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WIP Steam Gunboat

So something like this, on the Connie? It follows the curves but within a very clear boundary.

image004.jpg Dq1uzo3.jpg

That's easy enough, then. Once I've made a smaller scale texture I can do that. I think I'm also going to completely revisit my hull and use one of the existing white textures for the planking, then use the mesh split command to do the copper separately so I'm only adding one new texture to the game. Seems a more intuitive way of going about it as that can double up for the whistle (as let's face it, brass finish wouldn't have lasted long on a dirty early steamer at sea...)
 
Just an update. I'm learning a tonne about photoshop doing this so it's great.

I've made a copper texture from scratch and have applied it in the way I saw best. Since the planking is only rounded at fore and aft, with comparatively flat sides, I did the copper in line with this. I've also redone the wood using the plank_white texture; seems to work ok; all copper/oak texturing is on an independent mesh from the white planking.

Screen Shot 2016-02-09 at 15.59.52.jpg Screen Shot 2016-02-09 at 16.09.26.jpg

I think this is looking correct. I'm also coppering the stem higher on the front than sides, as I it makes sense that there'd be more contact with water (and thus more saturation) higher on the bow than sides/stern (unless someone wants to correct me on this?). I also want to make a seam of some sort at the top of the coppering, just to make that edge a little less 'perfect' between them. I'm aware there's still some warping/bending along the plank and copper lines, but I like it...gives her hull a more 'physical' presence as though she was something else before being converted to steam/being coppered.:pirateraft
 
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Iv'e done away with all groups except the boiler to simplify the process for my noobish brain, and though 12 materials is a few more than I'd have liked to use I don't think i have much of a choice. But below is how the final model is going to export, including the textures/hierarchy (with the exception of the sky object). Hope Maya likes it!

I've learnt an unbelievable amount modelling this and can't wait to apply it all to Demologos once I've successfully got this in the game!

Screen Shot 2016-02-09 at 17.29.10.jpg
 
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Maya likes the final model. So long as I bring it into 3DS as a .3ds, then into Maya as a OBJ, somehow it's working now where it didn't before. Must be something to do with me removing all the grouped objects. Will report back in a week or so once I have it in TOOL or ready for locators, as I may need some guidance on putting the smoke/paddle wheel swell in...had a look at RN_SteamFrigate but couldn't find the locators pertaining to them? I did notice co-ordinates for them in ships_init though.
 
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Robert Nutter said:
I may need some guidance on putting the smoke/paddle wheel swell in...had a look at RN_SteamFrigate but couldn't find the locators pertaining to them? I did notice co-ordinates for them in ships_init though.
Click to expand...
There are no locators for the smoke and splashing. I think I tried ages ago, but I cannot read the coordinates of arbitrary locators and attach particle effects to them.
Wished I could, because it would save a lot of annoying workarounds in the code.

That code you found in ships_init.c is what serves as the "locators" instead.
The effect is nearly the same; it is just handled differently.
 
Thanks for that! Still getting my head round how to use co-ordinates...I may post up a draft ships_init entry once I have this worked out, but I'm guessing I can mostly copy Astrea's for this sort of thing? Only other concern is how it'll respond to the lack of rigging. Are there any other text files I need to update for it to work?
 
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For starters, just ships_init.c .
Interface pictures and type descriptions are easily handled later.
First step is getting the model in the game at all.

We'll be able to deal with the lack of rigging one way or another.
May require some figuring out, but that's OK.
 
Good stuff, will report back once done. I've already got the interface pics and descriptions drafted:D though not sure of their exact format at this point so will leave them for now until it's in the game, as you say.
 
@Robert Nutter, the ship and copper texture look great. I can't wait to see the model in-game. :cheers

The only thing I'd say about the copper texture is that it doesn't look very metallic, and the green is perhaps a bit dark compared to the photo of Constitution's hull you posted.
Maybe it would benefit from a lighter green and some rust here and there? I'd also be interested to see a less weathered version of the texture that we might be able to use on some warships.
 
Same here! :cheers

I couldn't work out how to make it look more metallic, as obviously I'm stuck with diffuse. But rust would be a good addition, I think. I'm also happy about how the planking turned out...as much as I liked my custom one before, it does look more ship-shape now! I'll also wash that green out a little too...I didn't notice that it had exported so much darker but I see what you mean now, comparing it to the last texture I used.

I made it from the ground up to be a weathered copper, and annoyingly I don't have the PSD anymore. But I'm sure I could retrofit it to be cleaner. It's my first texture made in PS, so I'm honoured you want to use it to be honest :oops:
 
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I think I may have gone a little overboard on the rust, considering it's copper not iron, but it's definitely getting there. I've also brightened it up considerably. Havn't decided which of the below rust configurations is better though I'm leaning towards the cleaner one...Armada (tags aren't working), how would you feel about having the first one below, only closer to gold than green for the other warships?


Screen Shot 2016-02-10 at 23.42.41.jpg Screen Shot 2016-02-10 at 23.41.54.jpg

EDIT: Here's the cleaner one applied.

Screen Shot 2016-02-10 at 23.53.51.jpg
 
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@Robert Nutter, I think the first rust version looks good enough, and indeed it would be a good starting point for a less weathered texture. The second one seems a bit too much.

Before you make any more changes, I should point out that the number of rows of copper plates on that texture doesn't match the number of planks on similar textures such as plank_white.tga. To match that texture and ensure compatibility with other ships, I suggest doubling the number of rows to 6 and making the texture 1024 x 512 pixels in size.

EDIT: Tags are working just fine. :p
 
For Dundas I think you're right, the first one works perfectly. And I'll get on doing a less weathered version.

So I need to double its height and copy it over? That's great, because I can do more rust variation!

@Armada, They are now! :shrug it was ignoring the @ character, even after refresh. :facepalm
 
Robert Nutter said:
For Dundas I think you're right, the first one works perfectly. And I'll get on doing a less weathered version.

So I need to double its height and copy it over? That's great, because I can do more rust variation!
Click to expand...
Remember you'll need to adjust your UVs as well to compensate for the texture change. ;)
 
Naturally :) I just noticed the problem though that my initial projection method (spatial) is actually UPSIDE DOWN. D'oh! :rolleyes: So I'm having to rectify that first...I must find a way of reverting the tag in C4D back to a native projection.
 
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