Commies.oxp (v2.07)

[montana05]

Looks great, looking forward to see your other updated ships.

[GearsNSuch]

You cannot invert the input of the gloss map, but you can easily invert the map itself. Just invert the channel (newValue = 1.0 - originalValue) and you can use it without any problem.

Thank you for the advice! I am rather script-illiterate, though. If it isn't too inconvenient, would you mind demonstrating what that inversion would look like? Here's the shipdata.plist entry:

Code: Select all

	"workcom" = {
		aft_eject_position = "0.0 -15.0 -190.0";
		ai_type = "route1traderAI.plist";
		bounty = 0;
		cargo_carried = "Slaves";
		cargo_type = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		condition_script = "commies_conditions.js";
		energy_recharge_rate = 3;
		exhaust = (
			"-14.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0",
			"0.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0",
			"14.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0"
		);
		forward_weapon_type = "WEAPON_NONE";
		materials =
		{
			"Hull" =
			{
				diffuse_map = "workcom.png"; 
				emission_map = 	
				{
					name = "workcom_lights.png";
					extract_channel = "b";
				};
				illumination_map = 	
				{
					name = "workcom_lights.png";
					extract_channel = "g";
				};
				gloss = 0.5;
				specular = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
				shininess = 10;
				specular_map = 
				{
					name = "workcom.png";
					extract_channel = "a"; //Would like this to be, in essence "-a"
				};
			};
		};
		max_cargo = 300;
		max_energy = 400;
		max_flight_pitch = 0.3;
		max_flight_roll = 0.4;
		max_flight_speed = 140;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "commies_workcom.dat";
		name = "'Orca' Worker's Commuter";
		roles = "trader(4.0) sunskim-trader(2.0) shuttle(4.0) workcom workcom1";
		script = "workcom.js";
		thrust = 8;
	};

[another_commander]

Thank you for the advice! I am rather script-illiterate, though. If it isn't too inconvenient, would you mind demonstrating what that inversion would look like? Here's the shipdata.plist entry:

Code: Select all

	"workcom" = {
		aft_eject_position = "0.0 -15.0 -190.0";
		ai_type = "route1traderAI.plist";
		bounty = 0;
		cargo_carried = "Slaves";
		cargo_type = "CARGO_NOT_CARGO";
		condition_script = "commies_conditions.js";
		energy_recharge_rate = 3;
		exhaust = (
			"-14.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0",
			"0.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0",
			"14.0 0.0 -178.5 2.0 2.0 12.0"
		);
		forward_weapon_type = "WEAPON_NONE";
		materials =
		{
			"Hull" =
			{
				diffuse_map = "workcom.png"; 
				emission_map = 	
				{
					name = "workcom_lights.png";
					extract_channel = "b";
				};
				illumination_map = 	
				{
					name = "workcom_lights.png";
					extract_channel = "g";
				};
				gloss = 0.5;
				specular = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
				shininess = 10;
				specular_map = 
				{
					name = "workcom.png";
					extract_channel = "a"; //Would like this to be, in essence "-a"
				};
			};
		};
		max_cargo = 300;
		max_energy = 400;
		max_flight_pitch = 0.3;
		max_flight_roll = 0.4;
		max_flight_speed = 140;
		missiles = 0;
		model = "commies_workcom.dat";
		name = "'Orca' Worker's Commuter";
		roles = "trader(4.0) sunskim-trader(2.0) shuttle(4.0) workcom workcom1";
		script = "workcom.js";
		thrust = 8;
	};

You can load the specular map on your image processing software of choice (I suppose you are using one since you are showing those very nice textures in the previous posts), then use that software to invert the alpha channel. How this is exactly done depends on the software, but it usually is a matter of one menu selection. For example, in Gimp you would do:

to achieve this:

OK, I am not inverting just the alpha channel here, but I hope it illustrates the point. You need to find out how to invert one channel in your image processing package.

On a side note, the gloss value of 0.5 is rare upon materials. I believe you will normally have values close to 0.2-0.3 for dielectric materials and around 0.65-0.8 for metals. It' is not wrong by any means, but it is rather unusual.

[GearsNSuch]

OK, I am not inverting just the alpha channel here, but I hope it illustrates the point. You need to find out how to invert one channel in your image processing package.

On a side note, the gloss value of 0.5 is rare upon materials. I believe you will normally have values close to 0.2-0.3 for dielectric materials and around 0.65-0.8 for metals. It' is not wrong by any means, but it is rather unusual.

Thank you for the advice! It works perfectly now.

On another note, I *finally* got around to modeling the Ray. I'm not too sure about the shape, though. Right now I have three variants that I can't really decide between:




Other than wing shape, they all are pretty much the same.



Recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

[Disembodied]

This one gets my vote:

It has an affinity with the similarly front-heavy Moray Starboat - it would be good to see another ship with this characteristic!

[montana05]

On another note, I *finally* got around to modeling the Ray. I'm not too sure about the shape, though. Right now I have three variants that I can't really decide between:




Recommendations or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!

Personally I would be in favor for the second variant, maybe the third as an additional alternative as an interceptor.

Edit: For Thought Police second version, for Ray Mark I second version and/or third version, for Military Ray third version. I hope I didn't confuse you.

[GearsNSuch]

Ray mkI: Variety pack










So yes, the Ray mkI is done. I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but I will admit that it turned out much better than I thought it would!
I would like to revamp the Commissar Limo and the Military Ray before I do an "official" release, but that may not be in the near future. In the meantime, here's the pre-release: Google Drive. If anyone would like to make edits or set up shaders, please be my guest. If you happen to need the source models or textures, just give me a shout and I'll be happy to provide them. Enjoy!

[GearsNSuch]

The Ray mkII, or Stingray, is finished:





Complete with deadly dual military lasers and glow-in-the-dark thargoid stickers.


The download link above has been updated to include this craft. Also, all of my models / textures are, like the original OXP, distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 license. Just to make sure I touch all bases.

[montana05]

Looks dark, fitting to Communist. No offense meant, but why "only" max 7 m height ? Would you mind to send me a link for your textures ? I might want to play around with them a little psd format with layers would be perfect but not necessary.

[GearsNSuch]

Looks dark, fitting to Communist. No offense meant, but why "only" max 7 m height ? Would you mind to send me a link for your textures ? I might want to play around with them a little psd format with layers would be perfect but not necessary.

Thank you!
The sizes are meant to mirror those found in the original Commies models. I am open to other dimensions, though.

I would be happy to have you edit the textures! My ones are not exactly excellent as this was largely a learning project. I am looking forward to seeing your changes.
(Also, if anyone wants to improve the models...)

Here is a link to a file with all of the models and textures in Blender and GIMP formats, including a WIP Commissar Limousine. Be warned, it is very messy!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fapf ... DNG5EZX5ku

[montana05]

Here is a link to a file with all of the models and textures in Blender and GIMP formats, including a WIP Commissar Limousine. Be warned, it is very messy!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fapf ... DNG5EZX5ku

Thank you very much, just downloaded them.

[GearsNSuch]

So, just in time for the new year, Version 2.18 of Commies is ready. It includes:

• Completely new models for all Commies ships
• A shiplibrary.plist file, complete with descriptions
• A slight cleaning-up of the config folder, removing the "demoships.plist" file

It does not include:

• Revamped stations / behemoths / plasma cannons
• Bread lines
• Bread

Most of the ships have normal maps and are intended to at least slightly blend in with Griff's craft.
OXZ
Source Files

[montana05]

Happy New Year, your ships look good to me. While phkb is the master of this oxp I could imagine that based on economy and/or technology level both ship sets would fit nicely there.

[GearsNSuch]

As I had a little bit of free time, I decided to pick the revamp project up again and begin working on the stations. Nothing is textured yet, but I do have some very early models. Everything went perfectly, with no errors whatsoever.



The first I tried was the Astrogulag. I wanted to keep a bit of the original aesthetic while playing off the lore that it is essentially a worked-out, government-owned rock hermit.



I decided to scale it down a bit, as the original was significantly larger than a Dodo station.



I wasn't quite sure how to add detail the blank sides. I think I was trying to go for a guard housing complex here, but I'm not entirely satisfied. Any ideas would be appreciated.



Next up was the SLAPU, which has two counter-rotating arms and a central docking area. Once again, I scaled it down as the original was four times the size of a Coriolis. It might be a little small here, though.



Finally, we have the ZGF. I was going for a conical base with solar panels on the bottom and a more conventional factory / cityscape on top, harking back to the old design. Right now I only have the docking bay and the base modeled.




All of these designs are very much works in progress, so any feedback, likes / dislikes, or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Disembodied]

I wasn't quite sure how to add detail the blank sides. I think I was trying to go for a guard housing complex here, but I'm not entirely satisfied. Any ideas would be appreciated.

These are looking good! As well as structures and general greebling, a few lighted windows (and maybe some gun-turrety-looking things?) might help? As could some big colour-contrasting logos/slogans/slabs of colour. There are some interesting (I kid you not) photos of Soviet bus stops, which might serve as sources of inspiration:

https://herwigphoto.com/soviet-bus-stops/