Chronocidal

Don't worry too much, the VF-22/YF21 will be the next plane I do.. when I have time. :S It might not be till summer. This one took me from Christmas until now.

Okay, I found out that someone did do a fairly decent YF-19.. but still, it's nowhere NEAR as detailed as FS2002/4 can handle.

I would make one for X-Plane but for one thing: I don't think there is any way to model anything this complex in X-Plane. It would come out pretty badly, and probably wouldn't look much like the actual plane. Yes, X-Plane has thrusters, etc, and is realistic in that it actually calculates the flight specs for the plane.. but that is also it's greatest limitation. Since the game has to constantly do all these calculations, you can only make the model in the X-Plane software, which, frankly, in my experience, is nothing short of craptacular. There is no real control over shapes (ALLL of the fuselage parts are simple cylinders and you have to work with the number of cross sections given you.. no control over polygons at all), and angled wings and tails like on the YF-19 are impossible, at least with the version I have. You can manage to do some nice aircraft, but in the case of something this complex, you run out of parts to use REALLY fast. Also, there is no way to alter the way the textures are mapped, so these textures would never work.

There is actually a YF-19 for X-Plane believe it or not though.. it came with the game. It's called simply a "Japanese Anime" plane to avoid copyright infringement, but it's clearly a YF-19. I'll see if I can get a picture of it.

Edit: Here it is... good grief that's hilarious...suffice to say you get nothing but big cylinders to work with, and only get about 8 cross sections per part. The YF-19's fuselage alone needs about 30 separate cross sections to get the shape right.

I did make a pretty darn detailed VF-1 once for this program, but the people in charge of the next version compressed all the textures into one map, and killed any chance it had of nice detail.. the model was decent, but the VF-1 is VERY simple compared to the YF-19, and is much easier to make... course, I still had to use fuel tanks to make the fuselage. SEVERE lack of modeling options. They also changed the texture format for the new version, and it corrupted the way the textures were applied, so it looks like crap now.

and...

#2, and #3, guess who?

K, I looked at the other planes I've downloaded for reference, most of them use between 4-10 mb of textures... and they usually all run very well. I think I can probably double up the textures and it won't be a problem

Here's paint scheme #1, a variation on the Hikaru VF-1J.

Well, that isn't to say I can't make the textures UN mirrored, it just means that it'll just about double the amount of textures the game has to load. It probably wouldn't be that much of a system hit considering you're the only plane that you see most of the time... I'll see how much doubling up some textures adds, and get back to you. I'll just need to make two versions of some textures, one with the text forwards and one with it backwards for the opposite side. The fuselage is already fully wrapped around so that won't be a problem but the engines, wings, and tails are all mirrored directly across. I probably should also see about remapping the tails.. right now,both sides use the same texture, so it eliminates putting stuff on only the outside or inside. :S

Right now I'm using the DXT3 format for textures, I didn't know there was anything else.. if there is a better way to do it I'm all ears.

Anyway, I have 5 paint schemes almost completely done, I'll post pics a little later if I can.. gotta memorize more lines in Shakespeare before I do though.

Well, I'm working on blank skins currently, I'll distribute them with the plane in a separate folder. I've got two versions done, and I'm also working on making Max, Millia, Hikaru and Roy versions right now, sort of a "what if" set of paint schemes. The only downside to the skins is that they are all mirrored, so any text would be backwards.. it took some major tweaking just to get the 19 on the nacelles right, and it only worked because that part of the nacelle is pretty much symmetrical.

Actually, there is one more annoying thing.. the skins FS2002 uses aren't regular bitmaps.. they're DirectX formatted bitmaps, that contain alpha channels. Most programs can't open them, you need a special converter to edit and export them. It's free, but it isn't just as simple as pasting new textures into the folder and seeing a new paint scheme.

Btw, the low speed handling in 2002 is incredibly good, the flaps not working is what is making it stall so easily I'm pretty sure.. I need to research the 2004 flap configurations so they work in both. In 2002, I can get this thing down to about 75 knots with full flaps and brakes...you need a lot of power to stay in the air though. I've adjusted the handling a bit over the last couple of days, so the roll is easier to control now, but still very responsive.. but part of it has to do with the axis sensitivity settings in the configuration. Setting the aileron axis to a lower sensitivity and maybe a little more null zone helps the roll control quite a bit.

I'll keep the updates coming. I should have some alternate paint scheme shots up soon.

Heheh, technically, I could send it to you, but it wouldn't do you any good.. the version I put up for download wasn't even UV mapped yet, so the textures wouldn't work anyway. I'm pretty close to getting a textured version out though. Just tweaking the flight model to work a little better and less erratic. I'm going to see if I can get 3-4 paint schemes out for now, maybe more later.

LOL.. Oy, yeah.. one of the main things that motivated me to start some Macross stuff was that VF-1J.. I saw it and my brain went "BLECH"... it was just so ugly to begin with I never downloaded it. I'm planning on doing one of those too eventually, probably a set of all the models of VF-1 with about a dozen different texture sets.

Heheh.. Well, I tried putting this in Combat Sim 3 without much luck.. The plane works technically, but the game is STRICTLY a WWII sim, physics-wise and technology wise, so the plane is limited to about the performance level of a P-51. I don't know about other games though, LOMAC might be a good candidate, if it's mod-able. Of course what we really need is a dedicated combat flight/mech sim that can handle transformations, kind of like a combo of LOMAC and Mechwarrior.

Looks REALLY good, I can't wait to see the finished product.. It looks kind of hunchbacked though for some reason.. I dunno, it looks good from the side, but the canopy looks kind of... flat.. I dunno... it's weird. Maybe the chest plate is just a little too thick. I can't tell. Still, looks incredible.

Heheh.. Personally, I'd like to see an SV-51 modeled.. looks like a challenge to me.

I've got several other skins planned too, just gotta get them done. This one was a really simple recolor of the basic skin, so I did it in about ten minutes. Also, as you may have guessed, the lens flare is added.. I figured I was due for a background change, and the stock FS sun looked pathetic.

If you can't tell by these pics, the textures for two models are done.. I'll probably do at least two more shemes, maybe based on some of those optional decals sets you see all the time. I do have one particular custom scheme in mind... I won't say what it is yet though. The plane itself is done, all the parts work, animations are good, and the textures all have a slight bit of reflectivity to them, which looks incredible when the fuselage reflects the ground going by underneath. I'm just trying to figure out how to do a decent afterburner.. the one in that previous shot looks beautiful, but doesn't move with the feet. I also have to tweak a few textures to get the various lights and illuminated parts working right. But it's getting there.

Btw, if the plane looks too white below, it's because I made it that way on purpose... Personally I like the clean white better than the beige color in the anime. I'll probably do both versions though, it's a simple 10 minute job to alter the colors.

Your wish is granted.

*thinks to himself, "Darn, they're on to me.. must deny that 21/22 mesh exists...must keep secret..."*

Heheh.. Actually, there isn't a YF-21/22 mesh yet, but that's my next project, so don't worry. I've got the instructions all scanned in to make one.

This one's almost done, I'll probably finish the exterior model this weekend, then it's on to the virtual cockpit! Then, MAYBE a regular cockpit.. I dunno, I have no idea how to make a standard panel. I'll probably end up altering some stock panel to look almost like a 19 panel, but I haven't a clue how to make my own instruments, which is what this thing will need eventually.

Btw, the textures for the exterior model are done, I'm just working out the bugs in the program, and getting everything to work right.. I'm trying to find a way to make afterburner flames that move with the thrust vectoring, but it may be tricky...I'll put some screenies up later today.

Ahhh, I see then.. I really need to watch DYRL one of these days...

Ahhh, ok, so they do serve a purpose.. but still, it would have made more sense to make them recessed or flush with the fuselage.

Queer Eye for the Valk-Guy?

Lol.. actually, if he's taking off, the landing gear would be there. Nice effects. What's that done in?

Personally, I really like the delta variation of the VF-11 design.. but breasts? Really, there is such a thing as going too far. The custom design and paint I can understand... I can even kind of understand the face thing.. but arbitrarily adding two mounds on the fuselage that serve as nothing more than added drag in fighter mode makes me go

Hmm.. Truth be told, I think FS2002 is actually PICKIER than X-Plane.. particularly in things like the .air file that each plane needs. In X-Plane, all the values are calculated automatically in the aircraft file, so it's pretty simple. In FS2002, the values are in no way connected to the model. You actually have to do all the wing area, weight distribution, thrust, engine weight, fuel load, etc. on your own, and enter them in the program's aircraft editor. The most annoying aspect of this is that the program doesn't calculate ANYTHING with the model. All the landing gear contact coordinates, as well as any place the plane may touch the ground (ie a wingtip, or nose, or whatever) have to be entered manually, or the game won't register a collision. Wrong data can result in a plane that bounces up in the air like a balloon before flipping over and crashing. And that's with the engines off. There are just so many values to calculate it's ridiculous, and sometimes the game will just refuse to make a plane fly, no matter what you do. The only way to really get something to fly is find a similar aircraft, and copy values from its files. This one started with data I found in a variety of planes, mainly some kind of sst, crossed with data from a Tomcat. I eventually tweaked all the values, but it's a VERY long and arduous process. I had a lot more success with X-Plane than I have had with FS2002.

As for making the actual planes, you need some type of 3d software, usually Gmax since it's free, and you need the Professional Edition of FS2002.. it has the plugins and programs to make the models for the games. That itself is a long process as well, since the actual formatting of the model for all the different types of animations is pretty complex (ie landing gear, control surfaces, etc.)

Actually, I imagine by going CG they would hope to conserve the actual structures of the plane.. my impression was that they only made the nose swappable so the legs would have a place to mount without deforming the nose horribly. I think they're two versions of the same size nose, one with leg mounts, and one without.

I do agree with that idea though, I'd say go for the looks, and make fighter mode look good. Once you've got that down, you can work it into a transformable model later if you want.

Heheh.. I forgot how easy it is to make airplane textures compared to Star Trek stuff.. the exterior is done except for a few one colored textures, I'm working on interior details now, like the landing gear and cockpit.

Well, I guess I could, but it would probably be easier for me to do the update and release it when it's final. I don't have the model in Gmax format anyway, so all the animations would be lost in the transfer. I'm through texturing about 1/3 of the model, and I can't imagine it being that hard to get the flaps working for you. Probably just a simple renaming of a part. I'll get the FS2004 SDK, and I can release two versions when it's done.

The nozzles on the other hand shouldn't move anyway. I've been experimenting with that on my own after I released the current model. I might simply eliminate the thrust vectoring unless I can find a way to make the engine flames move, cause right now it looks ridiculous to have the nozzles moving while the afterburner flames shoot through the center of the feet.