WIP Steam Gunboat

[Robert Nutter]

Just to update all ye scurvy dogs on this,

Following a very helpful discussion with @Armada, I've completely remodelled the hull so this model will more closely resemble the historical Charlotte Dundas (1803). I also had some mesh issues with the last one which would've made applying UV difficult. Thankfully, I've gotten a bit more used to doing it now and got my hands on an old lifeboat plan to re-do the lines with, which I think has worked far better.

I need to sort the stern, keel and 'ghost rig' (just in case it helps with coding) out now, which will include box rudders and a flattened aft board (hence the massive hole). Sadly I shan't be able to get on with it for a week though, so I thought it prudent to stick up some images of her as she is so people know it's still happening. Hopefully in my next update I'll have some textures and such. As I have quite a few tris I spare, I may also add a few more cheeky details like pipes, bits of engine etc

 

[Pieter Boelen]

She looks quite nice there!

 

[Robert Nutter]

Just a sneaky upload of her with (VERY) temporary textures on the hull and machinery to give an idea of how I'm going to texture her...no modelling for me for a few weeks now annoyingly, but I'm interested in thoughts on the scheme for when I am able to come back to this...For British (as here), copper-bottomed with weathered white sides and exposed wood keel, deck and boiler cladding. I'm thinking for French, the same but with exposed wood sides and a plain black boiler and for USA, the WHOLE THING black/coppered.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Textures!

 

[Levis]

looking very interesting already . Keep up the good work.

 

[Armada]

One thing I'll point out is that copper plating would cease at the waterline, rather than continue to curve up at the bow and stern. You may know this already, but I'm just making sure.
The best way to do this is to use a cutting tool to split the mesh in a straight line across the waterline, and then assign the copper to all faces beneath the split. The split should also apply to the keel, again with copper on the lower faces.

When you want to finalise the textures, please let me know and I can upload some standardised textures for various parts.

 

[Robert Nutter]

Thanks Armada! I just did this as an example of what I intend on doing really, I plan on making the copper a straight line, as you say...would knifing the mesh help with the UV application? I can understand how it would for direct application, but I was under the impression applying UV ignored the mesh? I'm probably totally wrong though.... And I've done some research on the keel...very early coppering seemed to have excluded it but now I'm thinking I'll copper everything below the waterline...it'll be in the warm Caribbean afterall!

I'm going to unwrap and UV the hull in Body Paint and Substance Designer and just make some component islands with the rest. I'm new to this so just starting out simple really...

What are the elements I'd need to get from you? Just so I know when i do it and don't start preparing them myself...

 

[Armada]

would knifing the mesh help with the UV application? I can understand how it would for direct application, but I was under the impression applying UV ignored the mesh?

Yes. You can't apply more than one texture to the same face, so the faces that intersect the waterline have to be split up. UVs always correspond to vertices on the model (though you can have multiple UVs for a single vertex).

The only way you could make this work without splitting the mesh is to use a non-tileable texture like the original game's ships. That method is perfectly valid, but generally I recommend using multiple tileable textures that follow the planking, as this allows you to swap textures easily for alternate paint schemes without spending hours in Photoshop.

What are the elements I'd need to get from you? Just so I know and don't start preparing them myself...

Well, we've got textures for pretty much everything. Hull planking, deck planking, copper plating (non-weathered) and different styles of metal and plain wood.
You can of course replace these with your own textures if you feel they're not ideal for this model, but in that case, the current textures at least provide a template to follow (e.g. the number of planks on a tileable texture).
Also, if you use the current textures for UV mapping, then your model will be compatible with similar ones already in the game, as well as any new ones made in future.

 

[Robert Nutter]

generally I recommend using multiple tileable textures that follow the planking, as this allows you to swap textures easily for alternate paint schemes without spending hours in Photoshop.

That's the line I was planning on following anyway. Does POTC support Substance?

, we've got textures for pretty much everything. Hull planking, deck planking, copper plating (non-weathered) and different styles of metal and plain wood.

I'll probably need the deck planking, and the hull planking would come in very handy for using as a template, as you say. I'm not sure about the copper...I think I know the texture you mean from a ship I used to sail in Build 13 (gold plating with rivets?) and whilst it's a nice one, I'm hoping to have a somewhat weathered feel for her. Maybe I can build upon the current one? Again, as a template.

As for the engine/boiler/wheel casing/funnel, it'd be great if there's an existing black/metallic texture I can use for that, just to maintain in-game consistency.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Does POTC support Substance?

Definitely not. Regular textures only.

 

[Armada]

Does POTC support Substance?

I wish. The Storm Engine supports regular diffuse maps only; no specular maps, normal maps or any other luxuries we take for granted in modern games. The engine is at least 13 years old, though.

I'm not sure about the copper...I think I know the texture you mean from a ship I used to sail in Build 13 (gold plating with rivets?) and whilst it's a nice one, I'm hoping to have a somewhat weathered feel for her. Maybe I can build upon the current one? Again, as a template.

The current copper plating is used on ships like the Victory, Bellona and other Napoleonic models. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing a new one that looks more realistic and fits a smaller tileable texture.
I'll have a look through the textures and upload some for you to consider.

 

[Robert Nutter]

Thankfully, I only know how to do substance and diffuse maps at this point so that should be fairly straightforward then

That'd be great to have a look at some. I'll see if I can build upon the current plating for her so it's a little more aged, and if it's a no-go it's a no-go. But worth a try as I'm going to make the wood look like it's peeling etc...proper little gunboat!

 

[Robert Nutter]

Just a head's up as I know some of you were interested; I can confirm that Maya 5 plays nicely with Cinema 4D files....amazingly! So we shouldn't have any extended difficulties getting this into GM. UV mapping is pretty much done so I'll stick it up in a few days for inspection. Should I just post the model/textures etc on this thread?

EDIT: If you have access to them, I'd love to have the Copper texture from the Lugger if possible @Armada . That and the deck planking is all I have left to do now.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Should I just post the model/textures etc on this thread?

Doesn't matter much where you post them; as long as we can get to them.

 

[Robert Nutter]

Lovely! I'll get back nearer the time so I know exactly what i need to upload, though not having rigging is probably going to simplify the process somewhat.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Lovely! I'll get back nearer the time so I know exactly what i need to upload, though not having rigging is probably going to simplify the process somewhat.

For inclusion in the game, we'll need GM model files and TX Texture files at least.

 

[Robert Nutter]

Of course, but I also meant stuff like walkfiles etc

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Of course, but I also meant stuff like walkfiles etc

Walk files are preferred, but not required to make her work in the game.
If you focus on getting her in the game at all, that would be a huge start.

 

[Robert Nutter]

Will do! I have loads of other stuff to do before, but am I able to tell the game it's a steamer/locate the smoke etc or is that something I'll have to pass over to you?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Check the steam frigate ships_init.c entries.