Help With Ship Modeling/Texturing
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So, apparently I’ve returned yet again to Freelancer, and I’ve decided to do something I’ve intended on doing for a very long time: fixing some of my ships. Unfortunately, my modeling and texturing skills are not up to spec, and I’m hoping some here on TSP will be willing to lend their skills. There are a couple of things that I’d like done, and I’ll share some pictures to illustrate:
The first thing is highlighted somewhat by the red areas circled above. There are places in which the specular reflections off the textures don’t match up despite being on a smooth curve. I’ve traced this to the fact that the UV coordinates aren’t properly aligned (at least I think that’s the issue), and I don’t have the know-how to fix this. More generally, I’d like the textures to be updated somewhat; thanks to SWAT_OP-R8R’s work and my own tweaking, it’s gotten to this stage, but it just seems… off a little. It doesn’t mesh quite right with the vanilla textured ships, and that irks me.
The second, less pressing matter is highlighted in green. On the light fighter series of ships shown in the last two pictures, there is a grating that, in my opinion, feels very “Freelancer-ish.” This was the work of PantherX (I’m pretty sure), as this is a retextured version of a ship he made for Evolutions a long time ago. When I kitbashed together the HF and VHF ships, however, I couldn’t get that grating to fit it. I was hoping that someone with some skills could do that nicely, as I think it adds a lot to the ship.
So, is anybody interested in doing this for me? All of the model files are in Milkshape format or in CMP format, and I can send along the freighter of this series of ships (which I’m quite pleased with) as a guide to what I’m hoping to get.
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Hiya mknote, nice to see you back.
This place is becoming an Olde Freelancers’ Coffee Shoppe in our old age! rofl
I wish I could help but I am totally texture blind!
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Pretty sure the first problem is just that you’re using the MS3D exporter. The MS3D exporter has no concept of smoothing groups, it’s using whatever MS3D decided to use at that point.
The 3ds max exporter fixes this, among other things, by using Max’s smoothing groups options when exporting the model.
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I’m no modeller/texturer so I can’t help with the second, but as far as I know the 3ds max exporter is the only way around the first issue.
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I’ve used UV Mapper Classic for a bit some years ago and there was a tute on how to get good results with it, but… I was no good at it and didn’t do much.
It’s still available here if anyone wants to try it: http://www.uvmapper.com/
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I’ve seen on models, especially from Discovery Mod, that instead of being flat texture, the try to draw out, like the emblems and other details on new ships. I’m still having trouble with doing UV mapping, but I have redone textures, only with VTFs. I can do modeling, but doing UV is a bit challenging with the type of life I have to deal with. Since I’ve been busy with college and job search(which sucks in the state of Florida), asking someone do help with finishing it up doesn’t work. Sometimes you have to play it by ear.
Been awhile since I posted anything.
