Standardizing Shipstyles Once And For All

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Oblivion
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Standardizing Shipstyles Once And For All

Post by Oblivion »

Shipstyles appear not to have been standardized at all. That's bad because it misleads a lot of modellers.

I think special attention should be given to defining the shipstyles. Currently, only Rlaan and Aeran ships seem to have a definite shipstyle (although Aeran models are a bit more haphazard than the beaooootiful Rlaan ships).

I think it's time to start standardizing each faction ships (and stations if applicable) one by one, starting with the humans as they have the most modelled ships.

It will have to be defined by:
1.Basic form of the ship. Including special structures (like the shield generating fins of the Rlaan ships), thruster shapes, cockpit shapes, color, etc.
2.Textures. very important. We must decide what color to use for the ships. For one, I think Homeland Security and the Confederation should use White ships with navy blue edges/strips..
3.Logos. I think logos should be finalized. Even if they are will still not be stylized. Just logos for ship design. Like the White star in a blue roundel for the Homeland Sec, and (Me smiles :wink: ) the eagle clutching the said star for the Confed navy.


So. I wish to start with the Pirates.
1.Form: Human, of course. Nothing special. Mostly conglomerations of most human styles or outright modifications of existing ships.
2.Texture: There'll be a lot of subfactions for pirates would there be? So textures would probably not be as important as for the organized factions. But to minimize confusion,aside from the random textures, I'm proposing at least three pirate subfactions, and for one of them, I'm suggesting a pattern of either Red stripes on Black or Red flames on Black. Or White graffiti on black.
3.And logos, same as above. But we have to define at least a logo. It would still be editted in the future if someone wants to use them for newer capships, etc. But I think it is important to lay down the basic concepts first. And not just concepts, concepts that can really be used by the modellers.
For one: a proposal (Don't worry about the color, it will be changed; and the writing is random too. But it looks sufficiently forsaken :) Hence this pirate subfaction is composed mostly of Forsaken misfits):
Image

Any more ideas?
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Paslowo
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Post by Paslowo »

I used to do ship styles a few years back..

This for a good example:
http://edice.netfirms.com/shipdb/

And currently I am working on another set of ships.
But it may be a while.

And I forgot those:
http://edice.arvixe.com/images/hictor4views.jpg
http://edice.arvixe.com/images/siden.jpg
http://edice.arvixe.com/images/vaper.jpg
http://edice.arvixe.com/images/cabro.jpg

I don't know if I am right on this issue or not.
Zeog
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Post by Zeog »

Yep, we definitely need to fill the Art Style Guides. There is already some information on the Uln (Royal Ingatwa Fleet) and the Rlaan.
All I can do is guessing though. See if you can get some hints from the Ministry Of Information!
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DualJoe
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Post by DualJoe »

I agree that some consistency in style for the different factions is a good idea.

However the one group that should NOT have a uniform style should be the pirates. They just nick their ships and I don't think they would bother to repaint it. Would also be a bad move if you want to keep your camouflage untill you launch your attack. The one traditional style of ship for pirates has always been small and fast.

Look at the pirates of today. They use small fast boats just to get a n armed boarding party on the ship. Then they kill the crew and steer the ship on some beach and clear out the cargo on land. There's no uniform style or paint to recognize them by other than the way they operate. If you see a number of fast small ships heading your way with an unusual amount of guns sticking out, that would be more of a clue than checking the brand of boats and their paintjobs.

The only time you would have factions of pirates is when piracy is officially condoned. For members of the nautic community in my country it once was a completely legitimate and lauded pastime to plunder Spanish fleets hauling silver and gold. One of the reasons that war was declared and could last for years. Current events suggests nothing has changed since then and I don't expect it ever will.

My advice is to concentrate on the "official" ships and factions first and use the smaller fast ships of those for the pirates.
Oblivion
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Post by Oblivion »

@Paslowo:

Thanksalot! , :D I'll check em out.
BTW You should place these in the Wiki. It would help prevent the sheep (a.k.a the modellers) from straying from the path (aka shipstyle). :lol:

@Zeog: The ingatwa shipstyles is still hazy. :wink: Have thought about Uln styles myself, and I also came to the conclusion that they have ships with weird color patterns due to ability to see a wider color spectrum. But I was thinking that they'd be like a meld of advanced ancient technology (transparent, jellylike, like the beholder ship model) and clunky modern Uln ship design. But anyway, I'll work with JackS on making some rough sketches or something to supplement shipstyles. But it will have to be some time in the future, as our MOI's still busy now. :wink:

@DualJoe: Yep, same idea. Majority will feature random design as you said. From ragtag Uln outcasts to convoy infiltrators. However, what I suggested was for Organized piracy. the larger subfactions with a leader, a homeworld, and with or without ideology. I think it's much nicer if you can connect certain ships with a certain pirate faction. In that way, you can feel like you're busting some of your "archenemy", or you feel at least the vestiges of fear and start thinking, "Oh no, the raiders from -blabla-, do I have to fight them bad guys again?!".

Instead of just feeling exasperated with pirates, like "ha! there goes another citizen who moonlights as a pirate again. will have to kick his ass hard."

And besides, I'm brimming with ideas on organized piracy, and how Deucalion's story can fit with it. Anyway, it was just a suggestion.
A Step Into Oblivion

Dreams of things that will never be,
Songs of thoughts only I can hear,
Leave me be to sleep forever,
To dream my dreams,
And sing my hymns,
Of things that will never be...
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