Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - FS2 Required => Frontlines => Topic started by: Black Wolf on July 21, 2016, 11:51:14 pm
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One of the big challenges in going back and creating a campaign set over a decade before FS1 - hell, the single biggest challenge - is that you can't really just use the same FS1 ships. You can get away with it when your campaign is set only a few months before, and add new ships where your missions demand them, but when you're going back this far, you basically need to rebuild the fleet, otherwise it kills the verisimillitude (IMO, anyway). This is hard enough for Terrans, but for the Vasudans, who have about a fifth of the number of mods available (many of which look distinctly post-capella), it's much, much harder. So, to do it right, we basically have to do it ourselves.
Almost.
Luckily, there are still a few quality models out there, if you know where to look. One such model was Blowfish's GVC Naunet (https://p3d.in/lV7aX), which was based on Stratcomm's Naunet (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/GVC_Naunet) and Asarte (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/GVC_Asarte) models. This just happend to coincide neatly with the fact that I'd been trying to use one of these models for awhile as the PVC Neith (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/PVC_Neith(Frontlines)) in Frontlines.
Eventually, I was able to get in touch with Blowfish, who sent me the model for UVing and texturing. This is where the process stands at the moment.
http://imgur.com/a/IcvpC
The textures are still WiP - there's a mass grey layer over the old black and white bits, but the AO hides it pretty well. Still work to be done, though, and of course, Debris, LoDs etc. However, as this is a FL model, the open development policy comes into play, and as soon as it's done, it'll be released.
As for its role in FL, it's still basically as written on the wiki page linked to above - the Vasudaqn's most powerful, heavy hitting cruiser, and probably the most dangerous in their fleet (destroyers are still way off in the future at this point) short of the Ramses (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/PVCa_Ramses), when you take its fighters and bombers into account. The terrans really don't have a counter at this point in the war, and they're desperately trying to do something about that, modifying Fenrises into Leviathans and desperately rushing to get the Goliath cruiser-destroyer into service. Seeing one of these on the battlefield is a scary experience for any terran pilot at this point in the war.
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I love it :yes: . I always wanted to see this model finished, but unfortunately ED didn't go that far with development process. Any chances to see post-capella variant?
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Bravo! :yes:
Very nice looking ship there, and I can totally see that as a pre-FS1 Vasudan ship.
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Very good work!
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It's what an Aten should have looked like! Excellent job piletttttttttTTT.
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Thanks guys. Still going on this one, have made pretty decent progress the last few days, but it will likely be awhile yet - I have an intensive uni course and a trip overseas over the next few weeks, not likely to get it finished much before the end of August or beyond. Still, glad people are enjoying the way it's looking so far.
Any chances to see post-capella variant?
Eventually, maybe, but not for awhile. It was discussed a tiny bit when I asked blowfish for the model, but he never really seemed to consider it a priority, and to be blunt, I don't really have a need for a post-Capella version right now. More or less everything I model or texture (with a few notable exceptions) is for a specific mission or campaign. I think it helps keep me productive. If I have a need for it (or blowfish specifically requests it) I could probably attempt a post Capella skin, or if I wanted to use it as a testbed (my last attempt at a post-Capella skin wans't really much of a success) but it's not a priority right now.
Besides, far more talented modders than me like Oddgrim and TheDagger are kicking goals with post-Capella Vasudan ship design, they don't need me muddying the waters. :)
[EDIT]Although, sadface, Oddgrim hasn't actually logged in to HLP since 2014. :\
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It's what an Aten should have looked like! Excellent job piletttttttttTTT.
Very disagree.
I love the aten shape.
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It's what an Aten should have looked like! Excellent job piletttttttttTTT.
Very disagree.
I love the aten shape.
Really? Hmm... maybe I'm remembering it less fondly because it's such a garbage cruiser in terms of firepower, and the Mentu is both more viable and better looking (IMO). But this homage definitely feels right on point.
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How about the ship listed as the Aten Mk.II (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/GVC_Aten_Mk2)?
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Got the diffuse map finished, and popped a LoD 0 in game. Masses still to do (LoDs, debris, tonnes of destroyed submodels), but least now I have something I can balance and playtest with. :)
For the record, initial balance was way off, got smashed by a single Fenris.
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That is a really great new version of that ship :)