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Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Hades on December 30, 2010, 05:11:44 pm

Title: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on December 30, 2010, 05:11:44 pm
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/HadesCivShip1.jpg)
(thanks to Esarai for the render, though the smoothing messed up during conversion)

I made this during the Medusa late in development, it was originally going to be a civilian shuttle but it turned into a full transport, it's both space and atmospheric capable, and uses a VTOL system similar to the Serenity of Firefly.

Shape's not totally done and detail is not even close.

Thoughts? Size is not decided yet, probaby around Chronos size if anything though.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Snail on December 30, 2010, 05:12:38 pm
Cool.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on December 30, 2010, 05:21:47 pm
Cool indeed. Keep it up! :yes:
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Colonol Dekker on December 30, 2010, 05:25:19 pm
Will the thruster pods be animated / align for docking manouvres.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on December 30, 2010, 06:37:28 pm
**** if I know

(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/civship1-2.png)

did a bit for the front, thoughts?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Rodo on December 30, 2010, 07:27:58 pm
Maybe:
Adding "steps" on the front, to break with the smoothing.

Also adding some kind of support legs on the bottom, for landing purposes, and an upper flap for atmospheric stability while in descend
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Kusanagi on December 30, 2010, 08:46:47 pm
Making the pods rotate for landing should be easy enough for docking...the problem comes from shifting the thruster points which I think isn't possible ATM.

Looks boss, Hades!
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Dragon on December 31, 2010, 06:32:57 am
It's impossible to shift thruster points, you could fake them with glowpoints, but it won't be the same.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Enioch on December 31, 2010, 08:01:59 am
It is, possible, though, to forsake thruster points and go straight to thruster cones, like the ones Diaspora is using.

If they're modeled in as subsystems and parented to the rotating 'engine pod' subsystem, they'd rotate with it as well.

Food for thought.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on January 02, 2011, 08:38:55 am
I'd like to see a command bridge on the front. :)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Nohiki on January 02, 2011, 12:29:31 pm
Or an AAA  beam dish / flak cannons. None of the transports i've seen could really defend itself against single wing.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 02, 2011, 12:36:47 pm
I'd like to see a command bridge on the front. :)
It's that thing at the top of the front, just haven't finished it

Or an AAA  beam dish / flak cannons. None of the transports i've seen could really defend itself against single wing.
I'll decide the armament later but it will definitely be able to defend itself, at the very least somewhat.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on January 02, 2011, 12:38:09 pm
Sure, Nohiki, but let's not exaggerate. A transport is nearly defenseless by definition. :)

This one could have many weapons to look quite frightening, but said weapons would have limited effectiveness in combat. Just think about a few blob turrets - cool, but not capable of saving the day.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Nohiki on January 02, 2011, 02:57:42 pm
yeah, but two blobs on a big hunk of steel like argo is just ridiculous :P I meant something like satis or slightly better.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on January 02, 2011, 03:33:21 pm
Yeah, the Satis is a perfect example of armed (but not too much) small vessel. :)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 03, 2011, 10:18:24 pm
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/freighter.png)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Snail on January 03, 2011, 10:20:09 pm
Looking good.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Nohiki on January 03, 2011, 11:35:30 pm
Whoa, w8. Is it me or is the ship class wrong? Cargo pods -> Freighter IMHO.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 03, 2011, 11:38:15 pm
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/bridge2.png)
Finished the bridge

I originally called it a transport because its original role was meant to be a shuttle, or at least that's how the idea started.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Droid803 on January 03, 2011, 11:50:08 pm
Whoa, w8. Is it me or is the ship class wrong? Cargo pods -> Freighter IMHO.

We have freighters without cargo pod -> Satis.
We can have transport with  cargo pods!

Then they could just switch designations like they should >.>
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Nohiki on January 04, 2011, 12:12:42 am
Then they could just switch designations like they should >.>
This. The only reason i can think of for Satis to be freighter is it's size, but the Argo is even bigger and look, a transport.

@Hades: I liked the shuttle :( You think you can make both versions? Like, i think INF team, did to chronos. (I think the version with fixed container was called Ulmo)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 04, 2011, 02:57:51 am
Then they could just switch designations like they should >.>
@Hades: I liked the shuttle :( You think you can make both versions? Like, i think INF team, did to chronos. (I think the version with fixed container was called Ulmo)
no, like, the head of the VTOL was originally meant to be a shuttle and grew into the VTOL.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 04, 2011, 03:20:04 am
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/freighter2.png)
Slight bump.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: peterv on January 04, 2011, 03:27:42 am
Looking very good. What's it's length?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 04, 2011, 07:01:34 am
At the moment it's scaled to be 120 metes, but that's by no means set in stone.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: headdie on January 04, 2011, 07:56:31 am
At the moment it's scaled to be 120 metes, but that's by no means set in stone.

sounds like a good length, the pods about 20m each?

Love the way the detail is turning out
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Snail on January 04, 2011, 09:24:47 am
The design has started to take on a much more FreeSpace feel with the cargo pods and such.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Angelus on January 04, 2011, 10:13:45 am
The design has started to take on a much more FreeSpace feel with the cargo pods and such.

indeed.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on January 04, 2011, 10:48:10 am
I have to agree with that.

Just had an idea... what about making the front compatible with TC-TRI containers?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 04, 2011, 05:30:50 pm
At the moment it's scaled to be 120 metes, but that's by no means set in stone.
sounds like a good length, the pods about 20m each?
No, closer to 15/16 meters long, near the size of the Hermes.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Enioch on January 05, 2011, 11:23:52 am
Just had an idea... what about making the front compatible with TC-TRI containers?

Please don't. There's a reason the TC-TRI has that 'TRI' in its name. Only Tritons should be able to haul them. Of course, you might argue that this is post-Triton, and reverse-compatible with older cargo crates, but still...if you change that beautiful streamlined nose into a 'lifting fork' similar to the Triton, the model will lose a lot of its character.

Good job Hades, BTW.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Quanto on January 05, 2011, 11:30:43 am
It is a delicious freighter, and will hopefully be integrated into SAFSO soon enough.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: General Battuta on January 05, 2011, 11:32:32 am
It is a delicious freighter, and will hopefully be integrated into SAFSO soon enough.

Just as long as it gets a public release too.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Quanto on January 05, 2011, 11:35:00 am
It is a delicious freighter, and will hopefully be integrated into SAFSO soon enough.

Just as long as it gets a public release too.
It's Hades' model, he can release it to whomever he wants. But his bridge design and overall look and feel is very in line with our established art-style, so we talked to him about it yesterday and there seemed to be a strong leaning towards inclusion into SAFSO.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: General Battuta on January 05, 2011, 11:39:06 am
 :yes:
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on January 05, 2011, 11:46:49 am
Please don't. There's a reason the TC-TRI has that 'TRI' in its name. Only Tritons should be able to haul them. Of course, you might argue that this is post-Triton, and reverse-compatible with older cargo crates, but still...if you change that beautiful streamlined nose into a 'lifting fork' similar to the Triton, the model will lose a lot of its character.

Well, right, but I still think it would be a good idea...
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on January 05, 2011, 02:16:45 pm
It's not a good idea because the TRI-TC is already at least 3 times bigger than a Chonos, which is around 160 meters long, my VTOL is 120 meters long, and the only direction I'm going is shorter.

Not to mention it'd look ass ugly with the prongs needed
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Black Wolf on January 06, 2011, 03:10:33 am
Would it work using existing cargo containers rather than custom pods?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on February 19, 2011, 09:43:20 pm
No, probably not.
(http://filesmelt.com/dl/vtolf.png)
Anyway, new update. My Medusae are there to show scale. The Vtol, atm, is ~5000 triangles and each Medusa is 16k (so both are around 32k triangles)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on March 16, 2011, 03:23:43 pm
Yo. I've completely redone the engines.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/vtol2.png?t=1300306565)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Dragon on March 16, 2011, 04:32:18 pm
Nice work.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Jadehawk on March 16, 2011, 08:10:26 pm
Nice design yes  :)
Maybe you could design some assault Shuttles too someday.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on March 18, 2011, 01:28:25 am
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm56/HLPHades/vtol3.png?t=1300429862)
More details added.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Maksio58 on March 18, 2011, 03:02:38 am
Maybe instead of creating yet another container maybe you could adapt it to transport TAC1's. The chronos is outdated and you need to get those to the frontline somehow.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on March 18, 2011, 12:03:14 pm
I would except a TAC 1 is about 60 meters, which is half the length of my VTOL, which I wanted to keep smaller so it was more feasible for it to be used for atmospheric duties and because there's really nothing inbetween a Chronos or Poseidon in size, custom ships almost always are bigger and bigger.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: SypheDMar on March 19, 2011, 11:09:04 am
How about VC3-sized? Then people who want to make this compatible without needing to download the cargo can adopt this too.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on March 19, 2011, 04:16:25 pm
I'd have to scale it down a bit then, because the cargo containers already on it are 15 meters long and the VC 3 is about 13. :<
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on March 20, 2011, 05:01:51 pm
One of my biggest issues is the following: what's this beauty's name and designation?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Hades on March 20, 2011, 05:07:13 pm
I have not picked out a name for it yet, though I have picked out it's designation, it's a freighter.
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on March 20, 2011, 05:10:36 pm
You may wish to edit this thread's title, then. :) Speaking of the name, may I suggest something related to the sea just to follow the Poseidon/Triton tradition? (Mind, it's just a suggestion, you're the one who'll decide the name.)
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Ravenholme on March 20, 2011, 05:24:44 pm
You may wish to edit this thread's title, then. :) Speaking of the name, may I suggest something related to the sea just to follow the Poseidon/Triton tradition? (Mind, it's just a suggestion, you're the one who'll decide the name.)

If you're going that route, might I suggest "Nereus"?
Title: Re: VTOL Transport/Freighter
Post by: Mobius on March 20, 2011, 05:33:51 pm
Sure, why not? Even Nereid would be fine. :)