[AthlonBoy]

Blaaharg, awake now.

16k polygons? Jeez, how do you even get to that point? I'm only at 3,292. I haven't even optimised the intake or the vent yet. I'm just not sure what else needs more detail on it. (Also Vengence is a much better modeller than me...)

Someone said the cockpit is too small for the pilot. That's worrying. Someone really oughtta give me the cockpit interior stuff so I can at least see what I'm dealing with.

IceFire: I know the Boanerges never looked very sleek, but... the more I look at the old one, the more I think it was meant to be a curved design. Have a butchers at the image I've attached. Pay close attention to the midsection, it seriously looks like an over-optimised curve shape. Same goes for the engines. The underside also has these stubby organic looking 'fins' on the hull, and the top intake vent I did was put there because that area looked sloped and curved.

You're probably right in that the Boanerges could do with being a bit boxier, but I just want you to see where I'm coming from.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Vasudan Admiral]

http://www.freewebs.com/twisted-infinities-va/MiscStuff/Cockpit.zip

That'd be about the closest thing to what you want that we have, and I think it would need some adaptations to fit the boanerges cockpit shape. It doesn't need to be a perfect fit though - you would only see this cockpit from the outside. A proper system to view a fully functional cockpit from the inside doesn't exist yet.

Oh, and interesting direction you've taken with this. Could be fun to see where it ends up.

[Commander Zane]

Then what else was he planing to use it for? a movie? 

Perhaps...just to model.  Imagine that.  And in any case, whether it was originally meant to be in-game or not, you're trying to compare a stand-alone, out-of-universe ship to something that's presumably going to wind up in the MediaVPs someday, where it would be used by a large number of people.  Adhering to standard general guidelines for content that appears in a standard release package is a good thing, no?

Now, I suggest we end this line of off-topic conversation and let AthlonBoy continue to post shots of his excellent progress in peace.

Then what's the point of showing it? Just to say "Hay guyz, lewk @ dis!" then have a bunch of people stare in awe wishing it could be in the game?

AthlonBoy: So far what you're making is turning out really well I belive.

Dilmah G: Then again, what canopy (Let alone ship design) allows for greater than 180 degree coverage?

[Dilmah G]

Then what else was he planing to use it for? a movie? 

Perhaps...just to model.  Imagine that.  And in any case, whether it was originally meant to be in-game or not, you're trying to compare a stand-alone, out-of-universe ship to something that's presumably going to wind up in the MediaVPs someday, where it would be used by a large number of people.  Adhering to standard general guidelines for content that appears in a standard release package is a good thing, no?

Now, I suggest we end this line of off-topic conversation and let AthlonBoy continue to post shots of his excellent progress in peace.

Then what's the point of showing it? Just to say "Hay guyz, lewk @ dis!" then have a bunch of people stare in awe wishing it could be in the game?

AthlonBoy: So far what you're making is turning out really well I belive.

Dilmah G: Then again, what canopy (Let alone ship design) allows for greater than 180 degree coverage?

Well there was barely 180 degs on the original. I'm just saying I want to be able to look around, and besides it was a rough canopy as well (I think)

[Commander Zane]

Yeah, he said it was just there to see how it looked, I was just poking fun about the rest of the ship's canopies.

[Dilmah G]

Yeah, he said it was just there to see how it looked, I was just poking fun about the rest of the ship's canopies.

Well a 360 deg cockpit would be kinda hard.

[Commander Zane]

I can't find it, but I remember a ship design that had a gyro-style canopy that allowed for near-360 degree visuals, all up to the back of the ship itself.

[AthlonBoy]

Well, real life has to intervene at this point. But before I go I can show you what I made of the cockpit in a few minutes. The pilot has a 180 degree view of everything in front of him.

Your praise is much appreciated.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[joeys1]

Your praise is much appreciated.

// gets down on knees
// grovels in awe of work done thus far
// sacrifices 3 Barney the Dinosaur toys on an altar to speed this model onto completion
// wakes up in a daze, covered in fluffy toy stuffing


Keep up the good work! 

[AthlonBoy]

Quit that. Inflate my ego too much and I'll never get it done.

I'm struggling about what I should do next. I want to start on texturing, but I don't want to get into THAT minefield until the model itself is set in stone. So I ask anyone here; what does this model need? Give me all your suggestions, no matter how trivial or far fetched.

Once that's done, I'll unwrap the UVs manually and get a good base for texturing done. Then I'll make a normal map using a high-poly meshsmoothed model, bake in ambient occlusion to the texture, and try to give it a relatively clean look. It's turned out to be a very smooth model, and assuming that doesn't change, I'll texture it with that in mind. I'll also look to the new Valkyrie for inspiration, that's the kind of job I want to do on the Boanerges.

Since my last post, I've fixed all the little errors I could find in the mesh, got the smoothing groups right (for the meshsmoothed normal map), removed any unneeded polys and vertices, got the edge loops nice and smooth. Just general housekeeping. Here are some before and after pictures so people can judge if I've strayed too far from the original mesh.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Jadehawk]

Reactor panels or windows? Other than that, I dunno.

[Vip]

Perhaps some plates or details on the engines ? Look at the original textured version, it has some "plates" on the engines.

[Galemp]

I'm sorry, but you seriously need to redo that cockpit. It doesn't feel like there's any design intent behind it at all, just a bunch of polygons made into glass. Either go for something like a bubble cockpit, with a smooth curve on the front, or a hard-edged cockpit like the concept art. I personally think the texture implies something like the Ulysses cockpit.

[Aurora Paradox]

Definitely an improvement over the original.  However the cockpit does seem a bit large.  Its your model though take the direction of your choosing.

[joeys1]

Ego massaging aside, that model looks very [insert any expletive you care to choose] awesome. I'm with the previous posters, in that I think it just needs textures slapped on it. It might even be a good idea to slap a texture on and let us have a look, because that would probably help give people ideas.

I have never liked the Boanerges as a ship, but you have most definitely made a silk purse from a sows ear.  

My only suggestion at this point would be the greebles behind the cockpit look a bit shallow. They would look better with a bit more depth, but again, when you put a texture on them as they are, they would probably look alright.

My two cents worth, anyway.

I'm sorry, but you seriously need to redo that cockpit. It doesn't feel like there's any design intent behind it at all, just a bunch of polygons made into glass. Either go for something like a bubble cockpit, with a smooth curve on the front, or a hard-edged cockpit like the concept art. I personally think the texture implies something like the Ulysses cockpit.

  That's a bit harsh, no? What he's done is quite a good start, and with a bit more work, I'm sure it will look great.

[Jadehawk]

May I suggest this as a possible change to help?

Delete the RED areas and make them transparent to make it much better along with the Yellow too. Yellow could be left as an option.

Hope this gives you some ideas. 

[AthlonBoy]

Cockpit. Roger that.

Will this do?


EDIT: Fgharghle. The HUD display is clipping the glass. I'm gonna move it, but I won't bother with a re-render. Just ignore it's there for now.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[The E]

I think it would be better to use a Ulysses-style cockpit here. The standard fighter cockpit doesn't seem right in this place, IMHO.

[Mobius]

What about a cockpilot, possibly placed near(and not behind) the pilot? I think there's enough space...

[Droid803]

I think it would be better to use a Ulysses-style cockpit here. The standard fighter cockpit doesn't seem right in this place, IMHO.

I agree.

What about a cockpilot, possibly placed near(and not behind) the pilot? I think there's enough space...

I doubt the Boanerges needs a co-pilot. No turret. Plus, the cockpit area is quite cramped already.