Casablanca Carrier Updates

[mfitch]

With extra time (semester break), I have been working on my Casablanca class carrier (CVE from WWII). Additional details have been added to the tower (windows, antennas, ladders, and a few more). Also the deck has been re-designed to have high resolution textures including lights, catapult, and lifts. As before it is fully Acceleration compatible.

Currently I am fixing a few missing textures (AA guns) and trying to optimize a few parts of the model.

I would like input on which improvements are most desired next. Adding people has already been requested, and if I can find some pre-made models (Gmax) I plan to add them.

http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBday1.jpg
http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBdeck.jpg
http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBdusk1.jpg
http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBdusk2.jpg
http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBhellcat.jpg

[MCDesigns]

Looking real good!! :ernae:
Only thing Ii would add is more depth to the textures, some shading and such.
Also, some static aircraft on deck would add to it.

[X_eidos2]

mfitch,

Do you happen to have a copy of Poser? When I was working on a WW1 submarine game a few years ago I made some low-detail crew figures to man the merchant ships and British warships. The figures were posed in Poser and then exported in a format workable for Maya. Poser can export a mesh as 3ds which can then be imported into Gmax. I have a set of ready posed gmax figures over at Turbo Squid

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-model-crew-merchant/328618

These figures are not Poser figures, they're original mesh made by me that just happens to work in Poser, so there's no conflict with the Poser EULA in using them.

If you have Poser I'd be willing to share the original source files under conditions that can be discussed in PM's. Then you can make as many or as few figures in whatever pose you need.

[MCDesigns]

Wouldn't you still need to have the figure rigged (bones) to pose it in poser(have it open and rendering right now), can't you just do it instead in max or Gmax since they support bones? From my experience it isn't so much trying to pose a low poly figure than just trying to get a believable low poy mesh in itself

[mfitch]

Only thing Ii would add is more depth to the textures, some shading and such.

For this I would need help. I have no painting skills (my current textures are all copied from photos or diagrams). If someone is willing to do this, I would happily provide the Photoshop files for the textures.


Also, some static aircraft on deck would add to it.

Since landing is straight across the deck, there is basically no room for static aircraft, if one is landing. However, I might try to make a model version for addition to WWII fleets that has them. Along with people they will certainly make the ship look more alive.

X_eidos2, I do not have Poser, but the figures at turbosquid may work. Is it okay if I modify the textures some? For at least one character I want to substitute my grandfather's face (he served aboard the Gambier Bay).

Thanks for the suggestions. Please keep them coming. I expect to implement some soon, and keep the rest for future work.

[X_eidos2]

The original figure mesh was modeled in 3dsMax. Then imported into Poser, where the figure was assigned one of the Poser default bone structures. This allowed easy posing of the figure. Then once the desired pose was made, the mesh was exported as obj objects and then imported into Maya, where it was then imported into the submarine game.

It would be possible to take the original mesh of the figure and import it into gmax and add a bone structure to it, and skip the Poser part all together, but the Poser work is already done and would allow the building of a figure library right away.

If you buy the figures from Turbo Squid, there's no restrictions on how you use them or modify them.

[mfitch]

Today I finished the last updates I expect to finish before work becomes busy again. Now I just need to produce the updated Bougainville version and produce a clean zip package. This version does include people (thank you X_eidos2, I purchased the files from TurboSquid and used them unmodified for now). It does not have static aircraft, though that can remain on my list for future versions. It also interacts with the gauge by Flying Stations designed to raise the crash barriers. For these carriers is raises the supports for the arrestor cables seen in WWII videos. This is not visible while in flight, but makes a nice visual as one traps. Below are a few pictures from a test flight today with the Vertigo Studios Hellcat.

http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBttower.jpg

http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBatower.jpg
http://www.math.uaa.alaska.edu/%7Eafmaf/fsx/GBfcockpit.jpg

[foreigndevil]

Very nice!:applause:

[X_eidos2]

I always get a kick seeing my models used in a sim world.

Thanks mfitch

A quick curious question. In doing your research, did you ever find out what the reason was for the big black stripe on the side of the island? I noticed that the marking was used on other small carriers as well. If I had to guess I would imagine that it might have been used as a marker to show where the plane needed to positioned for un-assisted take-offs, but that's just a guess on my part.

[mfitch]

My resources are two books plus internet notes. They concentrate on the stories and uses and do not provide much information on design. My guess (based on a complete lack of information) is that it was just part of the dazzle camouflage scheme. These, according to a friend of mine who is a WWII trivia junkie, were designed to distort the depth perception of attacking planes.