ZDarby sent MOE a load of his models. MOE put them on SharePoint - this is the link:

http://www.botf2.com/Shared%20Documents ... 44987A3%7d

My programs can not read the wings file formate. Can anyone else load and convert these to our 3DS file type? (see his readme)

I will go after a program to do it if no one already has it.

I checked the wings3d site, and its opensource, and comes with a 3ds exporter, so it should be no problem.

Just go download Wings 3d open the wings file, and find either the "Save As" or "Export" options, and then 3ds.

I have never used wings, so I'm not sure exactly how to export, but it shouldnt be too difficult to find.

Hope that helps.

Bravo!

A special thanks to ZDarby. We are so lucky to have a series of such fine models. Here is a set of three Defiants from ZDarby's collection.



I will be reworking them to 3ds and uploading them to SharePoint as time permits.

DZarby, Your collection of models is wonder. We are so lucky to have you contributing to the project. Your ships will make the games so much more enjoyable and brings us that much closer to show time. Thanks again and everyone joins me in three cheers for DZarby. Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!

Sorry, guys. I though I'd told MOE it was all in the Wings format and Wings3D was an open source program... Etc. Sorry...
Wings is what I use to make models and into what I translate everything. It's absolutely my favorite 3d modeler.
So, yeah, sorry 'bout that.
Hope you like.

Edit:
Um.... I can't take a lot of credit. For example, those defiant models weren't made by me... Um... Kenneth: check your PMs.

Yes, you did tell me that it was in wings format...but I didn't know what that meant. I've never heard of wings. (Or 3ds for that matter )

I'm just not a modeller.

Kenneth is in charge of sorting out the files on sharepoint. I just direct people to the site or upload the files that I receive, then Kenneth puts them where they need to go. I link the shiplist to any pictures of the ships that we have in the image gallery only. I generally don't have much other output on sharepoint, although I'm going to start doing the random events again soon. I noticed a couple of typos in there last night and there are still tons or randoms that need event messages written.

Keep up the good work, ZDarby! Are your Vulcan models included, perchance?

Thanks also to Nemitor_Atimen. I have the program and can load the wings files and export in the 3DS we use in our games. (The photo is from a 3DS version of the three Defiants.)

As time permits I will work through the wings models, we can check on permissions and then see about getting them on SharePoint.

OK then - can we get permission for the Defiants? I see we have a slot for escort as the defiant in the Federation shiplist.

(I do not consider anyone's models, including my own, as the final word for any model on the shiplist. It is up to the devs to decide what they put in their games. We have already set up for version numbers for extra models of the same type on SharePoint. This is happening with the Romulan outposts where my model is V1 and Zeleni will have a V2. I see where there is a Nemitor version of the Defiant that is not loaded to SharePoint.)

Can we put in one or more of these new defiants as versions to choose from for the games? Can we get permission for their use?

Ok. The Defiants:
Using the above picture as a reference, the one on the right is the BotF1 defiant using the texture from Dafedz Ultimate Mod 3. So, unless either party has an objection, that one should be cool to use.

I'm still finding the author of the other two...

That is good news then. One defiant will fill the shiplist slot. Do not spend a lot of time on the other defiants as models for the rest of the shiplist will be of more value to us rigth now.

Right one is the best!

Nah..take a close look..

the right one (the bigegst one on the screen) is the worst of the 3..you can see the lower polycount and I even think the texture looks worse.

Hard to tell between the other 2 but the middle one looks the best....

The Defiant on the right has 154 polys and uses a 512x512x8bit texture. As stated earlier, the mesh comes form BotF1 and the texture from Dafedz' UM3.

The Defiant in the center has 274 polys. The one on the left, 586 polys. They use the same 512x512x24bit texture. In their cases, their texture and geometries originated from '9 of Nine'. I got it from an Armada2 mod named "Sands of Time" by 'The Sandman'. I've yet to find a method of asking 9 of nine's permission. However, his models seem to be incorporated in several mods... So, maybe...

In all three cases, I've spent quite some time "cleaning up" their geometries -- by which I mean to say, I tried to turn as many triangles into quads as possible, remove extra geometry without compromising the shape, and conglomerate separate geometries into as few, single bits as I can manage. This process is incomplete with the third, highest poly model.

Edit:
I've finished the 'cleaning up' process for the higher-poly model. It's now 496 polys... By the way, that's 'polys' not 'tris'. Most of these polygons are quadrangles. So, for example, once triangulated -- all 3ds models are trangulated, and often poorly -- they become 272 tris, 494 tris, and 916 tris.

@Moe -- Yes. I believe I sent the vulcan ships in that packet. If not, someone tell me. Thanx.

Edit2:
No. The vulcan models are not there... One vulcan model is, but it's not mine... snafu

OK. Next I see a nice set of "shuttles."
It does not appear that shuttle are used as shuttles in the games but there is a lot there that could be minor race ships for our needs.
Can we use any of these beauties?

We can but ... Runboat and Fed Tactical fighter are tooo obvious

Not having shuttles as shuttles in the game we can leave those models in limbo for now. (nice ships)

I do not have the wings program where I am today so I do not get to see a picture of the constitution class ship for the Federation that is in the folder TOS. Clearly though this is a single specific ship on our ship list. Is it one that we could have permission for?

I thought Dafedz had built a Connie for us?

If so, we'll use whichever model looks best. Same goes for any other duplicated models. Let the eye candy battle commence!

...

We discussed a looong time ago about the possibility of having Shuttles and Runabouts in the game. I honestly can't remember what the outcome of the thread was though. Its a cool idea, but I don't think it should be a priority. We could always do it as an expansion pack or a mod for the game later on. The main models concern me more at the moment.

you could add them for some kind of simple mission specific storyline, etc.

I.e Capture or destroy the rebel/defecting officier before it reaches said "empires" borders?

Regards Wolfe

We already have shuttles in the game...as fighters,scouts, frigates and surveyors... I was checking Dafedz database , for example > Iyaaran and J naii ships in database are surveyors but according to Ex Astria Scientia are shuttles (Upgraded Klingon ¨Toron Klass¨ shuttle). Designation is surveyor but but model will look like shuttle

I see some nice untextured stations in the Federation folders that I assume are yours. There is need of a Federation Science Station in our shiplist. Can you texture up one of those for the Federation?

All the ships in that file are mine. Yes. Absolutely: permission granted to every last one.

I will try to texture it, but I make no promises about how pretty it will be.

Thank you so much for the models on SharePoint. Even the ones that we can not find permission for can serve as nice examples to guide our work. Every model you make helps even more. We are making great headway but still have a long road to drive. A better modeler can always come along but until they do here is what we have.

I am just a model hack myself. We can go beta or even go live and still go back and replace ships we do not like. I have tried not to look back at my own mistakes until we have all the models we need. (The only exceptions are my orbital batteries and Romulan Starbases. They were just that bad.)

Thank you again for your very helpful pointers on my ships as well. Your suggestions were very helpful and ended in real improvements in that Klingon Battle Cruiser. I look forward to seeing the model you chose for science station and the job you do on texture.