3D modelling

[Nerei]

No sorry. The last update is still the one from September. Not sure when I will have another one either. Time is a bit limited right now.

Most of the models shown require a Japanese and generic texture set to be done but except for a few only the Japanese one is anywhere close to being done.
Yes models like the Apache should ideally also have other texture sets like Israeli or US but that will not happen now.

[Nerei]

I have been thinking a bit and with my currently a bit more limited time most finished and tested updates would be some time off into the future. However I can throw a few buggy beta updates together along the way if there is an interest in this.

So the question is this: Should I do beta releases?
Mind you I will not do any particular quality control on these and they will probably include incomplete or placeholder textures to the point where they are mostly or entirely red and models that might still need some tweaking.

[scougys]

yes! i want it!

[Nerei]

I will see if I can get something ready before the end of December.

Also I have finally settled on what I plan to include in the JSDF ground forces (and associated helicopters) and gotten as far as UV-mapping all of them.

These "just" need to have a proper texture made now which unfortunately i the main part of making them.

[Nerei]

Still hoping for an end of year update but I might do it as a fully tested one (or as tested any my other ones have been anyway) which might delay it a bit into January.
At least I am not using the Republic at Wars update schedule >_<

I am having a few problems getting the horse for the horse carriage to look acceptable so it might not make it for this but the M1 and S-300 is basically done and only needs to be added. In all I hope to finish up around 8-10 models.

[Nerei]

Okay situation update.

With what George have said here and here I am planning to delay any updates. Sorry about this.
Basically I would rather spend my time building an update with a setup that will work in the future rather than making something that will be broken with the next update which given what George have said I do not know how far it will be off.

Good thing is with the new limit I will not run out of space anytime soon.

[Nerei]

With George basically releasing another 900 mesh ID's (on top of the ability to bleed into the 1536 to 3072 range as I am sure George would not mind sharing ^_^) I will probably spend some time rebuilding my master worksheet.

That said I am open to suggestions as to what to put on said list so if anyone got some feel free to post them. I know there has already been some made and I will try to sort through that also but with 11 pages in this thread alone chances are I might miss something.



Once this has been sorted out I will probably try and get an update out with the new ID's etc. fairly quickly. In this case it might also take a bit longer as I plan to go through the older material I have and see what I consider worth releasing. I did discard some models due to me ending up deciding they where not relevant enough or I just wanted to use the space for something I liked more but with the mesh ID range space is less of a concern.

_______

Also for those interested BG has included the Type-61, Type-74, Type-90 and Type-10 MBT's in the latest update. They are version 1.0 though and as such I still plan on releasing the updated versions soon (tm).
The D3A and A6M2 in the 9.0.75 beta update has also not been released in my Japanese package before due to space constraints amongst other things. Those I ripped from another project I made some time ago and as such their texture maps are not optimised at all. I will make new versions of these sometime in the future and as such I am still giving them a space on my list.
There are some other Japanese planes also but these are already in this package and these again are from same source as the D3A and A6M2 and as such will likely also get an update at some point.

[George Geczy]

Also for those interested BG has included the Type-61, Type-74, Type-90 and Type-10 MBT's in the latest update. They are version 1.0 though and as such I still plan on releasing the updated versions soon (tm).

With all the activity to get this update tested and posted I have overlooked a big thank-you for your work, and for giving us permission to use your models in the core game. Your efforts are much appreciated, and we look forward to new and updated models as well. Hopefully we can include more of them in the core content once we do another content review for a future update.

-- George.

[Nerei]

Also for those interested BG has included the Type-61, Type-74, Type-90 and Type-10 MBT's in the latest update. They are version 1.0 though and as such I still plan on releasing the updated versions soon (tm).

With all the activity to get this update tested and posted I have overlooked a big thank-you for your work, and for giving us permission to use your models in the core game. Your efforts are much appreciated, and we look forward to new and updated models as well. Hopefully we can include more of them in the core content once we do another content review for a future update.

-- George.

It's okay.
Also a question. Where would you prefer to have me put the models I make? In terms of ID's I mean. Right now I am planning on putting them at 4095 and working my way back but if you prefer I can start at 3071.
That way you can probably take what I have without much hassle of moving things around etc. and it would solve potential annoyances of redundancy between the modding and BG unit mesh section. Also save-games would not really be affected.

I will be releasing them this way anyway no matter what as I like to see them in the actual environment they are to serve in before I sign off on them. Also I really like the idea of players of earlier versions having access to the models should they want to even if it takes a bit of moving things around.


I can still get you the original models if you prefer that either as .3ds or .fbx. both of which 3DS MAX can read just fine.
(Personally I would prefer .fbx as it is also an Autodesk supported format and I can test if it works after converting it which I cannot really do with .3ds. Also I fear something might break as .3ds is a really old format basically dating back to the 1980's. .max would unfortunately pretty much be impossible without obtaining a copy of MAX as it is a closed proprietary format.)

[Zuikaku]

New models will be linked to the unit database?

[Nerei]

Just thought I would mention that I have started my own private testing of some of the models.
The new mesh ID works just fine. Those models are using ID 3928, 3929 and 3960.

Note that none of these models have a default texture besides that solid red colour one I have included in the screenshots.

No guarantee for a timeframe for when I will release some of these for testing. It might be within a week, it might be more. Also it can include anything from 1 to 50 new models. My current criteria for considering releasing something is at least one texture set more or less completely done and that I am done updating what I have already released to their new ID's.

[Nerei]

I have finally gotten around to trying out how the rotors look in-game.
Also I have managed to add a few other models.

One thing I particularly find is that I would like to get some variation on the colours so the textures appear less flat. A good example would be the deck of the Kirov. Even just rendering a cloud layer in photoshop and using it as an overlay might do it.
Faking some ambient occlusion will probably not hurt either.

Another thing I noticed is that the helicopter rotors while looking nice in a rendering an such are fairly noticeable as being static objects when the helicopter is travelling across the map.
The JSDF helicopters are an example of me messing around with rotors. The ka-27 is still using the old system and given that it has 2 sets of 3 blades it to me at least does not stand out nearly as much.


The is one of the good things that comes with doing things like this is that fining such issues is a lot than if BG had to add them.

[MK4]

Happy New Year!

Love the new units and I`m happy to see the S-300 in there! By the looks of it you seem to be moving faster than you predicted.

[Nerei]

The S-300 has the basics done. It has a generic army green and Russian texture set finished. Ideally it still needs an Indian, PRC (and possibly also a mid east) set but that can come anytime. The T-72 also has several texture sets it needs but it still works fine.

These are the patterns I intend to use for Indian and PRC equipment. I was experimenting with digital camouflage as the PRC has some quite unique patterns there but other than being a fairly modern thing they are also quite time consuming to make. Far worse than patterns like the one I put on the ki-201.





As mentioned I might not release the JSDF units anytime soon in any form but I will probably just release the Russian models (and the M1A2 as well as a few I have not shown off yet) once I have finished updating the already released content.
Yes it will mean some will ship with red textures but I assume people can copy and rename files if they can add them to the game in the first place.
Other than the Japanese models only the Kirov and Ka-27 really has that problem.

[nick-bang]

Hey Nerei

Have I told you lately that i love you ... ?

Or at least that I love the work you are doing ,-D

Life coming in the way of all intentions: Do you need a hand with anything ?