Topic: Larry Niven's Ringworld?

[Bonk]

Has anyone come across, made or be willing to create any models for Niven's Ringworld?

I have the inclination to recreate something called "The Fringe War"

Ideally a space mod of the ringworld, a planet model of the ringworld, and a set of "General Products" hull models for Kzinti, ARM, Pierson's Pupeteers, Trinoc, Outsiders...

Note these models should be pretty simple to create, very straightforward geometries... Only the ringworld itself as a space mod or planet will be tricky. Hmm if I find the time I may do so myself... what's that new free setup for SFC modeling again? (Though I'm sure others would do better than I...)

Priority ships: The Hot Needle of Inquiry and Long Shot

[Rod ONeal]

Do you have reference pics for the model designs?


It's stickied, but here's the link for Gmax and the .mod plugin. (computer types can be so unobservant.  )
http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163381805.0.html

[GotAFarmYet?]

I beleive the Ring world can be found at Battle Clinic
The ships really comes down to the details that want to be placed on it. Considering that transarent hulls can be done now in SFC it means that if some one wanted to they could model the inside and have it veiwable just like in the books

[Bonk]

Ooohhh transparent hulls are possible in SFC2? That would be awesome, I must learn how.

Thanks for the link Rod ( I knew it was there but have limited time on library computer). I must get that on my flash drive if it will run portably.

Reference pics?
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=ringworld&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2

Ah, thanks also GAFY, I'll check battleclinic. I figured it might already be done. (and I know there is a consolidated sticky for such questions... again, limited time online atm...)

I think the Fringe War could make an excellent OP D2 server storyline complete with characters a'la SkullnBonez' Strangelove series.

[Centurus]

I think all that's needed is for the polys to be flipped so it gives them the appearance of being transparent.

Then again, what do I know, I'm still learning this crap.

[GotAFarmYet?]

You are almost correct a few other things as well according to TUS, to stop mesh errors on conversion but basically that is it
'

[GotAFarmYet?]

you can look at this thread for some details but it was something IMudd or TUS figured out. It definantly adds to the models though

[markyd]

yeah i was playing with this recently as fw wanted a low poly nemesis dock, and we managed it in under 700 polys..

if u use tga for your textures, and include an alpha channel before you save it.. you can make certain elements of the mesh transparent, without the need to flip polies and keep the mesh at an all time low low low.. 

here was my testship

the boxes on the rear tail section and the wings are one ploygon... but textured out for transparency..   i believe INTESTELLAR MACHINE did it a while ago, hence we needed to learn. 

[Nemesis]

Do you have reference pics for the model designs?

Not reference pictures but basic descriptions with the dimensions here.

Has anyone come across, made or be willing to create any models for Niven's Ringworld?

I have the inclination to recreate something called "The Fringe War"

Ideally a space mod of the ringworld, a planet model of the ringworld, and a set of "General Products" hull models for Kzinti, ARM, Pierson's Pupeteers, Trinoc, Outsiders...

Note these models should be pretty simple to create, very straightforward geometries... Only the ringworld itself as a space mod or planet will be tricky. Hmm if I find the time I may do so myself... what's that new free setup for SFC modeling again? (Though I'm sure others would do better than I...)

Priority ships: The Hot Needle of Inquiry and Long Shot

Bonk its been a while since I read the things relevant to the Fringe War but didn't they have some ships that were custom built AFTER General Products was closed down due to the Puppeteer migration?  If so you could have other models as well as GP variants.  Also both the Type II and III hulls often had customized components outside the hull.  For example the Hot Needle of Inquiry had a "wing" with the fusion drive and weapons on it.

Don't forget there are good reasons NO ONE attacks the outsiders.

The one problem with GP hulls are they are virutally indestructible.  There being only 2 means of destroying them (anti-matter being one).


(Fleet of Worlds is out in paper back for anyone who might be interested and has the OTHER means of destroying a GP hull).

[Tus-XC]

hmm,  its not a ring world but it uses a ring (and thus could become a ring world w/ textures)  Its for my space backdrop replacement i'm working on (and need to finish)

http://outalance.battleclinic.com/tus/images2/scr00027.jpg

[Nemesis]

If the fringe war is being fought the battles are well below light speed and as the Ringworld is 5.5 light seconds from ring wall to ring wall you can easily consider the visible on map part of the Ringworld to be a straight line and impenetrable (unless you go through an eye storm or the Fist of God).  The ships near the wall would not see the curvature.  Only if a battle were fought near the edge would it be likely to have anyone pass over the edge and into view of the surface, then they would have to worry about the protectors using the solar laser function to destroy the ship or worry about direct combat with protector vessels.

Also for the models in addition to the known space ships that may not be in GP hulls there are the protectors ships which could be "exotic" in design as a "dumb" protector is still an Einstein. 

Protector ships should act as if they have legendary officers and crew, high labs for shield repair and orion warp doubling combined with lots of repair parts.  Be really mean and give them Ph-G2s and Ph-4.    Don't forget LOTs of boarding parties and transporters to reflect just how effective ONE protector would be in hand to hand combat.