Updates

I have been busy with life in general and have been job searching. 3D Aircraft modelling projects are ongoing in my spare time.

Work on the CFS3 Sopwith Snipe continues. Most of the external model is now mapped and I have been planning on how to approach creating the airframe with a completely enclosed mesh and no open edges (manifold mesh) [i.e. if I choose to go ahead with a FS X version of the Snipe.] On open fuselage aircraft this involves use of the 3DS Max 8 shell modifier. At the time of writing not much is known about aircraft creation for FS X but I do notice that aircraft in the demo have opening doors etc. It will be interesting to see how FS X accomodates open edges from the model creation perspective.

I have also been working on a new model of the Bristol Fighter possibly for FS X. As with the Snipe I am hoping to create a manifold mesh - no mean feat with an open biplane. Interestingly the Gennadich Team have previewed pictures of a Fokker Dr-1 cockpit model for its forthcoming WW1 sim, showing self shadowing in the cockpit. I would be interested to know if this was a manifold mesh. I have read that some modern game engines no longer require manifold meshes to support self shadowing.

I have been assuming that FS X would have been improved to the extent that its model export tools would have equaled or surpassed what is currently acheivable in CFS3. At the time of writing this is not known, so it is perhaps best not to assume. If the capabilities and short comings of the export tools and 3D engine in FS X remain similar to FS 2004 then I will have to revise my current modelling plans as it will mean a different modelling approach for FS X to that which I employ for CFS3.

FS X looks very nice and makes use of modern shader technology on its aircraft and scenery objects. FS X also introduces enhanced animation techniques. However under the surface it is based on the existing FS engine. I guess we'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

Biff Walks on Water [in FSX]

Just having some fun in the Flight Simulator X demo released today. It is a preview release demo with a few bugs but on the whole very nice visually with reasonable frame rates too.

Just a few fun shots showing off the water effects and reflections. As to the Biff it's WIP for FS 2004.... can't let T-6's have all the fun water skiing. You can just tell that I'll be making a few seaplanes for FS X. {Note : Provided the dev tools are improved on the FS9 tools].

WIP update on the Snipe

I've finished the untextured external mesh of the Sopwith Snipe. I still have much work to do in detailing the virtual cockpit and also the LODS - and of course textures and surfacing.

The fuselage decking in front of the cockpit was modelled many times before I was happy with it.

Here are a couple of 3DS Max quickrenders.

Freeware Snipe for FS X too

I forgot to mention in my previous post that I intend to produce a freeware version of the Sopwith Snipe for Flight Simulator X also.

I am hoping that the new export tools for Flight Simulator X will allow higher resolution meshes and the base CFS3 mesh should be easily converted to FS X. The Snipe model is fairly detailed and would require too much work to convert to FS 2004.

I also face the challenging task of completing the external model as one contiguous mesh to enable dynamic self shadowing in FS X. Not too difficult for more modern enclosed aircraft but somewhat challenging for early biplanes or any other open cockpit aircraft.

[EDIT: An FS X version of this Sopwith Snipe depends on FS X and its tools being able to support model meshes of the resolution and standard that CFS3 currently supports. At the time of writing this remains to be seen. If the FS X 3D engine and export tool limitations are similar to those in FS9 then this version of the Snipe will not appear for FS X. I will focus my modelling efforts in other directions but will at least continue to model for CFS3 on a hobby basis.]

Rob

Freeware Models & Projects

I have been planning projects and models for the next two years and have come up with a bit of a roadmap for the next 12-15 months. The projects are a mixture of freeware and payware.

It would not be prudent to announce payware projects until they are reasonably advanced.

My revised freeware tentative schedule is as follows -

Bristol F2B for FS2004 late August/early Sept release.
Bristol F2B revision and paint schemes for CFS3 late August/early Sept release.
Sopwith Snipe CFS3 September release.
Sopwith Baby CFS3 late September/Oct release.
Sopwith Baby FS2004 late September/Oct release.
Boulton Paul Defiant for CFS3 December release.

These are tenative release dates and will change if my personal and employment circumstances change.

A couple of pics

Here are a couple of WIP pics of the FS2004 Biff.



I also posted a few in a thread at Sim-Outhouse

Touching Base - June 29

The bulk of my design activities over the past couple of weeks have mainly focussed on the FS2004 Bristol Fighter. I have an exterior model and virtual cockpit that I am quite satisfied with. There is very little difference in the external mesh of the CFS3 and FS2004 versions. The virtual cockpit required much rework as mentioned in other posts. There are a few things still to tweak.

Currently I am working on the instrument animations. I am creating what are commonly referred to as smooth gauges, in the land of FS2004 designers. Essentially these are gauges that are animated directly in the model in a similar manner to those in CFS3. The difference between CFS3 and FS2004 is that the gauge math is hard coded in the CFS3 engine, a designer only has to create the key frame animations, whereas in FS2004 xml work and some coding is involved, in addition to key frames. This requires an understanding of RPN (reverse Polish notation), a bit of mathematics (arghh!!), and knowledge of variables supported by the FS2004 sim engine. Quite a learning curve.

I have just started modelling a pilot figure which if successful will be used both in FS2004 and CFS3.

I am also in the process of modelling a Boulton and Paul Defiant for CFS3 which I am in the process of starting.

Once I am on top of the Biff's instruments for FS2004, I'll resume work on the Sopwith Snipe for CFS3. It's unlikely that I will release the Snipe for FS9. I hope to create a Snipe for FS X. However that's a different story.

Leap Forward for FS Biff

I've finally managed to export an internal model mesh that I'm reasonably happy with. It will be all hands on deck for the FS Biff in coming days.

Anyway there is much work still ahead for the Biff. I now have to tidy the cockpit up a bit. Rework some textures, uvmap and animate the internal model, and convert the CFS3 LOD's to FS2004. Also I have to animate the instruments. More on that as I go along.

It's nice to know that I can now move ahead. Now for that celebratory glass of fruit juice LOL.


Rob

Biff Downloads

Well the Biff has been released for 2 1/2 months now and it's still being downloaded at a healthy rate given that is is a CFS3 WW1 aircraft. - 2412 downloads as at 14 June 2006.

Sim-Outhouse 1134
Simviation 782
Flightsim.com 321
Avsim 175

That's quite an interesting mix. Sim-Outhouse has the largest CFS community and also hosts the Over Flanders Fields forums and not surprisingly the largest number of downloads of the Biff. Interestingly though the Sim-Outhouse total comprises less than half the total downloaded. Most of the Avsim downloads occurred in the first day of release when it was listed on the front page new additions to the library.

It will be interesting to see how the FS2004 version fairs in comparison.

Rob

This week's progress

Work on the Bristol Fighter for FS2004 continues as does the Sopwith Snipe for CFS3.

The FS2004 version of the Bristol Fighter is slow progress indeed. The FS2004 makemdl exporter appears to have a vertex limit of 64k vertices which is currently affecting the interior model. The exterior exports without problem. It's been very much a case of trimming the interior model bit by bit while trying to preserve the sharpness and detail of the CFS3 version. There have been some sacrifices. This problem has been caused by the FS2004 exporter requirement that visible parts of the external model have to be duplicated and added to the interior, thus resulting in a high polycount.

The Snipe continues too, although slowly, as I don't have much time to devote to it at the present time. Yesterday I received the Windsock Datafile on the Snipe which wll enable me to fill in a few gaps in the cockpit detail.

I have been unwinding somewhat and spending time on my other passions...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2527644672253213132
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEd4JuYAltw