Discovery Gaming Community

' Wrote:Well, i think you already got the experience to know, which concepts might work and which not and i wont limit concepts ideas, but throw in my comments and concerns.

The quality i mentioned is something, the model creators, including me, mostly spent time to their own models.
There wasn't a general quality assurance. The result are still unsolved issues. Many of them in a cosmetical way, but also some in a gameplay way. Most impoortant of all was the use of unaltered vanilla Freelancer textures, but creating an extra mat file and not using existing vanilla mat files, wasting mod file size for no reason. The mod could be some Mb smaller than it is.
Just to give you a closer look onto my major concerns.

So if i can help you with a model, throw me a line.

AoM

I am trying to keep model size down--there are a few very small areas that could be trimmed with some great effort (in my new version) but it is a fairly "clean" model.

I actually am quite pleased with it in the new state. I had tried to expand on the "Barge" concept before Seth and Jinx took over and revamped it and had made some components for "eye appeal" that were just to detailed size swelling to use as desired. In this model, multiple copies of them weren't required and I have not only a decent sized model but also one that if ever desired (and I will do it as concept/background anyway)--and if a miracle ever happened--could actually be made animated to "deploy its cargo pod".

Anyway, here is the new version image with transparency but no texture and when I get it finished (which it almost is--I am cleaning up stray elements and trimming the components where I can) I'd be happy to release it to someone to actually make into a playable model. Yours if you want to finish the work.

Thanks for the offer. At present it will have a "native" (built into its own hull) hardpoint for a class 2 turret (mining laser_ and an aft hardpoint for a countermeasure launcher. There is the potential to add one or two or even more additional hardpoints to the bottom of the cargo pod. When I show how it would actually work, then that may be decided. my next version will show some variations and uses with the cargo pod--just as a reference and for concept.

That latter version is a thousand time better than the previous models, but it doesn't live to its name, not at all...

' Wrote:That latter version is a thousand time better than the previous models, but it doesn't live to its name, not at all...

The Hunley was a death trap--taking down all its crews but at the same time was a success. I imagine the reason Junkers were chosen is they not only could blend in but were the only ones willing to set off with such small ships on such a dangerous trip. No doubt, many did not survive--and as France gave some slight aid to the Confederacy it seems an appropriate choice.

give it a suicide bomb like the hunly

This is the H. L. Hunley Infiltrator with the equipment cargo module deployed in one of two usable configurations.

A very good model, really. The only concern I have, would be the small space for the pilot and the life sustainment systems, like oxygen and water tanks, carbon filters. An engine is also missing.

' Wrote:A very good model, really. The only concern I have, would be the small space for the pilot and the life sustainment systems, like oxygen and water tanks, carbon filters. An engine is also missing.

Yep--my original model was bigger but I wanted to see if I could come up with a working concept that would make a smaller ship work. The CSS Hunley was not "livable". I chose that name to help illustrate what the function is of these vessels. You could spend a few dozen hours aboard but that was as much as one could stand. These ships would be a similar concept.

The ship itself is not the system really--its the modular pods. Junkers had to spread out and infiltrate Sirius. Fleets of these small ships could carry the supplies for small depots and station--which the Junkers have stuck with to this day as a concept. So a few dozen would make a supply dump in an asteroid field. Then they would bring in ice crackers to make water, hydrogen fuel and oxygen. The engine is on the aft end of the ship and the tank on top carries life support and fuel--which can also be supplemented by the cargo container. Its a modular ship--the cargo container is a hot-swappable upgrade. The ships had to be small to be unnoticed by Council allies as well as non-Gallic Sirius dwellers and especially to be able to navigate risky minefield paths. So ships would trickle out, swarm an asteroid area, build a depot--then daisy chain out to spy and operate. It explains why Junker Stations were built in the first place. they finally got enough resources to build a new expansion base.

So cargo pods could carry ecm gear, surveillance, mineral sampling, spare parts, fuel and even humans (up to six). All this while being small enough to scoot around. I put the mining laser hardpoint on as looking for resources would have been a priority and the remote arms are there because it is hard to get in and out--the cargo pod has to be extended so the pilot can exit. Some cargo pods would even serve as "sleepers"--mobile homes if you will or the cabins found in big rigs. Others could be cryo chambers to 'store" people until facilities were finished for them. So the ships are like ants in a colony--each with special functions.

The "tinkering" and mechanical skills of Junkers would have been by design. They most likely would receive extensive training before they departed to insure they could build and maintain facilities and ships. It just became part of their culture over time. Junkers would have been ballsy, opportunistic, lower class who wanted to move up and received extensive technical training and education. Not just "dumb scrap jocks". The earliest Junkers would be a combination of an astronaut, James Bond and engineer.

I'm making a "display" cargo module now showing how they can be versatile. Will post when I can.

in addition to the amazing model, you have about enough information about it to write the info card.

good work.

' Wrote:in addition to the amazing model, you have about enough information about it to write the info card.

good work.

Thanks--I am updating the above pic with a cargo pod variant with some hatches open. Give me a few minutes.

Ummm, paragraph breaks please next time Tinkerbell, my eyes hurt now...

But yeah, love it. Now if you could figure out how to make animation actually work in game...

Of course if you did that I might have kiss you, and driving to wherever you live...

Wait, your in Michigan too, Nvm:ylove: