World War I, Balloons of War.

[Blood_Hawk23]

For all of you who fly the old kites, you might find this interesting.

I've been working on a little project for a week or so now. I making a Caquot type M/R observation balloon. It started because I wanted a better look Barrage balloon and I wanted another type of observation balloon for the Allies.

Here is a quick pic.



It will be Multi-LOD. I will have four variations. The smaller Type E as an AI flyable. The Type E will also be used for the barrage balloon and setup like the stock SHBARBALL. The Type M/R static model. The last will be the Type M/R as an AI flyable.

This might take a while. I'm making everything. From the ropes, on. I might barrow the observers. Its my first major model from scratch. Hopefully it will come out nice. Still a work in progress.

If you have any thoughts or suggestions please let me know. I welcome any input.

Till Later,
John

[Allen]

Not sure I would have went that detailed.

[miamieagle]

It looks promising. It will increase our collective experience in flying in WW1 through CFS2. Thank you!

[arfyhun]

Very nice BloodHawk, and with the commencement of WWI 'celebrating' 100 years this year, extremely poigniant.

A superb addition to CFS2, if I may say so.

Graham.

[Captain Kurt]

It's a much needed addition to WWI. It's looking good, and I think the detail is fine. A well done and weathered texture will make it complete.

[Blood_Hawk23]

I have to finish the ropes to the basket. You can see where I started them.

Its the detail that I want. I figure I'll be around 3500 polys. Its only at 1800ish right now. Most of that went to the tail planes. I plan on doing a few LODs for it. Maybe 5 or so. I'll have to see what the finished product is like.

The fun part will be the damage model. These were filled with Hydrogen so they will burn. The Barrage Balloons in WWII were helium. So I'll have to do a different damage model for it. And then the Static Models.

As far as textures, I'm going to need a Master Painter to do these. I'm not good enough to do the weathered look. I do ok with repaints but I'm still learning how to do the rest.

This will take me a while. Mostly because I keep jumping from idea to idea. Soon I'll be back to work. That will also extend it. With everything it might take the whole year to finish. We will see.

I'll post more pics when I get the ropes completed.

Till Later,
John

[Allen]

Give the destroy_bb.bmp in the main CFS2 Texture folder a try.

Attachment 4247

[Blood_Hawk23]

So I'm Working on my balloon. The whole bomb thing is giving me a headache.

Well I didn't like how the ropes were turning out. I was trying to go from the Balloon down but it just wasn't looking right. So now I'm going from the basket up. Its already going alot better. I'm only going to do the major ropes going to the balloon and basket. I'm not going to even think about the ones that are going to the ground. well not for the flying ones. Maybe on the Static and on the Barrage Balloon.

So nothing different to look at yet. I am thinking about the textures. Not sure how I want to do those yet. I'm not a fan of the Stock barrage balloon at all. Sorry Allen. but this time I'm passing on the stock.

If I finish the ropes I'll put some pics up.

till later,
John

[Finn]

Why not ask Gary from Aerocrate? Their Parceval balloons explode in a very convincing way, and then sink slowly and flaming to the ground. The same code may be just what your balloon needs?
Finn

[Blood_Hawk23]

Why not ask Gary from Aerocrate? Their Parceval balloons explode in a very convincing way, and then sink slowly and flaming to the ground. The same code may be just what your balloon needs?
Finn

Shhhh. You'll give everything away...

It will work much like Gary's. In fact alot like it. Just a different model.

[Finn]

I was unaware, that I'll tell it as it is

[Blood_Hawk23]

I was unaware, that I'll tell it as it is

No prob. You just figured it out is all.

Actually I know of no other way. It is a trick to make them look like they are floating in air. Gary has unlocked a secret in CFS2.

So I will be using the same for my own flying versions. The Static will be just that. The Barrage Balloon will be a replacement, of sorts, for the stock Ship model.

I would make a player flyable model but they didn't really fly. So I won't.

Having said that, I will try to get Oldwheat to release the L-44. Which is flyable. You still can't land or takeoff but its Flies nicely. With my WWI bombs you can pound on London or with Allen's 1 1/2 Strutter, pop it like the balloon it is.

So thats that. Back to climbing my ropes.

Till Later,
John

[oldwheat]

I don't have access to my PC @ present but you certainly have my OK to upload the L44.

[Blood_Hawk23]

I don't have access to my PC @ present but you certainly have my OK to upload the L44.

Hello my friend.

Send me a copy of what you have. I've been messing with the one I have. I'm looking at doing a skin for it first. nothing major. I'll also have to update the readme and add my bombs to the DP. Actually I think I already did the bombs on mine.

I'll send you an email with this just incase.

[No Dice]

John,
Pins and needles over this one ....... stop the coffee breaks and lets get moving on it, LOL

Dave

[CrisGer]

We have permission from the creator to use and fly the L44 as long as we include the read me and have for years. I was not aware it had not been generally known tho I know people were working on irmprovments. Glad to see the essential observation balloons worked on great work! nicely done.

We received some very helpful improvements for the L 44 from the creators of one of the early perhaps the earliest pay ware WWI add ons for CFS2 from the actual maker of it from England along with a full set of the planes and models he had created for free use..they had a AI Zepplin that had an advanced ENG file that was useful for helping add details to operations. Hopefuly that is all combined now in any upgraded L 44.

[Blood_Hawk23]

We have permission from the creator to use and fly the L44 as long as we include the read me and have for years. I was not aware it had not been generally known tho I know people were working on irmprovments. Glad to see the essential observation balloons worked on great work! nicely done.

We received some very helpful improvements for the L 44 from the creators of one of the early perhaps the earliest pay ware WWI add ons for CFS2 from the actual maker of it from England along with a full set of the planes and models he had created for free use..they had a AI Zepplin that had an advanced ENG file that was useful for helping add details to operations. Hopefuly that is all combined now in any upgraded L 44.

Oldwheat, Allen and myself, with Permission from Gary Aumaugher, have reworked the L-44. Allen and I went over the flight dynamics as well as the DP. It now will function as an AI or player flyable. It will even drop bombs as an AI. It functions as a Level bomber. So the limitations are the same as any level bomber.

I'm waiting for Oldwheats copy as I may have messed up mine. I was trying to get it to land and takeoff at one point. That is still the only thing that does not work. I have tried many different ways. As has Allen. But thats ok we can live with that.

Our plan was to add it to the Aerocrate site but Oldwheat has gone back to work and has been Very busy. So we will release it sooner. Lest we forget that its been finished.

My balloon is going slow. I've done the ropes 2 times now. I think I have it down. I will just need a couple figures to go in the basket. And the first LOD will be finished. The rest will go faster.

So thats where it stands.

Till Later,
John

[CrisGer]

H John, wonderful to hear all of that news. I have the original files plus the AI model that was developed many years ago if you ever need them. glad this work has gone so far it sounds wonderful. I love the big airships and have studied their history a lot. There was an incredible raid of some 20 of them over London at the height of their use but then the British discovered how to load two types of different bullets into the machine gun belts that could then ignite the gas bag and that spelled the doom of the big Zeps.

thanks for the update sounds really good i look forward to seeing the completed ships in the air.

[Blood_Hawk23]

I have the L-44 from Oldwheat. I'm just waiting on a reply and I'll bundle it up. I just have to add the bomb entries to the DP. I'll also update the mission builder document. This will explain how to add it to missions and have the AI float in the air verse trying to Fly through it. It sounds wierd but trust me, if you don't follow it you'll have issues in MB.

I'm going to finish my texture for the L-54 ( I think its the L-54 it could be the L-45) its the yellow and black scheme of the night raiders. That won't take long as I have it half way finished already.

So after nearly two years we will soon have a CFS2 updated version that is both AI and Player flyable. With Multi LODs.

[Blood_Hawk23]

I figured I better add some combat Pics. Here is a simple mission I did to test the L-44 as an AI.

So Begins the Hunt...


Approaching the Beast...



First Pass of Many...



Bringing down the Beast...



Death song already being sung...


Right now you can bring it down rather easy. About 5 good passes is all it takes. I may do 2 versions of the DP so that it will be a bit tougher to shoot down.


Extra bit for those interested...



Not sure if anyone would be interested, I made this hud for my use in my WWI install. It has new pics of a biplane in the gauges. If your interested I'll upload it. Its of a Sopwith Camel, incase your wondering.

Till Later,
John

[Blood_Hawk23]

Not Much has changed that you can easily see.




Allen put the whole model on a poly count diet. The new model, with LODs is frame rate friendly. I have tested a mission with up to 5 Zeppelins in the Air at once with no drop in frame rate.

[CrisGer]

wow fantastic, you are doing great work! I have not been able to hunt zeps since Red Baron (the old Dynamix Game)...looks great.

i love your ocean and land textures what did you use?

[Captain Kurt]

Please post the HUD, I'd love to have it!

[voyager]

Yes! So would I. Please upload it.

voyager

[CrisGer]

I keep wondering about markings on the bag of the Zep, here is a picture of L 2 that shows it had it..