[bizzybody]

I had an inspiration last night, why not have a ball turret for FS2 ships? So just right now I made a model of a simple one.

I boolean subtracted a sphere from the big cube, cut a notch out of the cube to make a place to put the gun barrels, then scaled a cube way down with its axes at the center of the sphere.

The tiny cube is the FS2 turret base while the sphere and barrels move together as the barrel in the game. This model is just so people can load it and look it over to see the idea first hand, maybe pof it into an advanced version of the "GTC Great Big Cube".

"Ahhhhhhh! It's got a BALL TURRET! Run away! Run away!"

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Dysko]

Is this for your "WWII in space" idea? Are you planning to mount it on a "FS2-ized" B-17 or B-24?

[bizzybody]

Could be used for that, but it's just something I posted to give other people ideas for something different in turrets, especially with the new code that will allow turret bases to sit at any angle instead of only vertically.

[Titan]

i always thought if you redid the backround, added gound, and made models of WW2 planes, fReespace 2 would be the perfect program for then next WW2 fight sim. i mean, didn't one campaign made a long time ago have you blow up islands and stuff? and fly inside a big astroid base or whateva.

[Dysko]

i always thought if you redid the backround, added gound, and made models of WW2 planes, fReespace 2 would be the perfect program for then next WW2 fight sim. i mean, didn't one campaign made a long time ago have you blow up islands and stuff? and fly inside a big astroid base or whateva.

I think the campaign you are talking about is Twisted Infinities.
Making plane models for FS is extremely simple if you convert X-Plane models. I made for myself some time ago a Typhoon converting an X-Plane model. I didn't release it because I suck at POFing and I need to ask the permission to the original author of the X-Plane model.
Also, I remember seeing an F-16 model on the website of Lost Souls.

[Scooby_Doo]

How'd you do that Darth? For the F-19 I had to use Blender with a plugin, export the model from whatever X-plane format it was to 3ds.

[Dysko]

How'd you do that Darth? For the F-19 I had to use Blender with a plugin, export the model from whatever X-plane format it was to 3ds.

Herra Tohtori explained it to me via PM. I quote here the message:

There are two options.

First, create the model in X-Plane's Plane Maker. Then either

- download and install appropriate plugin for Blender that enables you to directly import X-Plane's ACF or OBJ files, OR

-convert the aircraft file into OBJ file (found from "Expert" selection in Plane Maker), download and use OBJ->3DS converter, and import the 3DS file into Blender.


I find the first option better, since 3DS files automatically triangulate themselves, which isn't at all desirable in most cases.

X-Plane related tools for Blender can be found from here:

http://marginal.org.uk/x-planescenery/tools.html

OBJ Tools for Windows found from here:

http://downloads.xsquawkbox.net/ObjToolsWin.zip

Also I have to warn that you *will* probably have to edit the imported model to remove all FUBARness from it, at least if you make the model of multiple pieces. The Plane Maker is not the handiest interface to make models, but it grants on some regards better control than traditional modeling software.

The main attraction is obviously the cross-section body maker tool, but merging multiple bodies can be painful if there's any amount of complexity in the model.

There will be unmatching vertices in the imported model, and they have to be aligned and attached to each other.

[Scooby_Doo]

Ah ok.. thats basically what I had to do.

[Centrixo]

this ball turret reminds me of a old game i used to play made in the early 1990's. called: backlash

[Flipside]

i always thought if you redid the backround, added gound, and made models of WW2 planes, fReespace 2 would be the perfect program for then next WW2 fight sim. i mean, didn't one campaign made a long time ago have you blow up islands and stuff? and fly inside a big astroid base or whateva.

TI has ground scenes planned (eventually), but don't hold your breath, I've barely touched it for nearly a year now, been way too wrapped up with RL. Haven't given up on it, just haven't got the time to actually do anything on it

[Titan]

F-19?!?!?!? why wasn't i informed another one came out! 

[Dysko]

F-19?!?!?!? why wasn't i informed another one came out! 

The F-19 doesn't exist. It was a name used during the development of the F-117 to deceive spies.
It has been so effective that a software house (I can't remember if it was Microprose or Novalogic) made a videogame about the F-19, based on fake photos published by the DoD.

[Scooby_Doo]

This thread Titan: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,43992.0.html

I believe it was Microprose... I actually had that game 
Not to mention both Testors and Monogram and third company actually built concept model kits for it.  This variant is the Testors version.  I wanna build the monograms version too, both look very cool.