Development > Artwork

Incendiary Rocket

(1/5) > >>

ajveach:
Hey everyone,

I just came across this project, and I'm interested in contributing a few models. I've been fairly active in the blender community for a while now, and I've picked up the general ideas behind low poly modelling.

I took the first model I saw on the "needs" list, and threw together a quick incendiary rocket. I was hoping someone could tell me if there was a way to just throw this into the game to see how the texture and size work in RT. The poly count is 210, but I'm just not sure how the actual physical size of the object works in exporting to the engine. I also am a little worried about Blender's md2 exporter. I've had a lot of trouble in the past with blender's export scripts.

If the dev team is interested to take a quick look at the model I can put up the files on my server. I was just planning on reworking the texture after seeing the model in action.

Thanks,
Anthony
ajveach@indiana.edu


UPDATE: Just put a new texture on the model. It's still at 210 faces. I was going to bake the raytrace and the radiosity, but it looks like it's changed spots in blender. Going to have to look into this. Internal render below:

http://ajveach.home.insightbb.com/ufoai/render01.jpg

Bandobras:
Wow, it's way cool! However, you might want to make sure it fits the same Rocket Launcher the High-Explosive Rocket fits. I mean the looks can be different, but the sizes, shape of the parts that touch the launcher, etc. should be similar, so that it's believable both are shot from the same launcher. Incendiary Rockets require research so the futuristic look is OK. I only wonder how to make the Tachyon Rocket look even more futuristic after that one. :)

I have no clue about modelling and md2, but surely there is some info on the wiki at Modelling and even more here on the subforum. To get the model ingame put it (in the md2 format) in the ufoai/base/models/weapons/rpg directory as rpg_inc_ammo.md2 and swap the commented out line with the uncommented one in section "item rpg_incendiary_ammo"  of file ufoai/base/ufos/weapons_human.ufo. To see the rocket in inventory best run the test campaign as told in the "Equipment/tweak weapons" page of the wiki. (Unfortunately you still cannot load it into the launcher --- I hope it gets implemented and not scratched. Then perhaps another particle effect would also be needed for the rocket travelling across the air using your model as a basis...)

When you are finished just put the .md2 model (with source, if you'd be so kind) somewhere on the net (e.g. in the patches section of Sourceforge) and let us know.

Thanks!

P.S. One more thing, I think it is a good idea if related weapons have corresponding look. E.g., the tachyon weapons have similar colours, so I expect the tachyon rocket may have a color accent that relates it to them, just to help soldiers distinguish the rockets. For the incendiary rocket, there is currently only one weapon to relate to --- the incendiary grenade (unless you don't like its model and would propose another). See it in the test campaign, as well, and rotate in the ufopedia by dragging with the mouse. Just to let you know what soldiers are likely to complain about. ;)

P.P.S.  I've just talked with our main coder, mattn on IRC and he said multiple ammo makes sense. So it will get implemented and will not get scratched. So we should see Incendiary Rocket in action not far away. :)

ajveach:
Thanks for all the info! I had a couple problems with the process. First one was that there was no commented out section in the weapons_human.ufo file. I also found no lines about "item rpg_incendiary_ammo" so I just commented out the section calling on model "rocket" and added one in calling for my model.

When I tried to run the test campaign as described on wiki I got this error when hitting "start campaign": "Couldn't load map mask map_test_mask.tga in pics/menu"

I'm going to try just running the other campaign to see if the rockets appear in place of the normal rockets. I just need to make sure the model looks alright in the game pretty much.

As for the model itself, I actually just looked up an image of an incendiary rocket on google, and basically made a simple model of what I found. I thought the protruding fins were a little odd (as far as loading into a launcher is concerned), but I sort of assumed that they were folded into the body until springs pushed them out at a 90 degree angle once the rocket left the launcher. Is there any way to animate that, or is it even going to be noticable? I can also simply remove them if that would be more effective.

Also, I'm going to take a look at the incendiary grenade later today. I'll do a color shift for this one, and then I might model a new grenade too and use the original color scheme for both. Options never hurt anyone.

Thanks again for the help,
Anthony

Bandobras:

--- Quote from: "ajveach" ---First one was that there was no commented out section in the weapons_human.ufo file/ [....]
When I tried to run the test campaign as described on wiki I got this error when hitting "start campaign"[...]
--- End quote ---


So you have no SVN trunk, apparently? Oh well, you would have to compile it yourself, since there are no binaries with the new weapon and campaign scripts, yet...


--- Quote ---I'm going to try just running the other campaign to see if the rockets appear in place of the normal rockets. I just need to make sure the model looks alright in the game pretty much.
--- End quote ---


You should be succesful, but this way you cannot compare the normal rocket and your rocket in ufopedia almost side by side. OTOH, by simply substituting your model for the standard rocket you should be able to see how it looks in flight...


--- Quote ---I thought the protruding fins were a little odd (as far as loading into a launcher is concerned), but I sort of assumed that they were folded into the body until springs pushed them out at a 90 degree angle once the rocket left the launcher. Is there any way to animate that, or is it even going to be noticable?
--- End quote ---


Yes, with particle scripts (similar to those for the normal rocket, see ufoai/base/ufos/ptl_weaponsfx.ufo). But it should not be noticable, unless the fins are visible cutting through the launcher when the rocket starts appearing from inside the tube. :D


--- Quote ---I can also simply remove them if that would be more effective.
--- End quote ---


We are not in such a hurry. ;)


--- Quote ---Also, I'm going to take a look at the incendiary grenade later today. I'll do a color shift for this one, and then I might model a new grenade too and use the original color scheme for both. Options never hurt anyone.
--- End quote ---


Great. The grenade is very nice, if somewhat simple. We have already some very involved grenades, so a simple one does not hury, but just do what you feel like --- you are the modeller. You can also think about the incendiary mine (the last of the three incendiary weapons planned), just to make sure your design is general and extendible. High-explosive mine is not modelled yet, AFAIK, unlike the High-explosive rocket and the description in the wiki is rather sketchy. If you are at it, thinking a little bit about the Tachyon-Beam Warhead Rocket would not hurt either. ;)

Bandobras:
Correction: to see your model in flight, you should probably substitute your model for

ufoai/base/models/weapons/rpg/rocket.md2, not only rpg_ammo.md2.

This is what base/ufos/ptl_weaponsfx.ufo suggests.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

Go to full version