[TopAce]

Originally posted by Rampage

...
But if you want the fighter, then work for Attempted Suicides.  Can you FRED?

Of course, my best skill is FRED.
But this fighter is not a needed asset in my life. To be honest, I downloaded only a few mods/models.

[IceFire]

Looks great....I like the attention to the various views of the fighter and how you've managed to make it imposing in a 3 way view.  Well done.

The maps need some work...more detail, more shading, that sort of thing.  But its a winner!

[Nico]

Well, he just did the maps, the model is from Aldo.

[IceFire]

There we go then

Great start on the maps but they need some work from the looks of it.  Coming along tho!

[Lightspeed]

I still think it's too symetrical and plated to be shivan but hey

[Rampage]

Originally posted by IceFire
Great start on the maps but they need some work from the looks of it.  Coming along tho!

Hmm...  I see what you mean.  But any more work is beyond my knowledge.  I saw what LtNarol did to the Yali and the Naga (as directed to my father) and tried to imitate his mapping style.  I make my maps in PaintShop Pro, by the way.

Maybe you would like a stab at it?

[IceFire]

Originally posted by Rampage


Hmm...  I see what you mean.  But any more work is beyond my knowledge.  I saw what LtNarol did to the Yali and the Naga (as directed to my father) and tried to imitate his mapping style.  I make my maps in PaintShop Pro, by the way.

Maybe you would like a stab at it?

Love to but I can't at the moment with of other things keeping me busy (like exams and finishing the last of my assignments for university).

Paint Shop Pro does make some things much more difficult...about half the things you need to do at this point are much easier done in Photoshop (layer styles are unbelievably useful).

I would say to try and use the opacity controls on the various layers and try and blend some things together.  The problem with most of the mapping is not in the detail but in the effects.  Try duplicating your panel line layer (or layers) and dropping them underneath with more blur and more transparency.

I've done texturing, I'm not an expert, but I thought I would try and point it out and see if you can improve your technique.  You're probably more of a natural than I

[aldo_14]

Lay-ers?

I only use them for setting opacity on decals

[IceFire]

Originally posted by aldo_14
Lay-ers?

I only use them for setting opacity on decals

YIKES!  The Drazi Sky Serpent and the Centauri Luxury Liner that I textured were both done with something like 40 layers including the layers for shading around the edges and the dirt layers (mostly cloud noise maps)...but I think I had maybe 4-6 layers for panel lines alone with some bevel and drop shadow options that Tomcat pointed out to me.

Works like a charm

Just takes a long time to do

[aldo_14]

I don't believe in using any of the inbuilt photoshop effects..... don't see the point - if I can do it myself, and can use my own eyes, why let a machine do it?  and this way I'm not dependent on the graphics app

The last model I did, i think I only used layers to do decals (for easy opacity setting), and an additional couple of layers to draw some shadows under machinery-type stuff.

[Bobboau]

I don't use layers atall

[IceFire]

Originally posted by Bobboau
I don't use layers atall

And its hard when we need you to change something

How would you achieve a beveled effect without the use of a layer option BTW?  I think I know how but its a multistep process...clicking a button or two seems to be easier and more modular.  I like the fact that you don't have to rely on the software but I just feel this seems efficient and powerful

I'm still obviously a total newbie at the process as I still feel a lack of confidence in doing what I want to do.

[Nico]

Originally posted by aldo_14
I don't believe in using any of the inbuilt photoshop effects..... don't see the point - if I can do it myself, and can use my own eyes, why let a machine do it?  and this way I'm not dependent on the graphics app

That's why you take twice the time I take to make maps
There's so many layers in my Ezechiel map I wouldn't dare counting them
So, to answer your question, another question: why would I waste my time on doing something by hand when photoshop can do the same in half a second?

[ShadowDrakken]

using automated effects or not, layers is still helpful because it lets you tweak individual effects, colors, textures, etc without having to redo a whole section of the image every time.  You can turn layers on and off so see how something looks, and even make several skins in the same file (clean, dirty, rusted, dented, etc)
Sooooo many advantages to using layers, even if you don't use plugin effects

[Setekh]

Rampage, great texture job on this. I think it's excellent work and if it's at the limit of your ability, my commendation to you for pushing yourself that far. Keep taking on new work and fiddling around with stuff you've never tried before, and I foresee an even brighter future for you and modding.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Nico


That's why you take twice the time I take to make maps
There's so many layers in my Ezechiel map I wouldn't dare counting them
So, to answer your question, another question: why would I waste my time on doing something by hand when photoshop can do the same in half a second?

Because that way you don't need to use photoshop if it's not available?

EDIt - anyways, my maps look totally different to yours, so you can;t really compare them.

[Gregster2k]

Looks damned cool. That ship looks like the Shivans took a hard look at the GTF Perseus, and repurposed its design. I tend to find Shivan ships that (vaguely, or perhaps by a stretch of the imagination) resemble Terran ships to be...disturbing, in a cool way.

[ShadowDrakken]

It's just a shame FS doesn't let you fly Shivan ships... that would be cool

[Taristin]

It's only a table hack... you can fly them.

[ShadowDrakken]

I leave the hacks to those who know how
I didn't even think FS2 included the proper graphics for ship selection and etc to use the Shivan ships anyway