yeah, this feeling i know well...

it's a beast to handle when you start with it, i guess every blender user will confirm this.

and it's still, even if it has get quite more comfortable.

but what is good at blender is the crux with it, it's user configurable, and it was even harder with 2.49.

it's a bit to much and you can loose easy overwiew.

how's about splitting windows?

arrange the windows how you like to, that helps a lot in the beginning.

use less, at least i do so.

in general i have only three windows, the 3d view to work on the mesh, the "buttons" view and either UV or ipo curves.

that works for me well, someone else might like it different.

also not to miss are the side menu strips, which you open at the plus symbol, but even here less is more and the transform and view info is usually enough, i won't miss them, i use these fields often.

all the mesh tools which are on the left strip you can reach either via keys or the pulldown menu, while i prefere to have it on top of the window, i'm used to

and to me it's very uncommon to open a pulldown on bottom, but choices are different.

erm, yes since i was used to work with 2.49, i prefere this theme/setup, anyway i like to work on a bright background instead of a dark,

but also, how you like and because of the many how you likes....

but yeah, i have a problem with the new release to, i haven't found out yet how to set the amount of vertices/segments for a new object.

either that has been forgotten, or i don't know...

---

@walterar

if this "change" was because of the resting position then i fear it was needless if not counterproductive,

because to use the geometry depending on "gear_up" or "gear_down", is a elegant solution i feel.

to use the collision mesh, or to make this to a condition, i didn't think is as good.

@Marcel

"I think both are currently happening to me."

We must recognize that if we are here, we are not very sane, right?

before i speculate further i can't reproduce this error with the sidewinder model,

took a short trip from l.a to l.a, docked without problems. ?

Really don't understand why alls decide to  build in SGM ...

not all,

but i do understand well why it's more attractive.

no question, it's far easier.

you could say also say "higher levelled".

but "high level" = easy to understand but as higher the level the more it limits flexibility,

no matter if we are talking about softs or something else.

highest level would be a "one button" program/machine, but that can't work and would be fairly limited,

except that thing can read minds.

😉

apropos LMR

tourist, you might have noticed that i uploaded a wip of my FFE mod to my skydrive.

a main difference is the revisited "old" pilot model, it's almost as it was used in the release since a while.

i still have some changes to that in mind, but the model itself will stay (centering is new, but needed to scale ships and pilot "lossless", for some ships it's sometimes hard to find a proper scale, in this way a scaling in a limited range changes nothing to the position of the pilot even or especially if you keep the pilot 1:1).

i kept some old models, they simply call the new model and translate it according to the change.

in short words, all LMR models containing a pilot should work with only this script.

what prob. will change is the way the variations get exchanged, or i like to have a few more, because actually you have in fact only 3 really different,

a female, a male and the robot, you can call only these three, though a ship with three visible crew will always have a female, a male and a robot pilot, only with changing colors/faces/positions.

it should even replace the very old pilot model, while the call for the replacement model isn't scaled neither proper translated for

compatibility, but i guess not many models still us this one (prob. some, but in the way i used them, none).

http://sdrv.ms/XOgYh4

"caribou" and "boa" call already the new pilot.

ok, you find here only FFE ships, the rest will follow, buit i like to get this bunch first

in proper shape, also the decals position i have changed (and i added a few new ones), after thinking ten times if i really should,

but it's somewhat easier to position one if it's centered in centre instead centered on lower left corner.

i should have done that a long time ago...

the faction symbols i made once are since a while only geometry, if you lower opacity to 50% they look quite good, or alternatively you can

use a texture with a alpha channel (noise) and they get part of the hull.

first i have the hullcutter ready

http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/files/file/1000-mod-hullcutter/

but patience, it needs to be reviewed first.

second,

like i said crew, prob. that's really the only reason for this behave.

third,

nah, i guess we will continue walterar, that might be hard and steps will be small,

but certain things, not flashing lights, will be forever "locked" else.

but the main difference for me is that with the LMR i decide, i decide how i use something.

but only for myself, no one has to use it in the same way as i do.

simplyfied said, "free"

certainly, and i said that often, the main advantage

are the matrix animations and mesh materials,

but on the other hand, mesh materials was simply disabled (and are still for wavefront),

not without "help" from myside, or just because they didn't worked out well,

further are the GL Materials of blender or max no reference for the game,

and usually you had to "tune" them anyway for the final model

(that has changed somehow and the material of the SGM looks quite like in blender,

but if something should be taken as reference then it would be a rendering and

not the materials how they appear in the workspace).

and i'm convinced with a solution to animate a wavefront and

proper mesh materials it would be as easy to setup a model script as

the model files now for SGM, or as close to, at least it wouldn't need a large script.

of course any detachable object like missiles or scanner gives a little extra work

but that it will do anyway in one or the other kind.

but you would keep the "freedom" to do in this or the other way.

but suggestion have made long ago, decision was different 😉

and "finally" the Adder

http://spacesimcentral.com/ssc/files/file/1001-mod-adder/

"but patience, it needs to be reviewed first." 

yes, unfortunately all last week uploaded must get crew added.

and even my ffe mod needs this for all ships.

added crew to all models i uploaded last week,

though the SGM models will be ready for alpha32 (more or less).

"added crew to all models"

These are the details that make the difference.

not quite, it was only the crew in the ship specs, but it seems that's needed at least for "alpha32freeze",

though don't be surprised when there is "nobody" in the adder.

but actually it's more important to get the models proper working as to have a pilot

or other details i forgot or delayed (like navlights).

pilots for SGModels are anyway a "problem" for me,

what kind i ever put in, it's the wrong one,

though i can only choose between either female or male

and you will have to live with that.

what i can do is to make two versions like i did for the "sidie".

one female, one male, with prob. other little differences,

then at least you can choose which version you like to buy.

but ok, as long as only i have the desire to put a "humunculus"

in a spaceship, i will be the only one who cares about.

but i can live with it, let's say; why do i mind at all?

choices are different and i hang on the "elite" concept (a game of lonely space adventure?),

doesn't have to be "elite", but by the same criterias.

while like i said choices are different and of course certain things and that starts with things like a

landing gear and ends with a pilot or a scanner, lead to a certain design, imho.

though, there exist many freaked out and futuristic space ship designs,

but, overall i ment, the less have a resonable layout, not even halfways reasonable.

what shouldn't mean i wouldn't have some models that are even rarely reasonable ("Gelios").

but whatever pleases one, that's ok.

i always liked the Eagle of Space1999, i guess that shows my choice well.

i have to say overall i like the style of it, certain things look fairly overaged today,

but the ship and station models are still outstanding realistic in layout.

it's the concept you see behind, you can see someone has made some thoughts about it.

and kept this concept to the smallest detail, check once set pictures of the models,

a fantastic craftsmenship you will see.

---

and

i like toys 😉

[attachment=1711:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-04 um 12.35.06.png]

[attachment=1712:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-04 um 12.37.01.png]

not enough to have only a pilot or two,

why not make a observation deck and put some passengers in?

for the impatient ones (while i couldn't see one...)

http://sdrv.ms/VDFELP

i added a "old" model for alpha31 or Genesia to the skydrive folder

it's "Greyoxide's" Large Galactical Cruiser or originally named as "Concept Ship" (out of several).

personally i don't like "anime style" ships, but why not?

 Aproved for Genesia , the style is not a mater ( in 31st century many style comes from varied cultures galactic's sectors ), it's a big ship and the game need a lot of theses sorts of large cruiser . 

=> going make R4 especally for its .

Thanks Gernot  

yet another "oldie" (and laaaarge, btw. i suggest to double the LGC it's a 3000tons ship)

s2odans "Imperial Explorer"

i did some changes to the content on skydrive,

but with this upload all is in latest state.

"impex" and "LGC" i haven't up on SSC yet.

http://sdrv.ms/VDFELP

3000Tons ? 0_0 

it's near the class of a bulk carrier , goin' to see the scale between thes two models ...

with thesesort of ship dockin'  is only possible on big ground station , or maybe the big crappy ... go to test that .

ho and for the LG cruiser , i'll adjust the min /max crew  to min 6 max20 , like the spec of enterprise , 6 is  fact the number of bridge officers witch give bonus to the ship , the simple crew member not appear because they don't give bonus ,

i'll probably change the term "Crew" to " Bridge Officers " .

with 30 crew the bonus wher maybe too hight . and thes ship maybe become invicible .

ok ,seem have problem with missiles, they enter in colision with the ship ( on LGC and Impex) ...

the time before activation is define in source ? or in a lua ? 

Edit : found 🙂

in libs/ship.lua

work in progress

Edit2 : hem ... seem these ships are very too big to use missiles , up the timer for activation to 8 sec ( 2sec in origin) and thedistance to  600 ( instead 300)  but collision is always here .

Decide to define the max missile to zero , afterall , these bigs ships can equip two larges acell plasma gun and a very big mumber of shield units, and with 25 BO ( Bridge Officer) , they are very dangerous an don't need somes poor little missiles.

sounding like they could put their own anti missile system ( either missile interceptors or projectile type systems)

sounds to ME, like a lot of mistakes have been made since...

..."screwed" one could say.

---

nonetheless, and in despite of if SW fits or not (i feel any single piloted ship fity better as any of the rest, "elite" is a elite of pilots and not of "captains" or button pressers).

i reworked all the SW-XWA ships i converted once, actually a couple would be ready,

but as a first goodie i will present my overhauled "YT-1300".

[attachment=1728:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-16 um 20.11.12.png]

[attachment=1729:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-16 um 20.11.55.png]

because further changes to them are ahead, i will upload it first to my skydrive

http://sdrv.ms/XLg1fm

expect more on monday/tuesday

? 0_0  no comment , it seem you never dl my last version of YT 1300 .....

"overhauled" ? your discard quadlasers, the door i've made, and reduce the famous laning gear to smaller one .

very despointed to se you take time to work on something who'se don't need .

@potsmoke66

Thank you very much for ships. Eagle MK-2 is an error, the rest is working fine.

@walterar,

you get me in a quandary,

prob. i won't?

on the other hand it's sad if i don't.

well, to me it's extremely sad i would have to... because i don't like to.

in some sort i feel, "well, they should feel a little of my pain to, it wasn't my decision, if i would like to be a asshole i would say, ask robn or luomo if they will convert them for you"

besides, yes i like what is happening now, somehow, the models are very fine, especially sol-commands, but hmmm....

imo "i feel they don't belong to pioneer", because with a few exceptions they are no fighters.

but anyway changes have been made which i rarely understand, (e.g. full price for each ship instead exchange, "it let's me ask myself if they ever played frontier or only tell?")

but it's not the only thing that went into a opposite, if not wrong direction.

but of course, people like me are no longer asked, and ok, do your own idiocracy make your own mistakes, even if they are to foresee and certain things wouldn't had to be changed only to find out that it was good.

should i tell you what i think?

i think with our "core team" at hand, pioneer has turned into a toy for developers,

but it's no longer a game for users, neither it is ment longer as a game for users.

"end of message" 😉

---

@sapog662,

i will take a closer look at it, i guess it's a easy to solve issue, actually i don't know what it is, the MK2 should have worked or has worked, but no problem i guess.

---

now to the funstuff,

[attachment=1735:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-22 um 01.19.27.png]

i updated a couple, no, all SW-XWA models i converted once, some i also did for the SGM, but planned is to have the SW-XWA mod only for "Genesia"

or whatever will support LMR, even if most of the models are such awkward and simple the would make fine examples for (the capabilities of) SGM.

anyway, some are still "under construction", or each time i work on one i get a new idea what i could enhance on the rest of them.

(argh, some flipped normals, billboard lights looks quite different on the MAC's ATI, zbias works different if at all now (at least it won't be needed anymore for the SGM, or needed it would be, but how to solve that whithout a script?).... some fixes are ahead).

[attachment=1733:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-22 um 01.16.47.png]

listing of converted SW-XWA models

"ZeroG Utility"

"Assault Gunboat"

"B-Wing"

"Escort Shuttle"

"Escort Transporter"

"Imperial Lander"

"Lambda Shuttle"

"Marauder Corvette"

"Preybird Fighter"

"R-41 Starchaser"

"Scoutcraft"

"Supafighter"

"Suprosa"

"Tie Fighter" (Tie, Interceptor and a sort of a Tie Bomber, while all three are very small and have little cargo cap.. Advanced Tie, Defender and Bizarro are planned)

"Toscan Fighter"

"Tunaboat" (a custom SW-XWA ship)

"X-Wing"

"YT-1300"

"YT-2000"

"YT-2400"

"Z-95 Headhunter"

i will have to make some screenshots first and bundle all in a mod

note: the ship specs are quite uncommon, a little "faster" as i would setup ships else, main thrust is between 10 and 30g,

while the rest, retro and lateral thrust is very little, imagined that the ships have foremost a main thrust.

that means in fact that this ships won't work well along with the others, they are tuned in specs and price to a own game mod.

(the ships are rather cheap, i used a simple formula this time "tons cargo = kilo$", it looks good and makes sense to start out with such)

[attachment=1736:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-22 um 01.21.01.png]

---

damned, another stupid change, i can't influence no longer the missiles via the lua specifications, only the model the rest is HARDHEADED, erm sorry hardcoded 😉

"if it's not in the range of our imagination, especially if WE didn't like it, you will have to dislike (or like, depends on pov) it to, or get busted".

---

you know what walterar, if pioneer leaks of (my) art, why should i care for?

it was decided that pioneer will exist without it, not my decision, maybe neither yours, maybe neither any players choice, but...

though why should i care, did they care?

---

hmmm...

ships with no atmospheric shielding won't appear in a groundstations ship roster,

i wonder what else the will make HARDHEADED!

the modeller should decide

BUT FOREMOST

THE PLAYER SHOULD DECIDE

and not the dev. what a player is allowed to do or not, ALLOWED! are we serfs?

---

@walterar,

expect what?

that i'm responsible or that they expect models for the official release of me?

(i know the latter, i'm silly)

---

no more registration for ships in preview, that means wrong colors and ahh **** wrong at all...

i stopped to count all the leaks and dislikes of the latest releases...

it only makes me angry, thinking of that fiddling around seems to be fun for some.

and gosh you can be pretty sure if i find out something useful, e.g to use the animation "gear up" or "gear down" to proper position the ship,

they will counteract to it and simply remove "gear up", "SO GERNOT NOW GO AND USE YOUR CLEVER WAY IF WE DON'T LIKE IT,

WE CAN DISABLE IT WHENEVER WE LIKE... ätsch", sometimes i feel i'm in "kindegarten".

(but well you would have to disable "gear down" to for me, to get rid of that possibility...)

no, of course it's ten times better to use a oversized collision mesh,

it's ten times better to scoop on the belly of every ship instead on a given position with a flagged geometry.

everything is ten times better, never forget!

i don't know what that is

but i know

that's no cooperation.

[attachment=1734:Bildschirmfoto 2013-03-22 um 01.17.44.png]

@ Gernot , 

Be sure that your SW- XWA mod was study and certainly most models will be implanted directly in Genesia ( not as a mod ). 

But all i can say for the moment is  :in Genesia your version of YT1300 can't replace that :