Oolite Bulletins

Selezen wrote:

Wolfwood wrote:

I'm looking at doing about three textures for each model eventually. The Python has two textures in the bag. The problem is the time involved getting things like the scratch and dent layer to look different enough.

If you ever got round to modding the 'Dubious Profit' (my own Python), all you need to do is add a lot of dents to the nose, and ensure that all the leading faces have not a jot of paint (or rust for that matter) on after almost regular hull-to-hull 'rubs' with station docking ports.....

{Location: Ensoureus Station Approach Contol Room.

Approach Officer 1: Delta-Papa Zero-Nine-Nine, you are cleared for final docking approach.
Approach Officer 2: What's the name of that ship you just cleared to dock?
AO 1: Not sure, I only caught the registration code. I'll run it through Central and pull up the name.....
<SCREEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!>
AO 2: That'll be the 'Dubious Profit', then. Better get repair crews down to the docking port to clear the crap off the sides.}

Captain Hesperus

My never-released Boomslang did the same thing, only a good deal less subtly. (The underside is pale yellow.)

So yes, it is a good idea. :-)

2007Adder:
Nice job on the wing system...way better than my feeble attempts at visualising them.

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nametags:
The behemoths have subentities for the name-plates.
This is only marginally more efficient than retexturing the base-texture, as subentities cannot be called randomly. (only specifically by name).
This means, that each behemoth uses the same two models with each seperate 'likeship'instance having it's seperate nameplate-subentity.

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Maybe publish the texture files in layered format?

(Or only the base layers, if you are particularly sensitive about your intelectual property. )

It would ensure a consistent look if independent contractors were to take to designing texture variants for you dreamteam models...

Arexack_Heretic wrote:

The behemoths have subentities for the name-plates.
This is only marginally more efficient than retexturing the base-texture, as subentities cannot be called randomly. (only specifically by name).

Really? You must be looking at different source code to me, then. ;-) Seriously, the Behemoth approach is much more efficient, in terms of display performance, in the case of more than one ship being in the system at a time. (This assumes that the nameplate texture is smaller than the rest-of-the-ship texture.)

I'm loving these new ship textures, but seeing them is also slightly depressing, as I've no idea how to make mine look as good!

Selezen and/or Ramon - would you mind giving those of us who aren't particularly proficient in the graphics department a few pointers?

For example, I've just been trying to create something similar to the pleasingly uneven/metallic-y grey used in Selezen's Adder. I downloaded some textures from www.mayang.com/textures, opened them in Photoshop Elements 2 (given to me at work a few years ago - would I be better off using GIMP?) and used "fill" at various opacities to kind of merge them together, if that makes sense. Then I applied various filters, hoping to achieve a decent result... but I've ended up with a grainy mess.

How?

Also, what texture size are you opting for in Wings, and how many textures are you using for each model? At the moment I'm working on a single 1024 x 1024 texture with everything on it - not sure if that's the best way to go.

With pleasure, Roberto...

I amde the textures in Paint Shop Pro - the base texture is made by making a base colour (whatever colour you like) layer then using the Effects-> Texture Effects -> Texture option to give it a (duh) texture effect. I usually use Canvas, Hatch or Grain (or a combination of more than one of them) to get a nice metallic effect. Then I create a blank raster layer and use a gradient fill to give it a bit of a reflective look. A chrome type effect looks nice. The important thing is to set the opacity of this layer really low (below 10%) to make it nice and subtle. Then merge everything to one layer and there you have your basic texture.

Then it's a good idea to make your textured layer a little bit transparent and have a base colour layer at the very back to give hints of colour. The depth of the hint will depend on how transparent you make the main metal layer.

After that, make your model, extract the texture file and bring it into PSP to combine with your new shiny texture. I always export to 512x512 PNG format, promote the background layer then remove all of the background colour to leave only the outline of the ship. Then I make a new raster layer underneath the outline and copy and paste the metallic layer here. Then I have nice lines to guide the creation of the details.

That's the basics, really. The rest is up to you!

P.S. Work began on the Viper.

Thanks Selezen - I'm gonna have another go later on today Think I'll stick to a single 1024 x 1024 texture, as the ship I'm working on is pretty big.

That's what I love about this community! When someone figures something cool out, they're good enough to share with everyone. It's a beautiful thing!

Captain Hesperus
"Oh, jeez. He'll break out in song in a minute."

Selezen wrote:

Then I create a blank raster layer and use a gradient fill to give it a bit of a reflective look. A chrome type effect looks nice.

Could you explain this bit in more detail? You do you make the gradient fill in PSP?

Perhaps I could actually learn to make some textures as well with this sort of advice...

The windows in the Adder2007 do not look pretty.
as ship similar in role and size to the hiberion (?) shuttle from starwars, I feel the windows should be single pane, not staggered like that.
That style looks good on large vessels, but it sems silly on this small craft.

2cc.

1024x1024 textures can cause some problems with certain graphics cards. IIRC.

Gradient fills in PSP are part of the program's capabilities. Open the software and click Layer -> New Raster Layer. give it a name you like.

Click the Paint Pot (Fill) tool and click on the topmost colour block in the palette toolbar. The three tabs at the top include Gradient Fill in the middle. Choose that one, and click on the little down arrow to the right of the colour block - this will show the pregenerated gradient fills. Choose one and play!

The Adder windows: hmm...maybe you have a point. It's just that the Adder has one of the biggest "window" areas of all the ships, and the windows do have to take a bit more punishment than most so would need to be a bit more reinforced than most. it also gives them depth.

Oh, and I keep forgetting to answer Ahruman's point about the Adder needing more streamlined window areas - good point, but most space vehicles entering the atmosphere would enter where thier atmospheric shielding is greatest - in the case of the Shuttle, this would be the bottom plates with the ceramic tiles. the Adder might do the same! Once in the atmosphere the shape of the cockpit window probably won't make a lot of difference - look at planes such as the F-117 - thier facets don't make a lot of difference to the performance. besides - it looks cool.

Selezen wrote:

1024x1024 textures can cause some problems with certain graphics cards. IIRC.

In 1.67 they’ll be scaled down to the maximum supported resolution. I didn’t notice any commit messages about this when I was preparing release notes, so it might be in 1.65, too.

Selezen wrote:

Oh, and I keep forgetting to answer Ahruman's point about the Adder needing more streamlined window areas - good point, but most space vehicles entering the atmosphere would enter where thier atmospheric shielding is greatest - in the case of the Shuttle, this would be the bottom plates with the ceramic tiles. the Adder might do the same! Once in the atmosphere the shape of the cockpit window probably won't make a lot of difference - look at planes such as the F-117 - thier facets don't make a lot of difference to the performance.

It was the flying-around bit I was concerned about. The Adder is much, much less streamlined than the F-117, which is pretty extreme in sacrificing aerodynamics for angliness.

Point taken, Ahruman. I've remodelled the wingfolded version so that it has a flush windscreen. It can now be considered to have a variable angle windshield (like Concorde).

<rummages around for a picture>

There:

Note that I've also changed the texture of the window panes slightly.

verry nice Sel!

Damn, that's looking good! You're starting to make owning an Adder a pretty desirable option!!