Aliens

[b00ce 160]

Are there any plans for the Solaco Frigate?

It would either have to be 9001 individual models stitched together or not have a working geometry LoD. The LHD from ArmA 2 was quite a few models put together, which is why you'd randomly fall through the seams to the ocean.

Not saying its impossible, more impractical than anything.

 

The good news is the dropship animations are indeed working... the bad news is I still have a mountain of crap to do to it LOL

I remember messing around with getting that old freeware model into ArmA 2. Jeebus was it ever a nightmare. Too much detail where there doesn't need to be and not nearly enough where it counts. Glad to see that old girl in game and flying again though.

[icebreakr 3157]

Great news hcpookie. I'm porting my Alienz mod to A3, too ;)

[hcpookie 3770]

It would either have to be 9001 individual models stitched together or not have a working geometry LoD. The LHD from ArmA 2 was quite a few models put together, which is why you'd randomly fall through the seams to the ocean.

Not saying its impossible, more impractical than anything.

Yeah no plans to make any sort of addition that would have no purpose in the game!  I'll be doing well just to get Vilas' infantry stuff working alongside the two vehicles.

 

 

I remember messing around with getting that old freeware model into ArmA 2. Jeebus was it ever a nightmare. Too much detail where there doesn't need to be and not nearly enough where it counts. Glad to see that old girl in game and flying again though.

Not aware of that effort in A2, first I've seen of that.  Model looks different than the one I'm working on based on the landing pads.

[b00ce 160]

Not aware of that effort in A2, first I've seen of that.  Model looks different than the one I'm working on based on the landing pads.

The cockpit/nose and inlets are a dead give away. ;) I do not envy you. Good luck, godspeed and may the force be with you. I got super frustrated with trying to fix it and then burned it down and started completely from scratch in O₂and made quite a bit of headway. And then ArmA 3 happened and I got Modo Indie. And then I burned it down and started from scratch again. And then I got super lazy.

[hcpookie 3770]

I think I see what you mean.  The front intakes appear to be too squared and need to be more rectangular with a lower, wider profile.  Otherwise the overall shape appears to be reasonably acceptable.  If anything I think it is too "narrow" overall and could be widened, but since I have no actual measurements to go by I have to eyeball against photos.  Beyond that I can't see much more I need to do to the shape.  Honestly think I'm closer to being ready to texture it instead of further model refinement.

[hcpookie 3770]

Great news hcpookie. I'm porting my Alienz mod to A3, too ;)

Good to know!  We'll definitely be able to use it for "future" stuff done right lol

 

 

An update on the drop ship...

 

The drop ship's rear landing gear is a pain because depending on the model or the actual stage prop, it is different.  Kind of frustrating. 

 

 

The actual ramp has a second smaller ramp behind the main one.  Not sure if I'll model it since it really isn't necessary for the purposes of the vehicle in-game.  It is only shown in the final escape scene.  Since the "getin/getout" actions will be available just by being near the ramp I don't think that smaller one is necessary for game play purposes.

 

 

SOOOO.... there I was looking at behind-the-scenes pics on my Aliens Special Edition DVD.  There are all sorts of lettering panels on the weapon pods that I need to add.  "Warning" signs etc.  This may prove a challenge.  I found the JBOT decal reference sheet.  I'm looking for a higher-res scan of the JBOT decals, if anyone may have a way to find that...

 

http://www.jbot.ca/space/aliens2.shtml

 

Do note that I do have a "full screen" version of that decal sheet, but not a high-res version that lets you read the letters on the side panels.  I'm not willing to pay $8.00 for the decals and scan them myself... I would think I should be able to find a really hi-res scan of that decal.

 

Barring my inability to find a high-res scan of that decal sheet, I'm going to rely on my Aliens DVD as a reference and find a font that is roughly appropriate for the lettering and manually recreate those panels.  The small panels have "serial number" lettering like "D/CTS" and "PW/31576" in that distinctive "post modern" font style aka "Eurostyle" or "Microgramma" style.  I have found many fonts that are CLOSE but not EXACT so some of the letters are not right.  Still looking for that "perfect" font... 

 

I may be forced just rely on the production photos and recreate them by hand.  The lettering is stenciled and none of the fonts I've found for download have both the basic font style and the stencil lines.  Fortunately there aren't too many of those panels to make so manually adding stencil lines shouldn't be too tedious!  :)

 

I found the "Colonial Marines technical manual" on SCRIBD.  There are other fictional units' emblems are present in the "manual" and I may add those for fun.  Reading online it appears that the more recent AVP games' weapon selections were based on that manual.  And it looks like Vilas' weapon selections were at least partially inspired by that manual, not sure really.  So "every" kind of weapon, not just the pulse rifle, should be present.  All that is after I get the drop ship working.

[Macser 776]

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/decal-sheet.jpg

Any use? I know some of the lettering is still fairly small. But I think you could get away with some "interpretation" on the fine print. :)

[1212PDMCDMPPM 200]

May be this could help you with the model or decal place:

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/insts_view.cfm?Kit=halycon_dropship

[hcpookie 3770]

http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/decal-sheet.jpg

Any use? I know some of the lettering is still fairly small. But I think you could get away with some "interpretation" on the fine print. :)

That's precisely the one I have now.  Hoping to find that with a much higher resolution.

[b00ce 160]

I have 1.2 GB of Colonial Marines references, if you're interested. It has closeups of the full scale model decals on the rocket pods as well.

Be warned, you'll want to start a new model from scratch, like I did. ;)

[hcpookie 3770]

That's the pic!  Precisely the thing I'm looking for.  My thoughts are to edit that and other screenshots in GIMP and remove everything but red :)  If that fails then I'll type it in manually.  Either way should work and thankfully there are only a few areas needing special lettering.

 

Is that from the blu-ray?  I am thinking about purchasing the blu-ray since the transfer would supposedly better quality, but reviews online indicate it may be the same as my DVD, just "blue shifted" which I personally do not like.  Apparently there is nothing new for the Aliens 30th anniversary which is a huge missed opportunity.  James Cameron could do another review and people would probably pay for it.  Heck even the plastic model is selling for $200+ on ebay.  Should be a sign right there they could still make money on it!  :)

[b00ce 160]

That's the pic!  Precisely the thing I'm looking for.  My thoughts are to edit that and other screenshots in GIMP and remove everything but red :)  If that fails then I'll type it in manually.  Either way should work and thankfully there are only a few areas needing special lettering.

 

Is that from the blu-ray?  I am thinking about purchasing the blu-ray since the transfer would supposedly better quality, but reviews online indicate it may be the same as my DVD, just "blue shifted" which I personally do not like.  Apparently there is nothing new for the Aliens 30th anniversary which is a huge missed opportunity.  James Cameron could do another review and people would probably pay for it.  Heck even the plastic model is selling for $200+ on ebay.  Should be a sign right there they could still make money on it!  :)

No, its from an old page on this site I had it bookmarked a long time ago, but the web-master put a password on it and I can't get to it anymore. If you go to some of the links on the right side of the page, there's a wealth of knowledge there as well.

[hcpookie 3770]

This looks promising...

 

http://www.cadnav.com/3d-models/model-23150.html

 

 

This appears to be "free" and not attached to any game or other source material.  Very interesting indeed.  If so then I should be able to add the alien xenomorph as a new soldier type and there you go.  Bear in mind I need to find the tutorials on how to do so as I have never successfully done anything with soldier 3D models.  That's why I stick to vehicles.  HOWEVER if I can figure out how to animate and bring into the game a custom soldier model, we are all set.  All the behaviors (biting, clawing, etc.) can be achieved with a custom bite weapon and a really fast runner.  I have seen zombie mods w/ fast runners so I know that part can be done.  The key piece is going to be how to animate and import this "soldier" object correctly.

[b00ce 160]

I'd ask McRupert and Bad Benson what/how they did their raptor.

[icebreakr 3157]

b00ce I still have your M41A :P ;)

[hcpookie 3770]

A brief update... spent yesterday until 2:00 AM refining the dropship model.  Too much coffee :)

 

Weapon pods are improved... rocket launch racks, and the AT missile tubes are actually tubes now and not just a flat face.

 

Ramp improved to drop down as it tilts as per movie operation. 

 

I've also refined the forward air intakes (new model area) and there are the little vents on top now as well but you can't see them in the pic. 

 

Improved model around all the control surfaces that are animated (rudder, elevator, airbrake, thrust vector nozzles). 

 

Chin turret and gatling is animated and ready for a turret config. 

 

Cockpit glass and headlight glass.

 

Reworked internal bay with a slightly better shape and added provisions for that rear walk ramp behind the main ramp.  Might make that a toggle so either-or ramps are activated, but not both at the same time. 

 

I've also refined the "at rest" surfaces so they better align and look correct when the weapon pods are folded.  Looks MUCH better now.

 

 

Model TO-DO:

 

I need to decide whether or not to make the landing gear "rotate" upon landing... in the movie the model "squats" about 0.25m downward and forward immediately before the APC disembarks.  This may or may not work well, depending on how much I have to alter the gear animations.  We'll see :)

 

Create weapon models.  This should be relatively easy... will just be really BIG rockets and missiles!  The config should be relatively standard however and not "spacey"... AT missiles, rockets, etc.

 

Cockpit!  Flight model!  Aircraft "effects"! 

 

Sounds!  Plan to sample engine and servo sounds directly from the movie.

 

Texture.  The good thing is it is pretty "bland" colors... just a basic olive green.  It seems from the in-game pics that the original green Vilas produced in A2 has become more "blue shifted" and washed out in A3... I may need to make them darker and change the tint.  Ditto for the soldier uniform textures... they look washed out in A3.

 

 

Once I get this complete I'm going to dig into the soldier weapons and armor.  May look around for a how-to guide for A3 soldier uniforms and armor.

[Valken 622]

@hpcookie - looking really good. maybe you can release the texture template and get help from some of the artists here so we can have a higher resolution set of textures to look better in Arma 3 and to offload some work from you if you wish.

[b00ce 160]

b00ce I still have your M41A :P ;)

Nice, well I have a new model in the worksâ„¢

 

A brief update... spent yesterday until 2:00 AM refining the dropship model.  Too much coffee :)

No such thing as too much coffee. :D

Looking a lot better, I do still have critiques though, so you're not off the hook yet.

The upper window on the right side of the cockpit should be flat.

The fairings coming down in front of the main landing gear should be split and folded.

The bar separating the upper and lower curved windshields should have an angled bit on both sides.

There's probably more stuff I haven't noticed. Good luck.

[icebreakr 3157]

Wow nice :)

[das attorney 858]

We're in the pipe  5 by 5

[hcpookie 3770]

Decals coming along.  Referencing numerous sources.  2k decals but the edges have a bit of bleed through (the white edges).  I'm going to give it another pass with the alpha channel in GIMP and see if I can't remove it.

 

As you can see the main "num1" and "num2" decals are placed.  They should all sync in MP if different numbers are selected.  However I'm not sure how easy it will be to select them in-mission, so I may not do that.  0-9 in the "USCM" font are present now.  So you can have 01 - 99 :)

 

 

Thrust vectoring and other control surfaces coming along...  started with the improved MV22 flight model I developed but she still handles like a pig :)  Going to work on it some more.

 

As you can see the box is attached to the ramp.  Unfortunately it doesn't align to the ramp when you attach it, so I'm going to have to add that so the APC will not be horizontal on the ramp. 

 

Note the landing gear raises up!  :)  Rear one on the model appears a bit off compared to video grabs from the movie.  I know they used a scraped airplane gear for it, and the gear shape is fine, but the folding in-flight is never clearly seen except in the "express elevator to hell" drop scene.  In all other scenes in the movie it is down.  So going from that it looks like the gear "sticks out" more than the plastic model does.  So I'm going with that :)  It looks pretty good and VERY close vs. the video screenshots...

 

 

Shadow working.  Added rotors for the front turbofans.  Resurfaced cockpit windows based on production drawings and video caps.  Cockpit seems a bit too wide at the top, but it appears it will need to be so in order to accommodate the pilot model since they don't "scrunch up" in the seats!  Also beefed up the front pylons some as they were too thin.  Overall the model is basically complete.  Don't see the need to do that much more to it. 

 

The "bug stomper" insignia is selectable via the "clan" selection.  It is an octagon-shaped surface which will accommodate roundels.  Had to use an octagon to get the edge up near the window without worry about other textures appearing over the window.  So roundels and relatively "round" emblems should work fine!

 

[hcpookie 3770]

Giving the drop ship some weapon love

 

[b00ce 160]

On the back of the aft landing gear, the back flap thingie (Untextured on your model) .

Also, is it memory points or proxies for the ramp spot?

Also², Found this little gem. It appears to be the model that they used for the express elevator to hell scene while it was still inside the hangar bay.

http://alienscollection.com/profilesdropship/

[Rich_R 1087]

Slightly off-topic, always impressed how large they made those models.

[hcpookie 3770]

More progress.  Surprisingly the new monochrome green looks pretty good!  I tried unwrapping the model in Blender but I guess I'm doing it wrong because it mapped every triangle separately LOL  So I'll have to figure that out.  I think I have to select the edges for each section to unwrap?  If I can't figure this part out then I'll just deal w/o any rivet panel joints.

 

Pilot placement is coming along, using the F35 pilot animation from A2 samples because it has the hands on the sides for the joystick/throttle.  His arms stick out a little too far but I can't seem to find another "hands at the side" animation.

 

 

AND lights... !!! :)