Concept for an Irra Replacement Model

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Printable Version

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Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Currently, the Irra Purifier (Nomad Cruiser) uses a rather poor looking model created by enlarging and stretching out the basic nomad gunboat model. Additionally, the current Irra's hardpoints go by four way symmetry (top/bottom/left/right), rather than the three way symmetry used by all other nomad ships (top, bottom left, bottom right or vice versa). I suggested to Yuri earlier today that a replacement model was needed, and he asked me to come up with a sketch or image that he could base a new model off of.

I havent heard back from him yet (since he's probably sleeping) but hopefully he'll be able to use the following to come up with a better looking model. The images I made are rather basic and only meant to give an idea or representation of what I'd like to see in the new model.

Here's the suggested 'sketch' for the new model, and descriptions as to what my idea was when making these images:

These images are all top-down.

Image #1 shows the basic body shape of the craft, which obviously may be altered to fit the rest of the ship when the model is made. The basic idea here is that the new Irra model - unlike other nomad ship models, does not have a centerline engine at the back (that will be explained later on). Additionally, the front of the ship has a concave "mouth"-like opening which was meant to resemble the front of the Nomad Suncrusher, seen in the extended opening cinematic for Freelancer (Link to cinematic video) (The suncrusher's mouth is shown around 4:20-4:50)
This forward concave section of the ship would house a heavy weapon hardpoint, either a nomad equivalent of the light mortar or a nomad cruiser forward gun.

Image #2 shows the basic body with the "wings" added on. Instead of the current spike-like wings, which are used on all nomad ships except the Nomad Bomber, I opted to go with the bomber's wider, double-spiked tip style wings (which, IMO, look much better and more 'tough'). A reference to the bomber wing shape is shown at the bottom of the image. The wings are connected to the rear 'bulb' of the main body, with one wing situated at the top of the vessel, and two more on the bottom left and bottom right at 66 degree angles, all wings face forward.

Image #3 shows the basic body with the "engines" added on (but no wings). Currently, all nomad ships have a centerline engine design with the engine at the back/center of the main body. The idea here is that the new Irra would use reversed 'tubes' similar to the intake tubes on the Marduk Battleship model, and would have three engines - one in each tube. The tubes are connected opposite and inverse of the wings - meaning that they are attached to the forward 'bulb' of the main body, with one on the bottom of the ship, and two more on the top left and top right situated at 66 degree angles.
The reasoning behind this setup is that the forward gun and engines would, in-RP, use the same reaction chamber at the front of the nomad ship. When firing the forward gun, power is diverted from the engines, while the other turrets on the ship gain their power from the rear chamber instead.

Image #4 shows the body with both the wings and engines attached.

Below those are references images showing the design influence of the Bomber's wide, double-spike tipped "wings" and the engine tubes from the marduk battleship.

This image shows the front (left) and back (right) of the ship, to better elaborate on the placement and styling of the wings and engine tubes, as well as the 'mouth' at the front of the ship.

The final image shows a top down view of the ship and suggested hardpoint locations. These are up for debate, however.

The current Irra uses 10 hardpoints: 1 on the front of the ship which can only fire forward, 1 on the rear of the ship which can only fire backward, and 8 spread across the middle of the ship which can fire both forward and backward.
The suggested hardpoints here have no rear-only turret, but instead of 3 normal turret hardpoints placed on each of the 3 wings/leafs, with the final hardpoint being changed to a heavy turret or forward gun placed in the 'mouth' of the vessel. The 9 turrets placed on the wings/leafs can fire both forward and backward, while the forward gun or heavy turret has a limited forward firing arc.

We'll see what Yuri comes up with when he has time to work on the model itself. Until then, any feedback on the proposal?

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Jinx - 11-11-2011

basicly not a bad idea - but maybe slightly too compact and size-efficient .... .

once we get the animations fully working - it could extend its "wings" to allow a larger profile in combat mode though.

in general - it is a bit too rounded - while nomad ships appear to be round and all - they still have plenty of pointy bits.

btw. is the shape of the current irra that bad? - if the intention was only to replace it with something that won t be called a "dildo" anymore - i daresay, you d replace it with something called a "tampon" ( if you add a string to it )

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Quote:once we get the animations fully working - it could extend its "wings" to allow a larger profile in combat mode though.

That'd be a cool effect for all nomad ships, TBH. I love how in the video I linked the nomad suncrusher has rotating fins that open up as it fires.

Anyways, the current Irra model:

Main issues with it are that the rear looks very... unusual... compared to other nomad ships, and it lacks any 'interesting' features, overall it's relatively bland. The nomad bomber has those unique wings that, personally, I find awesomely designed. The assassin has extra fins. The marduk has engine tubes and such. The Irra just looks... boring and uninspired (which it is, being nothing more than a stretched/enlarged nomad gunboat).

The rear end on it doesnt really suit the ship engine anyways, and the four-way symmetry of the turrets really bugs me, since nomads are all supposed to have three-way symmetry in their biological design (presumably a trait shared by their creators, the Daam K'vosh).

It is a bit 'compact', but the new model would be wider/fatter than the current one, if a bit shorter. I'm sure Yuri can make a model look much better than I did in these simple GIMP drawings. If absolutely necessary, it can, of course, be stretched out a bit more and given more detail to the front and back ends. It will probably have an interior skeletal structure similar to the nomad bomber, if Yuri can manage that, and the 'spiky-ness' is evident in the three wingtips, which each have two spikes protruding forward.

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Possible cutaway view of the "mouth"/forward gun.

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Here's a second concept, similar to the first but longer/skinnier and with the idea of moving fins taken into account.

The first picture shows the ship in cruise mode. The bomber-like fins are on attached to the rear section along with the engines, while the forward section contains 3 spike-like appendages and the 'mouth' of the ship where the forward gun is located.

The second picture shows the ship in combat mode, with the forward spike-like appendages and the rear wings extended outward. The forward appendages are meant to sort of shield/protect the mouth of the ship when it's in cruise mode (or out of combat, though that cant really be represented), but open for firing. The collapsing wings/spikes when in cruise mode also helps with travel through asteroid fields, though in combat the ship would end up snagging on rocks pretty bad.

This image details the parts used (the spikes, engines, and wings). Again, it uses bomber-like wings that have a split or gapped front section creating the double-spike effect. The engines are still pretty much identical to the marduk's intake tubes, only reversed. The spikes on the front could be quite similar in design to the midsection spikes on the marduk or the current wings on the irra.

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - AeternusDoleo - 11-11-2011

I'd like to see it textured before drawing any conclusions... having a hard time picturing what it'd look like ingame. As long as it keeps to the Nomad-y feel, using the Nomad gunboat and battleboat as the general template...

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Crackpunch - 11-11-2011

' Wrote:

Possible cutaway view of the "mouth"/forward gun.

Does that thing flash green or am I tripping balls?

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Uh, you're tripping, gimme some of whatever it is you took.

@Aeternus: it probably looks odd because it isnt an actual model, it's just a 2D drawing in GIMP. Yuri is making the model.

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Osilon - 11-11-2011

That second concept gives me the feel of the Shivans from Freespace 2. I've always found the two races somewhat similar, in that they both have highly advanced weaponry and mysteriously appear from nowhere with no real reason why.

How wide would the spines be on the second concept? Are we just talking like the fins on the bomber, or wider, 'petal' styles?

Concept for an Irra Replacement Model - Tenacity - 11-11-2011

Wider petal styles, flower-like almost, the image I drew up really doesnt get that across though.

The second version is actually based more on this shape: