The Stegodon

[reavengitair]

That is really good. Good job to you:D

Disco needs more liners.

[eyvind]

I am getting back into working on this now. I have redone the front (though it looks pretty much the same as before), removed the antenna bed for the time being, and generally fixed a few things.

Face count is at just below 6k, still working on simplifying where I can.

Below is a 4,000px by 4,000px collage. It contains profile shots as well as details.

Imageshack:


TinyPic (1600x1600): http://i49.tinypic.com/2rwalp0.png

Photobucket (1024x1024): http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad73/Ey...on19Collage.png


I plan on reworking the engine, beyond that I have no specific plans.

I would like to thank frozenballz for motivation and a bit more.

---

<span style="font-family:Agency FB">Good Morning!</span>

[dr lameos]

Accidentally wrote a post and then forgot about it and closed the tab before posting it, so this'll be simpler:

Yes disco needs more liners, so thank you.

This is a huge deal better than the first versions.

I like it.

Not entirely convinced by the engine section however, maybe it's too long and seems unintergrated with the rest.

---

[DartStriker]

The Overall design for the ship is really nice. I can see Luxury liner on it for sure. Main problem is your poly count, 6k is alot. It wouldn't kill freelancer but once you get a bunch of those in a group anywhere you could have problems. I would say rework those engines in the back, you have a ton of polys tied up in those engines that can easily be reduced to half if not more. You don't need to make every rounded surface perfectly round, and ingame you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, remember there will be huge flames back there.

---

[eyvind]

Not entirely convinced by the engine section however, maybe it's too long and seems unintergrated with the rest.

As I mentioned, I do plan on reworking the engines.

Main problem is your poly count, 6k is alot.

The Discovery modelers and other developers I have either spoken to on the subject or seen mention this topic have given me the distinct impression that 6k is fine or even far lower than what can be expected for a ship of this size.

Gurjiv, one of the finer modelers and texturers here, has this to say about the polygon count:

[03-Feb-10 7:52:42] Gurjiv (Frozen) Singh: huh. thats good then.:D


Beyond that, I have heard all kinds of things. I have heard that the Liberty Gunboat has 6k polygons and is fine. I have heard that capital ships shouldn't go higher than 8k. I have also heard that 10k is the absolute max. In addition, I have heard that battleships shouldn't go above 12k.


This is all very confusing and not exactly a set of easy guidelines to follow (I just mentioned ones that don't contradict each other too much).

Considering this ship is the size of the Mastodon, larger than the Liberty Siege Cruiser and a bit larger than the Liberty Assault Battlecruiser, it really does feel like 6k polygons is fine. Considering the fact that beyond removing the antennas I haven't even begun to optimize the model, I feel confidently shiny.

I will work to optimize it more.

I would say rework those engines in the back, you have a ton of polys tied up in those engines that can easily be reduced to half if not more. You don't need to make every rounded surface perfectly round, and ingame you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, remember there will be huge flames back there.

I am well aware of this. It is true for most of my curved surfaces.



The feedback I would like to receive at this point is ideas about how the model actually looks, what can be improved, what can be done away with, what can be added, and so on. Telling me to do what I have already said I am planning to do hardly helps much at all.

However, if the engines is the weakest point of this ship that is good to know. Are you telling me that once I fix the engines the ship will be perfect?

---

<span style="font-family:Agency FB">Good Morning!</span>

[DartStriker]

That ship doesn't really matter when you factor in the polycount. The simple fact is the bigger the Mat files, the Bigger the CMP file the more load it puts on the server. But I'm sure freelancer can handle a 10k model, I bet in Solo it could handle more. But you should never shoot for anything above 4k if you can help it. Makes it easier on everyone who is playing the game, especially a server of this size.

Yeas the engine are the weakest part of the ship, it just doesn't look like you spent as much time in them. I don't think I've seen a liberty ship that has round engines, make them a little more squared and pronounced. I could also do with a little less of the perfect 90 degree angles. Nothing is is jumping out at me, and the rest of it really has that luxury feel to it.

---

[dr lameos]

Okay a couple other things. The front 'blade', whilst very attractive, I'm struggling to see how that's a practical shape, what would be placed in it? And if like the rest, for passengers, the windows wouldn't fit well. It looks awesome, and whilst a defining section of the ship, as a ship designed for transporting people, how does it work?

Also, that big square on the side, is that a huge window or what? Because if so, thats pretty huge, and so the window texture wouldn't fit, you'd just have a big glowing square on the side of the ship.

Finally, the 'outriggers', are they pipes, structural support, or walkways?

These are points for which I can't ascertain their physical use, which is partially due to a lack of texture. I'm also asking these questions because I have interest in purchasing such a liner, so sorry to be a pain, but i want to know the design details:)

---

[eyvind]

That ship doesn't really matter when you factor in the polycount. The simple fact is the bigger the Mat files, the Bigger the CMP file the more load it puts on the server. But I'm sure freelancer can handle a 10k model, I bet in Solo it could handle more. But you should never shoot for anything above 4k if you can help it. Makes it easier on everyone who is playing the game, especially a server of this size.

I will of course make it as light as possible, but not at the expense of its true integrity.

Yeas the engine are the weakest part of the ship, it just doesn't look like you spent as much time in them. I don't think I've seen a liberty ship that has round engines, make them a little more squared and pronounced. I could also do with a little less of the perfect 90 degree angles. Nothing is is jumping out at me, and the rest of it really has that luxury feel to it.

They were originally modeled to be reminiscent of the current liner engines, which are very simple and round. The difference is that this engine is fitted to a block, the liner engines aren't. This was intended to make the ship more in-line with the industrial focus of the Liberty ship line.

I repeat myself a third time: I plan on reworking them.

Okay a couple other things. The front 'blade', whilst very attractive, I'm struggling to see how that's a practical shape, what would be placed in it? And if like the rest, for passengers, the windows wouldn't fit well. It looks awesome, and whilst a defining section of the ship, as a ship designed for transporting people, how does it work?

Not everything has to have function. How much of the imperial yacht is functional? Are the wings of the Patriot functional? Nevertheless, the fan bow does have a purpose. It's a lovely purpose full of beauty and extravagance and simple convenience that I plan on making into not only a signature but artwork for several future RP events.

I'll address my exact thinking around this a bit later, however, to keep it in context.

Also, that big square on the side, is that a huge window or what? Because if so, thats pretty huge, and so the window texture wouldn't fit, you'd just have a big glowing square on the side of the ship.

It's not a window, though I could make it into one with a few thousand more polygons (modeling the interior behind the window, and making it transparent). It is intended to be a fitting for a House insignia, flag, banner, or home theater screen.

This idea has since been expanded to include a so-far-unspoken idea that I plan on exploring.

Finally, the 'outriggers', are they pipes, structural support, or walkways?

Multipurpose, in fact, but with a very singular primary purpose. I will explain this along with the rest.

These are points for which I can't ascertain their physical use, which is partially due to a lack of texture. I'm also asking these questions because I have interest in purchasing such a liner, so sorry to be a pain, but i want to know the design details:)

I'm glad, and I will post a complete description of the original blueprint of the ship (most people with liners like to modify them), an infocard, and some commentary. Give me a day, maybe three. Chances are the act of writing it will have it develop some more, and I will not rush a hatching butterfly.

---

<span style="font-family:Agency FB">Good Morning!</span>

[DartStriker]

**Retracted**

---

[Knuthetal]

• The blades are impressive! By all means keep them.
  
• I miss the communications dish, but that's me.
  
• The backside feels a bit awkward. I know you are working on it.
  

Other than that, it's perfect.

---