WIP: F-14 B/D
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fantastic…!!!
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Hello,
First, I want to tell it to avoid misunderstanding : it’s not my F-14, this is fully Stingray’s work !
So, here we are :
First, I want to recall that I’m not an expert of Blender. I literally hate this software, everything looks so complex and so messy compared to 3dsmax, (It’s only my point of view, I fully respect people who like it and feel happy with it )
It was very difficult to get a nice export of the bird. I had to download Blender 2.8 (I only had 3.0), to operate BMAX script, since there is no longer a built in .3ds export capability. Also, I never succeeded to export the bird to a common file format (.dae .obj or .fbx). I only succeeded to have some mesh by .stl, but it was too dirty to move on.
After that, I could have brought the Tomcat into 3dsmax, by using BMAX script + Script to button script. (3 hours to understand how to operate all of this).
Export itself was rather good, but I feel that there will be some some common smoothing issue, like on gunport.
I then found that some parts are missing, like in the cockpit.
Also, some parts are strangely distorded, like main undercarriage. I suppose that we will be able to export it separately.
To end, I had some normal issues, but this is rather common when exporting meshes. It’s moreover very easy to adjust.
@stingray_SIX_TWO My conclusion is that you’d better move as soon as possible to .3dsmax, to continue your beautiful model ! If you insist on Blender, you may have a lot of issues when exporting model + uvw, (and you will have a lot of rework in 3dsmax anyway). What do you think ?
Please check your inbox, I just sent you the .3dsmax file and the testing LOD. Don’t be surprised, I used my own basic textures to have something ingame : nothing is unwrapped :), and textures are totally irrelant !
Best regards,
Radiul
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@radium Wow man, sorry you had to spend all that time figuring it out. That said, I sure am glad you did!! Got your file, thanks so much!
Actually looks better than I expected, the model you have has multiple unwelded areas (like the Gunport, etc.) and some sharp edges which are evident in the screenshots.
Undercarriage I assume you’re referring to the bomb rails, it looks like a normals issue or surface is flipped on export, also familiar with that issue from my Blender export experience.
Exporting .fbx from Blender is made unnecessarily clumsy due to scaling and animation settings during the export which you’d miss if you’re not specifically looking for it. Struggled with that too as I do use .fbx on other models for other sims.
I have actually successfully exported my model to 3DS 2010 version, is that compatible?
I can relate to your initial response to Blender’s interface. In that sense, I’m the opposite having gotten used to it 3DS looks like Latin to me :).
I’ll have a look into this over the holidays.
Anytime, Baby.
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Can’t wait to see this skin on the new model, in game - emphasize on in game
This doesn’t look that bad given the model is probably 20 years old at this point.
This is from my skinpack from 8 1/2 years ago - time flies. Good thing is I can re-use all the PSDs of the over 50 skins I made and yes, I may have gotten carried away a LITTLE bit back then.
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Hello Stingray,
Rejecting all political implications (i’m only talking from an aesthetically perspective), my favorite is still Iran F-14 :
Cheers !
Radium
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@radium Oh I love the Persian Cats. I’ve done tons of (fictional) aggressor textures with digi camo in various configs and also researched and put together the Thief of Baghdad once upon a time. So altering the color palette from that and applying it to the digi camo should yield good results quickly.
This has got to be my all time favorite US paintjob on the big cat. The line flow across the fuselage, the outer rails down into the engine pods and drop tanks - how cool is that?
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I hate to be “That guy” but that jet isn’t Thief of Baghdad, its Camel Smoker.
ToB looked like this:
Otherwise great work on your Cat, looking forward to seeing more progress!
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@sobo-87 said in WIP: F-14 B/D:
I hate to be “That guy” but that jet isn’t Thief of Baghdad, its Camel Smoker.
ToB looked like this:
Otherwise great work on your Cat, looking forward to seeing more progress!
You’re so right, I stand corrected. I had both decals (Thief and Chief of Baghdad with the Camel Smoker insignia) on the same texture set. I like the smooth edges of the camo on the Camel Smoker better.
By the way, the cooles gimmick is visible on the picture you posted (looks like David F. Brown image) - the painted canopy on the bottom side!
Here it is in the editor…probably the most difficult yet most rewarding skin I’ve done - ages ago.
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DUDE, NICE!
Great to see you back, Stingray!
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Happy to join the 5th iteration of a Falcon forum in 15 years…sorry I missed the move but now I’m all set. Maybe on this forum I end up actually contributing a model that goes in game
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Sharp like the point of a spear
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@stingray_SIX_TWO
Is the model still alive? I would love to work on it Dont get me wrong not add/remove or whatver just some experiments on skins! It looks fabulous! -
Manos, I’m so glad you’re interested in the F-14. This is the best news of the day for me.
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@buraktunahan
Since the original Top Gun movie is one of my favorites and this model is top noch by stingray and i hope we can see it in Falcon someday. And i would love to make some experiments on it skinwise at least -
@Manos1981 said in WIP: F-14 B/D:
@buraktunahan
Since the original Top Gun movie is one of my favorites and this model is top noch by stingray and i hope we can see it in Falcon someday. And i would love to make some experiments on it skinwise at leastI’ve had the opportunity to shoot some photos of the last combat cruise of the VF-31 and VF-213 Tomcats in the Arabian Gulf during OIF, I’m happy to help with any photos where I can.
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@Manos1981 My biggest wish is to see this fighter on BMS one day. I even had the cockpit ready a few years ago.
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@Manos1981 said in WIP: F-14 B/D:
@stingray_SIX_TWO
Is the model still alive? I would love to work on it Dont get me wrong not add/remove or whatver just some experiments on skins! It looks fabulous!Once the unwrapping is done I’ll be happy to share with you for some skinning experimentation. Not that I lack any ideas myself…
On the modeling front I compiled my todos for the winter season…among others
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anti-collision and position lights on the wingtips
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the ominous refueling probe
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main landing gear linkage for animation (see youtube video below, posted 2 yrs after I modeled it and finally helped me realize which part of it rotates and why)
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set up 3DS and load model for DOF animation and textures (DOF will be used as far as possible for flaps, slats, spoilers, cove door and moving surfaces logic as well as wing flex and flutter if I can figure it out)
3DS…no comment.
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model geometry correction, lots of uneven areas, flipped normals, etc. I need to clean that up
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pilots need to be modeled, other than that I don’t see anything missing
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weapons will most likely be there already if not I’ll model them as well
I’m focusing on Delta Cat only for now, any A/A+/B configuration needs to wait.
Watch at .5x speed
@Turkeydriver @Mike-Metcalf Are you guys still active here?
@Tazz You may not remember but you shared those with me already years ago. VF-31 final cruise right? I remember there only being 8-10 pics so anymore you have would be greatly appreciated. Just send me a DM.
@buraktunahan That looks awesome!!
This has been going on for too long and I need to see an end so it won’t be perfect but at least I can bring an amateur model that is better and more functional than the current one to BMS and that would make me very happy.
Also there’s been countless valuable contributions over the years especially when it comes to flight model characteristics, combat capability, history and details of the big cat in my threads and @mykinge’s pit thread (I’m sure he won’t mind) by various individuals and I’ve compiled a .pdf that I will share in the coming days so at least we have some documentation should anyone ever try this again.
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@stingray_SIX_TWO
The way i work nowadays will need the mesh as well. You know where to find me -
You 3D paint in PS? I think we talked about this years ago
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Model is in much better state than I remember. Landing gear and refueling probe ‘animation’ are coming up!
On another note, is the sound logic in BMS 4.3.6+ still the same as in Free Falcon 5.5.5 11 years ago?
Always planned to bring some authentic sound to the model as well.