Simviation Forums

After WAAAAAY too many interruptions, getting the basic shapes done, but a gazillion tweaks to go.









The only problem is I still haven't gotten animations to work, but I'm not going to worry about that until I get the ship finished.

More progress...











I suppose, at some point, I need to look into polygon limits........

Very impressive. Starfighters aren't my usual ride but I'd definitely like to take this one out for a test drive.

Hawkeye07 wrote:Very impressive. Starfighters aren't my usual ride but I'd definitely like to take this one out for a test drive.

Thanks. It's hard telling how long it's going to take to finish, but I'm pretty much committed to it. On a hunch, I think it will sort of handle like a jacked up F/A 18...

B0ikat wrote:

Hawkeye07 wrote:Very impressive. Starfighters aren't my usual ride but I'd definitely like to take this one out for a test drive.

Thanks. It's hard telling how long it's going to take to finish, but I'm pretty much committed to it. On a hunch, I think it will sort of handle like a jacked up F/A 18...

That should be a blast to fly! You wouldn't consider a tail hook as optional equipment would you? (HA-HA!!!)

When I finish this one, I might do a "Navy" variant. It's fictional, so its Very Few Rules.

B0ikat wrote:When I finish this one, I might do a "Navy" variant. It's fictional, so its Very Few Rules.

I'll be keeping an eye out for your final product.

It's ALIVE!! (Maniacal laughter)

Successful MDL creation for the basic aircraft.







Yeeeeee-haw!

Next step: Windows...

Blocking out the VC:

Looking forward..


Lift window..


Right window..


VC model with un-needed elements removed.

Making more progress on the VC.







Having a little trouble on the transparency for the main gauge panel though. The one in the first image is just a test shot. The real main panel will most likely be a 3 MFD configuration, unless I can find a good screen of the original from the TV series. Otherwise, I'm just going to punt, and design the VC something like the F-16's, with a side mounted joystick and whatever else I can cobble together. Being a "prototype" for a "learning experience", it's likely going to be simplistic, and look sort of crappy.

Skipped ahead a bit from Krispy1001's toots until I figure a few things out about the VC panel thing, but otherwise, making some progress. Created the UV maps and texture file. E-gads! The UV map broke apart the surface into a pile of individual polys. Yikes! I don't know if I did something wrong or if it's the nature of the beast.

I also had a minor freak-out when I brought it up in the sim and it looked like the "intakes" were shredded, but it was just the texture. Yup, this is going to be fun.

New basic VC panel layout.














Another thing I'm wondering about is the "smoothing". How does one get rid of those "facets", and get a nice smooth cylinder instead of a quartz crystal on steroids?

Playing with texturing. Looks more like a "thunderfighter" now. If it looks low quality, that's because my laptop isn't exactly packing a lot of graphics horsepower.

Actually, it's not only a graphics horsepower thing, but a texture map size thing. The difficulty comes from all the little fiddly bits making up the intakes on the engines. UV unwrapping the entire model causes everything to be scrunched up to make room for all those intake elements (along with more than a few un-needed polygons, I'm sure) so that even with a 2048 UV map the pixilation is obvious, and looks G'dawful.

If I generate two UV maps, one of the main body, and one with the two engines and stabs combined into one object, I get two UV maps (2048) that looks more better, but I haven't figured out how to apply two separate maps onto the model if I combine the main body and engine/stab into one object. All I get when I try that is a black object if I try to bring it up in FSX.

I poked around on you-tube, but really don't think I've found anything that helps.

pointers and advise, welcome (I'm sure GMAX is the solution, but I'd like to finish this project in Blender, first, then give GMAX a shot.. )

(Pun intended) "Bede-bede-bede-bede-im-PRES-sive!"

looks sharp i'd love to give her a spin