Latest update!

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:57 am

After playing this beautifull game for a few weeks i ended up in the forums and was amazed by all the great cockpits and HUD's made by players. It really inspired me to create my own cockpit and hud. The only problem was that i never did anything like it and had no idea where to start.

So after reading (and reading some more) i installed Metaseq and used the customizer kit to learn how to MOD.
At this time i am well on my way with my brand new cockpit model!!! (pictures will follow later)

Because i am a beginner i still stumble on to problems now and then. I hope you guys can help me out to get this project to a good end!

So! like said before im now well on my way with a custom cockpit! I easily spend hours on metaseq and forget time completely..

I do have a problem though:

Whenever i load the game with my cockpit and turn the ship to left or right the projected radar and the two other screens seem to move (a little) with respect to my model. Or the other way around

When i load and play with the default cockpit the screens seem to be steady with respect to the default cockpit.

Is this because of scaling or maybe position of my model?
(both where done by trail and error until it looked right in the game) The projected screens are in default position is there anything to fix this?

Thanks alot!

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:52 am

Getting the screens to marry properly with the model is one of the toughest challenges (IMO) with creating a new cockpit. In the customizing kit there are instruction for creating a text file that adjusts the positions of the screens. One of the numeric values you can provide is a Z value, or depth value, or something along those lines. This moves the screen forward and back, and adjusting this value will allow you to better position the screens in 3D, so that they move with the model when the ship is turned.

-Accountant

EDIT: The text file is gauges.txt. I would try to be more helpful and explain how to create the file, but I am running late for work as it is

[Edited on 3-13-2012 by Accountant]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 8:23 pm

here are some pics of my cockpit project, i may change some things along the way cuz im still trying different models and textures.

[/img]

[Edited on 3-15-2012 by Wamcalot]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:37 pm

Thanks for your reply accountant, I will give this a try! And no worries, you are very helpfull and every help is welcome!

greetz

Post by **Marvin** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:38 am

Btw, when you test your textures in-game, also use the V key to check 3rd person view. Some textures are universal.

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:57 pm

Thanks for your comment Marvin!

I tested it with v and all seems to be fine!

Munshine · Post by **Munshine** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 7:09 pm

It starts looking good.

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:00 pm

Thnx Munshine!

And i finally fixed the above mentioned problem! I copy/pasted the center screen from accountants Obsv Cockpit 1.02 in metaseq and positioned my cockpit over it. then i deleted the Obsv cockpit screen and ajusted the gauges.txt files so the outer screen match also! and... ... .. IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO!!!

Thank you Accountant!

[Edited on 3-14-2012 by Wamcalot]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Thu Mar 15, 2012 9:35 pm

update:

[Edited on 3-15-2012 by Wamcalot]

[Edited on 3-15-2012 by Wamcalot]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:46 am

[/img]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:56 am

Need help!

How do you scale texture in metaseq so it fits right?
If you look up to the middle picture of the last post you see the grapics.. how do i make Ã©m to fit the face perfectly?

I havent got a cleu, i tried to make the source picture bigger but no luck..

Please help

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:52 am

can't help you with metaseq, but maybe you can ask its help for 'uvw' and 'mapping'. in general its about transporting 3d coordinates into 2d space and rather simple once understood.
ever did a paper cut-out? thats basically it, just the other way round.
if you feel inspired and happy by building virtual things as well, search for 'blender' and start diving (: there i can guarantee that it has the according functions and a strong community, tutorial and utility background.

you have another problem. looking at the same picture, the edge of the frame looks distorted. thats either caused by wrong smoothing groups or any other 'normal' weirdness.
is the black area model or texture?
if model: do not use boolean operations. its a mesh killer, polymonster and will turn percise texturing into a torture.
search for 'hard surface modelling' tutorials. the principle of a clean topology and how to model a hole, for example, should apply to all 3d packages out there.

one more thing: texturing is done after the modelling. not because its a rule, but because its the only way it works.
you can use materials in between with a quick normal mapping. i do that too. but as long as you change the mesh, your textures will get distorted.
have an idea, build the model as clean as you can with some rough colours. know when its done, then texture it.

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by ijon]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:47 am

Hi Ijon!

Thanks for your reply. I downloaded blender before but found it less beginner ffriendly then metaseq. so i i just got off with the last..

For the black area, if you mean the sidepanels its model i guess but im not sure if i understand what you mean exactly.. i did leave a part open behind the green cillynder..

I will take your advice and finish a clean build and then texture, hope it helps! thank you!

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by Wamcalot]

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:42 am

hey.
no problem.

also having my issues with blender. the user interface is something one has to get used to. extremely

i'm using it for video editing only.
anyway; thats the point: gretting used to something.
once you know what to search for, you can set your own limits and find your path through its functions. but thats something you have to decide.

we are talking about the same area i guess. the screeny with the green graphs you want to fit in, that black background + the frame around it.
(as an example for a boolean operation: you take a cylinder and let it intersect with a larger box, then substract the cylinder from the box. it will give you a hole.
its widely spread since its speeds up that sometimes difficult task of combining complex structures quickly.)
yours looks like you substractred a chamfered box from your frame (unless its a part of the textures), which would be an explanation for the distortions on the surface around it.

and yo; all just advice. i went the hard way which mainly kills your time. trial and error will let you learn a lot; but some things are fact.

[Edited on 3-25-2012 by ijon]

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:59 am

i have another advice: autodesk sells educational licenses. the conditions are way way better than for example adobe products.:
a 3ds max package costs like..4k â‚¬? same for maya. but: if you can proove, that you work within an educational environment or are any kind of student, you can buy the packages for like.. 250-, ?
thats not much, since these packages contain like 3 programs at once. for example, max, maya, xsi. and as a matter of fact: autodesk rules the market and programs like max are simply great.
depending on the dealer, you'll have options to cross grade like 1-2 years later for a huge discount still. and the license doesn't expire. (: (adobe wants 1/2 year proof) it just doesn't allow commercial productions; else fully functional.
so be creative. and safe like 12k â‚¬

i wouldn't consider pirating any adobe or autodesk products.
if they catch you (and they do pay attention) the consequences are drastic.

[Edited on 3-25-2012 by ijon]

Accountant · Post by **Accountant** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:34 am

To get the textures to fit the faces, you are going to have to unwrap your model. In Metaseq, this is accomplished by clicking the "UV" button on the left button pane. This will start the UV editing mode of Metaseq and allow you to wrap the textures using a variety of tools. You will be able to select specific faces and unwrap them using face, cylindrical, or spherical unwrapping. When you unwrap a face, the unwrapped face should appear in the 3D view screen. When you have finished unwrapping your model, you can export the results to a bitmap file (by clicking the Export button). This will export the unwrapped model, and all of the lines denoting the boundaries of the faces, to a picture, which can then be edited. This is how I unwrapped my cockpits.

This is probably going to be the most boring, tedious, and frustrating part of building a model. At least it was for me...

-Accountant

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:16 am

@ Ijon,

All advice is welcome! Talking about the black frame around the green picture.. Its an object, just a square with rounded edges wich i moved into the side panel. I intentionally made it black. after this i deleted the particular face and created a new face with the green texture on it.

And well..... for buying those programs.. haha i don't think my wife will agree with me... In her opinion i allready spend to much time on my pc.. Got a little son to... : ) I am aiming to learn to work with the programs i have but thanks for the info...

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:25 am

@ Accountant!

Thank you very much for the clear explenation!
There is a lot to learn about this program and its functionalities as it seems : ) And then to think i tought i was well on my way to learn it all hahaha. I will try to put your help in practice tonight and let you know how it went.

TY!

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:41 am

I'm currently quite busy with work so this project will have 2 wait for a while..
I'm still having trouble with flickering parts of my cockpit wich i cant seem to get rid of.. very frustrating!

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:59 pm

From post: 135480, Topic: tid=9084, author=Wamcalot wrote: I'm still having trouble with flickering parts of my cockpit wich i cant seem to get rid of.. very frustrating!

thats caused by overlapping of the different geometry layers. make sure to scale the ccpitreflections and light slightly down or move it away a bit from the main layer.
from 'outside' to 'inside':
ccpit-->refl-->light

Grimmrog · Post by **Grimmrog** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:40 am

Implement a cpt. Picard, nodding Head doll. ^^

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:27 pm

Grimmrog · Post by **Grimmrog** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:54 pm

No, Picard is the one with the bald patch xD

But seriously, this all looks always very unpersonal, but if you think, that this ship is your personal property, and the pilot spends most of the time in it, wouldn't there be some personal like ppl having on their desks or in their cars?

So a cockpit, with the possibility to add a small .Jpg or so, would really be great.

ijon · Post by **ijon** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 2:31 pm

no poopoo, sherlock.
damn.. hotlink. (:

tutorials are in progress. the first ones for basic terminology and understanding are done.
i'll have to test the new gimp a little (2.8 is out and pretty cool) - so the more specific ones will still need some time.

you'll be able to not only remod the perch but get some basic package to solve exactly these problems your self.
it will hit you in form of a blog which will allow us some cross communication without flooding these forums to much.
how it works out and developes will depend on your feedback and my time.

Qapla'!

ehh.. wamcalot, that little side info seemed to fit in.
your thread again (:

[Edited on 4-23-2012 by ijon]

Wamcalot · Post by **Wamcalot** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:56 pm

Thnx for the advice, i'll try moving the light and reflection layers soon, when time permits (read: my 10 months old son

)

Thnx