A TOS Re-Imagined or X-Era Mini Mod Possibility

[Majestic]

Hello all, thunderfoot emailed me not too long ago and offered his help in adding lightmaps to some models I have.

These models which I started in early 2008 and didn't get back to till early this year when I got my old computer back up and running are my own versions of a revised/re-imagined TOS, that or could be considered X-Era designs for those that follow Starfleet Battles.

Well I could never get the lightmaps to work correctly they turned out grainy and well to use a describitive term they were yuck and look rather horrid. If thunderfoot and I can get them fixed (along with thunderfoots shading adjustments) I am considering turning this bunch of some 12 ships and one station into a sort of mini modification that will see three full races come to life for Armada 2.

These races will namely be the Federation, Terran Empire and Galactic Order (from Star Trek Of Gods and Men fan film).

Now I am interested in seeing who would be interested in this and secondly who would be interested in helping out in this endeavour. I don't need modellers or texture makers as I have that sort myself, what I will need is someone who can code, odfs, balancing, weapons and do all the teadious stuff that makes me loose interest in a project and take a break from it.

This project is meant to be small, nothing to compare against Yesteryears or even Clash of Empires hence there are only three races and only the Federation and two of her counterparts. I have most of the ship models and all I would really need to do is make some kitbashes and do the stations.

So please post in the poll and vote your comments and any offers for help.

 

[Jasoneagle]

Knowing that My skills as a 3D Modeler are really lacking I can However Take a Spin at ODF work and Balancing, Though Coding for the Game I still don't Know Everything But I here by offer my Help as An ODF Maker and A Play Tester.

 

[Majestic]

Thanks JasonEagle, I shall take you up on that and there is no need to worry about not knowing everything as I can help you out if you are unsure of one thing or another and in any case I don't plan this mod to be anything spectaular, just a basic mini-mod for players to enjoy.

 

[Mukavich]

Okay, so I really, really stink at texturing, but I'm pretty good at 3d modelling and writing ODFs. I can do testing, too, if needed.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

I could help with some meshes. Just give me a list of which ships I could do and the specs for it (maybe the textures) and I submit a few meshes.

The movie is just plain great and I'd really like to see a reimagined TOS-mod.

 

[Majestic]

Thanks Mukavich, if you want to work with JasonEagle with doing ODFs and balancing that would be great.

Intrepid, if you want I can let you do the stations for the mod if you like. I don't have much talent for stations and infact I only have one Station and it's still a WIP (only needs finished being textured).

I am using the one texture set for two reasons, that being it makes everything fit together neatly when seen ingame and secondly cuts down on the download size as texture do make up about 80% of the size of a download.

Today I started work on my first TOS ship in quite sometime, using parts from my Constitution class I got the Bonaventure class completed 90% mesh wise and about the same texturing wise.

This ship was recently down by ScifiFan and released on A2Files and the design was featured in the 2006 Ships of the Line Calander. I came up with a backstory for this ship to and it is as follows:

Launched in 2251, the Bonaventure class was a tribute to the first starship named Enterprise (UES Enterprise NX-01) and her commanding officer Jonathan Archer and was launched on the exact same day as Archer's historic vessel. The Bonaventure encorporates many simularities as the Enterprise (or NX as it is sometimes known as) class but is larger and much more technologically advanced, and was state of the art when it was launched. There was already an Enterprise (the USS Enterprise NCC-1701) in service and so the class was named after the Neptune class UES Bonaventure the first ship that Captain/Admiral/President Jonathan Archer served onboard.

And now for some nice pretty images of the WIP mesh, enjoy and feedback always appreicated.

Spoiler: Bonaventure Image

Spoiler: Bonaventure Image

Spoiler: Bonaventure Image

She still needs work but thats why she is a WIP.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Sure, will do. I see if what I can make up.


That is a great start, Majestic!
However, I would recommend using more polygons for the saucer section. It will look much better as it already does, when the saucer seems more round.

How many polygons does the mesh have at the momet?

 

[Jasoneagle]

Ohh I forgot to mention I can also do Wireframes and Build Buttons of needed.

 

[Majestic]

Sure, will do. I see if what I can make up.


That is a great start, Majestic!
However, I would recommend using more polygons for the saucer section. It will look much better as it already does, when the saucer seems more round.

How many polygons does the mesh have at the momet?

Shes got like 1700 pollies, so really for a light cruiser thats as far as I will let her go. I just reused the saucer from the Conny.

Oh and I have started a Constellation class as well.

Ohh I forgot to mention I can also do Wireframes and Build Buttons of needed.

Oh wireframes, that will be a help as it is one graphic thing I hate doing.

 

[Majestic]

Quick update, two more vessels have been completed for the modification, the Bonaventure and Constellation classes.

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

 

[Muad'Dib]

Those are looking pretty sharp there Majestic!

Are you planning on using only existing designs, looking through old ships of the fleet manuals or coming up with your own?

 

[Majestic]

Those are looking pretty sharp there Majestic!

Are you planning on using only existing designs, looking through old ships of the fleet manuals or coming up with your own?

I get inspiration from a variety of sources such as semi-canon designs, fan made designs and my own jump in and design as I go. There are so many designs that won't make the cut and those models will be finished and appear eventually in the mesh section of the site for people to use themselves if they wish. You are all more than welcome to post references/pictures (in spoilers would be best to save clogging up the thread with images) of ships that you would like to see in the mod and I will take them into consideration for one of the three fleets (Federation, Terran Empire and Galactic Order).

I have already got an idea on how to make each fleet be different to one another yet similar.

The Federation are as we know then and as such have more peaceful looking vessels like the Constitution, Saladin etc. The Terran Empire will naturally have more violent looking designs to match their nature and the Galactic Order will use a combination of Federation, Klingon and Romulan designs and even some hybrids as seen in the feature presentation that was released last year.

There will be one common design in all three races and that is the classic, the Cadillac of starships the Constitution class

 

[Knight]

Loving the constellation class, great work there Majestic!

The Bonaventure shaping up quite nicely too, looks good, despite the design of the ship (im not a big fan of that class lol - that said, again, you've done a good job of it)

 

[Sqweloookle]

I would love to play a mod with the alternate realities of the Federation vs each other!

 

[Majestic]

Thanks you two.

Well I have another WIP ship that is almost finished, the Asia class. She was built decades before the Constitution and was in fact a test bed for many of the technologies that were incorporated into the Constitution design.

The design is originally by Bernd Schneider and refined by Masao Okazaki. Naturally I am giving it my own touches and style. I still need a new bridge module and warp nacelles. I want the design to look more primitive and the textures need fixing as they are streched in many places as I haven't even looked into the textures yet.

Spoiler: Asia Picture 01

Spoiler: Asia Picture 02

I also plan to change the logo on the ship to a more earlier one as seen on the original drawings of the ship, but that will come later. Thunderfoot is helping me out with this mod and he is at this time working on adjusting the textures and applying lightmaps. After that is done I will just it as a base for my PSD file of the textures as the Terran and GO are just layer adjustments over the Federation textures and at the same time I will make an earlier version of them for the Asia, Daedalus and any other earlier designs I plan to make.

Oh and the original design of the Asia can be found here: The Starfleet Museum - A Report by Masao Okazaki

 

[Majestic]

Just a quick request. I need someone with some knowledge of Armada 2 to bounce some ideas off about this mod via PM. If you're up for it please PM me.

 

[Majestic]

Hello all, just me again blabbing about this mod.

Today and last night when I wasn't on the road I went back and had a look and a good think about this mini modification I am making. I did a bit of drafting and decided to try something I have never attempted before and something I am going to keep to myself for a while until I can find someone to just bounce ideas off and have a good chat too to see if it's really worth the effort.

Anyway part of this shall I say re-drafting was looking at the designs of the ships. I have had my re-imagined Constitution class done for well over a year now, it was in my early stages of modelling and knowing what I know now I went back and decided to refine it. I deleted some unnecessary vertices and then redesigned it slightly to fit in more to TOS than before but still have my own take on the ship.

The image below is by no means a completed version of the ship as I am awaiting for Thunderfoot to send me the updated textures before I can make any more alterations to the textures such as adding in new torpedo launchers and the like.

The model is a combination of my own creation and mesh parts from Syf's constitution class he made back a couple of years ago.

Anyway I hereby introduce you to the new refined Constitution class.



The main changes on this version is the warp and impulse engines have been converted back to more TOS like and I have removed the TMP like torpedo launcher from the neck. I plan on doing an X-Era/Phase II refit version of the class that will re-introduce a neck torpedo launcher of some sort but it won't be the same as what I previously had.

Now there is the fun part, do you prefer this version to the previous version? Reason I am asking is I am seriously considering refitting so to speak the fleet I have to this specification and use this style in the mod rather than what I previously had.

Say yay or nay... the choice is yours and your opinions and the outcome of the votes through the forum will be taken into consideration when I decide on this.

 

[Majestic]

Okay this is sad, third post in a row by me...

Considering I got no responses I decided to go with the new style and I have revamped most of the fleet.

Included ships: Bonaventure, Constitution, Akula, Surya and Asia.

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

Spoiler: Image

I still need to do the Federation, Daedalus and Sherman.

 

[SciFiFan]

They all look good.

 

[Muad'Dib]

Those designs are really looking sweet Majestic!

I'm curious though as to why are the dishes so jagged instead of smooth round? I remember another modder used to do his Fed designs like this too and I believe the reason had something to do with making the modelling easier or less poly or something like that. Is that the case here as well?

In any case really awesome effort!

 

[Majestic]

Yes they are done to keep the poly count down allowing anyone who can play A2 to be able to play this mod with no frame rate issues.

It's the same principle Syf used for Yesteryears.

 

[Lord_Trekie]

They all look good Majestic, can't wait to see the Federation class.

 

[Majestic]

They all look good Majestic, can't wait to see the Federation class.

You mean this?

Spoiler: Federation Class Dreadnought

Spoiler: Federation Class Dreadnought

Spoiler: Federation Class Dreadnought

 

[Majestic]

Um I thinks it's time for a little update, while not a mod, at least I don't plan on one as I want COE Cardassians and YY done first which afterwards I don't plan on modding A2 any further, I will release regularity models for A2.

These TOS style vessels will be part of those future releases down the road.

After that **** landlord yesterday saying he is giving us 60 days to move out just because he doesn't want to fix problems that need fixing as the house is falling apart and all the work (like packing up the back shed in only several hours)that stress that came from it I needed to relax and modelling usually does that for me.

I have re-texture the Conny, and added some new elements to it of my own touch like the torp launchers. I am still thinking of going back and re-doing the majority of the vessel, such as the bridge and nacelles. However here is how she looks thus far:

Spoiler: NCC-1885 - USS Patton - Constitution Class

Spoiler: NCC-1885 - USS Patton - Constitution Class

Spoiler: NCC-1885 - USS Patton - Constitution Class

Spoiler: NCC-1885 - USS Patton - Constitution Class

I need to fix the registry and make some blank ones and templates so I cam custom the registries. I also need to get permission to release the ship with those textures, but considering they are made by the same person as the Cardassian COE textures I don't see any difficulty there I just need to ask for the usage permissions.

I would like to see what you'll all think of this version.

 

[Knight]

I like it, the extra little details make it special . Cool stuff Maj

 

[StarBlade]

After that **** landlord yesterday saying he is giving us 60 days to move out just because he doesn't want to fix problems that need fixing as the house is falling apart and all the work (like packing up the back shed in only several hours)that stress that came from it I needed to relax and modelling usually does that for me.

Not that I want to take away from your work on the Patton, but isn't there a law in Australia about this? I know in this country, there are some pretty specific laws governing the relationship between landlord and tenant, and knowing the law's provisions gives you an arsenal's worth with which to stand your ground. Renters have rights, too. Although if this dude is that much of a hassle you may simply want to go with it and find a landlord that isn't quite so nasty.

 

[Majestic]

In a nutshell we aren't in an agreement. However we have learned that he can't just kick us out if we have nowhere to go as long as we have been trying to find alternative housing.

He is evicting us under a no grounds eviction, which means he has no reason within the law to evict us, but it's still legal to do. However he has to give us a minimum of 60 days and we can appeal for more time if we haven't found a house by them (the rental market at the moment is horrible, not much at all around).

But it means now we have to spend the money we were saving for our wedding in June on moving so now we may not be having the wedding we want. After postponing it once we are refusing to postpone it again.

2010 is starting off as bad as 2009 did, lets hope after this bump it will be a good year *crosses fingers*.

Thanks for your interest.

 

[Knight]

In a nutshell we aren't in an agreement. However we have learned that he can't just kick us out if we have nowhere to go as long as we have been trying to find alternative housing.

He is evicting us under a no grounds eviction, which means he has no reason within the law to evict us, but it's still legal to do. However he has to give us a minimum of 60 days and we can appeal for more time if we haven't found a house by them (the rental market at the moment is horrible, not much at all around).

But it means now we have to spend the money we were saving for our wedding in June on moving so now we may not be having the wedding we want. After postponing it once we are refusing to postpone it again.

2010 is starting off as bad as 2009 did, lets hope after this bump it will be a good year *crosses fingers*.

Thanks for your interest.

Your landlord sounds like an idiot - renters market is horrible and he's kicking you out? no-ones gonna wanna rent the place if it needs a lot of repair work doing, and his whole reason for wanting you out is because he doesnt want to deal with it - which from a legal point of view, is his responsibility to fix anyway!

Your better off outta there mate, despite the impact on your plans

 

[Majestic]

I agree Knight, I'm looking forward to getting a new place. He's going to have to spend the money in any case, whether he wants to or not, so at the end of the day he looses out way more than us.

Well back to the topic, I have decided to re-do the model yet again. I want to make it closer to the STXI Constitution while remaining aspects of the TOS Constitution.

 

[dinosaurJR]

I love the models mate - especially the star drive - looks smooth with no mesh errors.

Neat and tidy modeling - the way it should be done

As for the housing drama - Im sorry mate, I had no idea. I hope you get things sorted out! i hated renting... Seems Im not the only one?