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FS2004 Bell 407 V2.0
- Thread starter antaris
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Hello lads
The work is not going as fast as I's like; mainly because I made and still trying to refine some curves. The main bulk in the interior is almost ready; however, a lot of work is needed.
Here is she when I adopted her:
And today's work... I really hope you can tell the difference!
Since I made minor but meaningful changes (at least for me), I will need to remap the entire fuselage. I am not sure how to map some parts; perhaps when the time is right; I will ask for some help. Darn, a few days I did the same just to align the panel lines...
Don't worry, a coffe jar and my favorite music -hopefully- will do the trick!
The work is not going as fast as I's like; mainly because I made and still trying to refine some curves. The main bulk in the interior is almost ready; however, a lot of work is needed.
Here is she when I adopted her:
And today's work... I really hope you can tell the difference!
Since I made minor but meaningful changes (at least for me), I will need to remap the entire fuselage. I am not sure how to map some parts; perhaps when the time is right; I will ask for some help. Darn, a few days I did the same just to align the panel lines...
Don't worry, a coffe jar and my favorite music -hopefully- will do the trick!
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Thanks for the feedback my friend; by closely watching your posts on the MV-22 Osprey I certainly trust in what you have to say in this regard. I am using an old Max Version (2010 working at 64 bits). I am mainly depending in planar projections because I am a beginner and I haven't mastered other options. From a repainter point of view, I really want to create intuitive paint kits as well.
AFAIK, "peel" option is not available in the 2010 version; on the other hand, I've tried to flatten some difficult parts but I can't determine the scale achieved by this method. In short, I wasn't able to get good results. Furthermore, I am not able to figure out how to correctly manage polygon selections. I usually generate my smoothing groups but it is unknown to me why I can't reselect the polygons by the "smoothing group" feature. So, as you can see I am very rudimentary and need to work more with my seem creation in order to be more productive. For example, this is the actual first half of the fuselage:
As I added some polygons to the left and right sides, I will need to include them and I need to update the mapping to avoid distortions and other "visual artifacts"... one more time. Just to sum more aggravation, I am questioning my first decision to map separately the rear air intake (in the cowling area); it would be easier to include both in the main side projections.
Another thing, I personally do not like to use both sides facing in the same direction; because you need to mirror text and logos to show correctly. The sweet spot by using this alignment would be to facilitate those lovely and complex stripes used in real world liveries. Since this is my second time in the UVW mapping procedures, I need to think many times which would be "the best" layout. This is the... 10th combination I've tried for this? I can't remember
Thanks again to read this thread!
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I still a beginner and need to learn more ....
I have 2012, thought it not too far from 2010 ( never use 2010).
to achieve flatten mapping, you can use:
- explode: flatten by angle ( no effect on smoothing group)
it will spread out you mesh, that way it need "stitch", I assign it to SHIFT + S ( make life easier), stitch it each singe spread mesh. stitching on line you want to stitch. think to be consider is the shape of model, must know where the mesh ended in some edge (in one model) that would make distortion for texture. it need generalize in which angle mesh will facing and decide it as single mesh
- after stitching finish you can use: arrange element, I usually use Normalize to make mesh have 1:1 in size ratio and arrange mesh in texture size (the scale you worry about)
- reshape element (to keep each polygon have same ratio).
- Quick transform: vertical/Horizontal align. use on complex cable/pipe make all longest in line and if some edge of mesh that need to be straighten but not straight yet due to "reshape element" result
if I were you. I'll divide engine/rotor housing (above main body), make it 1 mesh, the body could be 1 or 2 mesh and tail mesh. all small part would be include in tail mesh, as tail mesh would be use small area of texture. apply material ID on polygon to choose which mesh belong to and use multi-subobject on material editor( thought you know about this) and apply material ID in material editor.
but you can keep old meshing as is, if you made new polygon, just add new texture for it. it would be time saving and easier rather than start from beginning. thought present mapping and texture was really good.
Osprey external body doesn't use above method, but the body it self divide 3 + wing + engine. but above method used in new Osprey VC and Tu-144 on my showroom thread. I show you Tu-144 mapping, it was cockpit and nose mapping (body divide in 3 part). I made warp around on fuselage, start from bottom fuselage. tail curve mesh make it not easy to setup texture in future, but it could maintain mesh ratio.
I have 2012, thought it not too far from 2010 ( never use 2010).
to achieve flatten mapping, you can use:
- explode: flatten by angle ( no effect on smoothing group)
it will spread out you mesh, that way it need "stitch", I assign it to SHIFT + S ( make life easier), stitch it each singe spread mesh. stitching on line you want to stitch. think to be consider is the shape of model, must know where the mesh ended in some edge (in one model) that would make distortion for texture. it need generalize in which angle mesh will facing and decide it as single mesh
- after stitching finish you can use: arrange element, I usually use Normalize to make mesh have 1:1 in size ratio and arrange mesh in texture size (the scale you worry about)
- reshape element (to keep each polygon have same ratio).
- Quick transform: vertical/Horizontal align. use on complex cable/pipe make all longest in line and if some edge of mesh that need to be straighten but not straight yet due to "reshape element" result
if I were you. I'll divide engine/rotor housing (above main body), make it 1 mesh, the body could be 1 or 2 mesh and tail mesh. all small part would be include in tail mesh, as tail mesh would be use small area of texture. apply material ID on polygon to choose which mesh belong to and use multi-subobject on material editor( thought you know about this) and apply material ID in material editor.
but you can keep old meshing as is, if you made new polygon, just add new texture for it. it would be time saving and easier rather than start from beginning. thought present mapping and texture was really good.
Osprey external body doesn't use above method, but the body it self divide 3 + wing + engine. but above method used in new Osprey VC and Tu-144 on my showroom thread. I show you Tu-144 mapping, it was cockpit and nose mapping (body divide in 3 part). I made warp around on fuselage, start from bottom fuselage. tail curve mesh make it not easy to setup texture in future, but it could maintain mesh ratio.
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Hello
Kalong:
Thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with me. By the way, the texture you've made for the Tupolev is great! I am guessing you have baked that lovely shades as a specular map and blend it later in your graphic design software.
Keep up the good work!
Sergio.
Kalong:
Thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with me. By the way, the texture you've made for the Tupolev is great! I am guessing you have baked that lovely shades as a specular map and blend it later in your graphic design software.
Keep up the good work!
Sergio.
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close enough...
it was blend between Ambient Occlusion (AO) and diffuse texture, here what I do
what I did after mapping and still in max 2012 (don't know 2010 have it) do "render to texture" for:
- baking lighting map to make AO texture. use it as shades. to be note is model polygon must finish with all related model. AO will calculated every polygon shades that are connected/near. I get this technique from:
- baking Normal map. generating bump map.
+ render UVW template as reference
so it pretty much finish with all you do in max and prepare file for texturing.
Texturing:
- make a livery paint in paint software and blend it with AO to make Diffuse texture ready.
- Specular texture I took from diffuse (no AO) then convert it to grey color. I usually not include paint livery on specular as specular is a base material like metal, rubber, shinny stuff, etc.
- night light just keep livery paint and give grey to dim the light or fully black if there no light.
- Normal Map generate from max need to reconvert to Bump Map. check this : http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation
so you have:
Diffuse Texture
Specular Texture
night light Texture
Bump Texture
Done, for preparing texture file. next is playing with FSX material param (ACES tool).
it easy as it typing and reading, but my self very often came back to max to make correction with mapping due to critical area not well mapping. it give more boring, as doing many repetition (learn by doing), but the result was promising.
I know most this flow you already knew. but it just give whole perspective and flow to other new guy want to develop their own aircraft.
I start from this forum, from minus one (not zero, due to learning English), so I'll do same thing as all expert in this forum give me a guide (and I still need a guide).
you have good work too, Sergio.
it was blend between Ambient Occlusion (AO) and diffuse texture, here what I do
what I did after mapping and still in max 2012 (don't know 2010 have it) do "render to texture" for:
- baking lighting map to make AO texture. use it as shades. to be note is model polygon must finish with all related model. AO will calculated every polygon shades that are connected/near. I get this technique from:
- baking Normal map. generating bump map.
+ render UVW template as reference
so it pretty much finish with all you do in max and prepare file for texturing.
Texturing:
- make a livery paint in paint software and blend it with AO to make Diffuse texture ready.
- Specular texture I took from diffuse (no AO) then convert it to grey color. I usually not include paint livery on specular as specular is a base material like metal, rubber, shinny stuff, etc.
- night light just keep livery paint and give grey to dim the light or fully black if there no light.
- Normal Map generate from max need to reconvert to Bump Map. check this : http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Normal_map_creation
so you have:
Diffuse Texture
Specular Texture
night light Texture
Bump Texture
Done, for preparing texture file. next is playing with FSX material param (ACES tool).
it easy as it typing and reading, but my self very often came back to max to make correction with mapping due to critical area not well mapping. it give more boring, as doing many repetition (learn by doing), but the result was promising.
I know most this flow you already knew. but it just give whole perspective and flow to other new guy want to develop their own aircraft.
I start from this forum, from minus one (not zero, due to learning English), so I'll do same thing as all expert in this forum give me a guide (and I still need a guide).
you have good work too, Sergio.
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Hi there
Kalong:
Awesome! I think I got it now. The AO will save a lot of time doing a work that I am not good at: creating shadows manually. Right next to the first video, I've found excatly what I need:
It is basically the same thing related with the AO textures but a little bit slower!
Thank you kindly,
Sergio.
Kalong:
Awesome! I think I got it now. The AO will save a lot of time doing a work that I am not good at: creating shadows manually. Right next to the first video, I've found excatly what I need:
It is basically the same thing related with the AO textures but a little bit slower!
Thank you kindly,
Sergio.
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I am flattered, you're very kind. To tell you the truth, I am not sure if it is good enough to learn from. If you are interested, when the work is done I will share it with you.
Cheers,
Sergio.
euroastar350
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I use a combination of planar and peel mapping on my Trislander, makes a big difference in the end for the painters once I release the aircraft into the wild And it's done in Max 9 and 2012
And it's done in Max 9 and 2012
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I use a combination of planar and peel mapping on my Trislander, makes a big difference in the end for the painters once I release the aircraft into the wild
Bro, judging what I saw, everybody will be very happy with the final result of your hard work!
A few more "goodies" after the new fuselage mapping; so far, only the antennas positions I've seen:
Cheers,
Sergio.
