Shipset in progress Part 2 |
Hi all,
Work has now started on texturing the new shipset that I'm working on and I've finished work on the Frigate. Check out the image...
I still need to add some detail to some of the bear sections of the hull. But the main texture is complete.
I'll add the other ships on as and when the texturing is complete on them.
I've added some more detail now and i'm happy, i'm going to run with this for the rest of the ships. Should take a few more days now I've got the template done.
When the shipset it complete i'll create I'll create the necessary AI scripts for auto componant placement and release this to the public.
Heres the image with the decals added.
Destroyer......DONE!
Light Cruiser
Cruiser
Battleship
Notes: The texture on this screengrab is at 1024, the final model will have it dropped to the 256. But I just wanted to get the screen on the site out the way so that I can concentrate on the dreadnaught.
Dreadnaught
Woot, we're nearly there. Now, what we got left...frieghter/colony ship (i'm gonna be lazy and use same model+texture for both), space station, starbase, satellite, weapon platform, fighter, mine and troop.
We're 1/2 way there.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Frigate_texture_nodecals.JPG | 62.43 KB |
| Frigate_texture_decals.JPG | 61.81 KB |
| Destroyer_texture_decals.JPG | 75.22 KB |
| LtCruiser_texture_decals.JPG | 61.9 KB |
| Cruiser_texture_decals.JPG | 58.98 KB |
| Battleship_texture_decals.JPG | 92.46 KB |
| Dreadnaught_texture_decal.JPG | 66.5 KB |
| LordHavoc Banner.jpg | 146.3 KB |
I can probably answer some,
I can probably answer some, if not all of those
1. The scale doesn't matter, because you can rescale the model with the SEV text files.
2. One object, definatly. But the vertexes dont need to be attached, I've even got overlapping barrels for the bigger ships in the set.
3. Yes, the text file must be BMP 256x256. And the final file must be direct .x file, uncompressed text
4. Oh, I've answerd that in 3.
5. Well, after you've exported it, give it a texture. If for testing purposes you could just give it a plane 1 colour texture while you test it ingame.
Although I've not got that far into the testing what I plan to do is copy one of the existing empires and replace the ships in it one by one.
6. Again, I've just answered that in the last question.
7. Yes...dont stop at the models, you need to do all of the following :-
Model, Texture, overhead screenshots high resolution 500*704, small and large portrait pictures, AI's (I'll have to look into that, but it might not be necessary)
Then you have to mess around with the text files for scaling, glow placement, rotation (I know for a fact i've got mine wrong in the rotation, so i'll have to do it in the txt files instead.)
From blender to .x -> Save .blend for working on the file. Export to 3ds file, open 3ds file using lithunwrap. Use lithunwrap to texture the ship and then save .lun (again so you can work on the file properly). Export to .x and then test
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
I'm trying my hand at the
I'm trying my hand at the Ship Building. This is my first and only Ship. I did some other 3d work though. The learning curve is very steep. There is nothing fancy about it, I'm sure I did everything the hard way. It took a long time.
http://home.comcast.net/~wsp1267/ship1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~wsp1267/ship2.jpg
Oh, and how do you get pictures to show on the forum without a link?
(yes, I have more to do and havn't tried it with the game yet)
Thats a good model and a
Thats a good model and a good start. I'm not too sure about the texture colours, they seem a bit too much like "primary colours" to me (red, blue, white & black).
But if you're happy with that then that's what matters. Right!
Don't stop there, I know it's hard to fight the temptation to keep on fiddling with your first model. But you've got to fight that temptation, put the first one down and start working on the next model. You've got to make 17 in total!
Also remember that you don't need to make the next models bigger or smaller because you can scale them in the text files. Nearly all my models are the same size with only about 5% difference in size between the frigate and the dreadnaught.
As for posting images, use the [img] and /img (i can't use the brackets because it'll think i'm posting an image)
Just paste the link between the two "imgs" and it'll display the picture.
Finally, re-use your texture for the other ships. It'll save time and keep things consistent.
And I recall someone saying on my previous post saying it would be difficult to texture the barrels....WRONGO!!! When you use black as the texture background (the bits inbetween the details) Just put the barrels in there and voila, black barrels 
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
Nice work
The shapes I very much like but I am not sure the textures do my particular problem is with the black it’s a bit much for me. The hull plating effect I do like and I would like to see that texture on its own
Everyones a critic...Jk No,
Everyones a critic...Jk
No, you're entitled to your opinion just like anyone else.
But I've discovered that if you want to see your ideas take shape, you've got to reach inside you rip it out and make it come true yourself.
I'm happy with my design and i'm going to continue as I started.
The way it works is that i'm going to finish the shipset and use it for my own race. And i'm going to release it also, those who like it can download and use it, those who don't can leave it.
This goes to evilginger specifically - When the mod is complete and released, you could download it and re-texture it as you see fit. But if you release it you must get my permission first and would request that you put me on the credits.
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
3 d modeling
Is not somthing I have done all that much of modeling on a computer and not any for a long time. I sort of specialise in the solid sort of modeling as the boiler on my 486 couldent stand the presure of rendering 
I fear
However thank you for the offer
I can't get the Ship to show
I can't get the Ship to show up in the game. I get the one little light dot. Not sure why.
I even used a simple (low everything) 3d. Both were DirectX (.X) files from lithunwrap.
I took my 255 X 255 skin and the .x file and put them in the abbidon folder.(I made a backup)
I replaced the frigate with the .x file.
I went in game and (aside from the simulater acting a little strange) everything went fine until time to see the ship. I know that it was the right ship loaded because the first time I didn't have the 255x255 pic in folder(I got an error). But with everything right and no errors it didn't show any ships, just a dot of light. I could control the invisable ships just fine.
any thoughts?
If you can 'see' the dot,
If you can 'see' the dot, the battle is 1/2 way won.
All you need to do is now scale the ship using the text files.
This is controlled in the file %empirename%_ships_xfileclasses.txt within the empire folder
The section that says:
Starting Rotate X := 0
Starting Rotate Y := 0
Starting Rotate Z := 0
Is your rotation settings (you'll need these when you make the model big enough to see)
And this:
Starting Scale X := 0.01
Starting Scale Y := 0.01
Starting Scale Z := 0.01
Controls the ship size.
The more I look into it, the more I realise how much work has gone into this. I just hope I can re-work the SF componant slot editor to work with SEV somehow, t'otherwise i'm going to have to do it manually. (which will be a royal pain in the ass).
Oh and another note. I've added the textured Light Cruiser now.
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
Slot mod
Actually SJ's already released a version of the slotmodder that works with SE5.
Sweet, thats great news.
Sweet, thats great news. Could you post a link?
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
OK, I'm looking at my ship -
OK, I'm looking at my ship - I've turned to face forward and nose level. Looks bad next to the normal ships but It's my first skin (first everything). Still the ship is acting correctly. Way to go me.
Now - the ship doesn't fire - it has no points to fire from or something. Do I need to set firing points and other points? Where do I do this? Is there any other reason it wouldn't fire?
This has been a fun project for me even if it's a slow process.
edit: OH, and what is a slotmodder?
Firing "points"
I dug through those files a long time ago, and it looks like there are firing "points" that are supposed to be designated on an x,y,z scale. No clue how it works.
There are 10 types of people in the world:
Those that understand binary, and those that don't.
The slot modder is a helpful
The slot modder is a helpful little tool to assign componant slots on the overhead view of the ship. You take an overhead screenshot and then use the tool to create the componant layout. Without it you have to manually create it in txt (a royal pain the ass if you ask me.)
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
It is x,y,z system and it
It is x,y,z system and it works on pure luck!!!
Seriously, it's a pain. It is just 3 dimensional coordinates, but generally involves a lot of fine turning. Same with the engine glows.
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
You can find some guides for
MM has a page detailing what each empire style needs.
For reference, here is a link to the slot modder.
Urgh i hate texturing. It's
Urgh i hate texturing. It's going really slow, I've got a lot on at the moment and it's hard to find the time to sit down and work on it.
I've got a plan in motion to force me to work on it (i.e. giving my supreme commander login to my brother).
On the plus side, my computers been re-formatted now and it's running like a dream.
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
You cant do that!!
giving ure supreme commander key to your brother.. you`ve got a fully working version of a great game (with only 6 maps) and the beta will be gone some day soon.
But more to the point... who the hell am I gonna team with mofo!!!!!
It's drastic i know. But
It's drastic i know. But i've set out to build a full shipset (from scratch, i have noticed the SW scavenged set)
It's the only way i'm gonna get it finished.
Besides, he's got 2 kids. He probably wont get time to play it anyway.
I'll be on a lot this weekend I hope, I should see you then. In the meantime, i finally got the battleship finished. I had a problem with reversed normals on the wing which needed to be flipped (Doh, the dreadnaught will have em as well. Better get started)
The pic has been added above
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
Time for my contribution
I did promise you a while back Id make some effort to contibute to the ship set. Heres my first model,its way over 1000 polygons atmo (1450) , but i havent made any attempt to run any reducing yet. Also it has a fat arse I want to try and get rid of.
Need to texture it too really ,but this came out looking like a tron effect when i made it light blue with a checker texture(I was looking for metal at the time).. amazing what u can do just fiddling around like a blind man.
anyways this is actually made more with supreme commander in mind for a mod effort and talking of sup com....
second batch
these are from 700 to 1500 polygons and im really making an effort now to reduce them 
may have to save this shipset for se:VI, but im really likeing this texture, I hope i wll export ok and look good at default rez.
Ah do I detect the subtle
Ah do I detect the subtle scent of 'Lego'?
I do like the way that program is so easy to put things together. But like you said....lots of polygons. But it's good for putting shapes and ideas together to work from. You can use those ideas and make them in some other program like blender and make a much lower poly model which looks just as good.
BTW, love the satellite.
Your lord and master (below Foamy) LordHavoc
lego??
I dont get u... I did this in maya? and it has built in polygon reduction I still have to see the outcome. Also if found boolean command seams a great way ot dropping polys at the joints.
glad u like the satellite Im goona start on a cruiser and carrier now.
hoho boolean command seams.. I just realised i wrote a joke by spelling mistake.
frigate n carriers
only 500 polygons here, getting better
frigate
Carrier
Nice - but I have a question
The Ship looks nice.
I understand from a previous post that you use Blender. In that forum section I posted that I had downloaded it and was having fun with it. Now I'm about ready to work on a few ships myself.
Is there a guide to making the ships for Space Empires V?
If not here are the questions I most need answered.
1. How big can the 3d model be? How do I know how big it is on blender?
2. Must all the vertices be attached (one object)?
3. Are there any restrictions (I would stay pretty simple)?
4. What do I export it as (not blender I'll bet)?
5. What do I do with the exported file?
6. Easy way to test one ship.
7. Any other pertanate information.