FS2004 Bell 407 V2.0

[antaris]

Thanks a lot Cris

 

[antaris]

Hi lads

Happy to show what's landed on my desk, Nate's 407 up and running:

It is a very handsome model, isn't it? Well, since it has been originally designed in Gmax; a lot of work is ahead. Now with two strong candidates; I guess I will need to adapt...

Nate, thanks a lot.

 

[Marc L]

Nice
Id like to know, is its easier or worser to work on an "Already done" model?

 

[Gman]

Hi Sergio,
Looking good my friend!

Do you plan a no-doors version?
It's been a long time since I flew the 407, did it have tinted windows, and if so can you include a no-tint version?

My all-time favorite freeware chopper, the Nemeth/Zoltan MD 500E came with tinted windows and being half-blind I could hardly see out the windows. Fortunately, Tomas was kind enough to make me a no-tint version.

Keep up the good work buddy.

Cheers
Gary

 

[antaris]

Do you plan a no-doors version?
It's been a long time since I flew the 407, did it have tinted windows, and if so can you include a no-tint version?

My all-time favorite freeware chopper, the Nemeth/Zoltan MD 500E came with tinted windows and being half-blind I could hardly see out the windows. Fortunately, Tomas was kind enough to make me a no-tint version.

Keep up the good work buddy.

Hi Gary, whatever you need bro. I will map glasses in a way for all who wants to add detail (reflection, tints, etc.). If you help me to design the correct material setting; would be lovely. I don't know if you flew the 429; I tried this method but certainly can be improved.

Nice
Id like to know, is its easier or worser to work on an "Already done" model?

LOL, you hit the nail Marc. So far "not so good" with the first model; now, I need to clean the mesh in Nate's 407; this issue is always created due the exporting process. Once all parts are reworked (doing my very best, of course); I will redo all mapping and texturing. Just to be safe, I will save the work done so far; who knows... another HDD crash could be trash me again. Since I have several systems modeled from scratch; I will use those as well.

I will go ahead and to create a Frankenstein 407!!! Let's Rock n' Roll!!!

Take care lads.
Sergio.

 

[antaris]

Marc

Techically speaching this is my second project, I don't have enough backgorund to compare both methods. The first one was the Bell 429 and I learned to do everything from scratch; including:

1. How to use Gmax and 3ds Max.
2. How to unwrap and dissect a model to create textures.
3. Create the textures itself.
4. Learn the basics of XML Gauge Programming (I am the worst programmer ever). For me, this is very obscure and I barely scratched the surface. Many concepts and techniques involved in the creation of gauges, moving parts; code embedded in custom animations still are a mystery. This topic is (in my humble opinion) for very intelligent people; I can barely read...
5. Filter and edit the sounds tracks to create the engine sound systems.

This process, includes weeks of experimentation, loss of data and thousands of hours wasted due two hard drive crashes. Summarizing, we are talking about 2 or 3 years learning the tools, year and a half to get the 429 done.

Assuming that "I already" have this learning curve is on my side; I wanted to experiment how feasible would be to:

1. Adopt a model.
2. Do my best to enhance it.
3. Model or redesign parts/systems as needed to add more details.
4. Create new materials and textures; in other words, make the paint kit more friendly and as detailed as possible. It all depends on how it was unwrapped and textured from the original author(s).

Answering to your question, it's been hard; because I have the terrible tendency to complicate things and also, I am a lousy problem solver. In fact, my specialty is to create them...

 

[Marc L]

haha, to be honnest, I would prefer doing everything myself, so Im sure on how the model is done , my tendency is to model everything in 1 model, so when it comes to moving parts, I cry ...

 

[Nater]

And guys...just to give you a heads up too....That was my first ever model in Gmax.....Before I was using FSDS...

 

[antaris]

And guys...just to give you a heads up too....That was my first ever model in Gmax.....Before I was using FSDS...

Awesome bro! She has your signature all over the place!

 

[Gman]

Hi Gary, whatever you need bro. I will map glasses in a way for all who wants to add detail (reflection, tints, etc.). If you help me to design the correct material setting; would be lovely. I don't know if you flew the 429; I tried this method but certainly can be improved.

Hi Sergio,
Funny, I got all of the way to you mentioning if I had flown your 429 before it occurred to me that I had not, because I don't run FS9! So while I appreciate what you were prepared to do for me with the 407, I still don't run FS9 so you probably don't need to worry about it.

I will still be following your progress on the project.

Cheers
Gary

 

[euroastar350]

Like Nate, I started in FSDS and released a few projects with that program (Bell 212, Bell 412), then switched over to gmax and learned that program on my own including FSX gamepack which I had trouble in the beginning with and I've released numerous projects with that program ( http://www.eaglerotorcraftsimulations.com ). Now I use 3DS Max 9 and 2012 for development. Although more complex then gmax, has more features and more tools I can use to create models. I still use gmax for certain projects (Sikorsky S76, Mil MI2, Kamov KA26)

 

[antaris]

Good day

It's been a while since I made something for this chopper. Among several reasons, remaking the VC has been very difficult. Specially the overhead section and its connection to the cabin. I just can't make it right; but I think I'm getting closer very slowly...

I've also made minor changes to the fuselage and consequently in the paint kit. And now I realized (from this perspective) that the main panel and its housing must be closer to the pilot door. In other words, all parts in the center console need to be modified...

Well, that's all for the moment.

Cheers,
Sergio.

 

[Heretic]

Those moulded plastic parts with their smooth flows and complex shapes are the death of modelers. I've spent way too much time on the side wall of an A320 and wasn't even remotely close of getting it right. At one point, I simply gave up and modified the one from the default A321, which looks approximately right.

Good catch with the panel. I've degenerated to the point where add-ons with misplaced or mismatched cockpit geometry make me uncomfortable. Not a good trait, but I can't help it.

 

[antaris]

Those moulded plastic parts with their smooth flows and complex shapes are the death of modelers. I've spent way too much time on the side wall of an A320 and wasn't even remotely close of getting it right. At one point, I simply gave up and modified the one from the default A321, which looks approximately right.

Yes, I can relate. Sometimes I wonder how they do it! Something that really gets me angry, is that I do my very best and I only achieve dull results.

 

[Heretic]

Well, the shape is rather easy to do in proper CAD software, but since 3D modeling deals with points and lines instead of radii, the process gets tougher.

 

[antaris]

Hi lads

I've found three images that could help with the VC upper paneling. Let's see if my "guess modeling" falls in place...

For now and based on George's documentation, I've done some hand painted work for the overhead. Depending on the further progress in this area,
I might be keen to do all as 3d objects as well.

Of course, I need to tweak the color palette a bit more.

Cheers,
Sergio.

 

[antaris]

Hi folks

Taking a break from the tedious task I've been doing with the top panels, I realized that the original seats are very big. So, I began to experiment using different tricks and taking advantage of the "Push" modifier. From right to left (I always do everything against the natural flow of things... ), I took the original seat and I came up with something...

The gray ones, were made from scratch and seems to me that they are resembling most to the real ones.

Without turbosmooth applied, the gray seat has 365 polygons. The turbosmoothed version counted 1456 polygons; both are smaller as well.
I don't know yet if the head rests will be included to conform a single part or modeled separately.

Thank you for coming back to this thread.
Sergio.

 

[antaris]

More research gave this webpage, neat indeed. Posted here in order to keep track interesting stuff related to this little project.
http://www.superior-air.gr/fleet/bell-407-sx-hsi/

 

[darrenvox]

Sucks it ain't be for fs9


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[antaris]

Sucks it ain't be for fs9

Darren, it will be for FS9. Don't worry. A little improvement as well...

Sergio.