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Topics - NickD

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1
Finished Works and Works in Progress / Torpedoboat, "Taurus" class
« on: March 25, 2011, 02:22:12 pm »
Hello,
I present you my recent work - an end of 19 century torpedoboat, designed by me.
She is mix of Yarrow and Schneider designs, customized by me at my liking.
The work is almost completed, i need to add a boat and some little details, and also finishing the painting - including textures on some details.

But I need some advise: First - is someone knows how to make anchor chains? The chain plugin didnt work properly, and i need not a straight, but curved chains. If it is possible, I want to avoid making them detail by detail on hand.
Second - I'm not satisfied from renders - the details look unnatural on this lightning, and some curved or edged details look at render only like plain colour - their edges cant be seen, no shadows or other signs showing position of the edge - for example you cant see edges on charts and flags boxes on the bridge - they look plain brown. Can someone advise me how to make the render better?
      
Overall look from the bow:


View from another side:


Side view:


Afterdeck detailisation - dual topedo tube, mast with crane, rear bridge with projectors and torpedo reload on a cart:


A close look to the bridge and forward 6pdr Hotchkiss guns and ammo:



Best Regards,
Nick

2
Finished Works and Works in Progress / ShipMaker3D Demo
« on: June 21, 2010, 06:33:14 am »
Hello!
I'm working on a software, which can generate automatically the 3D ship models for the Anim8or.

The software works this way:
First you can enter geometrical parameters of the ship's hull, you can add the superstructures as well, and at last - add a specific elements of the ship (guns, other weapons, radars, boats, etc.)

Working on a hypothetical post WWII modified cruiser:


First try of the Koni class frigate


After finishing the design, you can simply hit "Export to 3D" button and Animator ASL-script will be generated. You then simply can run the script in the Anim8or and your ship will be created for render or additional "by hand" modifying.









You can test the demo by yourself by getting the archive from this post.
Simply unarchive the demo, preserving archive subdirectories and no other install is needed.
The archive includes saved both ships you seen in screenshots. To load them, use "Load ship" menu and choose a .sm3 file from "Saved Ships" directory.
YOU WILL NEED MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK INSTALLED ON YOUR PC TO RUN THE SOFTWARE! If you dont have one, download and install it from the microsoft site.

Because this is a demo, it still not included various bow and stern shapes, it is limited to few superstructure shapes and few items too. This will be change during the continuous work on the software.

The good news is that additional items can be added by everyone.
I'm still not wrote the manual, but will explain with a few words how it can be done:

1. Install "Expost to script" plugin in the anim8or. Plugin is located in "tools" directory in the archive.
2. Draw or get somewhere 3D model of the gun/system. It can be centered about coordinate axises, and it can match the scale 1 anim8or unit = 1 meter
3. Select the 3D model and export it to *.txt
4. Open the "Resources/Items" directory and place the exported file there.
5. Create a *.cfg text file with the same name. You can use the existing .cfg file to see what it contains, it is easy to understand.
6. Draw the left right and top 2D views of the item in scale 2 pixel = 1 feet. Put the pictires in the Item directory and name them <item name>_picR.<ext>, <item name>_picL.<ext> <item name>_picTL.<ext> and <item name>_picTR.<ext>.
The <ext> - extension of the file may be PNG, BMP or GIF. The white color (255, 255, 255) will be drawn as fully opaque. Do not use JPG, it is possible, but compression will damage da opaque color.

What is next:
===========
The work is far away from completion so in future versions you can see:
-Different bow and stern shapes, deck curves(partially done, but interface not implemented)
-Age filter for systems - if you activate it, you will be unable to place modern missiles on ironclad, for example.
- Item and superstructure highlighting for easier design.
- Materials will be imported in objects.
- Calculated hull shape for different box coefficients - the shape of the hull will be more "Fat" or "slim", depending of your choice.
-Lots of items and weapon systems.

So this is it. If you have any questions or suggestions i will be glad to answer.

3
ASL Scripts / Converting a mesh to script - is this possible?
« on: May 28, 2010, 11:03:14 am »
Hello,
The problem I encounter is following: I have some meshes drawn, that i want to have on script.
It will be difficult and time consuming to write each script on hand. Can it be made automatically?

4
ASL Scripts / "Ring" parametric shape plugin
« on: January 29, 2009, 02:51:01 am »
Here is the "ring" parametric shape plugin i've made. I hope it serves You well as serves me.

5
ASL Scripts / Customizable 3D ship hull script (demo included)
« on: December 15, 2008, 04:48:43 am »
Hello!
Looking at the SpringSharp software http://www.springsharp.com/ (used to design virtual warships), i've got following idea: It will be good to have visual 3D model of the designed ship (ShpringSharp gives only text data), and i've realised that it is possible.
I'm writing a script, where by specifying  few ship's parameters, you can receive a 3D model of this ship.

Here is the current version of the script. I'm still working on it. Later will be implemented calculation of different block coefficients ("fatness") of the ship (for now block coefficient can be only 0.523 - corresponding to a cruiser).
This version implement "Cruiser stern". In later versions, i'll try to implement also transom and round sterns as a choice.

To create your own ship 3D model, open the script file , and modify the parameters on top of the  script:

float $WLL; $WLL = 192; /*waterline length*/
float $WLB; $WLB = 20.8; /*beam*/
float $WLD; $WLD = 4.9; /*drought*/
float $BCF; $BCF = 6.1; /*Board Forecastle Front*/
float $BCA; $BCA = 5.3; /*Board Forecastle Aft*/
float $BFF; $BFF = 5.3; /*Board Fore Deck Front*/
float $BFA; $BFA = 5.3; /*Boatd Fore Deck Aft*/
float $BAF; $BAF = 3.0; /*Board Aft Deck Front*/
float $BAA; $BAA = 3.0; /*Boatd Aft Deck Aft*/
float $BQF; $BQF = 3.0; /*Board Quarterdeck Front*/
float $BQA; $BQA = 3.0; /*Boatd Quarterdeck Aft*/

float $ANGB; $ANGB = 20; /*bow angle*/

float $PFC; $PFC = 20; /*forecastle as percent of the hull length*/
float $PFD; $PFD = 30;/*fore deck as percent of the hull length*/
float $PQD; $PQD = 20;/*quarterdeck as percent of the hull length*/
float $PAD; $PAD = 100 - $PFC - $PFD - $PQD; /*aft deck as percent of the hull length*/

All data is in meters.

6
ASL Scripts / Please help with the cylinder script!
« on: December 02, 2008, 05:22:28 am »
Hello,
I have two points. I want to connect them not with the line, but with the cylinder. Is this possible ?

7
General Anim8or Forum / Object shadow problem (pic)
« on: August 08, 2008, 04:58:51 am »
Everytime i'm creating a object (cylinder, sphere) there was some problem with object shadow. One half of the object is darker then other, independently of applied material. This stays even in export and i cannot find where the problem is.
My sphere looks ugly, and not like single object (see red arrow where this line comes for example)


Can anyone helps me with that, please?

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