Hi Oleg. Are you still interested in models of French cars?

[HenFre]

Hi Oleg..

You expressed an interest in models of French cars a while back, but I havent heard anything from you as of yet. So in hope of getting your attention I will just show you one of my models which is an Citroen AC4 conduite from 1932:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/3061282016_84fd74ab90_o.jpg

How it looks in real life:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3060445481_0956b64d47_o.jpg

And at last how I will make the texture look:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3060445565_c537102373_o.jpg

The model is made with lightwave 3D but can be exported as an .obj or .3ds. It has reached a tri-count of 5000 and still needs a little detail inside and under the car.

[SaQSoN]

5K is too much for that kind of model.
It should be below 3K

You can easily reduce polygons on wheel "wings" and cabin sides without loss to visual quality, cut all windows with alpha-channel on texture, the wheel sides, headlights glass and other similar parts can be made of square/rectangle, with required shape cut by alpha as well.

Also see modeling example here:

http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Model_M6.zip

You may also ask for requirements at the "Theater of War" forums. They are very similar to ones for the SoW vehicles.

[Foo'bar]

AFAIK they always are interested in good models :)

[HenFre]

Thanks for the advice SaQSoN and for the link to the reference model. Got a great deal of knowledge on how to make my model lighter on the tri-count from that one :)
I have no real experience in making gamemodels, but would be greatful for any advice or tutoring that can be given regarding this art form..

And I hope you are right Foo'bar. I can only hope that my models will turn out as well as yours :cool:

What are you gents tool of the trade? Max 5 or??

[SaQSoN]

Here's the discussion of model building for TW game on the official Russian forum:

http://forums.games.1c.ru/index.php?type=thread&msg_id=1942700

And Russian tutorial from there: http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Unit modelingTOW ru.rar

I think, there was an English version of it, but I can not find one, unfortunately. Try searching or asking on that forum (you may participate there in English).

Speaking of soft-skin vehicles for SoW, you would have to build also a destroyed version of the vehicle (Armored vehicles don't require it). And you should use LOD_1 of the "intact" version for this task.
Artillery units have to be modeled also in transport configuration, plus damaged state for it.
Parts splitting, LODs and texture usage explained in the tutorial and examples.

PS Models should be built in 3DS Max v.5.1, or older

[SaQSoN]

PPS Just an advise: rely more on photos, rather then on drawings or 3-view plans, particularly, when it comes to a small details. Use 3-view plans only for general proportions and shapes. Your primary source of reference should be photos, because they do not include human error, which is always present in the 3-views (if they are not the original factory blueprints).

I can see quite a few inaccuracies in your model, comparing even to a single photo, you have posted.

[Zorin]

Here is the link for the English tutorial:

http://files.games.1c.ru/_/TOW/Unit%20modelingTOW%20eng.rar

[HenFre]

Thanks SaQSon. I think I have seen the same errors and they will offcourse be corrected :) I am using photos to a great extend, but it is hard to get the reference material that you need. But google is a great help :cool:

Regarding max 5.1 is there anywhere one can accuire such a program and at what price? I have been offered a 5.0 version will this do?

And also thank you Zorin. My Russian is a bit rusty, so the English version came as a nice surprise..

[SaQSoN]

Regarding max 5.1 is there anywhere one can accuire such a program and at what price? I have been offered a 5.0 version will this do?

Yes, this is what you need. As far, as I remember, the 5.1 was a free download, which should be still available on the Discreet/Autodesk site.

[HenFre]

Just had a look at the Autodesk website and I could not find anything about a free download of max 5.1. Could you be more specific SaQSoN?

[SaQSoN]

Max 5.0 into 5.1 update:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=5675368&linkID=9241178

[HenFre]

Yes offcourse :) Thank you very much. Now I just have to learn the interface of Max and then I'm ready :)

[SaQSoN]

Good luck, then. :)

[HenFre]

Thanks SaQSoN. Learning the interface of Max is quite a challange, but there are a great number of really good tutorials on the internet. So I will hopefully be just as capable with Max as I am with Lightwave in notime..

[Buster_Dee]

HenFre, very nice model. Your last comment caught my eye.

I've been doing 3D modeling as a hobby only about 4 or 5 years, pretty much with 70$ modeling and mapping knock-off tools. I've reached their limit (inefficient memory use) and purchased Lightwave 9, but I'm completely lost.

If you could spare some time after you've settled in on your current goals, could I pick your brain? I'm doing the B24 internals at

http://target4today.co.uk/index.php/component/option,com_easygallery/Itemid,26/act,categories/cid,27/

It's for a pretty weak game engine, but the engine is at least a vehicle to get me going. The project has been stalled for over two months. I'm self-taught and have really hit a wall.

Good luck on the car.

[HenFre]

Hi Buster_Dee. Nice looking cockpit you have made :)

I am myself only a hobby modeler and also got started about 5 years ago. I have been working with Lightwave all the time and I have learned how it works by doing a lot of tutorials.
Don't know if I have the right brain to pick :grin: Haven't really gotten my work into any gameengine as of yet and now I have to go back to basics with a new 3D program.. :shock:

But you have bought the best 3D program ever. Its very easy to learn and the setup of the whole package is very logical. You will have no trouble getting out great looking models like your cockpit and Lightwave will make it easy to manage.. Good luck..

[Buster_Dee]

Thanks HenFre. I just ordered some books on it--that should help. I hadn't done any mapping or layer creation in Lightwave. I was trying to figure out how to "finish up" in Lightwave, not make from scratch, so not much is making sense yet. I wanted to adjust existing UV mapping, add layers, convert alpha masks, copy/modify extisting structure. no real tutorial on that kind of stuff per se.

Good luck on the project.

[HenFre]

Buster_Dee if you have some concrete problem that you would like some help with, then you can pm me and I will trye to help you.

What books have you bought? I myself have read many books on how to use and it is a great way to learn the basics. But for the best result I got hold of some videotutorials from SimplyLightwave and they payed of bigtime. It just gives you great insight into how the workflow is in Lightwave and it gives you visual guide to how the different tools work. So it comes highly recomended by me. The only drawback is that it costs money :)

[HenFre]

Hello all..

Since Oleg and the team behind SOW:BOB is to busy to make an update I will provide you with a small one of my own. I have for the past months been learning how to use 3DS max and this is what i have made so far:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3483108563_6111944eee_o.jpg

The car is still the Citroën AC4 and the objects is about 90% done. UV-mapping and texturing still to come..
The yellow object is the fuelpump called S.A.T.A.M. 1932 and here is a couple of reference shots:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3483922304_35620de088_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3483108273_9716ddc361_o.jpg

That is all for now.. Big thanks to Foo'Bar for teaching me how to do the tricky parts :) Anybody else got an update to show?

[Novotny]

Can I just say how refreshing it is to see a thread like this? Thank you very much.

[Insuber]

Hey HenFre,

How big is your development team ? It must be bigger than Oleg's, if we look at the frequence of your updates :-)).

Ins

[Foo'bar]

That is all for now.. Big thanks to Foo'Bar for teaching me how to do the tricky parts :) Anybody else got an update to show?

You're welcome, mate :)

I have some updates on german freight cars. Not much but at least it is an update ;) See the new "Ommr Villach" open freight car (2nd from the right on image).

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2956/freightcars00.th.jpg (http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/2956/freightcars00.jpg)

More about that on my hp as usual, click on sig to get there.

[Tree_UK]

Great work Henfire, well done mate, lets hope Oleg uses your obvious talent.

[Skoshi Tiger]

I've seen a video of them doing it in black shark, so who's going to be the first to land their Tiger Moth on a freight car in SOW?

[ElAurens]

I'd bet a Gladiator could do it in the current sim.

[Skoshi Tiger]

I'd bet a Gladiator could do it in the current sim.

That sounds like a challange!

First person to do it needs to post a track!

[choctaw111]

That sounds like a challange!

First person to do it needs to post a track!

If someone does it, that's YouTube material. Sometimes it's nice to watch a movie instead of firing up Il2 to watch the track.

[Foo'bar]

Does Il-2 contain a proper flat freight car to land on? I don't believe.

(Il-2 doesn't have any proper freight cars at all :mh: )

[Igo kyu]

The railways in IL*2 are strange.

The Germans couldn't use their own rolling stock on the Russian railways they captured, the guages were different. The distance between German rails was something close to the British 4ft 8in, whereas the Russian was something like 6ft, the German wagons just wouldn't roll on the Russian rails. So, most of the German transport had to be by road or air.

[Foo'bar]

The railways in IL*2 are strange.

The Germans couldn't use their own rolling stock on the Russian railways they captured, the guages were different. The distance between German rails was something close to the British 4ft 8in, whereas the Russian was something like 6ft, the German wagons just wouldn't roll on the Russian rails. So, most of the German transport had to be by road or air.

Germans have 1435mm, Russians 1524mm. Soon after german troops occopied russian territory special "Umspur-Trupps" (re-gauge troops) began to bring russian gauge to 1435mm gauge (or in other cases put wider axle distances to the bogies). And also captured russian rail vehicles (locos and cars) have been used by germans. No need to bring transportation to road or air because of gauge differences.

[SlipBall]

Does Il-2 contain a proper flat freight car to land on? I don't believe.

(Il-2 doesn't have any proper freight cars at all :mh: )



And another factor is that the speed of the train is too slow for such a landing

[Skoshi Tiger]

"If" the Fieseler Storch was flyable it would have a good chance. Isn't it's landing speed about 50km/h? Or there's always the Lerche!!!!

[HenFre]

Here is an update of the model with the geometry completely finished:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3509344428_aa40629b54_b.jpg

Sending you a copy of the model Foo'bar ;)

[Buster_Dee]

Well done. It would be great fun to be able to explore the sim with this, then rush to an airfield to scramble. I did a Dodge VK62 some years ago but did not know enough at the time to finish it.

[Foo'bar]

Here is an update of the model with the geometry completely finished:

Sending you a copy of the model Foo'bar ;)

Looking forward! Please put it to my FTP, mate. :)

[Foo'bar]

"If" the Fieseler Storch was flyable it would have a good chance. Isn't it's landing speed about 50km/h? Or there's always the Lerche!!!!

Regular freight trains will run 60 km/h, express freight trains 90 km/h. At least german ones.

[Tree_UK]

Hi hen have you actually heard from Oleg on whether he wants to use your vehicle?

[Foo'bar]

He will, believe me ;)

[HenFre]

Tree_UK:
I have been contacted by Oleg on this site about 6 months ago when I started this thread. He wanted me to contact the team through their e-mail, but when I did this I never heard from them. However I then got in contact with Foo'bar and he is now helping me make models that fit the requirements for the game :)

Foo'bar:
Thanks for the link to your FTP, there are some really great referene material to be found :) I should have time to upload the model sometime tomorrow. Looking forward to hear your crit's :cool:

Regards

Henrik