Modeling Priorities - New or Redo?

[nphillips]

Per my comments/questions in this thread, I would like to find out what the priorities are for model submissions.

There are a lot of ships listed as unassigned and/or incomplete in the Wiki. There are also a bunch with sketched concept artwork.

On top of those, there are a lot of ships already implemented that, in my opinion, could use some serious help.

So, my big question is: Where, specifically, should I start? The second is: Does anyone care?

My answer to the first question is to start rebuilding models that the player immediately encounters at the beginning of the game. The Llama, Clydesdale, Mule are ones I remember seeing "everywhere" in the first system. They're not bad, but they could be better, especially when it comes to textures and details. Those would be my initial targets, because that's what is going to make or break a new player's impression. We already know what they should look like, since they've already been approved and inserted into the game, so the task is rebuilding and adding better detail.

But that's my opinion. What's the word from on high?

[Fendorin]

What about aera capital ship and installations????
the current one is much more far to a nice standard than the acceptable clydesdale,
but true the lama can be much more nice than it's currently.

[nphillips]

I'll tackle anything

Just point me to the appropriate Aera docs, and stuff that needs to be looked at, and I'll run with it

Reading this Aeran Style Guide, right now. It also looks like there aren't any Aeran bases built, either. It might be better for me to work on some of that stuff, first, yeah?

[chuck_starchaser]

Stations take a hell of a lot of time to model and texture. I know you're quite capable
of cranking out outstanding stations, but I fear you might get bored by the middle of
it; so I'd suggest a few medium-sized ships first; but it's your decision.
On the question of new vs. old, I'd favor the idea of fixing or redoing old ships, of
which there are many that are horrible. Same as with PU, bad models ruin the game
experience much more than the lack of variety. I think it's more urgent for VS to have
LESS ugly ships, than it is for it to have MORE beautiful ones. But I'm going to plead
for the honor of redoing the Llama myself; --been thinking about it for a long time...
(Or maybe work on it together... How about I come up with a plain hull, then you
greeble it, then I unwrap it, then you texture it, then I throw it in the game?)

[Boaal]

Wasn't the Llama remodelled quite recently?
But yes, many of the ships could use some work. I'd say it's a good idea to try and get what we have right now up to standard, and then add new things, rather than adding more and more.
Personally I'm not too fussed what gets remodelled or textured, but I think it's probably a good idea to do as you say, and redo the immediate ships.

[nphillips]

Stations take a hell of a lot of time to model and texture. I know you're quite capable
of cranking out outstanding stations, but I fear you might get bored by the middle of
it; so I'd suggest a few medium-sized ships first; but it's your decision.

You know me too well I think doing a medium ship is a good plan for me.

On the question of new vs. old, I'd favor the idea of fixing or redoing old ships, of
which there are many that are horrible. Same as with PU, bad models ruin the game
experience much more than the lack of variety. I think it's more urgent for VS to have
LESS ugly ships, than it is for it to have MORE beautiful ones.

Agreed.

But I'm going to plead for the honor of redoing the Llama myself; --been thinking about it for a long time...
(Or maybe work on it together... How about I come up with a plain hull, then you
greeble it, then I unwrap it, then you texture it, then I throw it in the game?)

I'd love to do the llama, myself...but you've got seniority Take it away, my friend, she's all yours.

I always liked the Plowshare, myself. Big flying box that I can haul ore in I seem to recall seeing a lot of them in the beginning. If no one complains, I'll take a swing at it. I think it already looks pretty decent, but I don't think it has all of the textures needed, not to mention a LOT of additional detail.

[Deus Siddis]

I always liked the Plowshare, myself. Big flying box that I can haul ore in I seem to recall seeing a lot of them in the beginning. If no one complains, I'll take a swing at it. I think it already looks pretty decent, but I don't think it has all of the textures needed, not to mention a LOT of additional detail.

I'm not married to this idea or anything, but I might like to take over the entire purist faction models, including the plowshare.

This is part of a larger strategy that I propose for folks to consider adopting, wherein each one of us artists might take a specific faction to build all of the player-usable ships for one after the other. Then we might get a more consistent look and have complete factions to start balancing work on, which are both things the game has lacked in the past, IMO.

And for those who don't want to bite that much off at once, there's always the LIHW, who by design have no consistent look to their fleet. So each of those ships can be done in stylistic isolation.

[nphillips]

I'm not married to this idea or anything, but I might like to take over the entire purist faction models, including the plowshare.

This is part of a larger strategy that I propose for folks to consider adopting, wherein each one of us artists might take a specific faction to build all of the player-usable ships for one after the other. Then we might get a more consistent look and have complete factions to start balancing work on, which are both things the game has lacked in the past, IMO.

No, I think that's a great idea! I think I had proposed it here previously, but it was met with opposition. Obviously, each artist has their own style, so it only makes sense to stick with a certain faction. My approach would be more "corporation" based, rather than faction -- I'm not sure if factions have their own factories and design centers, or if there would be companies servicing all of the different groups. I figure there would be more companies than factions, which would allow us to accommodate more artists -- each artist being their own corporation/shipwright.

The only issue I see that we could run in to is that new artists simply don't/won't care about the distinctions. Obviously, their submissions could be rejected outright, but I don't think we want to alienate newcomers like that. Especially if they produce high-quality work.

As for doing the plowshare...I don't honestly care. Maybe I'll take on the ISO or something

EDIT: ISO doesn't seem to have many ships out there. How about I make the models for my playing style: Merchants. good list, too.

[Deus Siddis]

Cool, I think you have the Merchants all to yourself too. And their ships are widely utilized in the game, so that can make a big improvement.

[nphillips]

Do we have a design guide for the Merchants?

Looking at the 3 ships already built, the Clydesdale and Mule definitely hearken back to sea-faring ships. The Ox is a more along the lines of what I'd expect to see as a large cargo transport. The Reindeer and Elephant are, as far as I can tell, totally undesigned (hooray for artistic license!)

I'm going to thumb through the forum to see what I can dig up about the Merch.

[Fendorin]

http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/forum ... =4&t=13481
Here you can find a beginning of a tentative to texture the OX
i will pack and post the file i have done for this model (if it's any help for you) but anyway let you do it as you what .


For Merchant ship i will be as you more oriented to the OX shape but maybe less "symetrical" definitively utilitarian style
modularity

Merchant ship are basicly:
Modulable
Tiny crew quarter
Obvious thruster (maneuvring to)
the deck is on front of the ship for easy landing
heavily oriented to bulk Transport and nothing else (ressorces gathering seems to be not a Merchant guild speciality into VS)

Do you want a prelim graphic sketch concept??

a new designed ship with different module for transport bulk will be great. (transport alive item is not transport Ore)
OX have to be a good frame with "multipurpose"orientation.

[nphillips]

Yeah, I came across the Ox Texturing. It's definitely a start, and I could certainly incorporate that into the design

With regard to design, I was wondering if we need some sort of "container standard". It makes a lot of sense for larger ships like the Ox, and ultimately the Elephant, to be completely modular. Tugs move loaded containers into position, and they're secured to the transport ship. Unladen, the Ox and Elephant are giant sticks with thrusters.

But, I think we're both on the same page

I think the Mule is (mostly) fine as it is -- it's a smaller ship, so the modular system isn't as necessary. It makes more sense that it would be used for transporting similar items from point A to B. The Ox might have 10 containers (possibly the size of a mule, too), each with different materials, and every one going to a different base in the area. In other words, the Mule is a one-trip ship, for short distances, and the Ox would handle massive transfers across several jumps.

At this point, I think we should start a new topic. We're definitely getting into Merchant-specific information, and are no longer discussing the original question