Subsim Higgins PT-Boat Model contest

Part of the system impact is what is loaded at Game start.
That can be, and has been, worked around before.


The Game engine does allow instancing of objects.
instancing is the practice of rendering multiple copies of the same mesh in a scene at once, allowing placement as if a different mesh
So I can use parts of things and just create an instance of it and place it where I wish.

On render? It just appears as it should!

So say I have the radar dome for an example.
I can cut that 3D model in half, create an instance in the file and rotate it to it's correct position.
In Game you see a whole Radar Dome!
Render time appears only affected by how the base Game loads up.
(GWX4 Devs tested this and it was a planned and approved approach)

Open the Maunsell Forts in GWX and you'll see this first wide scale usage of this instancing.
(I also taught Hans, of HAHD, about this little trick and he uses it wisely)


The main thing GWX Devs looked at was load time problems.
It's been proven that the less loaded at Game start? The better off you are!
That's why Ubi Devs broke up campaign files remember?
To save system resources!

By doing the instanceing trick, (Which examples can be found in SH3 Stock)
Load time are reduced and system memory needs are reduced.

The only bottle neck, as always, is your Video card.
IF you can run SH4 with your current Card?
I see no reason I can't make the Higgins work for you.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by privateer

Still working on the 3D model stuff.
Lots of things need detached, adjusted, re-worked, and so on to get a working model ready for importing.


I'm totally happy with what we have so far. It all needs to be made SH4 ready now.
That's not a simple, one day job!


Poly count will fall quite a bit in the process but that is a good thing!
It will not have any effect on the details of the 3D model!
Just make it easier on the systems running it.


As far as I can see at this point?
A standard Sub in SH4 is much harder on your system then this PT Boat.

That's good to hear. Keep up the good work everybody.

I did a quick test import as a single object to see what the file size would be (And to check smoothing).

Without optimizeing the mesh or removeing other stuff from the dat?
The SH4 Subs are WAY larger once the Conning tower is added into the mix.

The model could have twice the detail it has so far and STILL NOT be much larger then the Subs.

[nikimcbee]

I'm thinking when we get around to doing the 37 mm gun, we could mod the 40mm gun.

And that looks something like this?

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by privateer

And that looks something like this?

Sweet jebus palamino! That's it!

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Sweet jebus palamino! That's it!

Mind you that's a very early version.
The final version will be much more detailed.
As will the other Guns and stuff We need yet.

I also did an early AO burn for the Boat.
I'll see about getting some images uploaded.
There's a bad storm hitting me right now and if it's like normal?
I'll be without power and the 'Net here sometime soon.

If you look closely? You can see some areas that need worked on yet as far as smoothing groups and somethings needing
faces added to avoid the 'see through it' problem.
This is also the un-optimized full version model.

Any chance of getting some good shots of the 37mm?
I found very few that give enuff views to do as good a model as I'd like.
The ammo feeder is no problem and I have plenty of good images of that.
It's mostly the stuff under the main barrel and the firing control/handle area I'd like better views of.

A few good shots of the 40mm also wouldn't hurt if possible.


I think We can just modify the in Game 20 and 40 to work?
I did notice the AO for the 20 needs some work.

Someone better at doing graphics work would help alot also.

[Hylander_1314]

For the 37mm, most of them were originally scavanged off wrecked or written off P-39 Airacobras, and the same gun was eventually made a standard piece for the gunboat versions later in the war, so maybe check for the plane armament too. Maybe IL2 has a good model to go off of?

Maybe check out some of these links:

https://www.google.com/search?q=p-39...ient=firefox-a

Hope it helps!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by privateer

Mind you that's a very early version.
The final version will be much more detailed.
As will the other Guns and stuff We need yet.

@ every Higgins PT boat fan : if you ever know of some neat detail you'd like to see on deck that's not been modeled so far, please post your requests, advices - and blueprints/photos !

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Alex

@ every Higgins PT boat fan : if you ever know of some neat detail you'd like to see on deck that's not been modeled so far, please post your requests, advices - and blueprints/photos !

I'll post more stuff when I get off work. I need to dig through all of my photos. I do have tons of 37 and 40 mm gun photos.

[Alex]

Thanks, Niki.

[nikimcbee]

@ Alex
At some point I'm going to need your mailing/post address so I can send you stuff. I might just do it in the near future so I can get you a copy of this:

[nikimcbee]

I had a crazy Idea. I thought about uploading ALL of my pt photos to my facebook account, then you could access them as needed. I could just make them public, then you wouldn't have to "friend me", you could just view them.