Bridge Commander Central
BC Forums => BC Modding => Topic started by: Furyofaseraph on February 17, 2009, 09:36:35 PM
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Just trying my hand at modeling again. First attempt at a canon ship, but you know me, I'm not gung-ho for accuracy.
I'm not really sure how to proceed with the body. A Sphere seems like a semi-logical place to start, but I can't seem to get the form quite right.
EDIT: Help if I upload the image.
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Nice start on the NX-Excelsior. If I were to rebuild my Excelsior, I would use a sphere(like I did before), get the sphere to a "close-enough" shape, then use the FFD modifier for the curves around the neck.
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Use a quarter of a sphere, shape it with an FFD modifier and work your way from there. 8)
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OMG, this thing was a b(&%#!.
I used a flat elongated cylinder for the deck, and a quarter sphere for the keep. I then attached and bridged them, and then ironed out all the messiness.
The hardest part was getting the cutout of the deflector to not have smoothing errors.
(http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8683/excelwip02pr3.jpg)
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OMG, this thing was a b(&%#!.
It ain't over yet, trust me...
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yeah, hey, whats goin' on with yours, Adonis? I saw the thread was locked.
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It's still on, for Excal :)
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aww, i have to wait for excalibur to come out before i can play with the textures? :-(
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good start mate :)
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Another try at the body. This one came out much better, with fewer smoothing errors and a much more graceful shape.
(http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4985/excelwip03gu9.jpg)
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Thats very good. Get a cookie from me.
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Nacelle basics are done. This thing's coming along very well now. Modeling is not nearly as hard as I thought it would be :-)
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5061/excelwip04nk0.jpg)
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I think there needs to be a little round bump on the end of the secondary hull.
(http://www.shipschematics.net/startrek/images/federation/heavycruiser_excelsior_up.jpg)
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I know. It'll be a separate element. I just haven't modelled it on yet.
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Looks real good mate and fast too, think the rear end of the necelles has more of a curvature and not suched a tapered end, apart from that looks awsome.
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(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7643/excelwip05oo1.jpg)
Shuttlebay :-)
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...holy crap this was quick!
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For someone whos just "fartin' around with an Excesior", this is a brilliant recreation! I know you were around on BCU but still...the title implies you were only messing with the idea! :D
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Thanks guys,
I'm really pleased with how this is coming out, too, and how quickly its shaping up.
(http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4599/excelwip06rd6.jpg)
The sensor assembly at the bottom of the saucer is made, and the bridge is next.
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I must say she is coming out quite nicely whats the current poly count on her?
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GAH!.
-headdesks-
I need to rebuild the body, again. I want to be able to make a refit excelsior out of this, and I don't want to bash on another object. I'm rebuilding from a saved point where most of the geometry is blocked out already without the deflector cut out.
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4,076 Polies, 7,901 Triangles.
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just a random question...
which Excelsior (variant?) was the one whose nacelles were lit up on the top as they are on the sides?
was that the Lakota? or Valley Forge maybe?
i know most Excelsiors had the tops of the nacelles unlit, but i could swear i remember seeing one (DS9 maybe?) whose nacelles were lit on the sides as well as the top...
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I imagine when FoaS says "variant", I thinkhe means a model variant. I think you can easily retexture an Excelsior to have the sides light up.
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I imagine when FoaS says "variant"
i only meant "variant" since there were a few of them for Excelsiors over the years between ST2 and DS9...
slight differences here and there for different ships...
I think you can easily retexture an Excelsior to have the sides light up.
ya, this is true i know... but im just trying to recall where i had seen it before onscreen as such, which ship it was...
anyway, its not a big deal; i dont mean to drag the thread offtopic by my random question...
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No worries folks.
Again, I'd like to state, I don't really tend to care about accuracy or canon. That being said, its likely going to end up slightly different from ANY excelsiors.
As far as textures go? I really haven't thought that far ahead. It will probably recieve a paint coat like my other TMP ships, which is very different from canon.
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6312/excelwip07su1.jpg)
Ent-B/Lakota Hull. I don't have the nacelle add-ons or the impulse engines, yet. I also need to go back and redo the excel version of the primary hull
Edit: here's a side by side of the progress of the two versions :-)
(http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9213/excelwip08sf6.jpg)
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Would you mind farting around with a few more designs? Because this is quite impressive! Nice work thus far!
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The Ent-B nacelles light at the top.
This looks awesome!!
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less chatter, more farting! :lol: excellent work so far.
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If this is just a result of 'farting around', I'd love to see what comes as a result of 'throwing up'.
Okay, that came out wrong. But I'm tired and I tried for a lol moment. And you can't do anything about it, lol.
Seriously though, its an awesome looking model.
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just a random question...
which Excelsior (variant?) was the one whose nacelles were lit up on the top as they are on the sides?
was that the Lakota? or Valley Forge maybe?
i know most Excelsiors had the tops of the nacelles unlit, but i could swear i remember seeing one (DS9 maybe?) whose nacelles were lit on the sides as well as the top...
The Valley Forge and all the excels seen in the Dom War including the lakota
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Yeah, the Valley Forge and Lakota have a glowy thing on the nacelle.
I'd like to take this time to show how I throw Canon out the window :-). Its possible that these will recieve the same texture treatment.
(http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/2028/busyfoasbw7.jpg)
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(http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/3220/excelwip09yl4.jpg)
Added the extended impulse engines. I've tucked them in towards the centerline and down, this way the exhaust doesn't run right into the nacelles.
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Excellent work... and very fast!
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If I had the right components, I'd say I'd be more than willing to bear your children...
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Thanks for the praise everyone :-).
Aeries, I'm touched, but I'm kind of seeing someone ;-)
I drew from Legacy's excelsior design as far as the greebles.
(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5660/excelwip12cm3.png)
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Whoa. That's just weird, Aeries. Quit trying to hook up people and instead marry the Mithra. Complete her and give her children. 8)
Nice work, FoaS. Cookie. Are those retextures of ships already on BCF?
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Nice work, FoaS. Cookie. Are those retextures of ships already on BCF?
Thanks :-). I'm afraid I can't go into that at this time, lol.
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Just trying something.
It's too expensive in poly count, but I'm thinking about doing it in textures.
(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6020/excelwip13vb9.png)
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It's too expensive in poly count, but I'm thinking about doing it in textures.
Looks HOT! What's the poly count at with the additional escape pods you've added?
Edit: and Tuvok thought it was unnecessary to add "hot rod" fins on the Delta Flyer... I mean, COME ON! The Excelsior has them! xD
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With the escape pods it came out to about 11,000 triangles, but I don't have all the geometry details modeled out, yet, so it'd be even higher. I'm sitting at 10,523 right now. Well below my 15k limit.
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Well, what I've done with most of my models [almost all but a couple haven't ever actually been seen by anyone but me...] is I've done ALL the details I want, stepped back and looked at the poly count. If it's too high for comfort, I'd pick and choose what's necessary and what's not... I suppose it doesn't work for everyone, since sometimes getting RID of details is often harder than integrating them in the first place... anyways, just a thought. :)
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Naw, I completely understand. I can see the benefit of that workflow, and I like it. There are times I do exactly what you've described. In this instance, and I can't really figure out how it happened, I've been fairly careful about how I lay down my polies. It'll work. It'll work.
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Anyone have any shots of the inside of the cargo bay of the Excelsior? The Higher Resolution the better.
Many Thanks,
~Rob
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Hehe, oops.
guess we don't approve of double posts.
anyways here's a closeup of the bussard caps.
All that remains are running lights and phaser turrets as well as the insides of the cargo bay.
(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2945/excelwip14du1.th.png) (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=excelwip14du1.png)
Cargo Bay is done, now onto running lights and what not
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2922/excelwip15tz7.th.png) (http://img27.imageshack.us/my.php?image=excelwip15tz7.png)
(posts merged...)
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Are you also going to do the NX Excelsior which had a different bridge module and one large single impulse crystal as opposed to the two small ones?? I can't wait for yours and Wileys Excelsior!
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What, something like this :-)
(http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8633/excelwip16ro6.th.png) (http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=excelwip16ro6.png)
took my 20 minutes. :-)
I don't like the bridge module on the NX, so I'd rather just keep the one from the NCC
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Looks like the model is done. the final counts are as follows.
NX - 5,702 polies, 11,161 triangles
NCC - 5,627 polies, 11,071 triangles
Lakota - 6,477 polies, 12,687 triangles
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kk..looks good dude...very nice...
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If I had the right components, I'd say I'd be more than willing to bear your children...
Hey I thought you were loyal to me :argh: Don't you love me anymore?
Nice work on the ship dude.
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Thanks guys,
Unwrapping has begun.
(http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5840/unwrapwip01yj4.png)
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You should keep it like that :lol:.
"Montgomery Scott, in recognition of his outstanding service, was donated a ship specifically for his travels. He named it the USS Kilt."
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Ohh, quite nice work dude!
Hey I thought you were loyal to me :argh: Don't you love me anymore?
And that's my cue to exit...
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Unwrapping continues. I'd show a picture, but Imageshack isn't behaving. Calling it good for tonight, since the girlfriend is over.
all that needs to be unwrapped is the lakota hull, the nacelle and struts, and a few detail parts, nothing major.
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You should keep it like that :lol:.
"Montgomery Scott, in recognition of his outstanding service, was donated a ship specifically for his travels. He named it the USS Kilt."
Agreed.
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all that needs to be unwrapped is the lakota hull, the nacelle and struts, and a few detail parts, nothing major.
I wish I can unwrap ships as fast as you. Unwrapping doesn't seem to work right for me.
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Have you thought of a name yet? There's a certain bridge module that would go great with this...
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Wowzers you work fast! Great job so far!
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FoaS dude, make the raised panels around the impulse crystals less raised (they should pop out only slightly from the surrounding surfaces). For the rest of the stuff I wanna point you out, catch me on MSN :)
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As I've said I'm not really going for accuracy.
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Would you guys want to see the innards of the shuttlebay?
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Unwrapping is done :-)
I'm at the point where I have the shuttlebay open and unwrapped, but I can close it back up if you guys would rather.
Im about to model out a very low poly shuttlecraft and work bee and put in there.
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/9211/unwrapdonedd8.th.png) (http://img9.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unwrapdonedd8.png)
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This is turning out great man! I can't wait till I learn how to model that well! LOL
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Thanks.
I quickly learned, while doing this, is that modeling isn't nearly as hard as I thought. its 20% technique and 80% digging in and just doing. I did things a bit backwards. I started with 3ds Max, which has all sorts of bells and whistles and that turned out to be a crutch. Had I learned with Milkshape before max I would've walked into max with an "OMG, this is so much easier!" because now I know what need to happen, and so I can get it done faster and easier.
close up of the shuttlebay, with two shuttlecraft inside.
(http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/937/shuttlebayhd6.th.png) (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shuttlebayhd6.png)
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Looks good mate, what you unwrapping it with, not seen that grid pattern before?
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need any help texturing? :)
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Looks good mate, what you unwrapping it with, not seen that grid pattern before?
It's a texture I picked up from Dominic Qwek over at Blizzard :-). </strutting>
It's great because, like the checker map, you can see where distortions are, but unlike the checker map, you get a lot more information in the viewport without having to dig around the UV editor quite as much.
Here's a copy :-)
need any help texturing? :)
Texturing's my favorite part, but I'll send you a copy of the Max file if you want to play around :-).
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Texturing's my favorite part, but I'll send you a copy of the Max file if you want to play around
Cool. Just PM me. :D
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So how do you add that grid into max for UVW?
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Assign it as a texture.
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I have sent the model off to WileyCoyote so he can have some fun.
I'm taking a break from this guy, and I'm going to putz around with an Andorian ship tomorrow.
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Looks good mate, what you unwrapping it with, not seen that grid pattern before?
It's a texture I picked up from Dominic Qwek over at Blizzard :-). </strutting>
It's great because, like the checker map, you can see where distortions are, but unlike the checker map, you get a lot more information in the viewport without having to dig around the UV editor quite as much.
Here's a copy :-)
need any help texturing? :)
Texturing's my favorite part, but I'll send you a copy of the Max file if you want to play around :-).
Thats very clever, like texporter only much more advanced, they really should consider adding that pattern or summat simular into max as default. Good find. :)
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Naw, instead of Texporter, i used something called PSDUnwrap. it exports UVs to a PSD file as vector paths, very handy.
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Naw, instead of Texporter, i used something called PSDUnwrap. it exports UVs to a PSD file as vector paths, very handy.
O_O Cool! i'll have to look that one up!
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Naw, instead of Texporter, i used something called PSDUnwrap. it exports UVs to a PSD file as vector paths, very handy.
Any chance of a link to this? I've done some searching, but so far come up empty :(
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I've done some searching, but so far come up empty
That is what prevents me from going any further.
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Everybody is doing Excelsior models... Makes me want to throw mine in the trash with how outclassed I am. :lol: Cookie mate, I love it.
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http://rpmanager.com/otherGear.htm#pathunwrapper You'll need a copy of RPManager, but don't worry, its free.
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That mapping grid is gold dust, thanks. Great job on your ship too
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Thanks.
I quickly learned, while doing this, is that modeling isn't nearly as hard as I thought. its 20% technique and 80% digging in and just doing. I did things a bit backwards. I started with 3ds Max, which has all sorts of bells and whistles and that turned out to be a crutch. Had I learned with Milkshape before max I would've walked into max with an "OMG, this is so much easier!" because now I know what need to happen, and so I can get it done faster and easier.
close up of the shuttlebay, with two shuttlecraft inside.
(http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/937/shuttlebayhd6.th.png) (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shuttlebayhd6.png)
I really hate to nitpick man, but that's not the shuttlebay :(. That's the TMP style cargo bay. The shuttlebay is on the underside of the ship on the rear of the secondary hull. At least on the MSD. It is almost always open onscreen though, and most models have it open all the time so you can still put the shuttlecraft in view, there.
(post fixed... ex-astris-scientia.org does not allow for hotlinking...)
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He said it's not going to be a fully cannon design, tbh it makes more sense having the cargo bay where he put it, imagine if you flew up by accident =/
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Imagine if you flew down with this. In fact, who cares? If he wants to, he can make both shuttlebays.
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Yup yup yup, as soon as I start a model, canon usually goes out the window. I really had thought that the shuttlebay was at the aft, like i put, good to know I was wrong, but I care not, lol.
Thanks Barihawk.
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Yup yup yup, as soon as I start a model, canon usually goes out the window.
Amen! xD
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WOAH, necropost!
I finally unwrapped and textured these excel models. With LC's blessing I actually unwrapped my model to fit his textures (mostly) so that way I wouldn't burn time texturing from scratch (since I had already retextured his before learning his new modification policies).
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Looks very nice. Cookie for you, good sir! :)
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Danke
Properly lit.
I am going to release the SFC version today, and Starforce assures me that once that is done, he will convert it over to BC.
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where are you uploading them for SFC this will make a great replacement of my P81 Excelscior and EnterpriseB
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The NX version has just been released for SFC - check on dynaverse. Starforce says he is willing to convert them to BC.
As we speak I am working on preparing the NCC and Lakota versions for SFC. Starforce will get those to BC as well.
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Btw - All three have been released for SFC. Starforce should be getting them soon. He has my blessings to convert them over to BC.
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Excellent. Somehow, your ships look more solid than some others. I think it has to do with the colors.
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I didn't realize SFC was still modded. Then again, I was surprised to see that BC is still modded - and quite actively.
Beautiful model...cookied accordingly.
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Beautiful model...cookied accordingly.
Aye. *cookie*
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Very, very nice.
Excellent. Somehow, your ships look more solid than some others. I think it has to do with the colors.
Agreed.