Bridge Commander Central

BC Forums => BC Modding => Topic started by: AllotoniFan on August 10, 2012, 02:29:40 PM

Title: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 10, 2012, 02:29:40 PM
BSG2003 Ship Pack Update(12/08/2012)

CONFIRMED SHIPS

Battlestar Galactica(Post-Ionian Battle, Miniseries)
Battlestar Pegasus
Cylon Guardian Basestar
Cylon Basestar(Loyal, Rebel)
Viper(MkII, MK7)
Raptor(with and without Missle Pods)
Raider(Light, Heavy)

Fleet Ships are NOT going to be made, so don?t insist.

Special thanks(and Cookies) to Farshot, Cyan1d3 and Furswift for the help so far.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: furswift on August 10, 2012, 02:52:17 PM
Cool. Can't wait to see your work.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 11, 2012, 10:32:14 AM
Began the Pegasus main body...so far only 2000 polygons.

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj612/AllotoniFan/f1c268bb.jpg)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: BFGfreak on August 11, 2012, 12:43:15 PM
It might just be me, but isn't 2k polies a bit high for what's in the picture?
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Darkthunder on August 11, 2012, 12:46:34 PM
Not just you. That number is VERY high.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: CyAn1d3 on August 11, 2012, 12:48:48 PM
It might just be me, but isn't 2k polies a bit high for what's in the picture?

yea. considering its VERY basic geometry.

try to use as LITTLE polys as possible when building game models, in the long run youll be able to pull off hi res textures without chugging older or low end systems.

glad to see another modeler here!
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: FarShot on August 11, 2012, 02:40:00 PM
Twenty to thirty thousand is a good range.  If you're modelling all the ribs, feel free to go up to forty.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 11, 2012, 03:06:58 PM
The Pegasus has no ribs.... :P
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: FarShot on August 11, 2012, 03:48:32 PM
I'm talking about the Galactica, since you did put her in your WIP list.  That twenty to thirty range applies for all ships anyways.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 11, 2012, 03:56:08 PM
 :facepalm:

Started modelling the front part of the Galactica right now...and even though i kept the detailing to a minimal...the ribbing really does have a huge impact on poly count.....

Poly Count(with ribs): 19879
Poly Count(without): 4586
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: FarShot on August 11, 2012, 04:09:28 PM
Show us what the mesh looks like.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 11, 2012, 04:52:42 PM
 :banghead:  :facepalm:

Unfortunately GMAX closed and was unable to make a backup....i?ll try to redo her tomorrow....now i think i?m going to get some rest....school is kicking my ass...sleep-wise.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: JimmyB76 on August 11, 2012, 05:29:40 PM
sleep is for weaklings - i havent slept since 1986!  lol j/k :P
*as my eye twitches*
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: CyAn1d3 on August 11, 2012, 05:35:56 PM
sleep is for weaklings - i havent slept since 1986!  lol j/k :P
*as my eye twitches*

i wont quote rick james  :evil:

anyhooo

if Gmax is like max, it should have an autoback feature where it saves every so often in your documents folder.

if not.. then that sucks the work got lost.. had that happen TOO many times... then again im dumb enough to mod on laptops  :hithead:
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: furswift on August 11, 2012, 05:57:59 PM
:facepalm:

Started modelling the front part of the Galactica right now...and even though i kept the detailing to a minimal...the ribbing really does have a huge impact on poly count.....

Poly Count(with ribs): 19879
Poly Count(without): 4586

Be sure you're measuring triangles. Polygons can be defined as faces, which can be made of multiple triangles. Bridge Commander only cares about triangles and looking at polycount can artificially deflate your triangle count. I'm not familiar with GMAX so I can't tell you how to get a triangle count.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: CyAn1d3 on August 11, 2012, 06:08:04 PM
I can't tell you how to get a triangle count.

should be a setting in your viewport preferences what statistics to show
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 13, 2012, 05:02:01 PM
After exploring a huge load of ways to get past the high poly count...i finally found a way to keep the count low...but at the expense of realism: turning the ribs into blades.....it brings the poly count from 19k to 11k....

Work still being done....pics are probably going to show up tomorrow.



(http://www.modelermagic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/kg_cg_ns_galactica-003.jpg)

I?ve been doing some searching and turns out that Eric Chu modelled the basic body and after that added armor and ribs.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: starfox1701 on August 14, 2012, 01:10:39 AM
The only way around it is to texture on the the ribs and do a bump map. Even Corak's mesh is well above 60K
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Aeries on August 14, 2012, 10:56:56 AM
you dont NEED to constrain yourself to such a low polycount, though i do indeed encourage you to try. Just please, for the love of f***, DONT TEXTURE THE FREAKING RIBS... it looks horrible even with a bump map (which BC doesnt support anyway)

But hey, if you want some BSG models to include, let me know.... i have two low-poly Valkyrie-Type battlestars, MK2 Viper, both Raptors, Pegasus and Galactica, amongst others. I think theyre all UV'd already too. Built by me and i think it was Limey who UV'd them... just lemme know in a PM.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: TheConstable6 on August 14, 2012, 11:00:55 AM
Yeah, these are your babies, don't let everyone here sway you one way or another  :P although bumpmapping is horrid  ;)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 14, 2012, 12:00:51 PM
OK, then.....I?ll model the ribs...but i should warn you...the ship is probably going to make your BC install slow as hell.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Jb06 on August 14, 2012, 12:05:33 PM
It's the textures which makes it run slow, large meshes make it crash :P
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 14, 2012, 12:41:42 PM
80k-100k large meshes??
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Darkthunder on August 14, 2012, 12:44:11 PM
A guideline for most BC meshes, should be around 20-25k. Some could possibly go as high as 30k, but after that you start to push the engine a bit too much.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 14, 2012, 01:53:45 PM
The thing is...if i?m going to make a galactica model with that poly count range...i?d have to exclude the ribs and make textures of them and after making some tests....i decided to really go and push BCs engine a little more.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Darkthunder on August 14, 2012, 02:55:35 PM
Just saying, you can push BC's engine, but sooner or later, it will push back :P
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: furswift on August 14, 2012, 03:10:53 PM
Also keep in mind that high poly meshes might have difficulty damaging, especially if it isn't a seamless single object.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: FarShot on August 14, 2012, 05:32:48 PM
I looked for a released Galactica model to check its poly count and see how much detail could be added without sacrificing too much performance.

This is Coxxon's Galactica, from his BSG pack on Scifi-meshes (http://www.scifi-meshes.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=23).

(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/83575522/001.png)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/83575522/002.png)
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/83575522/003.png)

Take note that its triangle count is an impressive 60k.  That wouldn't hurt BC's engine too bad, and with the amount of detail present on this baby, the textures could be simplified into several palettes of repeating panels.  Downside is that because the mesh is separated into four parts she wouldn't damage well.

In a hypothetical case where she had permissions secured for a port, she wouldn't make that bad of a ship for BC.  Make something similar to this and you should be good.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Bren on August 16, 2012, 10:28:02 PM
The base model of Coxxon's was released with the original BSG pack a few years back. IIRC, Coxxon released the whole fleet for general use, then released the clamp-on armour and ribbing a while later.

I added them to my BC model, but something went screwy with the Nif conversion, and some of the ribs didn't show up. I tried messing with the normals, to no avail.

Still looked nice, though:
(http://i.imgur.com/xfX0e.jpg)

Coxxon's model is too roundy on the flightpods, and innaccurate here and there. I'd like to see someone take a really passionate look at the Bucket and really knock it out of the park for BC.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 17, 2012, 12:43:10 PM
The base model of Coxxon's was released with the original BSG pack a few years back. IIRC, Coxxon released the whole fleet for general use, then released the clamp-on armour and ribbing a while later.

I added them to my BC model, but something went screwy with the Nif conversion, and some of the ribs didn't show up. I tried messing with the normals, to no avail.

Coxxon's model is too roundy on the flightpods, and innaccurate here and there. I'd like to see someone take a really passionate look at the Bucket and really knock it out of the park for BC.



I?ve been analyzing a model of the Galactica up close...namely the BSG Online model....i?ll try to take a few pics and use them as reference along with ZOICs renders....

So far...i?ve been redoing the front part of the Galactica a Bazillion times and that front part where the drydock connectors and hatches are located is really difficult specially since there are a lot of curves in it.....i?ll keep doing it until i get it right..then i?ll post pics here......  :)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Bren on August 18, 2012, 06:38:09 PM
The BSGO model is good reference, it was built by the guys doing Diaspora (http://diaspora.hard-light.net/), they're good guys. Best of luck!
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 25, 2012, 10:07:08 AM
Back from a painful weak(the Krav Maga training is killing me)....i started building the galactica differently.
Differently how?

I used to make box modelling...but i found out that line modelling with lathe and extensive mesh editing is easier for me.

Now i have a question: How the hell am i going to make the rocket exhausts? Giant blinkers?


(http://www.modelermagic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/kg_cg_ns_galactica-030b.jpg)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: FarShot on August 25, 2012, 10:37:18 AM
If you want to be adventurous, you could learn how to make animated/transparent textures for it.

By the way, "WIP Project" is sort of redundant. :P
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 25, 2012, 10:51:54 AM
By the way, "WIP Project" is sort of redundant. :P

Quoting Starbuck: FRAK!
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: WileyCoyote on August 25, 2012, 06:05:43 PM
Quote
Now i have a question: How the hell am i going to make the rocket exhausts? Giant blinkers?
Maybe use the NanoFx plasma smoke so that it is always on?
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 25, 2012, 09:01:51 PM
Cookie for you Mr. Coyote....you?re already on the beta testers list..... ;)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on August 29, 2012, 04:42:23 PM
Finally got time to make the body of the Pegasus....418 polys... :D

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj612/AllotoniFan/2fb2bb72.jpg)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Bren on September 01, 2012, 09:45:33 AM
Nice! That's some efficient modelling!  :yay:

She looks good, too.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: AllotoniFan on September 15, 2012, 07:28:54 PM
Major UPDATE!(i think)

Most of the Pegasus "Alligator Head" is ready, i intend to finish the lower part today and add major details by tomorrow morning.

Poly count: 2270

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj612/AllotoniFan/004f075d.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj612/AllotoniFan/47c43664.jpg)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: JimmyB76 on September 15, 2012, 08:42:46 PM
Quote
Now i have a question: How the hell am i going to make the rocket exhausts?
you may want to take a look at the BSG mega-pack that is on BCFiles that Dave975 did a few years back...  their weapons have smoke trails...  it is based off of the plasma trails from NanoFX...
http://bridgecommander.filefront.com/file/Battlestar_Galactica_Fleet_Pack;72482

you may also want to ask John (Lost_Jedi, aka LJ) over at Excalibur forums, he is the one that made it possible for Dave...
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: newman on October 19, 2012, 08:22:31 AM
The BSGO model is good reference, it was built by the guys doing Diaspora (http://diaspora.hard-light.net/), they're good guys. Best of luck!

Coming in a bit late (been ages since I've been on the forums). Anyway, it's true a few of us Diaspora members worked on several ships on BSGO, but not the Galactica herself. I have no idea who built it, but afaik it was handled by their internal team while they outsourced the civies to us.
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Lurok91 on October 19, 2012, 11:47:25 AM
I love nuBSG so maybe down the line I might get round to doing Viper/Raptor interiors, and CIC.  Uniform mod too. I think a Basestar CIC might be a bit of a challenge though  :)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Shadowknight1 on October 19, 2012, 03:31:56 PM
I love nuBSG so maybe down the line I might get round to doing Viper/Raptor interiors, and CIC.  Uniform mod too. I think a Basestar CIC might be a bit of a challenge though  :)

So much for retirement. :roll :funny
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Bones on October 19, 2012, 05:21:12 PM
So much for retirement. :roll :funny

tssshhhhh ! quiet, maybe he forgot about his own retirement :P if you're out for making CIC then I can offer my animated screens including DRADIS and tons of pther BSG screens ;)
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: TheConstable6 on October 19, 2012, 05:44:51 PM
If you make a Battlestar CIC I will love you forever
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Lurok91 on October 20, 2012, 05:00:25 AM
So much for retirement. :roll :funny

I am retiring from Trek BC once SP mod done :D  

BSG don't count  ;)  I'll see how I feel once these new models are released. Besides, won't be anytime soon.  :funny
Title: Re: AllotoniFan WIP Project - BSG 2003
Post by: Shadowknight1 on October 20, 2012, 11:53:26 AM
I am retiring from Trek BC once SP mod done :D  

BSG don't count  ;)  I'll see how I feel once these new models are released. Besides, won't be anytime soon.  :funny

That's what they all say.  You still never released the updates for the Valkyrie cockpit and others that made all the windows the viewscreen or the Delta Flyer.  Hard to imagine those models just sitting on your HD wasting away. ;)