WIP

[Collin]

Ok you guys (and maybe some girls).

Post you work in progress here, so the rest of us can get jealous.

Let us know what CAD you are using and the problems you have or overcome, and for what sim.


regards Collin:ernae:

[Collin]

Using FSDS2.4
for CFS2
PSP7 for textures


I started this model several years ago and have scrapped various versions since.

The problem has always been the sheer on the bow and the recessed anchor ports, as these are round with a flat top end going to a recessed dip off centre.
Version 25 I thought I had managed it, but they proved to be overly large when viewed in the sim.

Attachment 778

By version 34, and now suffering hairloss , drink addiction and a short temper. I manage to get someway near but this was using a 47 point tube to make the hull:isadizzy: But it showed the way I could go.
Attachment 780

Attachment 781

Now using a 25 point tube to make the hull and a 13 point tube to make the recesses, I think I'm getting there.

Attachment 779

By using different smoothing groups I can represent the plating

Attachment 782

regards Collin:ernae:

[Collin]

Last night I manage to get the hull sheer nigh on correct for the bow. A deck-edge has been added to the hull to give it that 'lip' look and will help conceal any deck texture problems encountered.

Attachment 786

and the armour bulge has been worked in to the hull via the hull tube and not as in previous versions as an additional part.

Attachment 787

The hull has been left intact for the moment as it can be used again by stretching it 50' to make a "Lion" class battleship, superstructure will remain the same, only the main and secondary armament have to be changed.

regards Collin:ernae:

[Ravenna]

Lost for words!

[PSULLYKEYS]

Vanguard is looking good!!

Well, can't possibly compete with Sea Lord Collin, but here are a few at my dock.

[Collin]

They are both very good Sully, just what cfs2 needs.:salute:

regards Collin:ernae:

[X_eidos2]

Here are some updates on the HMS Drake.

I went ahead and made the anchor state an animation instead of two different visibility states. Seems the sim wouldn't recognize the ship being in a "parked" state. I used the "spoiler" animation because you can give it a really long playback time by making an edit in the cfg file. When you press the "spoiler" key "/" the boat booms swing down and out, 3 anchors drop and 4 boats lower and move into position under the booms. Doesn't look perfect running backwards, but it's acceptable.

When I tried to attach an explosion effect to the end of the gun barrel to simulate the firing of a gun, I could get the effect to play properly once, but when I tried to have the effect play a second time, the sound refused to play. The effect would play properly if the effect was located using a light in the cfg file, but that method meant the effect would only play in a specific location. Since I couldn't get the effect to follow the barrel, I had the barrel follow the effect by creating an "AIM" animation. So when the player presses the starboard salvo AIM button, all the guns move into proper position, then when the fire button is pressed, the effects go off and they're in the proper position.

There seems to be a limit to the number of light effects that can be listed in the cfg file.

The next step is to develop an AI version so that a model can be sailed using AIcarriers2. That will require developing a custom effect that has both wake and smoke.

[Collin]

X eidos,:salute:

could you not use a smoke belch for the gun effect instead of a light?

regards Collin:ernae:

[X_eidos2]

There doesn't seem to be as many options when using an effect triggered by the smoke key. They all go on or off at the same time. The lights however have ten different types that you can play with. In this model the smoke effect for the 4 stacks is using the "I" key.

While the cannon effect is triggered by switches linked to various lights, (logo, panel, and strobe), the effect that is triggered is a combination of flash, smoke and boom.

One of the hazards of linking the cannon blasts to a light trigger, is that pressing the "L" key fires off all three salvos at the same time.:isadizzy: There is a switch for the navigation lights in the 2d bridge panel that allows a person to avoid this blast, but I don't think many will pay attention to the instructions in the readme file.

I hope to make a short YouTube video to demonstrate the different effects.

[PSULLYKEYS]

Great looking vessel X_eidos2!

A player version then. What sim is it for?

[X_eidos2]

The HMS Drake will be FSX - pilotable and AI versions. The gmax sources files have been put up on TurboSquid. I have also put up a copy in 3ds file format as well.

I just finished making the custom wake and smoke effect for the AI version, so the only thing left on the to-do list is to write up the documentation.

Hopefully the SOH will re-open the download section soon.

[Skipsan]

Really great work Sully She is Loooking gooood

Everyone please note x_eidos2 has small craft in the water/along side while the ship is at her moorings

Thank you Collin for the heads up on Sully's new web page


Skipsan

[Bill Kestell]

Collin ... nice to see some headway. Walays room for one more, you know!

[X_eidos2]

[Collin]

Everyone please note x_eidos2 has small craft in the water/along side while the ship is at her moorings
Skipsan

Yep, so has the Repose in the moored version, and you can still land on her. She was to be featured in a Fox 4 MASH campaign but the idea fell through.

regards Collin:ernae:

[Collin]

Fabulous work and video X_eidos2, luv the sound effects as well.

Have you any plans to make any internal modelling for her?

regards Collin:ernae:

[Collin]

Started to texture and make the superstructure, now the poly count stands at 2256.


Attachment 1102


regards Collin:ernae:

[PSULLYKEYS]

Great work Collin!

X Eidos2: Excellent model and animations! Any chance a CFS2 multi res version is possible? Many conversions lose their virtual cockpit and animations.

There are never enough ships to play with!

A Norwegian fishing version of the "Excellent" trawler now undergoing tests.

[Collin]

On another slipway SS Ohio is coming along...

Attachment 1241



regards Collin:ernae:

[CrisGer]

X Edios, wonderful work on that RN AC, it is just amazing and a great addition to the virtual fleet. thanks for doing all that, she is really jolly good.

I am glad to see she comes with crew.

Attachment 1566

[Collin]

Well Ohio is now at the DP fitting out yard, and will be available quite soon.

Attachment 1642

Attachment 1643


regards Collin:ernae:

[X_eidos2]

Where in the world did you find any plans on the SS Ohio? Ever since I read the book, "Malta Convoy" I've been putting together the pieces to make a flight sim video of the ship and it's role in Operation Pedestal. The only thing I've been able to find was some small pictures of a model that Texaco put out several years ago.

Fantastic work.

[X_eidos2]

I don't have any immediate plans on working up any more detail for the internal model. After making the USS Monterey for the SkyUnlimited Productions Texans vol2 release, I know how much work is involved on getting the details in. I know the vc is kinda empty but I had to budget my time and this was the best I could do.

I don't have any experience in building for CFS2. The model is currently in gmax. I put copies of the source files up for sale on TurboSquid in gmax, obj and 3dmax. If anyone wants a copy in 3ds or dxf for import into FSDS, please send me a PM and I'll see what can be done.

[Collin]

Where in the world did you find any plans on the SS Ohio? Ever since I read the book, "Malta Convoy" I've been putting together the pieces to make a flight sim video of the ship and it's role in Operation Pedestal. The only thing I've been able to find was some small pictures of a model that Texaco put out several years ago.

Fantastic work.

The plans are a bit of a cheat.

There are no plans of her available, but her class were the base for the USN oilers at a later date. Though these were expounded for refueling at sea and some other modifications. The basic hull shape and dimensions remained very similar, the fittings were gleaned from the photos available on the internet and the knowledge that after her arrival in Britain (when we purloined her from Texaco) she went into the shipbuilders yard and was modified with guns and some shrapnel mats around the bridge front. The upper open bridge with binnacle was removed with 20mm's added around the radio shack and she was painted overall home fleet medium grey (507b 1940). A further 2 guns were added by using army bofors but their placement is unknown, (the remainder of the army battery was delegated to the light cruisers Kenya, Manchester) the army personnel remained onboard to man the guns while the American crew were sent home and replaced by British merchant seaman.

So the model itself is a mutt, cobbled together by the above plus some wishful guesswork. Her dp should reflect the difficulty the Axis had in trying to sink her and with a tough AAA. The next model of her will show her as she was on the 11th August with her decks awash, minimum AAA and less life points in the damage boxes with a suitable amount of parts rendered remodeled to show damage or actually missing and texture redone to show fire damage.

First phase is to lower the entire model to get the deck awash effect, then some of the parts will be bent etc or deleted or just moved to show some damage.

Attachment 1660

at the moment she is 4600ish polys

regards Collin

[Collin]

Damage texture nearly done and have started to abuse the funnel

Attachment 1686

Attachment 1687

regards Collin:ernae: