Seabee VC "Optionals"

[falcon409]

These are the VC optional panels I'm working on. Actually, these are complete, but I also have to do the accompanying exterior panel and the 2D to match.

[DB93]

Man those look sweet! Darn it all, I really wish PAD used FSX-native models. :( I've been flying exclusively DX10 lately (huge performance improvement for me on my machine), so I've really been trying to stay FSX-native only these days, but that looks like a really nice plane, and with your panels, well it's really getting hard to not want to take to the skies (and lakes) in that baby!

[falcon409]

Man those look sweet! Darn it all, I really wish PAD used FSX-native models. :( I've been flying exclusively DX10 lately (huge performance improvement for me on my machine), so I've really been trying to stay FSX-native only these days, but that looks like a really nice plane, and with your panels, well it's really getting hard to not want to take to the skies (and lakes) in that baby!
I know what you mean DB. . .The guys at PAD do a great job of keeping us supplied with exceptional freeware airplanes and it would be great if they were native FSX, but probably won't happen.

I know Bob May posted that there would be a minor fix for a few gaps that were detected after the release so I'm watching for that. I also found this shot of a Navy livery that I'd like to do if someone doesn't beat me to it, lol.

[DB93]

That'll make a great looking livery!

Yeah, the guys at PAD have made some fantastic contributions to the FS community, that's for darn sure. I guess for now, all I can do is just keep my fingers crossed that maybe someday in the future they'll decide to start releasing FSX-native stuff, but I know there's little to no chance of that happening anytime in the foreseeable future. :( On the other hand, FS9 still seems to have a fairly good-sized user-base, so I'm not really surprised that they've maintained that as their primary development platform for the time being.

In any case, thanks to the folks over at PAD for all their time, effort, and contributions to our hobby over the years, and thanks for all the countless hours I've spent in PAD aircraft. They've made lots of great, fun planes that I spent a lot of time in back in FS9 and in the early days of FSX, so their work is greatly appreciated by me. :)

[OBIO]

Falcon

Nice looking panel work ups you have there....will have to snag them when you release them. The Navy scheme is sharp to say the least. I have been tinkering with John Woodward's Seabee for some time as a side project and always wished that it was not based on mirrored textures so I could do that scheme on it. The PAD Seabee is blessedly free of mirrored textures and mapped in a very painter friendly manner....applying that scheme will be very doable.

OBIO

[foreigndevil]

Very nice work!

[bobmay]

These are the VC optional panels I'm working on. Actually, these are complete, but I also have to do the accompanying exterior panel and the 2D to match.

The panels look really good Falcon.

The VC panel fix has been posted, anyone downloading the package from now on gets the corrected model.

For your convenience, this link gets you the revised model file without the whole package:

http://www.premaircraft.com/seabee/panel/model.zip
Simply replace model folder (works for FSX and FS9)

or the whole package is here :
http://www.premaircraft.com/seabee/index.html

Bob
PAD

[bobmay]

On the above posting the model file only link should be :

http://www.premaircraft.com/seabee/panel/Model.zip

( I tried to edit but somehow ....)

Bob.

[jdhaenens]

I have 8 or 10 pictures of each of these that I took at the NAS Fallon airshow if anyone is interested.

Jim

[falcon409]

I have 8 or 10 pictures of each of these that I took at the NAS Fallon airshow if anyone is interested.
Jim
Jim, anything you have on the Navy livery would be great. I finished a paint kit last night and working on the livery now. Thanks!!:salute:

Bob, thanks for the quick turnaround on the mdl fix. Very much appreciated.:icon29:

[bobmay]

You're welcome Falcon.

I would also like to host your Seabee paint kit on PAD site when it's done. I get lots of requests for paint kits but very little spare time to actually make them.

Bob
PAD

[falcon409]

You're welcome Falcon.
I would also like to host your Seabee paint kit on PAD site when it's done. I get lots of requests for paint kits but very little spare time to actually make them.
Bob
PAD
No problem Bob, I'm adding some additional panel lines and rivet markings as well based on the images I've found so far. Here's a WIP on the Navy bird. . .still have a lot to do, but I think it'll look pretty nice in the end.

[DB93]

That livery is coming along great, can't wait to see the finished version. :)

[Bjoern]

I know what you mean DB. . .The guys at PAD do a great job of keeping us supplied with exceptional freeware airplanes and it would be great if they were native FSX, but probably won't happen.

Well, all they need to do is making the source files avaiable to give people a chance to convert their models.

If I had the source files of their Dash 8, I'd go crazy on that thing. Texture improvements, more stuff in the VC, make a Q400, etc...

Ah, dreams...

[falcon409]

Final panel: Didn't have it finished quickly enough to add to the others above!

[Roger]

The mdl will take a nice reflective alpha (rather than making the plane transparent)...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/rogera/seabee-1.jpg

[Railrunner130]

Very nice! I'm a sucker for a good wood-grain panel myself.

[bobmay]

Well, all they need to do is making the source files available to give people a chance to convert their models.

If I had the source files of their Dash 8, I'd go crazy on that thing. Texture improvements, more stuff in the VC, make a Q400, etc...

Ah, dreams...

Releasing source files is a no-no, I get cold sweats just thinking about the support queries I could get as a result of someone "going crazy" with one of our models.
However, there is some good news, we have an all new Dash-8-Q400 in the works with glass cockpit. It will be a converted FS9, as will all our models. In our opinion the amount of work and hassle involved in re-compiling into a "true" FSX model is not worth the very small, and mostly unproven, gains.

I can understand why payware developers need to have a "true FSX" label on their boxes but, not having paying customers, we have the luxury of freedom of choice. Our FSX C130J has had over 14,000 downloads and as long as simmers appreciate them, and as long as we old guys are able to use a mouse and keyboard we'll keep 'em coming.

Bob
PAD

[falcon409]

. . . . .I can understand why payware developers need to have a "true FSX" label on their boxes but, not having paying customers, we have the luxury of freedom of choice. Our FSX C130J has had over 14,000 downloads and as long as simmers appreciate them, and as long as we old guys are able to use a mouse and keyboard we'll keep 'em coming.
Bob
PAD
Man, terrific numbers on the C-130 Bob, great job. Also good to hear that we will continue to enjoy the fruits of the PAD Teams labors.:applause:

[doublecool]

It was the very first small plane I flew in...I was 11 years young :wiggle:

[Bjoern]

Releasing source files is a no-no, I get cold sweats just thinking about the support queries I could get as a result of someone "going crazy" with one of our models.

Well, that's where the disclaimer "no support unless downloaded from site XYZ" in the readme comes into the game.



However, there is some good news, we have an all new Dash-8-Q400 in the works with glass cockpit. It will be a converted FS9, as will all our models. In our opinion the amount of work and hassle involved in re-compiling into a "true" FSX model is not worth the very small, and mostly unproven, gains.


a) Looking forward to the Q400!

b) No one says you should convert ist yourself. Make the sources avaiable, let anyone eager enough convert it for FSX and deny any support for models not originally released by you. Done.



I can understand why payware developers need to have a "true FSX" label on their boxes but, not having paying customers, we have the luxury of freedom of choice. Our FSX C130J has had over 14,000 downloads and as long as simmers appreciate them, and as long as we old guys are able to use a mouse and keyboard we'll keep 'em coming.

Totally understandable, Bob. As a freeware development group you can do whatever the heck you want.


Well, I still think there should be generally more source files avaiable for MSFS. You could fix small annoyances, you could convert VC-less models for FSX and just do the VC from scratch or alias another one and add-ons would basically live forever since they could be easily made native to almost whatever instance of MSFS/X-Plane there is. The term "portover" could practically be eliminated.