Topic: GAFY does it again!!!

[Centurus]

His textures continue to get better and better.  Anyone that disagrees, look at the renders below.

TMP Eisenhower













TNG Eisenhower



















Models are done by WickedZombie45, textures are done by GotAFarmYet?, and the renders are done by me.

The models will be released soon, so stay tuned.

[Starforce2]

that almost looks worthy of a TV series or fan movie. Only gripe would bee the wierd triangle shadows on the dorsal phasers which mar and otherwise perfect render.

[Centurus]

Which render?

[Starforce2]

EinTNG1.jpg

[Centurus]

Oh, the ones on either side of the phaser arrays?

[Bernard Guignard]

That is Very nice 

[Don Karnage]

great job, can't wait to have it 

[Shadowfleet]

WZ made an instant classic with the Valiant. His textures were awesome and he also has a personal pirate version for his personal use that is really cool. I  released a kitbash for use in a "ShadowFleet" called the Darkstar. Now GAFY is gonna give us even more fodder to work with! Nice Job GAFY. And Thanks to WZ for an unbelievably sweet twist on the Connie design.

[Starforce2]

Oh, the ones on either side of the phaser arrays?

Indeed.

[Centurus]

Oh, the ones on either side of the phaser arrays?

Indeed.

Don't worry about them.

[FoaS_XC]

These textures are obviously well done. I absolutely admire the skill it took to make them.
Now, its not quite what I would have done - particularly the sawtooth pattern of the edges of the dark areas. Also, not big on the eight-pointed star on the deflector.
Despite that, the textures are both subtle and strong.

[Centurus]

I think the sawtooth pattern you're referring to are problems I still can't figure out during the render process.  I always get complaints.

[FoaS_XC]

No, you're thinking of the shadows. That problem is simply because you didn't have enough samples on your shadow maps. Using raytrace shadows would fix it also.
Now im actually talking about the stepped edges of the darker painted areas

[GotAFarmYet?]

These textures are obviously well done. I absolutely admire the skill it took to make them.
Now, its not quite what I would have done - particularly the sawtooth pattern of the edges of the dark areas. Also, not big on the eight-pointed star on the deflector.
Despite that, the textures are both subtle and strong.

Thanks,
The Saw tooth pattern was kind of the point it was orginally meant to be all over the ship, including the bump map. I changed it to the more traditional lines on the secondary hull and saucers at the last moment as I thought it got to far away from pausiable. The darker areas are done in a green and silver or a blend of them with a white under lay at about 75% solid. I was hoping to soften the a bit from the hulls bump pattern with it. I might reapply it as it would be easy enough to do with the build files I have, but I was planning on the pattern there for a gray and blue version with phaser strips on both models. Once again trying to push the envelope of the acceptable, before it was with colours now it is with patterns. Lets face it the only two ppl who liked the dark blue/purple was me and you, the aqua was liked by mackie. If it wasn't for Mackie using it on all his kitbashed ships I would never have done the orginals in it, with a few of his bashes most of the ships were only a texture or two from done anyways so I completed them. Got a really strong you suck feed back at those too, my favorite being everything else looks good but that colour looks like it was done with a box of crayons. Made me make sure I did everything I could in that colour

But yes the tooth pattern was orginally the point of the textures, and left it on the engines most notiably.

Well to tell the truth the inner deflector area was a place holder, where I choked. Could not think of what I wanted to do there to complete it so I left it there. When you see the actual texture you will notice it pretty quickly that it doesn't really match the rest of the work, looks flat. If you have a better idea let me know, it can always be added as a altnerate texture or more than likly used as a replacement.

would it have helped to have kept the more saw tooth look throughout the ship, in the bump maps so to speak?

[GotAFarmYet?]

No, you're thinking of the shadows. That problem is simply because you didn't have enough samples on your shadow maps. Using raytrace shadows would fix it also.
Now im actually talking about the stepped edges of the darker painted areas

Cent would like a more detailed explaination of the shadow part. He doesn't know how to fix it, nor do I, I can't help him as the only experience I have with a modelling progarm is Milkshape.

[FoaS_XC]

Don't get me wrong, I admire and respect, a great deal, what you've done.

I think more people liked the blue textures than you give credit for. I've gotten some pretty good feedback on my versions, which were but really an extension of yours - albeit FoaSized. I definately follow what you mean, though. Taking a project in an actual direction with that kind of purpose. "What can I do with white?" "what can I do with patterns?" "what can i do with Fractals?" etc etc. A very cool approach. Definitely a departure from the usual "what'll look good here?"

When I get back into texturing my feds, I might have to steal a few ideas again, assuming you don't mind GAFY - particularly, I love what you did around the bottom of the secondary hull, with the half round dark-bit under the deflector.

Btw, GAFY/Centurus. the whole shadow thing.
If you are using 3ds Max, when you have a light selected, to improve the shadow quality you can do 2 things: one is change your shadow type from "Shadow Map" to "Raytraced Shadows" you're shadows will be very crisp, but it will not have that wierd jaggie quality to it.
Your other option is to keep the "Shadow Map", but play with your shadow properties. Under the "Shadow Map Params" rollout you'll see three spinners. I usually keep my Bias at 1.0, Size at 512, and Sample Range at 4.0. messing with these will create different results. Higher sizes means smoother, but crisper details, so you have to take up the sample range as well if you want to keep them soft.

[GotAFarmYet?]

Don't get me wrong, I admire and respect, a great deal, what you've done.

I think more people liked the blue textures than you give credit for. I've gotten some pretty good feedback on my versions, which were but really an extension of yours - albeit FoaSized. I definately follow what you mean, though. Taking a project in an actual direction with that kind of purpose. "What can I do with white?" "what can I do with patterns?" "what can i do with Fractals?" etc etc. A very cool approach. Definitely a departure from the usual "what'll look good here?"

When I get back into texturing my feds, I might have to steal a few ideas again, assuming you don't mind GAFY - particularly, I love what you did around the bottom of the secondary hull, with the half round dark-bit under the deflector.

I don't take it personal FoaS, infact I rarily get any feed back at all, with the latest stuff I have been doing. The normal feed back is "that looks beatiful" and then you hear crickets in the background.

So I take this as a oppertunity as finally someone willing to discuss this!

Nope not liking the saw tooth pattern is cool to me. What is it about the pattern that sets off the negitive in your mind is what I want to know. I know it is a different look and normally it means it takes a bit for ppl to warm up to, the blue textures are an example of that. Few liked them straight off, but over time ppl excepted them partly due to the fact that every fed ship in the game was starting to show up with them. Mostly it was due to the shock of something different wearing off, which becomes a form of acceptance. BTW it was the aqua setthat actually caused most of the hate reaction the darker version was pretty much excepted. The modelling ppl actually took to liking things better than the non-modellers who tend to be the harsh word writers with no respect. They are the usual "I hate it" comment with no other explaination. The respect also goes both ways here, I worked with you before a long time ago on the Excel kitbash fleet, still have the files too I think.

Don't mind at all FoaS, ideas or straight out texture borrowing I have no problems with I like ships to be released, rather then stuck on a HDD headed to oblivion. One of the reasons I have always had a free to use pollicy about textures: if you can't do them and can make mine fit and it gets the ship released then go for it. You can Blame WZ for that area it is his model after all, and It started silver and that ol "what'll look good here?" syndrome is what finally darkened it to the green you see. He did build a great ship, if you look at the mapping he did on it you will know why.

But I am curious what you thought of the impulse dome on the TNG one?
also if you have any ideas on what to put in the center of the delector, as it is atill a place holder there.

Think I might have come up with a idea after all, will add it to the Alternates folder. Yes there are altnerate textures for a few parts here and there that I could not make my mind up about

[GotAFarmYet?]

What about more like this for the Deflector?

[FoaS_XC]

Okay, I've gone back over it and absorbed it further, and I've broken down my comment by area. The sawtooth on the secondary hull has grown on me. I think its the darker parts that come back to the center-line is what helps. Also, I think that the fact that it follows the contour of the secondary hull perfectly works well, too.

The sawtooths on the top of the saucer don't work for me. I feel like it breaks its own lines, repeatedly. I think that the first (forward most) step is good - even make it a bit steeper, and then it goes in a straight or slightly bowed (either in or out) curve to the edge of the saucer. I can produce an image if you need.

The bottom of the saucer is the same as the top.

The top of the neck, the jury is still out, but I'm leaning on not liking it. Again, it kinda confuses the lines, criss crossing them repeatedly.

The front of the nacelle, is eh. I didn't notice it at first. I would say just have one step but make it slightly bigger.

[FoaS_XC]

The deflector looks great!

If I could make one change it would simply be this. The inner blue area should be extruded out, like on a sovvie deflector. I know thats a model problem, though.