Discussion Adding cannons (3d models)

[Lrv]

I'm playing a lot recently with the "U.S.S Constitution" ships, and saw that the model has 2 unused open portholes at the bow, and 2 unused closed ones at the stern

Does it need a lot of knowledge on 3d/maya or whatever program is used, to add these 4 cannons, or could a layman like miself figure it out (since is not "creating" an new item just adding already existing ones). Maybe its harder the ones at the stern since theyre closed so it has to be made a "hole"/open them, etc?

And what about, changing all the carronade models on deck for long guns? (except 2 on each side i think, since it may be posible that with long guns you can't walk/pass on aiming mode due to cannon model blocking)

To add to the madness, what about adding more cannons on, I think its called weather deck? not sure, the part of the deck where there are 3 lifeboats. I would also like to try doing the same on the Essex models, adding +4 cannons on each broadside (upper deck, were the lifeboats)



If you guys could tell me if its a stupid idea, or if it is a lot of work, exp/knowledge needed beforehand.

All this in hopes that my crapy laptop can run Maya or the software needed.

 

[Grey Roger]

According to the Wikipedia article on USS Constitution...
USS Constitution - Wikipedia
... the ship's armament consisted of 30 x 24lb long guns, 20 x 32lb carronade and 2 x 24lb bow chasers. If anything, the model has too many cannons! I count 34 long guns, including the two bow chasers, and 22 carronades.

The two squares low on the stern which may look like cannon ports are for the chains linking to the rudder.

The British version of the Constitution model is supposed to depict HMS Endymion, which had various armament configurations during its lifetime but also a mixture of long guns and carronades. So, although the PoTC system does not support different types of cannons on the same ship, the models at least look accurate with carronades.

Numeric accuracy aside, there would never be cannons on the narrow walkways past the lifeboats, the reason being that the real cannons would need room to reload. Remember, these were muzzle loaders. Reloading meant pulling the whole cannon back into the ship and stuffing powder, wadding and ball into the front end, which wasn't going to happen if there was a lifeboat just behind the gun and its crew!

As for the Essex, Wikipedia gives its armament in US service as 46 guns, almost all carronades, which is what our model has. But if you really want to replace carronades with long guns, the British replaced most of the 32lb carronades with 18lb long guns after they captured the ship. So leave "US_Essex" as it is but perhaps replace the guns on "RN_Essex".

 

[Lrv]

The two squares low on the stern which may look like cannon ports are for the chains linking to the rudder..

Oh, interesting, makes sense

The British version of the Constitution model is supposed to depict HMS Endymion, which had various armament configurations during its lifetime but also a mixture of long guns and carronades. So, although the PoTC system does not support different types of cannons on the same ship, the models at least look accurate with carronades..

Oh, I want to do this merely for fun (while I wait for Buccaneers! release, and the upcoming legendary TEHO) I have nothing against the current model, one of the most beautiful ships in the game in my opinion, alongside the Essex's, the Heavy Sloops of War by Captain Armstrong, and the Razee frigates by Martes

To be honest all these ships models are the main thing that makes me come back to this game (wich i'm extremely gratefull for the amazing work you are all doing for free), having played Sea Dogs games for years (since first sea dogs 2000) never expected seeing this level of detail on ships on this saga

Reloading meant pulling the whole cannon back into the ship and stuffing powder, wadding and ball into the front end, which wasn't going to happen if there was a lifeboat just behind the gun and its crew!

Oh I forgot to mention I also was thinking on removing the lifeboats (mostly because the cannons wont fint and/or if they do, you probably can't pass through in aiming mode)

As for the Essex, Wikipedia gives its armament in US service as 46 guns, almost all carronades, which is what our model has. But if you really want to replace carronades with long guns, the British replaced most of the 32lb carronades with 18lb long guns after they captured the ship. So leave "US_Essex" as it is but perhaps replace the guns on "RN_Essex".

Thats mostly for aesthetics, since playing in ironman I spend a lot of time on aiming mode walking around, and what can I say, I love long guns

Please don't take it as an ofense or disrespect to the historical accuracy of the current models, all that work is what makes this game amazing, Im just messing around for fun

 

[Grey Roger]

Oh, I want to do this merely for fun (while I wait for Buccaneers! release, and the upcoming legendary TEHO) I have nothing against the current model, one of the most beautiful ships in the game in my opinion, alongside the Essex's, the Heavy Sloops of War by Captain Armstrong, and the Razee frigates by Martes

Just to avoid, or possibly cause, confusion:
What shows up in the game as "Razee frigate" is actually one of the "Indefatigable" variants - "HMS_Indefatigable", "FR_Indefatigable", "SP_Indefatigable". There are also "RN_Razee" and "Fr_Razee", as well as "FR_Boussole", which show up in the game as "Flushdeck frigate".

Oh I forgot to mention I also was thinking on removing the lifeboats (mostly because the cannons wont fint and/or if they do, you probably can't pass through in aiming mode)

That might not work. The game doesn't model recoil or reloading so you can put cannons wherever you like, but it does model where you and the crew can walk. Unless you figure out how to change walk files, you may find that you still can't walk through the lifeboats even if they aren't there any more.

Please don't take it as an ofense or disrespect to the historical accuracy of the current models, all that work is what makes this game amazing, Im just messing around for fun

Then you may find "USS_Constitution" or the "Indefatigable" models a little easier to work with as the guns are a separate file from the main model. "RN_Surprise" and "FR_Surprise" also have separate gun files.

And on that note, be warned - if you alter the base model file, e.g. "RN_Essex.gm", you may find that it doesn't work when you try it in the game. You can usually get away with adding new locators but if you add or remove actual components, the game might beep when the model appears on screen and error messages may appear in "system.log". So if you want to add extra guns to the Essex for example, you may want to put them in a separate file such as "RN_Essex_newguns.gm", then add a "geometry" locator "newguns" to "RN_Essex.gm".