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Infant CVN project

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Calling all CVN personnel!  Calling all CVN personnel!   Your info is needed to finish a soon to be public model! 9lol, please give me a break it's TERRIBLY late here, and wanted to get this posted)

I'm currently making a functional CVN model, that is, multiple decks, hangar bay, engine room, ammo holds, catapult control room, tower with CIC and ready rooms, and yes, aircraft elevators.

-Why all the detail you ask?

Well, I have played with the other carriers out there, and, while they're functional, they are just not much fun.  No corridors to get lost in and have boarding skirmishes with.  No critical components that special forces -or attacking craft- can damage to cripple the ships functions / defenses (besides the weapons themselves).  No place to ready craft for launch with tugs or ammo/fuel/repair carts.  They just don't feel like 'home' as some of my Navy friends (read: Squids ;-) ) have explained.

So the model is a balance between engine limitations, realistic functional locations and a heaping scoop of playability.  It is a fictional CVN that has all the major appearances of it's real world bretheren, the flight deck is as close to actual as I can possibly get, the hangar is close in size, as are the elevators.  I took liberty with corridors, stairwells and generic rooms to make them fun to play in, they will not interfere with the function of the carrier, and they will help shed the lag load as stated below.  I expect to have destroyable catapult controls, engines, CIC, radar, ammo bunkers, elevators.  Trying to allow for a bust-ass, dragout battle in and out of the cockpit.  Also, there's the job opening (in missions, MP, or cutscenes) for an airboss to coordinate the readying and deployment of craft.

-'So you said you needed info.  Like, what kind dude?'

I'm at the point where I'm making the tower and it's corridors to the lower levels, access to the engine room...  And generally trying to finish this model off, so I may then beg for a small army of dedicated leaders to take and finish this monster. (As said before with the LCAC, 'All I'm good for is a model and inspiration'  tounge_o.gif )  

I need:

1- Location of a Nimitz class carrier's CIC, and if possible pics or rough sketches for room layout.

2- A semi-real location for engine room access hatches.  Of course they need to be limited, but I'd like to get some that everybody can agree on as primary.

3- Ammo hold locations, how they move the weapons, and where in the ship they load the aircraft  (hanger? flight deck?)  Need understanding of how to get ammo/fuel to planes.

4- Where, besides the tower and elevators, that one can access the flight deck... If any others exist, I assume that access to such a dangerous place would be pretty limited.

-'So how big is this monster!?!?  And how bad will it lag my system?  What are the details?'

Well, I've limited the eyecandy for more internal detail, but I expect that this model, when finished, may be >9000 polys (at 4800 now)  In the most complex LOD..  So what can be done about that?  First, the 65m GLOD limit allows me to segment this beast into 12 pieces.  (I'll try to stop players from falling to their doom in all the cracks by placing the sections precisely, and also recommend using a 'tongue and groove' or 'overlapping' type of GLOD so there is no crack straight into the drink.)  The 12 sections and the layout of most of the rooms allow for some creative LOD tweaking.  Plainly put-  If you are ~40 to 65m from the next section, all the rooms in that next section and beyond need not be shown, just the corridors and stairs, and of course major features like the hangar, engine room, external features, and windowed tower rooms.  So, rarely will all the 'guts' of the carrier be active at once.  This should bring the total poly count below 7000 if finagled properly.

Anywaaay,  hope I piqued somebody's interest and nobody will have to wait 'till OFP2 to come out for it to be finished;-)  

I'll accept any comments or criticisms.

Thanks ahead of time for any technical input!

Scrub

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There are four "engine rooms". They are arranged in this order: 1 RAR, 1 MMR, 2 RAR, 2 MMR. All are located centerline, midships, between the forward and aft galleys. The reach from the 2nd deck to just above the keel. There is a space between the keel and the deck of the mainspaces which is filled with fresh water.The main access ( "ladders", or stairs ) are located on the 2nd deck. The doors are steam-proof, hinged to open inward to the trunk. The ladder wells are white. The decks just above the mainspaces are for electronics, lube oil pumps, and controls for the reactors, etc.

Each mainspace is approximately 150 feet long, 100 feet wide, and about 50-60 feet high. They are multi-tiered, and basically uniform in their layout, except for the MMR's which have the steam tubines arranged to allow the shafts from the forward MMR, to pass through the aft MMR.

The RAR's contain a single reactor vessel each, with generators, water pumps, water purification systems, and other associated gear.

The MMR's each contain two steam turbines, two reduction gear, two water desalination plants, ships service air compressors, and throttle controls, etc.

Associated to the ships propulsion plants are a series of long, narrow compartments that run aft. They contain the four shafts, and shaft bearings, that drive the screws. The aftmost compartment has a watertight seal through which the shafts penetrate the hull.

In addition to the main propulsion, there is a aft auxillary diesel plant which can drive the ship at reduced speed, if neccessary.

Midships between 1 MMR and 2 RAR, is an auxillary steam plant which provides additional steam for tertiary functions like heating, laundry, and food preperation.

Anyway, that should keep you busy for now. Good Luck, and have fun!

*note: Due security concerns, and the fact that I haven't been a squid since the last Gulf War, some of my information may be a bit sketchy. Don't ask me for cold, hard specs, as I will simply direct you to pubilcly available sources.

wink_o.gif

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One technical suggestion: do not split the resolution LODs into pieces. Split only the Geo and Roadway LODs and keep them like 50m long/wide. 64m limit theory is not exact science and sometimes it work, sometimes it doesn't.

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I've got the geometry/roadway on my ship split up in 60m sections, it works quite well , the entire 250m ship fits in (ok not the last 10m).

I've also got the resolution lod in one single model, and the rest is just setpossed (ATM).

For planes to work well on aircraft carriers, some modifications are needed. Now all planes who land on the nimitz are halted, we should make a parameter which is checked whether or not the hook on the plane is down, so no more A-10's landing on carriers, just planes designed for carriers smile_o.gif

//EDIT: If you want I can post my idea on how to solve plane blowing up issues.

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Quote[/b] ]FW200 Posted on April 12 2005,08:23

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//EDIT: If you want I can post my idea on how to solve plane blowing up issues.

Quote[/b] ]I'll accept any comments or criticisms.

Brainstorming is the name of the game here, so please do.  I'd like this to be a repository of OFP carrier addon info.

@FerretFangs: Thanks for the info, I'll try to make the locations/sizes happen, but the actual number of decks and mezzanines will be limited for playability and I'll try to make the destroyable models a reasonable facsimilie.  As far as hard info is concerned, keep in mind that this is only a fictional (read: fun) carrier that has functional locations.    wink_o.gif

(Now I have to get my deposit back on the dark room with the bright light  tounge_o.gif )

@ Ag_smith:  Not that I'm doubting you -at all-, as I know little about actual addon making, but why do you recommend a single res LOD?  Because now, especially at 50m sections, there are even greater possibilities to lower the hit from all the internal details.  That is, unless having so many res lod's actually make MORE work for the CPU.  The modeling of them is not an issue, I can provide all the res LOD's.

If anyone would like (or has an idea of who would be good) to lead the effort to config, script, texture and package this as an addon, start thinking of it now, cause I'm putting all effort into finishing this model and releasing it to a team.

I'll get some pics out when I get home from work... falling asleep... not good..  crazy_o.gif

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Ok the idea is quite simple.

I've noticed that:

When landing on my carrier with a plane that has "gearRetracting = true; " , the plane blows up.

When landing on my carrier with a plane that has "gearRetracting = false; " , the plane stays in one piece.

So the solution is simple, give the plane you have with "gearRetracting = true; ", "gearRetracting = false; "

Then you proceed by removing the gear eventhandler and adding useractions (example from my/Trenchfeet's Hurricane:

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">class ECB_HURlowgear

{

displayName ="Lower Gear";

position = "hooklever";

radius =2;

condition = "player in this and this animationphase ""ECB_HURgear1"" > 0.5";

statement = "[this] exec {\ECB_Hurricane_DATAFILE\geardown.sqs}";

};

class ECB_HURupgear

{

displayName ="Raise Gear";

position = "hooklever";

radius =2;

condition = "player in this and this animationphase ""ECB_HURgear1"" < 0.5";

statement = "[this] exec {\ECB_Hurricane_DATAFILE\gearup.sqs}";

};

The displayname is obvious

The position is a point in the memory lod (near the pilots cockpit)

The radius is the range around this memory point

The condition checks the criteria for when the option should be visible.

The statement then proceeds to run the normal gearup/down scripts you would also have used normally with the eventhandler gear (That is if you have a plane which uses advanced gear systems, most planes these days do)

I hope this is a bit clear, if any questions remain, don't hesitate to ask wink_o.gif

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No, no, no... tounge_o.gif

I'm not saying that you should make single res LOD. I'm only saying: don't cut it into 50/64-meter pieces... this will solve the problem of little tiny gaps (or overlaping - resulting in flickering textures) still visible after setposing the whole thing together. That's all.

smile_o.gif

Of course, you definitely must make further resolution lods with polycount cut down.

Edit:

FW200, your info seems not to be really acurate when it comes to gear reatracting. The planes with gearRetracting=true can land on the Nimitz safely without any problems, including blowing up. This means there's a problem with your carrier, that makes certain planes blow up when landing.

There's also another downside of having planes set to gearRetracting=false. OFP won't simulate air drag when the gear is down... crazy_o.gif

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I'm willing to give that up wink_o.gif

I've had random blowing ups of the planes on my carrier, I'll try on the Nimitz as well. With this system I'm using now I'm having zero explosions (except if I drop the plane like a brick on the deck biggrin_o.gif )

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Quote[/b] ]ag_smith Posted on April 12 2005,17:46

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I'm only saying: don't cut it into 50/64-meter pieces... this will solve the problem of little tiny gaps (or overlaping - resulting in flickering textures) still visible after setposing the whole thing together. That's all.

Thanks!  That is what I was looking for.  Sorry for the poorly worded question, we were saying the same thing: multiple levels of detail, on one whole model, using several 50m or 64m geo lod's for solidity.  I was questioning why it should not have multiple sections with their own LODs, and you answered expertly..  I believe we are now on the same page  smile_o.gif

@ FW200:  If you and, if he wants, ag_smith would like to perfect carrier landings, and recommend the config tweaks to the makers of carrier capable aircraft using this thread as a start, please do.  It is however, beyond me.  tounge_o.gif

O.K. here's the pics I offered earlier,  the untextured stills don't do it justice.  I might make a fly-through movie to show the massive size. (p.s. - I know it will probably look, to the experienced eye, like a hatchless cruise ship at this time, I intend to add only that eyecandy as able due to features and polys available. Hatches every 10m, after all, are useless with the OFP engine  wink_o.gif )

-Starting out in the port cabin area, 2nd floor above hanger deck, by the aft stairwell.  You see to the left the access to the other corridor on deck 2.  To the right, towards the bow, the primary corridor, with 5 rooms, midships stairwell and further access to the other corridor.

2ndfloorstairwell.jpg

-Now climbing up 2 more floors to deck 4 above hangar level, you see again to the left, access to the secondary corridor.  To the right much the same as the 2 decks below, except there are hatches to a windowed 'lobby' just under Cats 3&4 (just a fun place to hang out during launch/recovery), and also an alternate route to the Catapult Control Room located midships toward the bow.

4thfloorstairwell.jpg

-Turning left from the previous pic, we go port to the 4th floor aft, beamwise corridor. note the fictional windows on the left.

4thfloorbeamwisehall.jpg

-Looking aft, out a window, you see we are just under elevator #4, looking into the hangarbay.  This is just for player awareness.  Because in reality, there are hundreds of marines posted in factual windowless points to provide security, the numbers allow an awareness that we need to augment with the ability to watch several points at once.  In MP, you may have one or two players on defense, and I expect this view will have most aft boarding positions covered... But not all. wow_o.gif

4thfloorlookingatelevator4.jpg

-On deck 4, port side, fore section, there is a fictional 'Cat lobby'.  I'm not too happy with this pic (looking toward the bow), it was hard to get any details from either hatchway, so I had to dolly the camera into the room, and that limited the view greatly.  The overviews will show the size and shape of the room.

4thfloorportlobby.jpg

-Hanger from aft looking fore

<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v362/scrubmuncher/hangerfromelev1.jpg" target="_blank">-Looking in hangar from Elevator #1.  Note the access hatches and 4th floor catwalk.

</a>

-External port-fore view

-External starboard-fore view

-External Starboard view

-External starboard aft view

-External top view

-Skeleton top view (assembly)

-Skeleton side view (assembly)

-Skeleton midships iso (assembly)

All in all, port side alone has 37 rooms, 7 corridors, 2 stairwells, and 2 hangar access hatches (3 if you count the 4th floor catwalk to the center stairwell).  I'll start on the engine rooms, very simplistic, but layed out based off of FerretFangs's info.  Starboard tower and the 4 decks below that.

Currently running 4800 polys, max.  Will possibly alter port/starboard/bow rooms to fit into <10000 polys max.

Will also look into a stripped down version with just critical locations and hangar for extensive islands/missions.  the attempt is to get <5000 polys.

-Still need ammo bunker info.. Anybody?...  Beuller?... Beuller? tounge_o.gif

Have a good night!

Edit: Sorry for the 106kb pic! Promise not to do it again! Also, looking at the hangar height, I might need to lower it and put decks 4 and possibly 3, above the hangar ceiling. It looks a deck or two too high.

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I'm willing to give that up  wink_o.gif

I've had random blowing ups of the planes on my carrier, I'll try on the Nimitz as well. With this system I'm using now I'm having zero explosions (except if I drop the plane like a brick on the deck  biggrin_o.gif )

Without further investigation, my rough guess is that the important factor is how high the roadway is apart (read: above) from Geo LOD components. I think that when they're too close, random blow ups will occur. That's my theory, but I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure about it.

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Quote[/b] ]ag_smith Posted on April 13 2005,11:25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without further investigation, my rough guess is that the important factor is how high the roadway is apart (read: above) from Geo LOD components. I think that when they're too close, random blow ups will occur. That's my theory, but I wouldn't say I'm 100% sure about it.

Hmmm, thinking that the landing gear geo may go thru the landing surface's roadway, to it's geo below before being recognized and corrected? Flagging a crash?  Something like that?  rock.gif Try spacing the layers apart and note differences.. Imperical science at it's best! (umm, trial and error?) tounge_o.gif

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