Author Topic: Curiosity with the old MOD  (Read 16909 times)

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Since I got the poly count so low with it, I think I will add more geometry features to the cockpit to get it more authentic and map more effectively.
This just looks cruddy:

[attachment deleted by a ninja]

 

Offline Thaeris

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
That is looking exceptionally well, Good Sir!

:D
"trolls are clearly social rejects and therefore should be isolated from society, or perhaps impaled."

-Nuke



"Look on the bright side, how many release dates have been given for Doomsday, and it still isn't out yet.

It's the Duke Nukem Forever of prophecies..."


"Jesus saves.

Everyone else takes normal damage.
"

-Flipside

"pirating software is a lesser evil than stealing but its still evil. but since i pride myself for being evil, almost anything is fair game."


"i never understood why women get the creeps so ****ing easily. i mean most serial killers act perfectly normal, until they kill you."


-Nuke

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Thanks Thaeris!
I really look up to the amazing work the good folks at Diaspora do and try to emulate it.
At times I feel I am doing it badly lol! But hopefully I can get this together to be reasonably worthwhile.
I love this model, Its an elegant and yet strange design.
I'm just flopping around with it and my own self criticisms vs. what will actually work in the game engine.
Hopefully it will amount to something people can enjoy.

 

Offline newman

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
How low exactly is that polycount? Because you really don't want to overdo it on fighters. And that cockpit is more than detailed enough for external view. You'd be better off spending polygons coming up with a missile bay (since it's a stealth craft, after all) than wasting it on cockpit detail.
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here! - Jayne Cobb

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
I have 86 Objects
2,275 Vertices
2,945 Faces

You got me curious now with the Missile bays.
How do I implement them as animated opening doors? I didn't see anything like that in previous fighter models so I am not sure how I would generate the animation for the FS2O & Diaspora to use or the formatting of them. Are you guys implementing Landing gear too? Because things like that were in the back of my mind while building it but I figured not part of the game requisites. Thanks for the input Newman =)
I made some models for Microsoft CFS 1 & 2 using Abacus modeler and that made game modeling pretty easy as far as landing gear, prop, weapons, aileron, & rudder animations went. These tools make it a bit more involved for me to know what I am implementing. The missile bays got my creative juices flowing though on how to place them =)
« Last Edit: April 04, 2012, 12:30:31 pm by KewlToyZ »

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Of course modeling how the missiles appear for it could include a trap door appearance to them I guess?
Or dropping the lower centerline fin assembly location just to carry them on top of the assembly would conceal them enough without having to generate an automation for it? The ship never clearly depicted these locations in film footage so artistic license can be pretty broad at this point.
Actually, I doubt we would even have to change the model much now as it sits. The missiles would be concealed plenty for stealth needs but open to launch from the top of the lower centerline fin assembly. I think that could hold enough of them too.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2012, 12:34:03 pm by KewlToyZ »

 

Offline Ace

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
One thing on your textures your nameplates don't really match up with the look in the show. Take a good close look at how the pilot names are done, and labels like the eject/rescue/etc. Having that decal layer right adds an extra bit of verisimilitude for the ship.
Ace
Self-plagiarism is style.
-Alfred Hitchcock

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Yep! Thanks Ace.
I know, there is a line of them outside the cockpit on either side with near as I can tell a fuel port and a squadron badge plate 1/4 way from the front on the fuselage missing too. Going to create them and a separate texture so they can be edited by users preferences.
I am remaking the plates completely, not happy with the geometry and look of them at all.
I still need to make my detail1 & detail2 components as well for the distance models.
Not sure if I need a damaged model or just a damaged texture either. Or some debris parts too?

I'm flipping it around eye balling things and scowling at mapping problems. Some came up after I welded sections too that are just completely scrambled. Still contemplating Newmans idea on missile bays too and may just add some subtle compartments under the lower scoops on either side.
I don't know of any tie ins to the weapons code for them to emerge as needed so I'm looking for a subtle means to include static locations without hampering the models aesthetics.

I did an original design before for the BtRL mod I called a MkV.  http://www.kewltoyz.com/GameShots.shtm
I may go back and remake with some concepts more true to the BSG universe designs after I finish this one too. Art is never really done, it just reaches a point of reasonable satisfaction to the artist.

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Any chance I could ask the font being used for the Diaspora labels and tags?

 

Offline newman

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
You can ask.. :P The labels on vipers and such don't use any font that's available online. I'd usually trace the letters and numbers in illustrator, then switch that over to photoshop. The closest available font would be "viper squadron solid", but frankly it's really not close enough.
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here! - Jayne Cobb

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Thanks Newman, I found a few that were passable too, but not perfect, some either the a's the t's the e's the r's or the k's are not right though.
I'll fiddle around with them still, currently my callsign is too large on the hull for sure. This pics was a wake up for me.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
This is the limit of tags I can find to put on it for authenticity

[attachment deleted by a ninja]

 

Offline Ace

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
On the MK7 and Stealthstar all labels are white with the hull showing over in the negative spaces. So the black color for any font is incorrect.
Ace
Self-plagiarism is style.
-Alfred Hitchcock

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Thanks Ace, I'll go white with the callsign then?

 

Offline Thaeris

  • Can take his lumps
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  • Away in Limbo
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
You might consider looking up a program called Font Forge, or something to that effect, on SourceForge.net. That should permit you to design a new font from the ground up. I think you also might be able to create fonts in Inkscape, if you're partial to open source software.
"trolls are clearly social rejects and therefore should be isolated from society, or perhaps impaled."

-Nuke



"Look on the bright side, how many release dates have been given for Doomsday, and it still isn't out yet.

It's the Duke Nukem Forever of prophecies..."


"Jesus saves.

Everyone else takes normal damage.
"

-Flipside

"pirating software is a lesser evil than stealing but its still evil. but since i pride myself for being evil, almost anything is fair game."


"i never understood why women get the creeps so ****ing easily. i mean most serial killers act perfectly normal, until they kill you."


-Nuke

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
I've made fonts before for use in pattern making on a plotter cutter system I helped design for yacht manufacturing.
Tedious, not sure I would want to spend the time right now. I think I got enough work here with what I'm doing lol.

 

Offline newman

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Making a full on font is overkill for a few writings on the hull, anyway. It's not a trivial amount of work.
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here! - Jayne Cobb

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Jaggies driving me nuts... got the missile bays on it. Squad and name tag Decals and welding for the model to work so frustrating... but its gonna get done dammit lol!

[attachment deleted by a ninja]

 
Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Can I get away with using transparency and self illumination effects with a TGA texture to make the decals work like this?
For ship, squadron, VIN Tail #'s, Pilot name etc...?

[attachment deleted by a ninja]

 

Offline newman

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Re: Curiosity with the old MOD
Not for the game you can't. But it doesn't matter, it's been good exercise but not really up to Diaspora standards, as snotty as that may sound :) I'd suggest approaching it however you see fit, you'll need plenty more practice before you can make one that works for us - and at that point you'd want to restart it from scratch anyway.
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til ya understand who's in ruttin' command here! - Jayne Cobb