[TrashMan]

hello there!
I'm new to this site, and modding alltogether, however I'm really good at making low-polygon 3D models.
Due to the fact that I like Freespace, I wanted to start modding.
I don't know much yet, but I'm learning.

What I really don't know is how to make good skins.
If anyone is interested, I'll send him several of my FS models (a Battleship, fighter, space station, and several other vessels), for him to make skins and/or complete mod-s.

On large ships (like destroyers), should I make the model without turrets ( they are not attached, but are individual objects)?

Thanx

[aldo_14]

Yep.  Make the destroyer hull seperately.  Turrets are seperate objects, as are any physical susbsytems - like radar dishes, etc - that rotate are you want to be able to destroy (without blowing up the whole ship).

[TrashMan]

Thanx! The model I'm talking abot is a 5,8 km long Battleship with over 150 turrets. When finished (I'll post a pic. here) it should have abot 8000-9000 polygons. Is that too much? Too litle?

[Nico]

woot, I think there's a limit of about 90 or 100 subobjects (turrets, lods, debris included), so you can forget 60 of your turrets
for the polycount, the max limit is around 10000 polys for the pof, and a maximum of about 800 for each subobject.
Never use intersecting polys, you can't use either 2-sided polys.

[Styxx]

And remember, always make the hull out of a single object!

[Nico]

Originally posted by Styxx
And remember, always make the hull out of a single object!

mmh, actually, many OTT capships use two objects( hey, when you have more than 900 polys per ship, you have no choice ), and there was never any pb with that, I really don't understand what the pb is with that

[Unknown Target]

Sorry, you can only make a ship with a max of 60 turrets to be used in FS or FS2:(

[Nico]

that's not true I have ships with 74 turrets

[StratComm]

woot, I think there's a limit of about 90 or 100 subobjects (turrets, lods, debris included), so you can forget 60 of your turrets
for the polycount, the max limit is around 10000 polys for the pof, and a maximum of about 800 for each subobject.
Never use intersecting polys, you can't use either 2-sided polys.

Probably 100.  Seems to me the Colossus has 80 turrets, a dozen or more radar dishes, and at least three debris pieces and four LODs.  That makes 99 subobjects.

[Styxx]

Originally posted by venom2506
mmh, actually, many OTT capships use two objects( hey, when you have more than 900 polys per ship, you have no choice ), and there was never any pb with that, I really don't understand what the pb is with that

Lemme correct myself. Always make each subobject out of a single object.

[TrashMan]

Oh, well...
I'll have to reduce the turret number. Bumer.
The 3D model should be finished by the end of this week (I use Truespace 4,2 and 3D max 3). Like I said, the model isn't the problem, but the skin is.
I'll also post my campaign ideas (feel free to steal), and new weapons.

[TrashMan]

I'm thinking on making a campaign  that takes place after the second Great War.
There should be at least 1 new species.
New weapons include:
- gatling laser cannon
- prometheus H turret (cap only)
- Ion cannon x2 (cap only)
- meson missile launcher (cap only)
And more...

I'll post everything here in time to come.
Fell free to steal everything. I'd rather that someone else makes the mod, then that is never done.
If anyone is interested in making a new campaign, or will incorporate some of my models (when they are done) et me know.

[TrashMan]

Are you sure that 100 is the limit?
Debris I can understand, but what does LOD stand for?

[CP5670]

Just counted the submodels on the Colossus (which has more than any other ship); it has exactly 90, so the limit would be higher than that.

Also, the primary ship submodel is called "SouperDupera." Maybe someone at Volition likes soup...

[Nico]

Originally posted by TrashMan
Are you sure that 100 is the limit?
Debris I can understand, but what does LOD stand for?

LOD= level of detail, models with lower polycount displayed by the game when the ship is far away to easy the CPU work.

[Reaper]

Another usless post  sorry about it

 TrashMan!! Kako kaj hrvatska? Šta delaš i pogledaj tole i reci èe želiš zraven, rabim nekoga da mi pomaga sa modeli. Ja sam iz Slovenije i neznam tako dobro hrvatsko:(.

[Star Dragon]

Hiya Trashman...

      I like to FRED so if you got an idea of how you want your mod scripted I would like to try it (for the experience).
I am getting my feet wet with the RbotechMod and so far have recreated 3 missions (I've planned on a 18 mission campaign).
So that is my level of skill

   You're more of a modeler? I'd like to learn myself cause I eventually want to try something called The Open Mod Project (TOMP). Basically it would have 2 aspects. First for the purests TC mods. Second data packs from those mods that contain the highlights for easy incorporation into custom mods or an "official release".

   In short cause of the text limit in the table files I was thinking of only 3 or 4 of each type ship in a release from each current mod.

ie. X-wing,TieF,A-wing,TieB,SSD,RbCRu,Ishuttle. for Star Wars

Star Trek would have 3 0r 4 of the cap ships. Kling/Rom/Fed/

  That way hopefully it would make it easier to do custom stuff and also have one big mod that can keep being added to for teh ultimate enjoyment

 Fed vs. Empire
 Shadows vs. SDF3
 Argo against everyone...

   What do you think?

[Nico]

Originally posted by Infested_Larva
Another usless post  sorry about it

 TrashMan!! Kako kaj hrvatska? Šta delaš i pogledaj tole i reci èe želiš zraven, rabim nekoga da mi pomaga sa modeli. Ja sam iz Slovenije i neznam tako dobro hrvatsko:(.

Ouais, ben alors ça mon pôte t'aurais pu éviter, hein, c'est pas moi qui posterait dans ma langue natale, ça non alors, alors tu devrais avoir honte!

nah, I can do that too

[TrashMan]

TO INFESTED LARVA-Not bad. When(if)  I put my models, feel free to use them in you campaign.

TO AVERYONE ELSE - has anyone actually tried to put more than 100 subobjects!? Well?
 And ALL my models have a small polycount and still look great! I have allso created lots of FRED2 missions, out of fun, and they are all pretty complex and fun, with lots of events (min. 50).

[Woomeister]

Originally posted by TrashMan
has anyone actually tried to put more than 100 subobjects!? Well?

Yeah, I was the one who found there was a limit