01-16-2017, 02:02 PM
I'd like to address the Discovery Gaming Community about the current status of Model Development (ships, solars, anything in that category) and communicate with you some of my concerns, answer a few questions you might have and HOPEFULLY motivate some of you to become involved in it. If I can take the hours necessary to write all this, then do it some justice and read it as it deals with the future of this mod.
So, let's talk about how new content (models) makes its way into the mod. There are few ways for this, as follows:
1.) Model Creation - goes without saying, content created from scratch.
2.) Finalization & Export Prep - we have 8 models currently that need various things fixed (smooth groups, badly done UV's, excessive groups & geometry) before we can put them into the game. If at least two people step in, it can all be finished within a week;
3.) Hitboxing - this is a relatively easy job, but it still demands attention and time, so help is appreciated!
4.) Hardpointing - also an easy job, just very very time consuming if done correctly. You don't have to have ANY modeling experience to do this!
- more animated models - from cruise animations, hangar door animations, some gun animations - we are doing it;
- new FX - we are talking engines, weapons, thrusters, missiles... not gonna spoil the surprise;
- variety of balance and stability tweaks - which also have a lot to do with changing pre-existing class loadouts and mechanics.
Let us cut down on the memes, the flame wars, the drama and come together to co-create the most epic content that we can for our community! We all know how easy it is to demand content and wait for someone else to do it for us - it doesn't need to be this way! This is what demotivates our developers most and anybody else for that matter, who wants to contribute.
Last year, in July, was the first time I sat down to learn how to model, just so I could contribute to the mod and express my need for creativity. I spent months reading old tutorials, re-discovering things and dealing with weird issues that pop up when you do this kind of work. I am now offering you my knowledge, so you don't have to spend so much time and effort before you are able to create something. However, be prepared to put in the work required to learn how to use your 3D program of choice!
Keep in mind - many people who are experts on modeling for Freelancer are gone. , are a few good examples. might also not be here for long, as he is not playing the game since 2015 (and he will be moving on before or after he finishes his current ongoing models). That leaves primarily and as the remaining people with enough know-how to allow for new content creation. I think that about gives you the picture. Thanks for reading.
ABOUT THE MODELLING DEPARTMENT
You may (or may not) know this, but the Modelling Department runs on an extremely thin layer of staff, being second only to the Coding & FLHook division. Ever wonder why patches tend to rarely include new ships? This is why. Here is the reference thread for the Development Team Structure: ::LINK::So, let's talk about how new content (models) makes its way into the mod. There are few ways for this, as follows:
::OPTION-A:: Devs like , and (who seems to be on a break) follow a shortlist (which is rather long) of models that need to be created, sorted by necessity: ::See List Here:: Mind you, these are just the most needed models on that list. There are a ton others that need replacements, both for quality's sake, for PvP balance's sake and for server stability's sake (there are many models that have 4x the amount of pollys than needed).
::OPTION-B:: Content submissions by fellow community members, like , , , also Robert (whose forum name I don't know) and others. They may or may not follow the above^ To-do List, some of them do, like for example. It is good to have content submissions from the community, but there are two very major conditions that need to be met:
1.) Quality - mesh, UV mapping and PvP balance have to come hand in hand in every submission;
2.) Finalization - the model has to be export-ready (mesh groups set, smoothing groups correct, pivot points for moving parts set).
Why do we need quality? Because everyone likes quality. It also helps us attract fresh new players and makes the server run smoother with optimized game assets.
1.) Quality - mesh, UV mapping and PvP balance have to come hand in hand in every submission;
2.) Finalization - the model has to be export-ready (mesh groups set, smoothing groups correct, pivot points for moving parts set).
Why do we need quality? Because everyone likes quality. It also helps us attract fresh new players and makes the server run smoother with optimized game assets.
::OPTION-C:: Approved imports or free-to-use models (like the Scorpion Gunboat as an example). This is something we want to move away from, for various reasons. We have no control over the models' quality (editing them would be a pain and also copyright infringement upon the original artist). Furthermore, we want to set an example as being a mod community that makes its own stuff on demand, as the Roleplay here progresses. After all, we are a creative bunch, are we not?
WHAT DO WE NEED?
We need help... lots of it. Currently, Justin is buried in so much work that it's actually almost demotivating when you look at the sheer volume of it. It CAN however be done very swiftly if we get more people involved. Here is a list of areas you could help us out with:1.) Model Creation - goes without saying, content created from scratch.
2.) Finalization & Export Prep - we have 8 models currently that need various things fixed (smooth groups, badly done UV's, excessive groups & geometry) before we can put them into the game. If at least two people step in, it can all be finished within a week;
3.) Hitboxing - this is a relatively easy job, but it still demands attention and time, so help is appreciated!
4.) Hardpointing - also an easy job, just very very time consuming if done correctly. You don't have to have ANY modeling experience to do this!
OUR CURRENT GOALS
TL;DR, here is a list of what we are currently doing in the Combined Art Dev Section:- more animated models - from cruise animations, hangar door animations, some gun animations - we are doing it;
- new FX - we are talking engines, weapons, thrusters, missiles... not gonna spoil the surprise;
- variety of balance and stability tweaks - which also have a lot to do with changing pre-existing class loadouts and mechanics.
FINAL WORDS & NOTES
If you want to step in and help out, but don't have the knowledge - we can train you! I, myself, am offering Skype Support and I am prepared to share ALL of my knowledge from modeling, all the way through getting it in-game and working.Let us cut down on the memes, the flame wars, the drama and come together to co-create the most epic content that we can for our community! We all know how easy it is to demand content and wait for someone else to do it for us - it doesn't need to be this way! This is what demotivates our developers most and anybody else for that matter, who wants to contribute.
Last year, in July, was the first time I sat down to learn how to model, just so I could contribute to the mod and express my need for creativity. I spent months reading old tutorials, re-discovering things and dealing with weird issues that pop up when you do this kind of work. I am now offering you my knowledge, so you don't have to spend so much time and effort before you are able to create something. However, be prepared to put in the work required to learn how to use your 3D program of choice!
Keep in mind - many people who are experts on modeling for Freelancer are gone.