Oolite Bulletins

maik wrote:

Thanks for starting zhis shipset, I really like it, even more than your previuos one

Seconded! I like the classic style in combinaton with some extra details. Very good work!

Captain Beatnik wrote:

maik wrote:

Thanks for starting zhis shipset, I really like it, even more than your previuos one

Seconded! I like the classic style in combinaton with some extra details. Very good work!

Oh boy, two typos in a simple sentence. 'Twas late.

The Boa is now basically done. I was not looking forward to doing this one TBH as it is a big slab-sided monstrosity and a dull brown colour so I really wasn't sure how to approach it. However, with a tweak of the colouration, and a bit of minimal detailing, it has turned out OK, and while it will never be my favourite, it actually looks quite good in-game. As with the others, it will get a final once-over before the eventual release, but it is more or less as it will be then.
Just a reminder, the original Oolite Boa looks like this...



..and revised for the Classic Gold shipset (Click for full-size)....







The next ship to do is the Boa Class Cruiser (Boa 2), a ship I love, but another big slabby brick to try to beautify. I have also volunteered to model and texture an entity for the HIMSN WIP, which I should start on soon as well, so the Boa 2 may not be done quite as fast as this first tranche, but it shouldn't be too long either.

Smivs wrote:

The next ship to do is the Boa Class Cruiser (Boa 2), a ship I love, but another big slabby brick to try to beautify.

And of course it is green and purple as well!
A reminder, the original Oolite Boa2 looks like this...



Well, considering the above, I'm pretty happy with the result. The Boa2 revised for the Classic Gold shipset.

(Click for full-size)

I've moved on to the Cobby 1 now. The original Oolite Cobra Mk1 looks like this...



..and revised for the Classic Gold shipset (Click for full-size). It is largely grey as per the original, but the system I was in has a red sun, hence the rather brown look in these pics.







This is the 'standard' version, as used by players and NPC traders, escorts etc. Still to do are the pirate and miner versions. The pirate is next - that's the 'striped tomato' Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino look-a-like. I'm quite looking forward to that one...so is Redspear I suspect.

Smivs wrote:

The pirate is next - that's the 'striped tomato' Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino look-a-like. I'm quite looking forward to that one...so is Redspear I suspect.

In a state of excited anticipation, I've started wearing bulky cardigans in the rain
...as in the opening credits

No pressure then...

Well it doesn't have mag-slot wheels, but here's Oolite's take on 'Zebra Three'

(Click for full-size)

No primable siren?

Nice job
Just need Cardboard_boxes.oxp and fuel injectors and we're off

Redspear wrote:

No primable siren?

Damn, i knew I'd forget something! Mind you it has got the red Police light that you can put on the roof through the drivers window



Now, I'm off to model a load of cardboard boxes....

Ha ha

How about some tyre squeels?

http://www.grsites.com/archive/sounds/c ... ?offset=36
#40 should do it

...and the 'Miner' variant, the last of the Cobra Mk 1s. I must say I really like this one - worth visiting a few asteroid fields to seek one out

(Click for full-size)




So next are the Mk III Cobras, which of course includes the default player ship so I hope that turns out well. It looks a bit pale blue and lilac in its original colouring so it's going to be a challenge to make that look good!

These are all very nice Smivs. You are giving the original set a very tasty makeover.

As I've been working through these ships I have come to appreciate Giles' original designs a lot more than I ever did before. So why was the Cobra III such a daunting prospect for me? Well, TBH it was always one of my least favourite designs - sorry Giles - the colours never appealed to me personally, and I always thought that the big slabs of lilac were just too 'in-your-face'.



Also it has no decals or markings but the 'panels/doors' were more interesting than some of the other ships. I am trying to stick very closely to Giles original concepts for this project, but the Cobra 3 is the default player ship which does make it a bit special and I feel it should be one of the best. So in this case I have made a few changes.

I have kept the colours although as with some of the other ships they have been darkened or toned a bit. However the lilac areas have been reduced and restricted to the panels nearest the leading edges of the 'wings'. I think this gives the Cobby 3 a much cleaner (and more aggressive?) look.
I have also kept most of the panel detail although two panels on the underside have been deleted as they extended over one of the 'fold' lines and this didn't really work for these enhanced textures.
The most obvious change is the addition of two extra (small) engines. I did this simply because I think it looks good. Feedback welcome - do you think this suits the Cobby 3? Is it a move too far away from the originality which is at the heart of this project? Please let me have your thoughts.

And so onto the screenshots (Click for full-size)....

...and a few hours, three stripes and a decal later, the 'alternate' version of the Mk III is done (Click for full-size)





Next up is the Constrictor. As the old Smivs'Shipset version is heavily based on the original, and many have said it is the best ship in the whole set, I may carry it over largely unchanged, but we will see. Watch this space.