Redragon's BOP Bridge WIP - Scripting/Animation issues

[Lurok91]

Anyone know how to contact Redragon, who posted an incomplete Rotarran at BC?  Wanted to get his permission as been tweaking and texturing his bridge and think could be workable (with little more work and scripting).  Many thanks,  and apologies if this not protocol.  Afraid I'm a noob.

Update:  hope ok to add a few pics to show WIP

[Shino Tenshi]

Looking great!
I really hope you'll get permission for it. ;)

[tiqhud]

You might look through the "Master permissions thread" and if that produces nothing ask Starforce2.

[limey BSc.]

With Redragons stuff, I'm pretty sure you just need to credit him in the readme.

[Lurok91]

Thanks for the comments so far.  Redragon had posted it in the public domain meshes so guess he was leaving it for people to do as they felt free with.  So of course I'll give him due credit.  Been a BC fan for about 6 months and played/modded avidly, but disappointed no Klingon bridges to match the range and quality of Fed ships.  Inspired by Newman's Danube, and having modded a few existing bridges (changed the GalorBridge to a Klingon variant, modding textures, LCARS, but still didn't feel 'canon')  I thought I'd get myself 3ds Max (latest 2009 version) and give R's BoP a shot.  Taken about two weeks, bit of a learning curve, but encouraged by results.   The main issue I believe is that you can't export finished bridge to NIF from the new Max;  need version 3 or 4?  Anyway, if anyone interested in updates, let me know.  I'll keep working on it. 

[086gf]

Did you download the assimsoft plugin pack?

[andyp]

   The main issue I believe is that you can't export finished bridge to NIF from the new Max;  need version 3 or 4?  Anyway, if anyone interested in updates, let me know.  I'll keep working on it. 

hey this is looking awesome so far, i would recommend if you cant export it, try sending it to some one who can in a format that they can use. I know with blender, there are several awesome ways to import objects and export as .nif

and i  would love to see updates

[Barihawk]

Kind of a darker hue on the main bridge color would be nice. Most Klingon bridges are a dark gunmetal grey.

[Lurok91]

Kind of a darker hue on the main bridge color would be nice. Most Klingon bridges are a dark gunmetal grey.

Thanks again for all comments.   Barihawk, agree bridges darker.  Think that's the main problem with texturing them as opposed to Fed bridges which tend to be uniformally light and better illuminated.   I've been using the DS9 episode 'Soldiers Of The Empire' as reference (grab below), which together with the Ex-Astria 3D model of bridge suggests brown scheme.  The WIP is actually darker, I lightened the exposure of pics a little to make clearer for people to see.  But I can see getting overall tones right going to be tricky.  Anyway, all comments appreciated and useful  . 

lmm - does the assimsoft plugin work with 3DS?   Thought only for Milkshape?    And andyp - yes, if anyone can help export finished bridge, would be great for any fans out there.   Ideally, if can get this done successfully, and modelling/texturing skills will undoutbtedly improve,  reckon I could make more alien bridges over the next year (figure there's enough people working on the Fed ones!).    Wish there were others wanted to take up challenge too! 

Will post more WIP pics soon.

[MLeo]

Did you download the assimsoft plugin pack?

That won't allow you to export bridges.

[Kirk]

MLeo is correct. As far as I know, the only way to properly export bridges for BC is to export the model using Max 3 and the plugin included with the SDK.

[JimmyB76]

Redragon, who posted an incomplete Rotarran at BC?

where is this located?

[Lurok91]

Redragon, who posted an incomplete Rotarran at BC?

where is this located?

Public domain meshes at BC Files. 

Mleo, thanks for verifying export prob.  How one finds an old copy of Max is another matter.  Had a look on Amazon, but can't find one.

[Lurok91]

Here's a quick update pic.  Have added a Klingon figure for sense for bridge scale (figure scaled to floor console) and put in ambient light just to lift scene a bit.

Main issues I have are:
Color of grid lights above stations:  thought my original white ones too bright. In show, seem to be orange-yellow.  But can't seem to get color/glow right, nor right self-illum intensity. Any suggestions? 
Base red alerts - again, seem red enough on bitmaps, but don't really punch through in rendered scene.

Anyone have experience of VRAY and know if that better than Max built-in self-illumination?

[henrie85]

love the bridge cookie for you

[Barihawk]

Here's a quick update pic.  Have added a Klingon figure for sense for bridge scale (figure scaled to floor console) and put in ambient light just to lift scene a bit.

Main issues I have are:
Color of grid lights above stations:  thought my original white ones too bright. In show, seem to be orange-yellow.  But can't seem to get color/glow right, nor right self-illum intensity. Any suggestions? 
Base red alerts - again, seem red enough on bitmaps, but don't really punch through in rendered scene.

Anyone have experience of VRAY and know if that better than Max built-in self-illumination?

My experience with lighting is that expirimentation is the way to go. Be prepared to be able to load up the modelling software in your sleep from the repetition. Take comfort that I have to manually edit two textures and boot up MPE to do the same thing so you are lucky .

Some of the 3rd Era team have experience with VRAY if I read the Excalibur site correctly. You might want to ask them.

[Aeries]

Anyone have experience of VRAY and know if that better than Max built-in self-illumination?

I've been meaning to get around to trying that out, myself...

My experience with lighting is that expirimentation is the way to go.

Barihawk could not be any more right than he is now. Lol. For references, there's also google. I've found a lot of great tutorials there.

The bridge is looking pretty snazzy so far. Keep it up.

[JimmyB76]

ive renamed the thread to reflect that the original mesh is Redragon's and this WIP is a retexture and such for possible play in BC (if scripts, animations, etc etc are all sorted as well)...

if i have erred in the title of the thread, please let me know what it should be properly titled...

thx

[Mark]

reddragon gave permission for any mod of this to be released as long as credits are given quite a while back.

[Lurok91]

Update as promised.  Have changed viewscreen to match Rotarran more closely and managed to get base red alerts more red. Still not sure about grid lights color, but keep working on it.  Lifted light levels.  Might need a bit more but hard to check without seeing in-game.  Exposure in pics as rendered, just lifted brightness a little.  Still some fiddles to do but pretty much there.  Big problem as said already is how to get to export to BC without version 3 or 4. 

Thanks to Jimmy for thread re-title.  Though all credit to Redragon for original model and basic textures,  I've changed several aspects of original model to make more canon and given textures a major overhaul.   Again, any feedback positively welcomed.