[Black Wolf]

After a fruitless search through the three Tango VPs for an Arcadia CBAni, I've come to realize how incredibly useful a set of Generic CB Anis, similar to the ones [V] provided fir the Hectae (Aquitaine) and Hatshepsut (Psamtik). I don't know much about rendering, but I can't see how these would be too difficult - a simple fly past the camera and a Nebula BG - and they would provide an invaluable service to the fREDding community (Who else is sick of the default CBAni On every frame that doesn't talk about a fighter, bomber, Hecate or Hat?).

Yes, there are a lot of ships to be done, but I'm not asking for one person to do them all. Perhaps people could submit thones already done and locked up in campaign archives (If they're generic, it's not as if you're giving any story  details away), or people could come in and offer to do one or two ships.

As I said, I don't know rendering, but I can't see this being particularly difficult, and I know it'd make the average FREDder a lot lesss frustrated by the lack of appropriate CBAnis.

[Galemp]

I know exactly what you mean. The FS1 cbanims were wonderfully generic, and could be applied to anything. What say I try making some FS2 equivalents?

[Black Wolf]

Shame the FS1 ones are so small. Yeah, definitely give it a go. As I said, all you really need is a flyby - the ship, an ambient light source, maybe a fdew suns a little brighter, a 2 minute Glitteratyo BG and and a hundred or so frames - If I could work out TS I'd do it myslef (Massive ships without textures anyone )

Any chance I could convince you to start with the Arcadia, or is asking for 2 CBanis in 2 days pushing the friendship?

[Stunaep]

you rang?

www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/lmarshal/arcadia.zip

[Black Wolf]

Yes! This is exactly what I'm talking about! It's generic, shows off the Arcadia, and will suit any CB stage that needs an Arcadia. Perfect!

Now, if we can get a few more animators in here (or someone can give me the 5 minute rundown on Freespace animation with TS 5.1) we can have the TV FLeet done in no time .

[beatspete]

Originally posted by Black Wolf
If I could work out TS I'd do it myslef (Massive ships without textures anyone )
COLOR]

Dunno how you annimate in TS, but i worked out the texture bit recently: Extract yer pof and get it into TS.  When it asks you for textures, open the model in modelview and look at all the textures it needs for the highest detail level.  Extract the textures, and convert to bitmaps (using PSP, just open them up, and save as...). Then TS will ask you for the textures (as it cant read pcx's) locate them, and click no on the ones not for Level Of Detail 1. Once you've done them all click cancel (or you'll just go round in circles through the one you dont need).  it comes up with a message or two, click ok.  Then you have your mangeled beast in Truespace.  Click the move down heirarchy button and the ship splits into its levels of detail and debris.  Delete the lower levels and debris, and it leaves you with a nice pretty model... all be it big, but 'scale' aint hard to use.

[Starfury]

I could POSSIBLY set up an Arcadia for a LW Animation... Question is, how detailed do you want the animation?  i.e. fighters flying around?  Extra ships? Cargo containers?  Be a little more specific please.

[kasperl]

Originally posted by beatspete

.  Extract the textures, and convert to bitmaps (using PSP, just open them up, and save as...). Then TS will ask we for the textures (as it cant read pcx's) locate them, and click no on the ones not for Level Of Detail 1. Once you've done them all click cancel (or you'll just go round in circles through the one we dont need).  

mmm, use batch conversion instead

[Stunaep]

Originally posted by Starfury
I could POSSIBLY set up an Arcadia for a LW Animation... Question is, how detailed do we want the animation?  i.e. fighters flying around?  Extra ships? Cargo containers?  Be a little more specific please.

He got that already. Now he owes me. I like that.

[beatspete]

Originally posted by kasperl

mmm, use batch conversion instead

Occured to me too, but i couldn't find a free program that does batch conversion. But if you know any...

[karajorma]

Irfanview. A quick goodle search will lead you to it

[kasperl]

I know something, called PSP, dunno is the trial version works as well.

btw, type y-ou instead of you, m-e instead of me, and go on like that. one of the admins is annoying us.

[Stunaep]

Originally posted by karajorma
Irfanview. A quick goodle search will lead we to it

or, you could just visit the Resources page.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by kasperl
I know something, called PSP, dunno is the trial version works as well.

Irfanview is 10 times better for stuff like simple batch conversions. It's also better for viewing picture files etc. I should know as I`ve got both so I use PSP for what it's actually designed for and leave the simple stuff to something that loads instantly rather than making me wait for it.

Originally posted by kasperl
btw, type y-ou instead of you, m-e instead of me, and go on like that. one of the admins is annoying us.

It will be a cold day in hell before you catch me doing that crap. Tomorrow when the filter gets turned off my post will look normal while yours will be hard to read.

[kasperl]

is irphanview free or do i have to "pay" for it?

[karajorma]

Originally posted by kasperl
is irphanview free or do i have to "pay" for it?

Completely free.

[Black Wolf]

Well, after some help from ToT and a lot of sacraficial braincells, I got a 30 frame, CB ani sized Near lightspeed fenris out of 3ds Max 3. It's nothing fancy, but It proves I can do the basics at least. If someone could give me a bit of an idea as to how to do animaed engine glows, I'll start rendering up a few of these generic anis.

Bah. New problem. I can't make a keyframe animation of more than thirty frames, and I don't know how to do any other type yet - is there a way around this?

[Stunaep]

Look! Another one.

www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/lmarshal/Fenris1.zip