[WIP] "Lochinvar" Clyde puffer

[gap]

Originally Posted by Mister_M

But also, I see that this sail has a fixed position and it can't be oriented (only a little by fixing the "flying" cable) to one side or the other, so not very useful to navigate...

Obviously you have never been on a sailboat. With that little degree of freedom, a jib sail can make a modern sailboat to move almost against the wind direction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_into_the_wind

Originally Posted by Mister_M

Thank you for your very detailed, patient and clear explanations. I'm impressed, and happy to learn so many things !

My own pleasure

Originally Posted by Mister_M

IMO no light should come from the bottom to create the AO map of a ship. I think that this is not realistic, because in reality you don't have any sun light coming from the bottom, but only very little light reflection by the sea. So, the solution (to avoid "undue" shadow on the cabin) would be to create the AO map on the cabin without the ship's deck occluding the light.

Ambient light is not the same as direct sun light. While I will agree with you that the sea bottom won't reflect as much light as atmoshpere and sea surface, I think that for our purposes this difference can be ignored

Originally Posted by Mister_M

No, because in game the hull will receive as much sun light as the cabin, so the difference of illumination will be noticeable between hull and cabin (more "AO shadows" on cabin).

Even supposing that the different diffuse illumination between hull and vertical superstructure surfaces is irrealistic (but I disagree on that):

a) the difference is so slight that under direct sunlight it will be barely noticeable.

b) the hull will be painted mostly in black and red, whereas the superstructure will have a lighter paint. The one thing you will notice once the model is fully textured and imported in game, is that the bottom part of vertical surfaces, near the deck, is slightly darker than upper parts. This effect is totally realistic and it will enhance the sense of threedimensionality.
You are probably used to SHIII ships, most of which lack an AO map. To me, those models look terribly flat, as if they were photographed from far distance during an hazy day

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

I explained LONG AGO how to trick TDW's tool to do a strict import.
Why strict? It avoids his routine that adds to the file size!
Totally implemented that routine incorrectly!

Given my troubles when logged in?
I'll not explain it all again at this time.

That's a shame, really - it would be very important information to every SH5 modder (because yes you are right - GR2 Editor loose import does seriously inflate file sizes and it's not a good thing from performance perspective) and despite searching your posts for words like "strict" or "import" I couldn't find the explanation you mention. Hopefully, you'll reconsider and if you do, it should really be stickied or something so it's easy to find for everyone.

[Mister_M]

Originally Posted by gap

Obviously you have never been on a sailboat. With that little degree of freedom, a jib sail can make a modern sailboat to move almost against the wind direction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_into_the_wind

You're right, I would not be able to "drive" a sailboat. But can this puffer be compared to a thin and light sailboat ? And I was not aware of the extra sail that you mentioned in a previous post.

Originally Posted by gap

Ambient light is not the same as direct sun light. While I will agree with you that the sea bottom won't reflect as much light as atmoshpere and sea surface, I think that for our purposes this difference can be ignored

I was not talking about the sea bottom, but about the direction from which may come direct sun light (which obviously can't come from the sea bottom).

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by kapuhy

That's a shame, really - it would be very important information to every SH5 modder (because yes you are right - GR2 Editor loose import does seriously inflate file sizes and it's not a good thing from performance perspective) and despite searching your posts for words like "strict" or "import" I couldn't find the explanation you mention. Hopefully, you'll reconsider and if you do, it should really be stickied or something so it's easy to find for everyone.

Jeff is just saying that his internet service is bad, and re-posting would be difficult. He might be stuck with using his cell fone, or a dial-up connection. The one thing I can find is the discussion in [TEC]GR2 files and Granny Viewer Quite a few top-notch modders discuss the issue. I have not browsed through the whole thread, not being an SH5 modder myself, but maybe you'll hopefully find something useful in there?

[kapuhy]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

Jeff is just saying that his internet service is bad, and re-posting would be difficult. He might be stuck with using his cell fone, or a dial-up connection. The one thing I can find is the discussion in [TEC]GR2 files and Granny Viewer Quite a few top-notch modders discuss the issue. I have not browsed through the whole thread, not being an SH5 modder myself, but maybe you'll hopefully find something useful in there?

Oh, in this case I'm sorry for having misunderstood it - I thought Jeff was being angry at having to explain this again (something I could certainly relate to having briefly worked as a teacher in the past )

[Jeff-Groves]

Yes. I was getting slammed when logged in. Could not post nor PM.
Everything seems back to normal now thank goodness!



As for searching past posts?
Search for Madox58


Here's the thread with SO MUCH information it blows peoples minds!
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...06#post1757906

[Aktungbby]

/\ did U get the pic I PM'd? That took an hour of hunting in The Bilge thread.

[Jeff-Groves]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

/\ did U get the pic I PM'd? That took an hour of hunting in The Bilge thread.

Yep. I got it.

[gap]

A quick update and a couple of pictures for showing you my progress with the puffer model:





As you can see, I have overlapped some paint on the AO map, similar to stock camo schemes. Still no diffuse/specular/normal maps though, so no surface features yet (bumps, indents, rust, scratches, stains and details to small to be modelled), but at least you get an idea.

I want this unit to be multi-skinned and I am open to your suggestion on some likely paint schemes on a similar boat.

@ Mister_M

Does the shadowing look a bit better with the color added?

[Jeff-Groves]

That, my Friend, is fantastic!


I just want a copy of say the hull obj and it's AO obj file.
That would allow completion of Almagest!

[Jeff-Groves]

One thing we need to figure out.

How to animate that sail!

[gap]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

That, my Friend, is fantastic!


I just want a copy of say the hull obj and it's AO obj file.
That would allow completion of Almagest!

Thank you Jeff!

Starting from tomorrow I will rush to fulfill your request, now I a bit tired of looking at my PC screen, but maybe while I am working on it I can send you some other models of mine whose AO texture was mapped on a different UV channel than the main skin. What do you think?

[Jeff-Groves]

Originally Posted by gap

Thank you Jeff!

Starting from tomorrow I will rush to fulfill your request, now I a bit tired of looking at my PC screen, but maybe while I am working on it I can send you some other models of mine whose AO texture was mapped on a different UV channel than the main skin. What do you think?

That would be greatly accepted!

Your contributions will lead to another Program to assist all modders now and in the future.

[gap]

Originally Posted by Jeff-Groves

One thing we need to figure out.

How to animate that sail!

Yes, I had thought about that too. A key-framed animation could be done in Blender. That would involve importing the sail as dat object, which I am a bit reluctant to do for two reasons:

- the sail wouldn't cast any dynamic shadow on the boat;

- the last time I tried to import an animation with s3d (do you remember the DC-man?), it was a nightmare...

[Jeff-Groves]

I have insight to GR2 animations.
Not proven but then again? I just proved We can Ghost TDW's program.


I don't claim to be a Game Master for no reason.