[headdie]

very much so, currently the ship is using bevel and subsurf modifier scripts applied to the objects to achieve it's look and looking at it when I start to apply them permanently there will be a load of corrective and optimization work to be done so hopefully I can drop that number down to a sane level

[An4ximandros]

Looking at the hangar...

So you made a brick layer?

[headdie]

those are big bricks

they are roughly representative of vasudan fighters and I was using them to gauge how feasible the hanger tunnel is and scale the hanger to 12 fighters

[crizza]

Hm, so this thing packs a meaner punch then the Dio? Sweet

[headdie]

depends how you approach.

the upper side is pretty nasty for anyone wanting to get too close, the sides you mostly have the flak to worry about with only 1 of the head aaf's and the blobs able to cover reliably, the rear is atrocious for anti fighter with only 1 aaf and a cruiser might be able to find a blind spot there from all but 1 anticapital beam.  underside is pretty much 2 aaf and 2 anti capital beams of note.  also with only 2 blobs and marginally positioned flaks mean that once launched torpedoes should have a relatively easy time of finding their mark.

[bobbtmann]

It looks pretty cool. I especially like the front, it's got a interesting shape (though it might benefit from a bit more thickness or roundness).

I know you plan to optimize, but that's going to be a lot of work. Are you sure you couldn't get the same result just adding a few new edges or something? The shape isn't so organic that it needs a smoothing modifier, so a few cuts here and there would probably suffice. It would also give you an easier time with both modeling and UVing. Could we see what it looks like without your modifiers on it?

[Droid803]

I think it needs a few more blob-type turrets or its going to get wrecked by torpedo-based capships.

[crizza]

Or let it launch rapid fire and forget missile, to intercept torpedos.

[headdie]

It looks pretty cool. I especially like the front, it's got a interesting shape (though it might benefit from a bit more thickness or roundness).

I know you plan to optimize, but that's going to be a lot of work. Are you sure you couldn't get the same result just adding a few new edges or something? The shape isn't so organic that it needs a smoothing modifier, so a few cuts here and there would probably suffice. It would also give you an easier time with both modeling and UVing. Could we see what it looks like without your modifiers on it?

sure, here it is without the modifiers http://p3d.in/KWv6P/wireonsmooth

and if anyone is interested here is a cutaway version http://p3d.in/aSpiI

I think it needs a few more blob-type turrets or its going to get wrecked by torpedo-based capships.

additional anti-torpedo weaponry is certainly something to think about and is probably excessively weak atm, at the same time I am trying to give the ship a weakness which gives the player some meaningful direct attack and defence roles while this ship is in the area.

[Black Wolf]

I think it needs a few more blob-type turrets or its going to get wrecked by torpedo-based capships.

No such thing in the canon FS universe, so it's a reasonable omission.

[bobbtmann]

I've compared them side by side, and I really do think you could avoid your modifiers altogether. They're very, very similar. One just has 10x the polygons. In fact, I'd be willing to be you could knock a good chunk off your base model by judiciously deleting a few lines and adjusting your smooth groups.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[headdie]

slow progress recently due to going back onto anti-depressants after being off them for 9 months so this last couple of weeks my motivation to do anything is all over the show. 
Anyhow here is an update on progress http://p3d.in/SMkWv
using smoothing combined with a edge split modifier for most of it.  retained use of subsurf for the multiparts

[Black Wolf]

I admit, I was initially pretty skeptical about this design. But it's growing on me. One suggestion might be to put some kind of destroyable subsystem underneath the frill - maybe just some random greeblage that can be assigned to weapons or whatever - give it some kind of purpose (i.e. additional armour against frontal attacks).

[headdie]

thanks Black Wolf, I was thinking about either weapons or navigation.

[headdie]

And from the settled dust the great water scorpion rises again (for now at least)

Had a bit of a motivational crash on this one but today I have tinkered with this a little more doing a bit of UV and ambient occlusion baking still have some work to go though, the beams, flaks and hanger need to be UVd with the main hull UV/AO needing to be redone as some gremlins have appeared in it. but anyway here is a look at the ship's pretty ass.

[Scourge of Ages]

 

[headdie]

And a little bit more progress.  AO baking done and the base colours applied.
Turrets are now finalised at 5 main beams, 5 anti-fighter beams, 6 blobs and 4 flak so 20 weapons emplacements
http://p3d.in/OTIg3


edit:
Better Render

[X3N0-Life-Form]

I think I love that ship.

[BengalTiger]

depends how you approach.

the upper side is pretty nasty for anyone wanting to get too close, the sides you mostly have the flak to worry about with only 1 of the head aaf's and the blobs able to cover reliably, the rear is atrocious for anti fighter with only 1 aaf and a cruiser might be able to find a blind spot there from all but 1 anticapital beam.  underside is pretty much 2 aaf and 2 anti capital beams of note.  also with only 2 blobs and marginally positioned flaks mean that once launched torpedoes should have a relatively easy time of finding their mark.

So how will this thing's weaponry compare with the Sobek?

Or is this becoming a Frigate slowly, similar to the Iceni, only with a hangar instead of ETAK?

[headdie]

Selket
5 main beams (Each less powerful than VSlash and probably less than TSlash)
5 anti-fighter beams
6 blobs
4 flak
2 or 4 Missiles (I am still deciding how to divide them up)
22/24 Turrets

Sobek
2 VSlash
4 AAAf
8 Terran Turret
3 Terran Huge Turret
5 Standard Flak
22 Turrets

Deimos
4 Terran Slashing Beam
4 Anti-Fighter Beam
6 Terran Turret
4 Terran Huge Turret
6 Standard Flak
2 Piranha
26 Turrets

Iceni
3 Big Green Beam
9 Terran Turret
7 Terran Huge Turret
2 Standard Flak
2 MX-52
2 Piranha
25 Turrets

Hits wise I think 80k, I might table it for 85k as it is more of a "heavy" corvette but that is fairly meaningless as modders will table it to what they want.