[WIP] Nova Fighter

[Vincentz]

Download : http://www.mediafire.com/download/3mxnx ... Series.zip

Disclaimer : The pack contains the 4 ships in the Nova Series together with a modified Start Choices by Spara, so its fast and easy to test the ships.
I hope this is ok with Spara, otherwise I'll remove it. I didnt change conditions, so its not for playing a game, but merely for checking out the new ships.
Also, keep in mind that these ships are VERY much still work in progress. Most configs are not done and textures might also change. Especially for the gunship, as I havent touched that one yet.

Moderator: Split from the Blender Modeling Tutorials thread.

Python 3 is significantly different from Python version 2. I'd try using version 2.7. The second error is definitely a Python 3 specific error, not sure about the first.

Sweet

Now it just needs some tex and config



edit :

Me and Blender are not very good friends. Jesus its a complex program, with no logic, unless you are a 3d artist.
I really miss some drop down menus, and some simplification.
low res Nova Fighter

[spud42]

have a go with wings3D.........

[Vincentz]

More to come...

[Vincentz]

have a go with wings3D.........

Might do after I pull the last of my hair out

Getting slightly progress, and its a nice program. Its just not very noob-friendly
Talking of which, there is a way to output an UV ESP (with lines drawn up to show the different faces in the texture file).
I can see it in blender, but can't export it anywhere???

Btw, how long should something like this be in your opinion (small fighter or big corvette?)

topview of Nova Fighter


Also, can a moderator split the thread (is it possible) before I spam this one too much, and merge it with this one : https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17339

[another_commander]

Also, can a moderator split the thread (is it possible) before I spam this one too much, and merge it with this one : https://bb.oolite.space/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17339

Done.

[Vincentz]

started over with this one in blender (which I know sooo much better now (but still a loooong way to go ))

I'm really happy with the result (not final result, still need some details)
Its a beast to look at in game.

Size is same as viper though much smaller wingspan (30 wide x 10 high x 55 long)

[Without Remorse II]

Very,VERY nice! Is it possible to have to pulse lasers in the front bits? That would be awsome!

[Vincentz]

Very,VERY nice! Is it possible to have to pulse lasers in the front bits? That would be awsome!

I'm hoping so, though its no as easy as it sounds

I'm reconsidering the size though. 55 meters long is quite a bit, though even the smallest "vanilla" ships are 35 meter (worm/shuttle/sidewinder/transporter).

Also, it should prolly be an escort ship. Neither of the "small" ships are Hyper Space cabable, and if it should fit just a little bit into the "lore" then this one shouldnt either.

Cockpit canopy is pretty big, so 28 meters long (half size) would fit the proportions a bit better.

Problem is, would it be too small ingame? can I get some opinions on this?

shipsizes with nova series :

http://i.imgur.com/HEGAHE9.png

edit : now with real sizes.

[Smivs]

...28 meters long (half size) would fit the proportions a bit better.

Problem is, would it be too small ingame?

Almost certainly, yes. It wouldn't be much bigger than a cargo container.
Does the 'canopy' have to be a canopy at all? Canon has it that these ships don't even have any sort of cockpit window as the pilot is encased in the control room/escape capsule with a display monitor.
Having said that many here disagree and like the concept of a more conventional aircraft-style cockpit, and although I'm in the 'enclosed cockpit' camp, I can't think that the pilot wouldn't want to look outside from time to time, so all my OXP ships have small cockpit windows - these are scaled to be around 1 metre wide.
The design of the Nova would lend itself to something similar - so you could consider texturing the 'canopy' as metal, and add some suitable windows/portholes or whatever.

[Vincentz]

Does the 'canopy' have to be a canopy at all? Canon has it that these ships don't even have any sort of cockpit window as the pilot is encased in the control room/escape capsule with a display monitor.
Having said that many here disagree and like the concept of a more conventional aircraft-style cockpit, and although I'm in the 'enclosed cockpit' camp, I can't think that the pilot wouldn't want to look outside from time to time, so all my OXP ships have small cockpit windows - these are scaled to be around 1 metre wide.
The design of the Nova would lend itself to something similar - so you could consider texturing the 'canopy' as metal, and add some suitable windows/portholes or whatever.

To keep in canon, I decided the canopy is not a canopy, it is the Escape Pod cover

Btw, is there anywhere/any lists I need to add the ship for it to be used by AIs?
Also, where to define the extra cargo hull size? 15 TC is a bit too much.
And can a regular ship builder take a look at the config, and see if I'm missing something?
(I removed the external views from here, as they are working fine, but takes up a lot of space.)

Code: Select all

{
	"novafighter-template" =
	{
		"aft_eject_position" = "0.0 15.5 -33.0";
		ai_type = "oolite-pirateAI.js";
		auto_ai = yes;
		auto_weapons = yes;
		cargo_type = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		"energy_recharge_rate" = 4;
		exhaust =
		(
			"-4.5 2 -20 2.0 1.0 14",
			"4.5 2.0 -20 2.0 1.0 14",
		);
		"forward_weapon_type" = "WEAPON_PULSE_LASER";
		frangible = 0;
		hyperspace_motor = no;
		fuel = 70;
		has_ecm = 0.15;
		has_escape_pod = 0.95;
		has_scoop = 0.3;
		has_scoop = 0.5;
		has_shield_booster = no;
		is_template = 1;
		likely_cargo = 2;
		hud = "hud.plist";
		"laser_color" = redColor;
		"max_cargo" = 2;
		"max_energy" = 150;
		"max_flight_pitch" = 1.5;
		"max_flight_roll" = 2;
		"max_flight_speed" = 300;
		"max_missiles" = 2;
		"missile_launch_position" = "0 1 10";
		missiles = 2;
		model = "novafighter.dat";
		name = "Nova Fighter";
		roles = "trader-courier hunter-medium(0.75) hunter-heavy(0.75) pirate-medium-fighter(0.5) pirate-heavy-fighter(0.5) pirate-interceptor pirate-aegis-raider escort-heavy assassin-heavy";
		scoop_position = "0.0 -5.5 25.0";
		thrust = 32;
		"view_position_aft" = "0.0 2 -17";
		"view_position_forward" = "0.0 5.0 -3";
		"view_position_port" = "-2.0 3.5 2.5";
		"view_position_starboard" = "2.0 3.5 2.5";
		weapon_facings = 1;
		"weapon_position_aft" = "0.0 2.0 -20";
		"weapon_position_forward" = "0.0 0.0 25";
		"weapon_position_port" = "-10.0 3 15";
		"weapon_position_starboard" = "10.0 3 15";
		subentities = (
//			"*FLASHER* 1.0 2.0 27\t180 0.0 0.0 8.0",
//			"*FLASHER* -1.0 2.0 27\t180 0.0 0.0 8.0",
//			"*FLASHER* 0.0 3.0 27\t180 0.0 0.0 8.0",
			"*FLASHER* 0.0 3.5 -8\t20 1.8 1.0 4.0",
			"*FLASHER* 0.0 3.5 -8\t0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0",
			"*FLASHER* 15.5 -3.5 -8\t128.0 1.0 0.25 3",
			"*FLASHER* -15.5 -3.5 -8\t0 1.0 0.5 3",
			"*FLASHER* -3.5 0.5 30.5\t0.0 1.0 0.75 3",
			"*FLASHER* 3.5 0.5 30.5\t128 1.0 1.0 3"
		);
	};
"novafighter-player" =
	{
		like_ship = "novafighter-template";
		hyperspace_motor = yes;
		roles = player;
	};
"novafighter-ai" =
	{
		like_ship = "novafighter-template";
	};
}

[Norby]

where to define the extra cargo hull size? 15 TC is a bit too much.

extra_cargo

has_scoop = 0.3;
has_scoop = 0.5;

One is enough.

"*FLASHER* 0.0 3.5 -8\t20 1.8 1.0 4.0",

You should use New-style subentity definition like this:

Code: Select all

subentities=({type=flasher; position=(0, 3.5, -8); color=redColor; frequency=1.8; phase=1; size=4;});

Role weights are enough around 0.2 else your ship will supersede many core ships.

In shipyard.plist weapon_facings should be 1 also and missiles can be 0 there.

[Smivs]

I think Norby picked up on all the code errors.
Regarding AIs, you have correctly used "auto_AI = yes;". This means that the ship will be given the correct AI for the role it has been spawned with, so you don't need to do anything else.
Regarding the "novafighter-ai" entry. This will just produce an NPC version based on the template - is that your intention? It's fine, but you could vary the specs a bit by giving some options their own plist entry, for instance give an assassin version a bit more kit than a pirate version.
I also notice that is has no hyperspace motor but does have fuel. Perhaps it should also have have injectors - "has_fuel_injection=yes;".

[cim]

Regarding the "novafighter-ai" entry. This will just produce an NPC version based on the template - is that your intention? It's fine, but you could vary the specs a bit by giving some options their own plist entry, for instance give an assassin version a bit more kit than a pirate version.

Adding auto_weapons = "yes"; has already covered this - the assassin versions will automatically have some equipment changes made by the populator in this case.

Code: Select all

roles = "trader-courier hunter-medium(0.75) hunter-heavy(0.75) pirate-medium-fighter(0.5) pirate-heavy-fighter(0.5) pirate-interceptor pirate-aegis-raider escort-heavy assassin-heavy";

With only 150 energy and no hyperspace motor, this is going to be considerably weaker than most of the ships already in those roles. Some but not all of the medium/heavy roles practically require a hyperspace motor, too, as does trader-courier.

Some thoughts on which roles might be suitable:

• assassin-light is plausible - it's got the speed, and they can outfit it quite nicely for that role. It's significantly weaker than anything already in assassin-medium, though.
• With the missile fittings, it could certainly justify escort-medium. escort-heavy ships I'd expect to be a bit tougher.
• hunter-medium and hunter-heavy both require witchdrives. It'd make a nice hunter, though (for historical reasons, not hunter-light)
• Piracy: the "independent pirate" role of pirate it would probably be ideal in. pirate-medium-fighter, yes, certainly. pirate-heavy-fighter it feels a bit too weak for, and pirate-interceptor and pirate-aegis-raider definitely require injectors and hyperspace for quick exits.
• Trading: without hyperspace capability, shuttle is probably the only trading role it can do, and it doesn't really look like one of those.

Conversely if you wanted to keep the existing roles, I think you'd need to fit a hyperspace motor to the NPC version, and increase the max energy from 150 to at least 250, which doesn't seem to be the concept you're otherwise going for with it.

[Smivs]

Regarding the "novafighter-ai" entry. This will just produce an NPC version based on the template - is that your intention? It's fine, but you could vary the specs a bit by giving some options their own plist entry, for instance give an assassin version a bit more kit than a pirate version.

Adding auto_weapons = "yes"; has already covered this - the assassin versions will automatically have some equipment changes made by the populator in this case.

I was thinking more along the lines of giving different varieties different chances of stuff like shield units. Say

Code: Select all

"has_shield_booster" = 0.80;

for an assassin version but only

Code: Select all

"has_shield_booster" = 0.25;

for a grungy old pirate.
On this subject, is there a detailed description of the function of "auto_weapons" in terms of what equipment is concerned and how each role is affected in terms of equipment changes.
All I can find is the 'shipdata' part of the HowTo page which says

...may change the weapons, missile load, equipment and other such parameters of this ship to make it better fit its role.

It would be helpful to know what equipment is affected and how.

[cim]

On this subject, is there a detailed description of the function of "auto_weapons" in terms of what equipment is concerned and how each role is affected in terms of equipment changes.
All I can find is the 'shipdata' part of the HowTo page which says

...may change the weapons, missile load, equipment and other such parameters of this ship to make it better fit its role.

It would be helpful to know what equipment is affected and how.

I can document how the core game populator uses the parameter, but OXPs should also use it for their customisations.

Basically it's:
no: leave this ship alone, it's supposed to be this way
yes: feel free to customise it a bit for your own purposes

In terms of the core game:
- for all ships forward and aft laser weapon, currently carried missiles, and pilot skill may be adjusted up or down depending on role, system and other factors
- fuel injectors will be fitted to smugglers and interceptors
- pirate leaders get a shield booster and ECM
- pirate aegis raiders get a shield booster, ECM and injectors
- assassins get ECM and injectors, sometimes get a shield booster, and have escape pods removed