Re-done PIEs

[Computerboy319]

New goodies! The new Heavy MG. Also, in case anyone was wondering, ALL of the textures on these things are temporary until we can find a texture. I am NOT going to use the default textures in the release version. Also, I am obliged to inform those checking back on this topic to go to the previous page, as there is a preview of the Viper's VTOL PIEs w.i.p.
Heavy MG in PIE Slicer:

Heavy MG on a tower:

Have fun.

[Hatsjoe]

I like the models for their realistic looks. And i think that from a modelling pov theyre definetly a step up from the originals but i find the ammunition box weird since guns in warzone have an unlimited amount of ammo. and the metal defensive plate in front of the gun doesn't exactly make it motre elegant. But if you went for a more realistic look you're right on target. And for the vtol and body: I like the new wings but really need to see them shaded. Anyways, keep up the good work, I m sure you're putting in a lot of work and it's really being appreciated.

[kage]

i think the look of the new mg turret would be especially good with the newer textures said to come along some time in the future, and perhaps a 2-poly version of the current 1 poly shield or alternatively a 1-poly version with slightly less slant to it, and perhaps some kind of viewing port in the middle of the shield for the supposed occupant, since the shield is never there to protect the equipment, but is there solely to protect the operator, and the operator would generally be in the middle of the shield (where the most protection is offered).

[Hatsjoe]

One more question about the new vtop prop, are you going to keep to the original warzone VTOL concept = The thrusters or jet engines build vertically into the wings or are you planning to do it the "harrier" way in which pipes redirect the horizontal thrust from the jet engines into vertical thrust? Because personally i think you should stick to the wz way

[Computerboy319]

Those pipes I have on the side in the .pie are static...I suppose I could rig up something into the wings but it wouldn't look right...
Update notes: Work on T1 Weapons and the cyborg body and legs continue. When either one is finished, I will upload the mod to all you good folks. Where exactly I'll upload it to...I don't know. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
On a texturing note, cegrocks and I will have an ad for an artist in the school announcements on monday, can't do it now, because we're still on spring break. Whatever.

-cb319

[Watermelon]

Personally I think the protective front plate on mg is a bit weird,since the turret in warzone is not manned(though some artillery weapons have that plate...)

I tried to 'clean up' the exist texture a bit using gradient brush manually,but it didnt make the texture look signicant better after the removal of low resolution/color bits,I guess it because the texture size per a 'hub' is small:

Part of page 14 droid hub:
original:


after clean-up:

[Kamaze]

Personally I think the protective front plate on mg is a bit weird,since the turret in warzone is not manned(though some artillery weapons have that plate...)

It saves the MG behind.

[Hatsjoe]

It saves the MG behind.

I understand what you're trying to do but if you look at real life, those plates are only used to protect the person who controls the unit + if you do it on the MG you would have to do it on every weapon in wz and honestly i don't want every weapon to have it.

[Hatsjoe]

Personally I think the protective front plate on mg is a bit weird,since the turret in warzone is not manned(though some artillery weapons have that plate...)

I tried to 'clean up' the exist texture a bit using gradient brush manually,but it didnt make the texture look signicant better after the removal of low resolution/color bits,I guess it because the texture size per a 'hub' is small:

Part of page 14 droid hub:
original:


after clean-up:

Thats right, although some parts of the texpage definetly look better, the differance isn't significant. To get better graphics you will have to increase the textures resolution.

[DevUrandom]

Personally I think the protective front plate on mg is a bit weird,since the turret in warzone is not manned(though some artillery weapons have that plate...)

I tried to 'clean up' the exist texture a bit using gradient brush manually,but it didnt make the texture look signicant better after the removal of low resolution/color bits,I guess it because the texture size per a 'hub' is small:

Part of page 14 droid hub:
original:


after clean-up:

Actually parts of the original image seem to look better. Your cleaned texture seems a bit "washed out". (Eg. the upper right corner looks better in the original, since it is darker.)

[Computerboy319]

The whole plate business was simply for aesthetics. The original one I had seemed a bit back-heavy. And I figured I could simply say it protected the vulnerable ammo box. If you guys want it removed, I can have a pic up in less than hour (I'm eating breakfast right now, and my GF wants to go rent a movie afterward)
Actually, turns out I can have an image in less than 5 minutes:


Incidentally, it conflicts occasionally as to whether the tanks are manned or not. So, I've always simply chosen to believe that the tanks were manned. And that sometimes the turrets were manned, othertimes controlled by camera, depending on what it looked like. So, it'll be fairly arbitrary...but the turrets I make will look manned if possible, so that's that.

[Watermelon]

With wz's per-component units,it's very hard to make certain turret to 'fit' for all bodies or at least most of them,for example some turret might look awesomely good on a small body,while looking ridiculous on some huge body like dragon,but I still unable to think of solution to this problem...

Also wz's bodies are way too small(width wise) and it makes almost all combinations look like a big gun mounted on a bike...

[kage]

With wz's per-component units,it's very hard to make certain turret to 'fit' for all bodies or at least most of them,for example some turret might look awesomely good on a small body,while looking ridiculous on some huge body like dragon,but I still unable to think of solution to this problem...

Also wz's bodies are way too small(width wise) and it makes almost all combinations look like a big gun mounted on a bike...

i don't think that needs a solution -- if you put a regular mg turret on top of a tracked python, of course it's going to look odd, since you've got a beast of a chassis with a dinky little weapon on top. on the other hand, putting a heavy cannon on top of a wheeled viper looks equally strange. same thing would happen if you removed the turret from an m1 abrams and replaced it with a 20 caliber mg.

the real trick is keeping it that way -- if you made it so they auto-scaled to look "better" on a body, technically the larger version should go up exponentially in damage potential and cost, which should have required extra research since it's pretty much a completely different weapon, thus you can't really justify auto-scaling. in regards to multi-turret stuff, a small mg would look great in front of a heavy cannon on a python, but you'd have to redesign the chassis to look better that way, and in most cases, the only way to make multi-turret units look good and have a shred of realism is to limit almost everything but the primary weapon to have a much smaller (45-90 degree) arc of fire.

[Watermelon]

i don't think that needs a solution -- if you put a regular mg turret on top of a tracked python, of course it's going to look odd, since you've got a beast of a chassis with a dinky little weapon on top. on the other hand, putting a heavy cannon on top of a wheeled viper looks equally strange. same thing would happen if you removed the turret from an m1 abrams and replaced it with a 20 caliber mg.

the real trick is keeping it that way -- if you made it so they auto-scaled to look "better" on a body, technically the larger version should go up exponentially in damage potential and cost, which should have required extra research since it's pretty much a completely different weapon, thus you can't really justify auto-scaling. in regards to multi-turret stuff, a small mg would look great in front of a heavy cannon on a python, but you'd have to redesign the chassis to look better that way, and in most cases, the only way to make multi-turret units look good and have a shred of realism is to limit almost everything but the primary weapon to have a much smaller (45-90 degree) arc of fire.

I guess the only way to make them not to look so 'sci-fi' is to disable the design feature completely in a realism mod,so you can have more controls over the placements such as where to attach weapons and what to attach...

With the current 3 weapons limitation,all bodies including the 'superheavy' dragon look odd with 3 of any weapon that is equally big/bigger than heavy cannon imo...

[Computerboy319]

Just realized something, and wanted to note it before I went off to implement it...since each light body has it's own individual .pie for the VTOL prop (as opposed to the medium bodies or the heavy bodies which share a single .pie) I can implement into the VTOL pie modifications to the light bodies to make them sleeker, more fighter-like. Just wanted to note that...any case, decided on the design of the new Bug, inspired by the design of the SU-27. Well, see you guys tomorrow, I'll probably have some closer to finished work by then.