[WIP] Kitbash Mod Revamp

[dvatreknerd314]

Hey guys! I just wanted to show what progress I've made on a revamp of Epytron Omega's Kitbash Mod.

Here are the ships and stations that are already done:

Spoiler: Trinh

Spoiler: Elkins

Spoiler: Basic Shipyard

Spoiler: Curiosity

Spoiler: Oppenheimer

Spoiler: Tolunay

Spoiler: Nautilus

Spoiler: Isis Starbase

Spoiler: Galileo

Spoiler: Thunderchild

 

[Majestic]

Spoiler: Curiosity

Spoiler: Isis Starbase

Spoiler: Galileo

Those ^ would be the best ones you have. I'd recommend trying to alter the textures to match one another, as mismatched textures make kitbashes not look the best they can. Nice work keep up the good work.

 

[Adm_Z]

Glad to see my thunderchild up there! The rest are almost equally as good.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
The Nautilus was always my big favourite of EO's Kitbash Pack, I am very happy to see it been remade too . The Isis starbase is very nice looking too .

Keep it up!

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So, it's been a while since I've made any progress on this mod for the simple fact that I wanted to use certain parts of certain ships but Aad Moerman hadn't created them yet. Also, I had to redo my computer and didn't have Milkshape for a while. Now that I have them, I've resumed work on the kitbash mod. I've only got maybe one or two new ships actually working in Armada so far, but I've been making and remaking several kitbashes from both Epytron Omega's kitbash mod and from Borg Incursion 2. I currently have thirty-five kitbashes made, but only about ten of them are working in Armada 2 (and I really, really hate hardpointing). So, just wanted to let you know that this project isn't dead!

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So I've got a ton of kitbashes made (over sixty of them) and I want to show them off to see what you guys think of them. This mod is still a long way from being complete (I still need to do things like hardpointing, odf's, weapons, balancing, etc, etc) but the modelling part is what I love about this.

Spoiler: Ocypete Class

The Ocypete is a fighter (and the closest I could get with Aad Moerman's current models). It's not meant to be that pretty but it's small so it hopefully won't matter that much.

Spoiler: Perseverance Class

This one is meant to be either a frigate or a battleship. Not sure which yet

Spoiler: Shadow Class

This is my take on the Shadow Class from Borg Incursion 2. It'll be a cruiser

Spoiler: Spectre Class

This is my take on the Spectre Class from Borg Incursion 2. It's a destroyer

Spoiler: Valor Class

This is my take on the Valor from BI2. I decided to add a deflector as I don't think the original had one and I was a bit miffed at it.

 

[CABAL]

I rather like the Perseverance.

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So I've got some more for you:

Spoiler: Akia Class

This is the Akia from Borg Incursion 2, and will probably remain a frigate

Spoiler: Dallas Class

This is the Dallas, also from BI2, and I think will be a cruiser

Spoiler: Ixion Class

This is my own design for a destroyer, the Ixion

Spoiler: Seelholf Class

This is Epytron Omega's Seelholf Class

Spoiler: Velander Class

This is Epytron Omega's Velander Class. Not sure if it'll just be a cruiser/frigate, or if it'll still be an artillery ship of some kind.

 

[Chiletrek]

Hello:
Your version of those ships look very cool... by looking at your use of the Magellan's nacelles makes me think how nice Aad was about making that request I gave him .

About your ships, I like the Ixion class very much! IT is a very nice design that does not follow the usual Starfllet designs. Awesome.

Can you pleas make your version of the Nautilus, please? that ship was also in Epytron_Omega's kitbash pack .

Keep it up!

 

[dvatreknerd314]

Spoiler: Nautilus

You mean this?

 

[MrVulcan]

The last batch you posted look awesome Definitely getting a lot better at this. I think you're changing my mind about kitbashes in general. Good work mate

 

[Majestic]

The last batch are really well done, congrats you're kitbashing is improving.

 

[Chiletrek]

You mean this?

Hello:
Oh frak yeah! that's the ship that was always my fav between EO's kitbahses . Your version looks awesome. I can picture it flying along side a couple of Ixion class ships .

Keep it up!! .

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So, there are times when I'm not sure if an improvement I've made is actually an improvement at all. I've been working on balancing the textures to make them fit together better and the first three texture sets that have been balanced are the Akira, the Steamrunner, and the Excelsior 2. Reason why is I'm balancing textures ship by ship, and the first one that I tried was the Akia.

Again, not sure if this was an improvement or not. I might switch the excelsior texture back but I'm not sure yet:

Spoiler: Akia

Before:

After:

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So, I'd like your feedback on what I'm thinking about doing for the borg textures for this mod (as they are extremely inconsistent across the models I'm using). This is what I'm thinking of doing with them:

Spoiler: Galileo Borg Test

Here's version #2:

Spoiler: Galileo Borg Test

 

[Majestic]

Nice work on the Borg textures, have you thought of adding mesh parts (textured with Borg textures) assigned to the Borg node that will appear when it is assimilated? I know Fahres has a tutorial somewhere on this method. I don't use Borg textures myself as I don't use the Borg in my mods, but it might help improve your assimilated ships giving them that extra Borg feel to them.

 

[dvatreknerd314]

I have thought about it but the main reason I haven't (and why there aren't higher-detailed splotches of borg tech on the borgified ship) is I haven't found a borg texture that is better than stock that is available to be used in other people's mods. Then again, I haven't been looking that hard.

 

[Majestic]

I have thought about it but the main reason I haven't (and why there aren't higher-detailed splotches of borg tech on the borgified ship) is I haven't found a borg texture that is better than stock that is available to be used in other people's mods. Then again, I haven't been looking that hard.

I think MAP has a few in Borg Incursion 3, just check out his credit information and if in doubt contact him, he is always approachable and as long as you credit the original authors (he always uses other peoples textures) he is generally fine with it it.

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So I've decided to show off the improved versions of ships that I've already posted:

Spoiler: Akia

Spoiler: Dallas

Spoiler: Elkins

Spoiler: Ixion

Spoiler: Ocypete

Spoiler: Oppenheimer

Spoiler: Perseverance

Spoiler: Shadow

Spoiler: Spectre

Spoiler: Tolunay

Spoiler: Trinh

Spoiler: Valor

 

[Majestic]

Apart from some shading errors on the Intrepid saucers they look great.

Are you planning on doing any Klingon, Cardassian and Romulan kitashes?

 

[dvatreknerd314]

I've considered doing so but would probably release them separately as I have a ton of Fed kitbashes to still do.

Speaking of the shading errors (which thankfully aren't showing up in the game) is there any way to fix those?

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So this is the next set of ships I'm working on. All of them were designed by me

Spoiler: Eris Class

Spoiler: Hosseini Class

Spoiler: Orwell Class

Spoiler: Wales Class

Spoiler: Zenith Class

 

[Majestic]

Speaking of the shading errors (which thankfully aren't showing up in the game) is there any way to fix those?

What I do is unweld the entire model then use the following texture settings:

Texture Name: !phone_texturename_!lambert
Then the usual settings that one uses for the lightmaps: [Ambient: Black, Diffuse: White, Specular: Black, Emissive: White]

I have used this method for years and it's about 95% successful. There is always the chance it messes something up but I found it's so small that it can be overlooked. The !lambert is an A1 style smooth shading used as the default shading type in that game. It's not as reflective as !phong hence why I also use !phong. !lambert also works in A2 and Fleet Ops without an issue.

This thread might help you out: http://www.msfc.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=3684 It's a thread I started and many members here helped me develop it.

Also I know you haven't mentioned using it but I never use the Storm3D viewer to check models as the program doesn't show the models as they would in-game. It's always best to use the game itself to test the models.

 

[dvatreknerd314]

This thread might help you out: http://www.msfc.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=3684 It's a thread I started and many members here helped me develop it.

Also I know you haven't mentioned using it but I never use the Storm3D viewer to check models as the program doesn't show the models as they would in-game. It's always best to use the game itself to test the models.

That thread is extremely helpful, thank you! Also, I've started noticing what you've said about the models in-game. I might get some shots of them if I can figure out why the game is stretching stuff (it could be an optical illusion with the GUI as I'm using the Classic Mod on FleetOps and the GUI gets stretched horizontally a bit).

 

[Majestic]

That thread is extremely helpful, thank you! Also, I've started noticing what you've said about the models in-game. I might get some shots of them if I can figure out why the game is stretching stuff (it could be an optical illusion with the GUI as I'm using the Classic Mod on FleetOps and the GUI gets stretched horizontally a bit).

You're most welcome, reason I decided to make it. As for your stretching issue, I am unsure as I don't use the Classic Mod as I feel it's like going backwards when FO is a superior platform to mod and play on. Someone else hopefully might be of some help.

 

[dvatreknerd314]

So I've got some new ones for you:

Spoiler: Arizona Class

Spoiler: Cornwallis Class

Spoiler: Denmark Class

Spoiler: Justice Class

Spoiler: Yucatan Class

 

[Adm_Z]

That last one is really neat looking! Definitely my favorite of the set.

 

[Majestic]

I really like the Cornwallis, a very ambitious design you really took a chance on that one, and I think it paid off.

 

[CABAL]

I really like the Cornwallis, a very ambitious design you really took a chance on that one, and I think it paid off.

Yes, it's quirky, but in a good way. The nacelle configuration is very unique and interesting. Is that a turret on top of the engineering hull?

 

[dvatreknerd314]

Is that a turret on top of the engineering hull?

Yep, it's from Aad Moerman's Soyuz Class