While this game has a niche community(not really large), I was wondering if it would be ok if I model some starfighter/station/cockpit models for some of you people to use for this game. of course some of them may be UV mapped or even fully skinned.
I actually have some years of experience when it comes to modeling. But starting to model right way for this game won't really happen but it will sometimes because I have a lot of things to get done as well.
This game sounds really appealing to me becuae you don't always fly a space ship, and has potential.
As for being on a planet, how customizable is you avatar besides being the old guy in the robe type of avatar? What if I wanted to be a girl or a robot?
Or does any of the questions I ask anready answerd in FAQs?
I've been looking at this game for a while.
welcome to the game
nice new models are always welcome here, if not for the space side of the game, then a world owner might want them. if not now, then sometime.
as for the planet thing, the avatar a player chooses while in space is what they will appear in on a planet as vehicle 1. however, you can change what the default vehicle is on a world and set it up with a model and texture.
nice new models are always welcome here, if not for the space side of the game, then a world owner might want them. if not now, then sometime.
as for the planet thing, the avatar a player chooses while in space is what they will appear in on a planet as vehicle 1. however, you can change what the default vehicle is on a world and set it up with a model and texture.
Mornin Mr S.
If you'd like to have a go at modelling anything you're most welcome to try. Space content is "hard coded" at the moment, in the sense that we provide a fixed collection of models for ships, stations etc. But we always need more. If we like what you do there's no reason why it couldn't be added to the space side of the game (or even replace existing models, many of which are just "ok" :)
And as zar said there are other uses for scifi models too.
For example, on worlds: not just for 'normal' worlds but also for worlds set up to use our subspace/netrek mode (eg Netrac, Bongtrek - not sure if they're online at the moment, but basically they are top-down space shooters). Also for "crow" models on worlds... some nice ships to fight in would be cool.
Cockpit models: we used to use cockpit models, a long time ago. Mit decided to remove them. Partly because the model was a bit crap (it was done while I was still a bit noob at modelling - well, more noob) and partly because the interface keeps changing as mit adds new features etc. I've been meaning to have another go at cockpits myself, but it'd be more of an exercise in modelling for its own sake, rather than something we'll be able to add to the game. Just so you know. (Incidentally, one day we'll have cockpit models for vehicles on worlds, too...)
To be of any use to the game community at all, anything you make should at the very least be properly uvmapped. Ideally it'll have a texture too.
If you download the game's Model Converter and have a flick through the (mostly complete) manual you'll get an idea what kinds of features our model format actually supports. Which is not a lot, really, if you're used to modelling for "proper" games. Only one texture per model, limited materials support and vertex rather than skeletal animation, would be the main constraints for anyone used to making stuff for HL or Quake or something. On the other hand we do have LoDs and submodels and so on, so there's still a fair bit of stuff to play with.
As for avatars: there are a few different ones to choose from in the "avatar select" screen. They basically represent my entire modelling history, with a bit of help from hedgehog in the earlier days (he's done the good textures: the rest are mine I'm afraid). So there's a right mixed bag of quality there.
If you're a character modeller, same thing applies as to space: if you can make good stuff there's no reason why we wouldn't use it as default content in the game, and even if we didn't, there's plenty of scope for using new models on worlds etc.
If you need any help with anything game-modelling-related just holler.
f
If you'd like to have a go at modelling anything you're most welcome to try. Space content is "hard coded" at the moment, in the sense that we provide a fixed collection of models for ships, stations etc. But we always need more. If we like what you do there's no reason why it couldn't be added to the space side of the game (or even replace existing models, many of which are just "ok" :)
And as zar said there are other uses for scifi models too.
For example, on worlds: not just for 'normal' worlds but also for worlds set up to use our subspace/netrek mode (eg Netrac, Bongtrek - not sure if they're online at the moment, but basically they are top-down space shooters). Also for "crow" models on worlds... some nice ships to fight in would be cool.
Cockpit models: we used to use cockpit models, a long time ago. Mit decided to remove them. Partly because the model was a bit crap (it was done while I was still a bit noob at modelling - well, more noob) and partly because the interface keeps changing as mit adds new features etc. I've been meaning to have another go at cockpits myself, but it'd be more of an exercise in modelling for its own sake, rather than something we'll be able to add to the game. Just so you know. (Incidentally, one day we'll have cockpit models for vehicles on worlds, too...)
To be of any use to the game community at all, anything you make should at the very least be properly uvmapped. Ideally it'll have a texture too.
If you download the game's Model Converter and have a flick through the (mostly complete) manual you'll get an idea what kinds of features our model format actually supports. Which is not a lot, really, if you're used to modelling for "proper" games. Only one texture per model, limited materials support and vertex rather than skeletal animation, would be the main constraints for anyone used to making stuff for HL or Quake or something. On the other hand we do have LoDs and submodels and so on, so there's still a fair bit of stuff to play with.
As for avatars: there are a few different ones to choose from in the "avatar select" screen. They basically represent my entire modelling history, with a bit of help from hedgehog in the earlier days (he's done the good textures: the rest are mine I'm afraid). So there's a right mixed bag of quality there.
If you're a character modeller, same thing applies as to space: if you can make good stuff there's no reason why we wouldn't use it as default content in the game, and even if we didn't, there's plenty of scope for using new models on worlds etc.
If you need any help with anything game-modelling-related just holler.
f
One more thing.
Which formats does the model converter accept?
I model in Wings3d which also exports the following format, .3ds, .obj, .lwo, and .x.
As for the cockpit models, it won't be modeled entirley where the seat, the joystick and everything else is modeled. It will be alot like what Freelancer and Jumpgate is like. Just the front, side and the top.
And the tip for modeling cockpits is to not have any faces on the parts of the cockpit that is not seen by the camera.
Which formats does the model converter accept?
I model in Wings3d which also exports the following format, .3ds, .obj, .lwo, and .x.
As for the cockpit models, it won't be modeled entirley where the seat, the joystick and everything else is modeled. It will be alot like what Freelancer and Jumpgate is like. Just the front, side and the top.
And the tip for modeling cockpits is to not have any faces on the parts of the cockpit that is not seen by the camera.
.3ds and .x. I believe we're working on .dxf as well, but not sure if that ever got finished.
The point with cockpits is that they need to work with the HUD overlays, menu buttons etc etc - and that stuff changes all the time. I'm just making the point in case you build something then get annoyed because we don't want to use it. I've suggested the cockpit model approach recently to Mit (the head honcho) and he basically said no.. for all the reasons I gave. With a constantly changing feature list, it's much easier for him to code the cockpit buttons and what have you rather than trying to make it all work with a cockpit model.
If you do it anyway I'd still like to see anything you have a go at, though :)
Got any screenshots of previous models you've made?
f
The point with cockpits is that they need to work with the HUD overlays, menu buttons etc etc - and that stuff changes all the time. I'm just making the point in case you build something then get annoyed because we don't want to use it. I've suggested the cockpit model approach recently to Mit (the head honcho) and he basically said no.. for all the reasons I gave. With a constantly changing feature list, it's much easier for him to code the cockpit buttons and what have you rather than trying to make it all work with a cockpit model.
If you do it anyway I'd still like to see anything you have a go at, though :)
Got any screenshots of previous models you've made?
f
sure..
http://edice.netfirms.com/shipdb/
Those were made like a few years ago. All of those ship models were supposed to be used in another game so pretty much I have to start over every time I contribute models to projects like this one.
http://edice.netfirms.com/shipdb/
Those were made like a few years ago. All of those ship models were supposed to be used in another game so pretty much I have to start over every time I contribute models to projects like this one.
I remember vegastrike. Your ships are cool... a little low poly for my taste, and perhaps the textures could do with a bit more detail (and/or put more detail in the mesh..) But I like the style lots: the world's full of people trying to make "real" spaceships from SW or Trek or what have you. Much much more fun to invent something, and if you wanna churn out a few more like that (couple of thousand polys is no problem if you're prepared to make some lower poly versions for medium and low LoDs as well) then that'd do nicely, I reckon :) Actually even those would do nicely as crow or subspace-mode models. Niice..
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