[tn_prvteye]

1) What the bloody hell is that thing hanging down from the Hercs?  Sensor probe?  Attachment device?  I was going to do a search, but I'll be damned if I can figure out the correct terms to use (i.e "hanging down thingie").  The Perseus has a smaller one up front, too (probe envy?).

2) How do you park these fighters in a hangar?  You can sorta see how it works on the mainscreen, but most of the fighters have little hanging bits on the bottom.  Do they fold up?  Are there holes in the hangar floor?

3) What is that big gaping maw in the front of the Loki?  Sensors? (I think you can explain anything in sci-fi by saying it's a "sensor")

Just wondering.  I'm bored.

[The E]

1) No clue

2) Very easily, thank you very much (look at the FS2 mainhall for details)

3) It's obviously a nomming device.

[tn_prvteye]

Sorry, had to.

I'm bored.

[General Battuta]

Awesome.

[Aardwolf]

1. I read somewhere (idk if it was canon) they were originally going to be guns... regardless, they obviously gave up on the idea if that were the case.

2. On racks, like in the mainhalls. FS1 especially.

3. I believe the correct term is "thingamajig"

[Scotty]

Well, that was sophisticated as hell.

I put my vote for "sensors."  Or maybe the electronics they use to be stealthy.

Has anyone actually gone in-game to see if that part houses one of the targettable subsystems?

[Herra Tohtori]

It's a space air intake. Duh.

Goggles on, men.

[Thaeris]

(1.) I always took the probes hanging down from the sides of the Herc as thruster ports. As they're not balanced all the way around, it's kind of an odd possibility, but I feel it's the most likely. Definately more reasonable than the other options.

(2.) The landing fork. It's present in all FS mainhalls. But you knew that, right?... 

(3.) Integrated sensor and nomming device. Detects Shivans and then noms them into oblivion... 

[Droid803]

1. It's a sensor.

2. Landing Forks, of course.

3. It's a sensor.

[tn_prvteye]

I know the little scene in the FS2 mainhall, but it's kinda small.  I had forgotten about the FS1 mainhall, though.  Gotta go back and look again.  The reason I ask is (beyond pure boredom) I'm going to be making a scale model of a Herc III (sue me, I like the design) using the www.shapeways.com service.  I need to know how I'm gonna pose the thing.

[General Battuta]

A Herc III? You sure you don't mean II? III, as in the Inferno Herc III?

[eliex]

Ares perhaps? Would be a Herc III in a sense.

[tn_prvteye]

Yes, I mean the Herc 3 from Inferno (Hamano's model).   

If it turns out okay, I might build more FS designs...but it ain't cheap.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Get Blender?

[tn_prvteye]

Blender is what I use actually.  But the price of the real-life models are expensive.  The Herc3 I'm building will be in 1/72 scale.  That comes out to about $150!  I might have to try 1/144 scale instead. 

[Thaeris]

Did you hollow it out or break it up into pieces? Perhaps making it more like a conventional model kit would make it cheaper...

By the way, could you post a screen shot of your work? I'd love to see it. 

[Colonol Dekker]

There are some good opensource tools on that site. . .
 
Meshlab etc.

[tn_prvteye]

I actually hollowed it out:



My apologies to Hamano for carving up his model.

I also added some surface details since I can't exactly add a normal map to real plastic.  

I also removed items that I could easily make with parts I already have.  For the guns I can use plastic tubing for instance.

[Thaeris]

NICE!!!

You should consider making an HTL version for the rest of the community here. Of course you'll want to try and get a hold of the original author first.

However, I'm sure a good many new mods could make use of an aerodynamic Herc. 

[Dragon]

I don't think you need to ask for premission for HTLing, just give him a credit.