[stuart133]

That all seems pretty cool man. 

A few questions: Would we be able to model the rockets onto the ships. I.E. model the missile racks, which deplete as missiles are fired.
Also are the primaries energy cannons or kinetic weapons?
Oh and one last thing, I think that the smaller rockets/missiles could be kinetic impact, I.E no warhead. That would make it seem somewhat more believable for me.

[The E]

External weapons (Both primaries and secondaries) can and have been done. TBP's Starfuries carry their missile load on pylons, as do BtRLs Vipers. Steve-O's fighters (like the Jackal have them as well.

[headdie]

for the Terrans standard primary weapons will be ballistic based (coil/rail gun setups).  Terrans do possess LASER weapons but these are expensive and of limited application, basically as a shield breaker, the effect on "modern" armored hulls is minimal as they are designed to take high energy impacts.

several neighboring species utilize basic energy weapons more readily and random encounters with advances species operating advanced energy and other effect weapons

[stuart133]

Hmm, I think in that case, an idea would be proper lasers. Maybe in 2 sec bursts, large energy drain, but a proper laser cutting through the battle would be cool. I think that a super fast projectile with a hacked tail (like the Shivan Super laser) would do.

Also I presume in that case you will have to have ammo limits, ten thousand rounds maybe?
Is Thaeris the only one doing concept sketches, or can you do some headdie? That would help a lot to get a sense of the stylistic tone you want in this.

[Mongoose]

Hmm, I think in that case, an idea would be proper lasers. Maybe in 2 sec bursts, large energy drain, but a proper laser cutting through the battle would be cool. I think that a super fast projectile with a hacked tail (like the Shivan Super laser) would do.

I feel like already made a replacement for the hacked-tail invisible missiles that far more accurately simulates a true laser effect.  It's called a beam weapon.

[stuart133]

Yeah, I know, I was thinking that as I hit post.
Please read it as: Why don't you make a beam weapon with no "charge ball" and a much thinner beam which can be used by fighters.

[Thaeris]

Time for more concept art... about darn time, too!

In the image below is a bit of squad concept art. "Patches" are to the left, external markings are to the right.

This brings me to another point. I imagine it would be very useful to have a "dual insignia" system. Basically, any fighter/bomber of a given squad would load or be slaved to a given squad. For the player only, this means he/she would see only the patch art in the barracks, while a second, larger texture file would be used to apply markings to the given ship in-mission.

First, any given squad would have to have two image files attached to it. One would be the image you'd see in the barracks (already stated) and the other would be seen in-game (already stated). Ideally, the code would bring up both when loading a squad and differentiate between them by recognizing an identifier at the end of the file name. I'd like to think the "barracks" part is simple, but as I'm truly unexperienced in this field, I'm not sure the next part would work:

If the code doesn't support this... it would be nice if it was changed to. I'd like to think you could have every flight/ship that can use squad markings each have the ability to use their own. NOT just the markings of the squad the player is a part of. Since I've not touched FRED in a very long time, I can't really say... This is where it comes into play, though: The external squad textures are all modular, larger, textures than the barracks images. "Modular" refers to the fact that the external textures are divided into different external texture regions. Each part of a given ship that changs color due to squads is made as a "logo" object on the mesh. This is similar to the current mechanism for squad images in game, except each logo region loads only a specific texture region of the "external squad" image.

For instance, let's say it's an early mission and you're flying a fighter with the internal/security forces. That fighter is supposed to have blue trim on it when operating with that branch of the military. Again, you'd see the appropriate "official" squad art in the barracks, but in mission you'd see the fighter's tails colored differently/appropriately, and it would have the blue trim. Now go to a later mission where you're flying with the regular combat forces. In mission, the fighter is now possessing green trim, etc.

In short, this is a method of getting around the problem of having to have a whole mess of different skins for small craft. Actually, I'd assume FotG could use this as the color of a Rebel fighter changes due to what squad they're flying with.

...I'd really like some feedback on this idea. 

Now, on to the art below: Certainly, the external art is very much based off of USN squadron markings (evidenced by the two letter tail codes). I believe in USN practice, tail codes pertain to the carrier on which the fighter squadron is based. However, I don't think that having each squadron bear its own unique two-letter identifier code would be a bad idea either. In many ways, the external art is in fact a "negative" of what you'd see in-game. Terran Navy tailfins are usually black in color, so you'd see a white, yellow, or some other high-contrast color on those images. The art itself is simple in comparison to the patches, usually being just mere lines rather than multiple colors. Almost like a stencil...

I tried to be rather generic with some of the concept designs, and as such the "17th Fighter Squadron" and the "209th Tactical Fighter Squadron" don't really have real names at this point. I couldn't help myself with the "72nd," though, and have to dub that one "Red Eagles." I'd really like to refine that one more, cleaning up the "heraldic" eagle and adding a patch ring with the squad name, etc. The "Conquerors" squad art was actually something I drew up very quickly... and to good effect, I think! I'm curious to see the reactions to these...

By the way, headdie, do you think you could send me a PM? I'll need to get on the project forum at some point. I'd just like to know if there's anything in particular that should come to my attention before then.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[stuart133]

Wow, you are a good artist dude!

Yeah, that looks good, although I'm not sure if the interchangeable "logo" idea will save that much time, as we would still have to draw out each logo and skin in the first place. Though I guess it would help reduce the confusion of FREDing with several different skins for each fighter.

[gevatter Lars]

The fighter in the post above looks a lot like a modern, more agressive version of the Ferret. I like it!
http://www.wcnews.com/ships/images/4views/wc2ferret4.gif

[Thaeris]

Thank you for the feedback, gentlemen. That of course is the Thunderchief, 23 meters of BAMF. 

[headdie]

I like the badges Thaeris, you able to access the files ok?

Below is a mock up I have put together of the Centurion, a concept I have recently come up with.

Class - Centurion
Classification - Gunboat
Role - Fighter deterrent

Size
Height 10 meters
Length 30 meters
Width 40 meters

Crew
1 Pilot/Navigator
2 Gunners operating the turrets from remote stations in the cockpit

Standard Armament
2X4 Turret mounted light rail guns
2X4 forward mounted heavy coil guns
10 slammer missiles mounted in two bays

Description
Production of this class commenced in 2566, designed to operate in as many environments as possible its aerodynamic design and intake filters allows for prolonged operation in planetary atmospheres, its engine layout combined with thrust vectoring flaps provides a full range of movement in space.  The small size and jack of all trades design reduces its killing power but as a go anywhere nuisance to hostile fighter operations has proven an advantage time and again.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[Thaeris]

I think that might be a good start, but it might be too small to be a gunboat... with some of the conventions I've been working on, that is...

Thus, let the discussions commence! There will be no stepping-upon of toes and fingers!

A big Terran fighter is obviously the Thunderchief, which comes in at 23 meters. I will let on that I've been working on a rather frighteningly large player controllable vessel; two words: orbital bomber. When the design is in good order, I'll of course want to show you. However, until then, you'll have to come to grips with the fact that it's 75 meters long. 

...Which is great for when you want to use a capship-sized torpedo... which itself is 25 meters long!

Like I said, discussions/communications are key in this, and it is your project, headdie. Will this be a player ship or will it be AI only?

[stuart133]

75 METERS. I can't wait to play that .

But the only problem with that is it will be a dog, it would turn so slow, or at least if it didn't it would be stupid. I like the look of that gunship, I guess that it is supposed to be small, like a heavy fighter.

Another thing, what kind of capships is the universe using, just like to know.

[headdie]

until then, you'll have to come to grips with the fact that it's 75 meters long. 

...Which is great for when you want to use a capship-sized torpedo... which itself is 25 meters long!

That going to look impressive can’t wait to see it and might prove useful towards the end of campaign 1

I have defined the Centurion as a gunboat more out of the fact it is not a fighter based on
1) The crew is non typical for a fighter I am working on the theory of a fighter/bomber only has a pilot and possibly a navigator/weapons operator in comparison this craft has a pilot and two dedicated gunners
2) It is not a bomber in that it could take a small number of small anticapital rockets with a minor refit it would be very limited in this role
3) Its primary means of taking down hostile craft are the two turrets (poor agility prevents adequate dogfighting)

The reason the craft is so small is so it can be operated off larger carriers but typically gunboats would be larger so I suppose it would be a pocket gunboat

A thought I have just had is to have a dedicated carrier to take these things inter system.

[Thaeris]

Happy New Year, Terran Chronicles team... or, headdie and I...

...

 

I've had this concept brewing for a while, and it's actually derived from one of the first things I ever designed for the mod... Here's my take on the Dagger...

The drawing itself was, quite unusually, done in pen (the unusual part) on the back of a scrap sheet of paper at my grandparent's house. Initially, I figured it wasn't anything too important (and it's still no masterpiece), but after a bit of frantic sketching, I found it had some potential. Thus, after getting the groundwork for the drawing started earlier today, I took a few minutes to finish it this evening. The result has been archived and noted. I'll continue to work on it from here. 

The fighter itself is equipped with four light-medium gun mounts in a single bank. A missile launcher on the ventral hull (a single secondary station) would rapidly feed missiles to the firing port - this would assumably be achived in game by having a certain type of missile(s) for the fighter. As the only change would be the reload rate in the tables, this would easily be done...



[attachment deleted by admin]

[headdie]

looking good as usual, slight hangup on the dagger description as in my mind the missiles are mounted on external racking to save weight so at the moment i am now deciding if it best to change to using an internal launcher or if it would be best to use this fighter for a different ship

[headdie]

ok here is a little something for you have been working on over Christmas

These are all needing textures at the moment if anyone wants a go please let me know

the MsF-16 Tornado superiority fighter.  The variant flown in the first campaign will be the M3 but I have developed 4 versions all using the same basic stats

MsF-16 Tornado
Role - Superiority Fighter
Mission - Escort, space fighter dominance
Crew - 1
Prototype date - 12/06/2555
Production Date - 31/05/2556
Gun Mount - 4x Light/Medium cannons
    Standard Load - 4x LMG-212 Maxus Light coil guns
Missile Load - 2 medium missile bays
    Standard Load - 12 - LAF-HS-22 Sparrow light heat seeker
                             3 - MAF-RS-15 Homer medium radar seeker
length - 26 meters
Width - 20 meters (typical)
Height - 5.5 meters (typical)

M1


M2

extended wingtips to improve atmospheric handling and improve fuel capacity

M3

down swept wings to improve space and atmospheric agility

M4

Tactical version with the wings removed halving the width to be more manageable on a tactical flight deck but with reduced range

edit: added Parry

The CA-12 Parry class strike carrier

The pilots base for the first campaign will be the Crusader a surviving parry class carrier.  Originally quick strike carriers during the final decades of the System Wars, these ships are now old, small, under armed, only average speed with low fighter capacity (4 squadrons of 12 fighter craft + a couple of small support shuttles) but they are reliable, cheep to run and have a low electronic emissions profile resulting in a continuing role as a fighter support platform.

CA-12 Parry
Role: Fighter Support Base
Mission: System Patrol, Battle group fighter support base
Crew: 446 (including pilots)
Prototype date - 16/05/2485
Production Date - 29/11/2490
Complement: 3x12 fighters
                     12 bombers
                       2 Search and rescue shuttles
                       1 Transport Shuttle (+1 "visiting" transport)
Gun Mount - 2x2 Light anti-capital Coil Guns
                  8x2 "Super Reaper" anti fighter guns
Missile Load - 1 variable directional heavy anti-capital rocket launcher typically loading ACR-38 Divider
Length: 650 meters
Width: 300 meters (320 meters with side mounted rocket launcher)
Height: 100 meters (150 meters with turrets at maximum elevation)




edit1: fixed M3 link
edit2: fixed my randomness saying all was textured when actuals should have said needing textured

[starlord]

very interesting designs here! best of luck!

[headdie]

necrothreadage but here goes

some of you on irc were interested in this


for those still interested here is how far i got tonight

I have started adding the upper super structure with an old fashioned style bridge, added some reinforcing type shapes on the downward swept section of the engine supports and cut a hole ready for the fighter bay

with this area still to be modeled

targets for the next step
the red area is a third engine and its supporting structure to supplement the two on the end of the trimaran style arms, also there is lots of work on the basic structure also the reinforcing on the engine supportscreated some nasty anomalies in the next section up of the supports

on an unrelated note it seems mediafire lost the m3 image posted before so i will re upload and fix that

[Getter Robo G]

Headdie, good job!

I like where that's headed (pun intended)  .