than Chubby McChubithan.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on July 21, 2010, 12:50:37 pm
Yeah, the upgrade between the Cain and Lilith was rather understated, so I sought to produce the same effect. Pudgy Leviathans aren't my thing.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Snail on July 21, 2010, 02:39:10 pm
I'd prefer a compromise between the glossing over all the details approach and the clinically obese Leviathan.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: chief1983 on July 21, 2010, 02:48:16 pm
I think it would be more impressive if the armor were slightly elevated away from the hull on some sort of mounts.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Aardwolf on July 21, 2010, 02:49:33 pm
Make it look like the frakking battlestar galactica.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on July 21, 2010, 05:56:28 pm
I prefer the original, identical mesh over all the "remakes" to be honest...maybe it's just because I'm so used to seeing it like that.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Mongoose on July 22, 2010, 01:03:38 am
I like it, has this MkII look.
The middle section needs more love, though.
Little in the middle but she packs much back?
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Rga_Noris on July 22, 2010, 03:41:01 am
Angelus don't want none unless it's got buns hun...
Title: MOVED: Pudgy Leviathan
Post by: Galemp on July 22, 2010, 12:30:52 pm
Discussion of Mobius' Leviathan has been moved to FreeSpace Modding (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?board=8).

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=70516.0 (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=70516.0)
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Angelus on July 23, 2010, 09:58:19 am
Angelus don't want none unless it's got buns hun...


uhm, wut?
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Cobra on July 23, 2010, 12:57:11 pm
Angelus don't want none unless it's got buns hun...


uhm, wut?

Listen to Baby got Back :lol:
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Kolgena on August 07, 2010, 03:49:37 pm
Erm. So I'm too lazy to open every single terrain cruiser pof to figure out which one the leviathan uses. I'm not a fan of the 3.6.12 leviathan, and would like to know where to find the original to override it. Can someone point me in the right direction?

(Hopefully I get to keep the tweaked textures though, since that was a job well done)
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Galemp on August 07, 2010, 04:21:15 pm
The model is cruiser01x.pof, and you can pull it from the 3.6.10 MediaVPs. I don't think you'll like what you find, though, since the textures reflect the new model's geometry. You might just want to make your own TBM that changes the model file back to cruiser01.pof and have a red Leviathan.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Droid803 on August 07, 2010, 09:00:04 pm
I'm...going to go ahead and use the old Leviathan model again too.
I liked that blue and the odd shades of greens.
Title: Re: Armored Leviathan Release
Post by: Snail on August 07, 2010, 09:07:58 pm
Ugh. I'm definitely going back to the old one. :doubt: